When it came time to planning our honeymoon I was at a loss. What's the difference between Miami and Miami Beach? South Beach? Fort Lauderdale? I didn't know where to start so I just focused on researching as much as I could between all the areas until I understood what it was we were getting into!

First, it is easy to break South Florida down into four main areas:

Palm Beach County - small owns along this 47mile long Atlantic coastline. No two are the same with various museums, arts, golfing, shopping, safaris, food, and more. Things to do: Flagler Museum, Lion Country Safari, Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens, Palm Beach Kennel Club, Palm Beach Outlets, Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach Country History Museum

Greater Fort Lauderdale / Boward County: Head here to explore beaches, canal front mansions with massive yachts, the Everglades, and the historic New River. Things to do: Butterfly world, Everglades holiday park, Everglades swamp tour, Flamingo gardens, Hugh Taylor birch state park, Sawgrass recreation park, Sawgrass mills shopping.

Greater Miami / Miami-Dade County: Also accessible to Everglades National Park this is more to give than just nature with some of the most popular nightclubs in South Beach, and a buzzing world class city of downtown Miami you can find something for everyone here including the cruise port. Things to do: Coral Castle, Everglades Alligatorfarm, Gator park Miami seaquarium.

Florida Keys & Key West / Monroe County: Known as America’s Caribbean this chain of island is the closest to the Caribbean you can get without leaving the US. Here you can enjoy crystal clear waters and a relaxed atmosphere in a subtropical temperatures. Things to do: Florida Keys Brewing Co, History of diving museum, John Pennekamp coral reef state park, Scuba-fun.

If you are wondering what each area is more specifically known for, continue on down:

The outer bank of the Miami island/peninsula

Almost entirely tourist orientated

Mostly hotels and vacation rentals

Intense variety of bars

Found on the mainland

Latin American flavor

World class / cosmopolitan city

Edgy clubs

Live music

Eat in Miami's culinary frontier

if you are catching a cruise, it is easiest to stay downtown

Hyatt Convention Center's pool is built overtop of a Tequesta village site (only 10% was destroyed)

"crown jewel" of Miami and also "American Riviera"

Art Deco district with dozens of restored buildings that were refurbished during the 1980/1990 (think Miami Vice)

10 block, One square mile long area from Lincoln Road to Sixth Street, Ocean drive to Alton Road

One of the trendiest and most popular neighborhoods in the world

Gianni Versace lived and died here (his home is now a hotel)

Hundreds of restaurants, hotels, boutiques, and nightclubs

Clubs and bars are usually open until after 4am

Topless sunbathing is permitted but not legal

Largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the USA at over 1.5 million acres (over half is underwater)

Known for Alligator spotting and bird watching

can also find crocodiles, osprey, flamingos, bald eagles, blue heron, spoonbills, manatees, dolphins, turtles, pythons, and the Florida panther

Reached via Florida City (south of Miami)

Open year round

Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen

Tropical road trip of a lifetime

National Park

- South of Miami via Homestead along the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula, around the northern keys

- Unspoiled coastline, islands, crystal-clear water, coral reefs

- Most of it is underwater

- Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen

Key

- Southern tip is a 1-mil stretch of beachfront that is regularly voted the best beach in America

- you can see Stiltsville from the tip

- Cape Florida Lighthouse (South Florida's oldest structure) is found here and offers free tours

Bay

- Vizcaya Museum and Gardens: this 34-room Italian mansion was built by James Deering (tractor maker)

Hemingway drank here

Overseas highway: Tropical road trip of a lifetime

Bahia Honda State Park: Beach with camping spots

Dry Tortugas National Park: 70 miles off the west coast and only accessible by boat or seaplane. Known for the stately 19th century Fort Jefferson and blue waters

Close to Palm Beach with a bunch of old-money mansions

Rent a SkyBike and pedal over to Palm Beach

Hunt ghosts in the opulent Biltmore Hotel

tours depart from the lobby every Sunday at 1:30 & 2:30pm - what happened on the 13th floor?

Marvel at mansions and villas

Explore Little Havana's pulsing Latin heart

Surrogate Cuban homeland

Popped up during the 1960's

Known for it's atmosphere with the liveliest stretch between SW 11th and 17th Sites to see: Cigar factory, Brigade 2506 Memorial, domino park, Plaza de la Cubanidad, Little Havana to Go, Versailles restaurant, Botanica el Aguila

Vidente Viernes Culturales / Cultural Fridays are worth a visit

Hop between galleries and studios

Sun-worship in pretty parks and secluded coves

Family friendly

Less G-strings and topless beach goers

St. Bernard de Clairvaux church is worth the visit; originally build between 1133 and 1141 AD .William Hearst purchased it in 1925, had is dismantled and shipped to the US where it was rebuilt

Drink

Enjoy the funk at the Elbo room on the beachfront

Drink like a local at Dirty Blonde or one of the many bars of the Himmarshee Village

Catching a show at the Broward Center of the Performing Arts is a must

Walk through the FATVillage art district for it's monthly art walk which has you visiting all the local galleries

If you enjoy cigars, there is one cigar room open that you can still smoke inside at - Beach Cigar Bar & Hookah Lounge