Florida was originally nearly all wetlands. Over the years miles of wetlands were drained for buildings and people. Today there are many canals and lakes in neighborhoods where you can often see wildlife drawn to the water. These photos were taken by a canal not far from my neighborhood.
Decades ago, I came on a vacation one week in February from middle Tennessee to Miami, Florida. A friend I visited showed me the beaches, Biscayne Boulevard, and local attractions. We had great seafood, barbecue, and everything in between. We even took a short trip to the Florida Keys.