In Central Florida, agriculture has occupied a large portion of Central Florida’s economy, with winter strawberries, citrus, timber, vegetables, and aquaculture all making major contributions. But the attractions are also really important to the area’s economy. Tourism is a large contributor to Central Florida’s economy.

The area has economically diversified in the past decade. As a high-tech industrial hub, Metro Orlando has the seventh largest research park in the U.S., Central Florida Research Park, the engineering and business school of the University of Central Florida. It has defense companies such as Lockheed Martin and Siemens.

Medical research is conducted in Orlando’s Lake Nona area with the University of Central Florida medical school, the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute biomedical research facility, and a new Veterans Administration hospital. These facilities, along with several research support companies, have led this research cluster to be referred to as Medical City. In 2012, an estimated 400,000 veterans lived in ten of the counties of Central Florida. A $665 million Veterans Administration hospital was being built in Lake Nona. Completion was scheduled for 2013.

The Tampa Bay area has become a center of high-tech manufacturing and research, while both Orlando and the Tampa Bay area are centers for the financial industry, especially insurers and back-end operations for large banking companies.

Ferris Groves Store in Floral City, one of many Old Florida style citrus stands found on the back roads of Central Florida.

Plant City Strawberry Festival, Congressman Putnam with wife Melissa and their daughters at the Strawberry Parade in Plant City, Florida,
Active military installations in Central Florida include Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station located on the Atlantic coast; MacDill Air Force Base, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg on the Gulf Coast; and Naval Support Activity Orlando, the Navy Pinecastle Impact (Bombing) Range, and the Avon Park Air Force Range located inland. 

These are augmented by major commands that are tenant activities at these installations, such as the headquarters for United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) and the headquarters for United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) at MacDill AFB, the Naval Ordnance Test Unit, and Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral at Cape Canaveral SFS, and other Active, Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard activities that are located as either stand-alone facilities or as tenants on the active-duty installations.

Additional former facilities that have since been closed and converted to civilian use include Naval Air Station Sanford, which closed in 1968 and is the present-day Orlando-Sanford International Airport; McCoy Air Force Base, which closed in 1975 and is the present-day Orlando International Airport; and Orlando Air Force Base, which was transferred to the Navy in 1968 and renamed Naval Training Center Orlando until its BRAC-directed closure in 1999 and conversion to the present-day Baldwin Park neighborhood.

Silver Springs in Ocala is one of the many natural springs and lakes found in Central Florida.
The other major U.S. Government installations in Central Florida is the Kennedy Space Center, a NASA facility located adjacent to Cape Canaveral SFS, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Outpatient Clinic at Baldwin Park (former Orlando AFB Hospital / former Naval Hospital Orlando) and the VA Hospital at Lake Nona.

Central Florida has three major zoos, the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens, in Sanford, the Brevard Zoo, and the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay animal park. There are also two theme parks in Orlando featuring animals: Disney’s Animal Kingdom and SeaWorld Orlando.

It is known as “The Sunshine State”, it became a popular winter destination for the well-to-do from colder climates over a century ago, as well as the center for citrus production in North America. Its roots in agriculture are still present, with tropical fruits being a chief export.

Today, Florida is home to more than 20 million people and the state’s beaches and resort lifestyle are some of the biggest reasons travelers head to Florida. The capital of Florida is Tallahassee, located in the eastern portion of the Florida Panhandle.

The beaches in Florida are among the most popular attractions, sugar-white sands washed by warm tropical ocean currents and lined with palm trees. Florida has something to offer for any kind of traveler. 

Other major attractions include Kennedy Space Center, Bok Tower Gardens, Daytona International Speedway, Fun Spot America Theme Parks, The Holy Land Experience, and Gatorland. Central Florida also has a wide variety of natural attractions including the Wekiwa Springs State Park, Blue Spring State Park, Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Canaveral National Seashore, and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. 

The region also boasts an extensive network of recreational trails (jogging, biking, equestrian, etc.). While many connections are already in place, construction continues and will link all of the trails and greenways. Major trails include the Cady Way, Cross Seminole, and West Orange Trails.