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Hawaii vacation? Visit Florida instead during Coronavirus

Written by gaytourism

Waikiki is Oahu’s main hotel and resort area and a vibrant gathering place for visitors from around the world. Along the main strip of Kalakaua Avenue, you’ll find world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, activities, and resorts.

Waikiki is famous for its beaches and every hotel room is just two or three blocks away from the ocean (if it’s not directly on the beach). With Mount Leahi (Diamond Head) as your backdrop, the calm waters of Waikiki are perfect for a surfing lesson.

Waimea Bay, Kailua, Hanalei or Kaanapali Beach are among the most beautiful beaches in the world known for surfing, swimming, and turtles Marine life and nature getting a break in the Aloha State, since all beaches in Hawaii are currently closed

Currently, there are 154 active cases of Coronavirus in the entire State of Hawaii and 9 people lost their life due to the epidemic. Hawaii is a Democratic State. Gohawaii.com, the official tourism website for the Aloha State alerts anyone in red bold letters saying:

Should I come to Hawaii as planned?

  • No, not at this time.
  • Governor David Ige ordered all persons traveling to Hawaii (visitors and returning residents) to self-quarantine for 14 days following arrival. The state of Hawaii’s SAFE TRAVELS SYSTEM WEBSITE further explains the entrance and quarantine process.
  • The mandatory 14-day quarantine was expanded for air travel to include all inter-island passengers to further prevent the spread of COVID-19. These mandates will remain in place until further notice.
  • As this would mean that visitors would need to remain in their rooms for most or all of their vacation, travelers are strongly urged to postpone any trips to Hawaii

Florida is a Republican State. In Florida, there are 23,341 active cases of the virus, and 726 people died.   A discreet orange button leads potential tourists to a page that also shows what beaches are open.

Hawaii’s economy is almost completely dependent on the travel and tourism industry. Only 12.3% of all people in Florida are dependent on tourism.

Closing beaches and stopping tourism obviously is a lot bigger sacrifice in Hawaii compared to Florida. Everyone in Hawaii should be proud to reside in a paradise where one cares for another. This appears to be different in Florida, where human lives may have less value than economics

Florida Beach Jacksonville today

Currently, travelers that planned a vacation in Hawaii may very well rebook their Coronavirus holiday in Florida.
Here is a list of open and closed beaches in the Sunshine State according to the official tourism website updating visitors on Coronavirus 

Alachua

Gainesville, High Springs, Micanopy)

Baker
(Sanderson, Macclenny)

Bay
Panama City, Panama City Beach, Mexico Beach)
Partial beach closures reported

Bradford
(Starke, Lawtey, Brooker)

Brevard
(Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne)
Beaches restricted or closed

Broward
(Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach)
Beaches closed

Calhoun
(Chipola, Blountstown, Kinard)

Charlotte
(Englewood, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda)
Beaches closed

Citrus
(Crystal River, Homosassa, Inverness)
Beaches closed 

Clay
(Keystone Heights, Penney Farms, Green Cove Springs)

Collier
(Naples, Marco Island, Everglades City)
Beaches closed

Columbia
(Lake City, Fort White, White Springs)

DeSoto
(Arcadia, Brownville, Lake Suzy)

Dixie
(Suwannee, Cross City)

Duval
(Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach)
Beaches restricted

Escambia
(Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key)
Beaches closed

Flagler
(Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, Marineland)
Beaches closed

Franklin
(Apalachicola, Carrabelle, St. George Island)
Beaches closed

Gadsden
(Quincy, Wetumpka, Gretna)

Gilchrist
(Trenton, Bell)

Glades
(Moore Haven, Lakeport, Palmdale)

Gulf
(Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka, White City)
Beaches closed 

Hamilton
(Jasper, Jennings, West Lake)

Hardee
(Zolfo Springs, Sweetwater, Bowling Green)

Hendry
(LaBelle, Clewiston)

Hernando
(Brooksville, Weeki Wachee)
Beaches closed

Highlands
(Lake Placid, Avon Park, Sebring)

Hillsborough
(Tampa, Brandon, Plant City)
Beaches closed

Holmes
(Bonifay, Ponce De Leon, Bethlehem)

Indian River
(Vero Beach, Fellsmere, Sebastian)
Beaches closed

Jackson
(Marianna, Two Egg, Malone)

Jefferson
(Wacissa, Monticello)

Lafayette
(Mayo, Buckville, Day)

Lake
(Clermont, Leesburg, Mount Dora)

Lee
(Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, Cape Coral)
Beaches closed

Leon
(Tallahassee, Bradfordville, Miccosukee)

Levy
(Cedar Key, Williston, Chiefland)
Beaches closed

Liberty
(White Springs, Hosford, Telogia)

Madison
(Madison, Greenville, Lee)

Manatee
(Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, Palmetto)
Beaches closed

Marion
(Ocala, Dunnellon, Belleview)

Martin
(Stuart, Indiantown, Port Mayaca)
Beaches closed

Miami-Dade
(Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables)
Beaches closed

Monroe
(Key West, Islamorada, Key Largo)
The Florida Keys are closed to visitors

Nassau
(Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island)
Beaches closed

Okaloosa

(Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Santa Rosa Island)
Beaches closed

Orange
(Orlando, Winter Park, Winter Garden)

Okeechobee
(Okeechobee, Taylor Creek, Whispering Pines)

Osceola
(Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Yeehaw Junction)

Palm Beach
(Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton)
Beaches closed

Pasco
(New Port Richey, Dade City, Zephyrhills)
Beaches closed

Pinellas
(Clearwater, St. Petersburg)
Beaches closed

Polk
(Lakeland, Winter Haven, Lake Wales)

Putnam
(Palatka, Interlachen)

Santa Rosa
(Milton, Navarre, Jay)
Beaches closed

Sarasota
(Sarasota, Venice, Siesta Key)
Beaches closed

Seminole
(Sanford, Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs)

St. Johns
(St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach)
Beaches closed

St. Lucie
(Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce)
Beaches closed

Sumter
(The Villages, Bushnell)

Suwannee
(Live Oak)

Taylor
(Perry, Steinhatchee)
Beaches closed, boat ramps open

Union
(Lake Butler, Raiford)

Volusia
(New Smyrna BeachDaytona Beach)
Beaches restricted

Wakulla
(Wakulla Springs, Sopchoppy, Crawfordville)
Beaches closed, boat ramps open

Walton
(Seaside, Sandestin, Grayton Beach)
Beaches closed 

Washington
(Chipley, Vernon)

Beaches and parks in Jacksonville, Florida, reopened Friday afternoon.  The scene at Jacksonville Beach wasn’t one of caution in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Crowds cheered and flooded the beach when police took the barriers down. People were seen swimming, biking, surfing, running, and fishing.

Social distancing seemed to be the last thing on anyone’s mind Friday. People were out with their towels, coolers and sunbathing. There were very few masks.

Jacksonville, Florida Beaches will be open from 6 to 11 a.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. daily with some restrictions, according to Jacksonville’s tourism website. Recreational activities such as running, biking, hiking, and swimming will be permitted during this soft reopening, the city’s website said.

People were excited to be able to get back out onto the sand.

All Hawaii beaches have been closed as of today, and new, stricter social distancing requirements have been imposed for boating and fishing, gathering in state waters and lands and hiking in state parks by order of Gov. David Ige in a fifth supplementary proclamation to his emergency rules, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced in a statement.

Active exercising in the ocean is still permitted, but hiking, boating and fishing in groups of two or more is forbidden except to members of the same family or others living at the same address.

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