Sunshine Matters

VISIT FLORIDA’s Public Relations team has been busy this week reaching out to military journalists and bloggers to share information on Florida’s rich military history, as well as great travel deals and special events available for military members and their families in the Sunshine State over the Veterans Day weekend. VISIT FLORIDA Partners from around the state provided us with details on nearly 40 special events and offers happening in 17 Florida cities over the next week that we aggregated into a single digital press release.

In addition, VISIT FLORIDA’s Family Insider Jill Martin posted a blog with dozens more Veterans Day freebies and discounts to Florida attractions, resorts and restaurants.   The hope is these efforts will reach those who serve our country and ensure they know how grateful Florida’s tourism industry is for the service they provide.

To ensure you’re in the know on some of those highlights, here’s an excerpt from the press release penned by VISIT FLORIDA PR Representative (and former Tallahassee Democrat writer) Kati Schardl:

Ever since Juan Ponce de Leon set foot on Florida’s shores, Florida history has had a military element.

The territory was contested by forces from Spain, France and England, all of which established forts and imported soldiers to defend their interests.  From the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and on to modern conflicts far from Florida’s shores, the state has been a player on the military stage.

Some of Florida’s most iconic landmarks, such as the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach and the Don Cesar Hotel in St. Pete Beach, saw service as convalescent hospitals for wounded soldiers in World War II.  The Tampa Bay Hotel (now the H.B. Plant Museum) served as a staging ground for Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War.  The state abounds with sites of military significance, from colonial forts to Civil War battlefields to modern mega-bases and training sites.

Please join VISIT FLORIDA in saluting our service men and women this Veterans Day – and all year long – by inviting your friends and family to explore Florida’s iconic military landmarks.   For more information, contact Kati Schardl at kschardl@VISITFLORIDA.org or to learn more about travel planning in the Sunshine State go to VISITFLORIDA.com.