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Summary

This Florida City Is USA's Most Popular Winter Destination & Even Beat Out Sunny California

People are ditching the seasons and flocking to the beach.

A crowded Miami Beach.

A crowded Miami Beach.

Florida Associate Editor

Every year, like clockwork, "snowbirds" flock to Florida for their winter vacation, so it comes as no surprise a study found it ranked most popular for seasonal travel. However, it is a bit shocking the state beat out the less humid West Coast California beaches.

The data, done by Innerbody, analyzed Google Trends to see which vacation destinations were the top searched for people to visit in early 2023.

They found none other than Miami, FL in first place and San Diego, CA in second place.

In fact, 17 states from coast-to-coast have chosen Florida as a place they are frequently searching to go to this time of year. There are only a few states only located on the West Coast looking at California with a high search volume.

Interestingly enough, both areas have top-searched tourist attractions that aren't even in the cities that ranked on the list.

While many people are on the edge of their seats waiting to step off the plane in Miami, they actually have their eyes on The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando.

In California, people want to see The Getty Center located in Los Angeles.

The study also looked at popular activities visitors were looking up to do when they travel. For Florida, many want to try the state's ice skating facilities.

California's wasn't listed.

While the Sunshine State checks out as No. 1, researchers looked at where Floridians wanted to go. According to their Google Trends analysis, the residents chose Wyoming.

So, while most of the country wants to trade mountains and snow for theme parks and beaches, those who live where they vacation want to see quite the opposite!

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

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    • Associate Editor

      Jenna Kelley (she/her) was the Associate Editor for Florida at Narcity Media, where she oversaw all of the editorial content across the Sunshine State. She started her career in broadcast media as a television news reporter for three years. In 2020, Jenna won a Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GABBY) award for Best Online Produced Story. She's covered live concerts, reported at the Masters Tournament, and interviewed state senators during election season. Prior to working at Narcity Media, she made her way home to Florida and launched a copywriting business. Jenna received her B.A. in English with a minor in Communications at Florida State University. She has over five years of experience from print and digital media to radio and television.

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