INSIDER’S TIPS

In addition to this area’s regional airports, locals fly out of Valdosta, Georgia, where a Delta Connection flies three times daily to Atlanta International Airport.

Cell phone service in this region’s outback is spotty and GPS unreliable. Plan for alternative ways to communicate and navigate.

Gainesville’s UFHealth Shands Hospital at the University of Florida is internationally known for medical tourism. Many local hotels offer discounts and shuttle service to patients and their families.