Also known as "The Everglades," Everglades National Park is a swamp area in South Florida, approximately an hour west of the Greater Miami area. The Everglades are a swamp area with a tropical climate that provides a suitable habitat for wild animals and plants. Some of the Everglades native animals are reptiles (alligators and snakes), amphibians, mammals, tropical fish and birds. During the winter, the Everglades experience temperatures ranging from 78 to 80 degrees, while summertime temperatures soar from 90 degrees to over 100 degrees. July and August are the hottest months of the year.
South Florida is another name for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area. This region of Florida is in the state's southeastern corner and rests on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Temperatures in South Florida are comfortable throughout the year, ranging between 70 to 90 degrees. However, South Florida's tropical climate causes the region's humidity level to increase in the summertime. According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension program, South Florida receives approximately 70 percent of its annual rainfall during the months of May through September.
Southwest Florida is comprised of beachfront cities such as Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and Cape Coral. All of Southwest Florida's cities face the Gulf of Mexico. The region's largest city, Fort Myers, has an average temperature of 75 degrees during the winter and summer temperatures are usually in the 90s. Southwest Florida's tropical climate also accommodates a variety of wetland bird species and tropical plants such as orchids. Some Southwest Florida recreation areas are the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, Estero Bay and J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
The Florida Keys are a collection of islands directly south of the tip of Florida's peninsula. U.S. Highway 1 runs from the tip of Florida's mainland to Key West, the southernmost city on the Florida Keys. Key West is one of the most humid cities in the United States. The city has an average dew point (a measurement used to determine an area's humidity) of 75 in August and 74 in July. The dew point is the temperature required for the formation of dew.