For much of the twentieth century, Florida's warm sunshine and long sandy beaches have been associated with an exotic escape from the northern states' frigid winter weather. Though Florida vacations were once luxurious adventures for the wealthy, mass transporation soon opened the state to all. But it was not Florida's warm climate or accessibility that made the state one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. Walt Disney would combine the grand and luxurious image of the Florida vacation and create a comparable entertainment palace, the Magic Kingdom. As construction continued, the Walt Disney resort complex, Disneyworld, attracted visitors from all over the world, making the Florida vacation one of the most treasured winter escapes in the world.

While the heyday of vacations to the "Sunshine State" lies in the post World War II era, its foundation is set firmly in the nineteenth century...