It's not all Mickey Mouse and beach-front posturing in the Sunshine State.
We've lined up a range of Florida travel experts, who can offer all manner of tailor-made advice for whichever style of holiday you prefer: cultural, active, relaxing, or a mix of all three. Want to know where to find the best margarita, key lime pie or cutting-edge fusion cuisine? Need an affordable place to base yourself for trips to the Everglades or the Keys? Perhaps you are even feeling brave enough to tackle Orlando's theme parks with the family, but need some insider info to make the day run without a hitch.
If you're looking for inspiration or advice for a trip to Florida, post your questions in the comments below and our panel will do their best to answer them between 3-4pm (BST) on Wednesday 24 April.
If you live in Florida or know the state well we'd love you to join in the chat and share your tips. Plus, from Monday 29 April, join Adam Gabbat on our inaugural Twitrip across Florida.
The experts
Lauren (Lolo) Reskin is the owner of independent record store Sweat Records in Miami. Heavily involved in the local music scene, she can fill you in on options for nightlife, live music and events. Lauren also runs meatlessmiami.com, a guide to south Florida's vegetarian-friendly restaurants.
Laura Martone is a travel writer, who has covered various US destinations for Geographic Traveler, MotorHome, Route 66 Magazine, RV Journal and The Ecotourism Observer. One of her favourite regions is the Florida Keys. She's snorkelled amid the coral reefs near Key Largo, kayaked through the mangroves of Marathon and visited the former haunts of Ernest Hemingway – all of which she's covered in her Moon Florida Keys guidebook. When not travelling, Laura divides her time between New Orleans and northern Michigan.
Melanie Gapany is a writer and photographer, who founded the website MiamiAlive.com. Born in Rio de Janeiro but a long-term resident in South Florida, she is fully tapped into Miami's cultural scene. Her work has been published in Orlando Weekly's Drink Magazine, Urb Magazine, The Miami New Times and Smile for Camera. Her areas of expertise include alternative and budget nightlife, food and drink, and off-the-beaten-track entertainment. She is also a big fan of historical south Florida.
Jason Ferguson is an Orlando resident and the author of Moon Florida and Moon Sarasota & Naples. He has yet to find a corner of his native state that doesn't hold some sort of surprise. With a background in alternative journalism and arts reporting, Jason enjoys discovering Florida's more unusual sights, including its diverse nightlife and art scenes. As a father of four, he also understands the infinite appeal of Florida's theme parks, beaches and outdoor opportunities.
Adam Karlin has written several guides to Fort Myers, Miami, the Keys and the Everglades, and was also the head author of Lonely Planet's first edition of Discover: Florida. While his travel expertise focuses on south Florida, his extended family lives in the panhandle and he loves everything in between as well. Adam has authored over 30 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, spanning the Americas, Africa and Asia. He lives in New Orleans.
Bonnie Gross and Bob Rountree are the founders of FloridaRambler.com, a website devoted to enjoying the natural, authentic, non-commercial sides of Florida. Bonnie lives in Fort Lauderdale; Bob in Deerfield Beach. After decades spent as news reporters in south Florida, they now write about hiking, biking, canoe and kayaking, camping and wildlife, plus lodging, dining and drinking. In addition to their website, they write for various travel publications, including the Miami Herald's travel section.
Join our Twitter Trip
On Monday 29 April, the Guardian will start the first in a monthly series of TwiTrips across America. For the inaugural trip, Adam Gabbatt will be driving the length of Florida, starting in Jacksonville and ending in Key West. His only information tool will be his mobile phone – and access to Twitter.
For five days, he will be guided through the state by the tips and recommendations sent in by you, our readers. Where should he stop for lunch? What quirky attractions should he see en route? Where's the best place for a drink at the end of each day? Send your tips to @AdamGabbatt and he will retweet and curate a plan of action, giving live updates and feedback as he zooms across the blacktop. Follow his progress on Twitter (#roadtriptips), and on his liveblog on the Guardian Travel website from Monday.
