Northwest Florida:

Panama City Beach

Nightlife in northwest Florida may be best known for the spring break haven Panama City Beach, home to bars and clubs right on the Gulf. However, this destination is a hot spot year-round.

• Have a night out at Club La Vela in Panama City Beach, the largest nightclub in the United States. Some of the highlights include the club's famous lineup of popular concerts with some of the hottest bands in the land. Club La Vela has hosted concerts for MTV and Playboy featuring such acts as Black Eyed Peas, Lil' Wayne, Drake, The Jersey Shore cast and many more.
• Pineapple Willy's Pier Bar - Check out this bar if you're looking for live music and want to dance the night away. There are always people of all ages sipping “Fat Tuesday” slushy alcohol mixers and enjoying the beach scene.
• Spinnaker Beach Club - At night, this place turns into one of the most energetic dance clubs around with multiple dance floors, an amazing bar and popular bands all season long.

Northeast Florida:

Jacksonville

Located in Northeast Florida, Jacksonville's thriving nightlife abounds with high-energy dance clubs, quaint wine bars and chic lounges.

• “The Core” is home to a variety of nightlife venues in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville, centrally located in its main arteries from Bay, Forsyth and Adams Streets to The Jacksonville Landing.
• For adults 21 and over, kick back and laugh at The Comedy Zone.
• If you're looking for places to hit for Happy Hour & cocktails, check out Brix Taphouse, The Ritz Bar & Cocktail Lounge and Lemon Bar on the Ocean (all under the same ownership and all known to be high-quality hot spots in Jacksonville).
• Freebird Live is a premier live music concert venue that welcomes audiences of all ages. This destination showcases a spectrum of national and regional touring artists, as well as select inspiring local artists.
• Kickbacks Gastropub is renowned for their extensive beer selection and a unique assortment of delicacies ranging from chicken cordon bleu to fried green beans.

Central Florida:

Tampa

On Florida's Gulf coast, Tampa has so many entertaining options, whether you're looking for a night on the town or family fun.

• Tampa's historic Latin district, Ybor City, is a tourist favorite. Located in the heart of the nightlife action, this destination is a dining, shopping and entertainment center that includes a comedy club and a movie theater with an adults-only section with a full bar. On Seventh Avenue, stroll by club after club and chose your dance spot. Many have outdoor patios, rooftop bars and balconies.
• Jump on an electric streetcar to Channelside Bay Plaza, yet another entertainment complex with restaurants, theaters and a handful of bars and clubs, including Splitsville, an upscale bowling alley with its own lounge and restaurant.

Orlando

In Orlando the fun never ends, even after the sun goes down. Renowned for its theme parks, this destination has plenty of exciting nightlife outlets to explore.

• In downtown Orlando, Church Street and vicinity has long been nightlife central, offering revelers countless bars, nightclubs, restaurants and major street parties. A historic space at 33 West Church Street houses three separate bars. Enjoy a frozen drink at Chillers (first floor), a brew at Big Belly Brewery (second floor) and an amazing view of Orlando's skyline at the open-air Latitudes (rooftop).
• Around the corner on Orange Avenue is Wall Street Plaza, which charges one admission fee for eight distinct bars and there are also outdoor block parties with live music.
• Orlando's theme parks are not just for kids. Both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort have their own nightlife-centered entertainment complexes that get going after dark. Check out Universal Orlando's CityWalk, an entertainment complex with a dozen places to party, including bars, clubs and restaurants. Disney's Boardwalk is a quarter-mile promenade of exquisite dining, unique shops and exciting nightlife. And Downtown Disney is a fun-filled district that includes Downtown Disney West Side, Downtown Disney Marketplace and Pleasure Island.

South Florida:

West Palm Beach

There is always a good place in West Palm Beach to go to at night, spend time with friends, dance, eat, shop, drink and just generally have a terrific time.

• For nightlife in downtown West Palm Beach, Clematis Street is the place to be. Beginning at Flagler Drive on the Intracoastal Waterway and extending five blocks west, there are about a dozen great bars and clubs. Equally fine are the restaurants that transform into clubs by night.
• You can walk or take a free trolley a few blocks south of Clematis Street to CityPlace, home to restaurants, theaters and nightspots, including a wine bar, microbrewery and blues club.
• Voted America's Most Fun Small Town by Rand McNally, Delray Beach's culinary landscape boasts more than 100 restaurants offering everything from ocean views to rooftop hot spots. Shoppers stroll the quaint shops and trendy boutiques of Downtown Delray Beach - check out the popular destinations Atlantic Avenue and Pineapple Grove.

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale's nightlife is alive with wine bars, nightclubs, sports bars, cultural outlets, shopping spots and comedy clubs.

In Fort Lauderdale, nightlife is always in fashion, especially in the chic Las Olas Boulevard area, home to upscale restaurants and lounges. You'll have a great time when you spend the evening bar-hopping on Las Olas Boulevard.

• The Gallery at Beach Place is the exclusive all-in-one entertainment destination on Fort Lauderdale beach offering a unique blend of shopping, dining, live musical performances and events.
• Broadway shows, top headliners, and other theatrical thrills light up The Broward Center for Performing Arts.

Miami

In Miami's South Beach, you can sip a key lime martini under the stars while rubbing elbows with celebrities.

• Begin the night at a glittering outdoor café on Lincoln Road or sidle up to one of the sophisticated hotel bars lining Collins Avenue. For a true nighttime South Beach experience, though, make sure to cross the velvet rope and check out a trendy dance club.
• Cameo is a legendary South Beach nightclub that has been completely redesigned for the New Millennium. It is considered a cut above the rest, with top-notch DJs from all over the world and outstanding live rock concerts.
• The River Seafood & Oyster Bar is the most renowned seafood restaurant in Miami. A fun bar atmosphere, a great selection of wines, champagnes and beer chilled to perfection are the main ingredients to hit for a Happy Hour and dinner.

Key West

Party in Key West (Florida's southernmost point), where you can gulp down a frosty margarita at one of many open-air bars – this destination offers a relaxing, live-and-let-live, Jimmy Buffett-approved atmosphere.

• At sunset, head to Mallory Square, where crowds gather nightly to watch the sun go down and be entertained by street performers and musicians.
• Then do the "Duval Crawl," stopping at all the pubs and clubs on the famous - or infamous - Duval Street. Many watering holes feature live bands.

# # #

As the Sunshine State's No. 1 industry, tourism was responsible for welcoming 94.7 million visitors in 2013 who spent $76.1 billion, generating 23 percent of the state's sales tax revenue and employing nearly 1.1 million Floridians. For every $1 spent on tourism marketing, VISIT FLORIDA – the state's official tourism marketing corporation – generates more than $390 in tourism spending and $23 in new sales tax collections, paid by visitors, not residents. VISIT FLORIDA promotes tourism to Florida through sales, advertising, promotions, public relations and visitor services programs. As a public/private partnership, VISIT FLORIDA serves nearly 12,000 tourism industry businesses, including major strategic alliance partnerships with Disney Destinations, The Hertz Corporation, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Universal Orlando. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA, please go to www.VISITFLORIDA.org or follow our corporate blog at www.SunshineMatters.org.