Not long ago I had a great time with the VISIT FLORIDA video crew filming a short video that began on the Atlantic coast watching the sunrise, and ended on the Gulf coast watching a beautiful sunset.

We chose Cocoa Beach for our sunrise and Pass-A-Grille Beach for our sunset, but we could just have easily chosen Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach or Melbourne Beach for the sunrise.

For the sunset, we could have chosen Clearwater Beach, any of the Pinellas County beaches or even Anna Maria Island.

All of the cities I've mentioned are close enough to the I-4 corridor to allow a quick drive from the Atlantic to the Gulf in just a couple of hours. In fact, the drive is so quick that you'll have plenty of time to make a few stops in central Florida along the way.

Here are some ideas:

Cypress Gardens ("Florida's First Theme Park") - Stop at this world-famous botanical garden in Winter Haven and discover what Floridians have known for decades: that Cypress Gardens' more than 8,000 plant species on display, a water-ski show spectacular and Splash Island Water Park will exceed your expectations.

Learn about architecture and the architect at the world's largest one-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture at Florida Southern College in Lakeland.

Experience the history of flight from the very beginning to World War II at Fantasy of Flight.

Enjoy the stunningly beautiful Bok Tower and its lovely gardens with a fantastic vista of central Florida from one of the highest land elevations in the state.

See Florida at its natural best at Polk's Nature Discovery Center at the Circle B-Bar Reserve, located off Highway 540 between Winter Haven and Lakeland. For more information about Polk's Nature Discovery Center and other great things to do in central Florida visit www.VisitCentralFlorida.org.

Watch my sunrise to sunset video, right here on VISITFLORIDA.com.