Orlando is home to Walt Disney World, making it the No. Join Mickey Mouse and friends at the world-famous Magic Kingdom or venture to Epcot Center. Amelia Island is one of the southernmost islands in the sea, a chain of barrier islands that extends from South Carolina to Florida. Amelia Island is home to Fernandina Beach, a charming shrimp town with 50 blocks of historic buildings, delicious restaurants and unique B%26B and six golf courses.
Located in the city of St. Augustine, The San Marcos Castle Site Is The Oldest Masonry Fort In The United States. Given the good condition of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, it is hard to believe that the fortress was built in the late 17th century. Universal's Islands of Adventure is a theme park made up of 7 different “islands” that are themed for various forms of adventure.
Visitors start at the port of entry and tour the different islands. In the center of the beach strip is Fort Lauderdale Beach, with its fresh new undulating promenade that separates the beach from low-rise accommodations, restaurants, and beach shops. The Kennedy Space Center has been the launch site for all manned spaceflight in the United States since 1968 and currently functions as a launch site for unmanned rockets. It is also one of Florida's tourist attractions and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers museums, movies, a rocket garden and bus tours of important shuttle preparation and launch facilities.
Key West is known as the southernmost city in the continental United States and is closer to Havana than to Miami. For many years, Key West was Florida's largest city and thrived on shipwreck valuables. Improved navigation led to fewer shipwrecks and Key West went into decline in the late 19th century. Before Miami Vice, South Beach was a place where crime kept residents inside at night and hotels remained mostly empty.
In the late 1980s, aided by the popularity of the TV show, a revival began in South Beach, with an influx of fashion industry professionals moving to the area. The current highway opened in 1938, with a bridge that is almost seven miles long. The Seven Mile Bridge has appeared in films such as True Lies, 2 Fast 2 Furious and Mission Impossible III. The Kennedy Space Center is one of Florida's most exciting, fascinating and educational attractions.
Located on Florida's Space Coast, this massive complex is where space exploration has made history. Today, you can see rockets and the space shuttle Atlantis, meet an astronaut, and learn about space missions. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is divided into mission zones, each of which has interesting exhibits and interactive exhibits focusing on specific topics. The screens are designed with all ages in mind, making this an engaging experience for adults or families.
Behind the Gates Kennedy Space Center bus tour takes you to restricted areas for a glimpse of historic launch sites and other facilities with limited access to the public. This is included in your daily ticket. It takes time to see each area, and you should expect to spend a full day at the Kennedy Space Center. Incredible 3D and 4D simulator games, exciting rides and wet and wild rides at the newest theme park, Universal's Volcano Bay, are some of the highlights.
You can also find more taming rides for younger children to enjoy. Everglades National Park protects 1.5 million acres of swamps and marshes, an important and fragile ecosystem that supports alligators, American crocodiles, Florida panthers, deer, turtles, egrets, manatees, river otters and many other species. It is one of the largest parks in the country and offers a unique opportunity to see some of these creatures in nature. Airboat rides are the best way to see the Everglades and catch a glimpse of alligators and other wildlife.
Half-day tours from Miami will take you from your hotel to the Everglades for a 30-minute airboat ride and an alligator and wildlife education program. You'll also have time to walk along a path. Daytona 500 International Speedway The Daytona 500 race is one of the most famous and important races in the NASCAR Cup Series, which kicks off the racing season every February. It is held in Daytona Beach, at the Daytona International Speedway, and attracts large crowds every year.
The Speedway was built in 1959 to get car racing off the beach. Previously, land-based racing and speed competitions were held in the tough arena of Daytona Beach. If you can't go to the race itself, you can take a tour to explore the Speedway. Like Walt Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando is a mega amusement park that has long been an important part of family vacations in Florida.
The resort presents its classic dolphin and whale shows, as well as acts with a cast of unexpected characters, from cats and ducks to otters and sea lions. Dry Turtles National Park is home to the impressive Fort Jefferson, built by the United States government in the 1800s. Although this is the park's key attraction, the beautiful reef islands, seven in total, that make up the Dry Turtles, are well worth the trip. You can walk around the fort and spend the rest of the day enjoying the soft sandy beaches and diving in the clear, shallow waters.
You can also camp here and, once the tourists are gone for the day, you can live your own experience on a deserted island. Access is via a private boat or the public ferry that carries a maximum of 10 campers. Known to be one of the oldest settlements in Florida, although Pensacola would disagree, St. Augustine's historic sites and charming old architecture definitely make it worth a visit.
At the top of the list of things to see is Flagler College from the late 19th century, one of the most photographed buildings in the city. It was originally built as a hotel by railway magnate Henry Flagler. Don't miss the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, famous for being the oldest masonry fort in North America, according to the National Park Service. Built in the 17th century, it is very well preserved and offers a breathtaking view, even for those with little interest in history.
The view of the coast is also quite spectacular. This exceptional Venetian-inspired property, built mainly in the mid-1920s, consists of the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, the Circus Museum, the Ca' d'Zan and the gardens. The Ca' d'Zan was the residence of John and Mable Ringling. His inspiration for this Venetian-style mansion facing the sea comes from his travels around Europe and the great palaces of Venice.
The 36,000 square foot home was completed in 1926 and is an architectural masterpiece in South Florida. Although it may seem a bit exaggerated, the show is quite entertaining and well worth a visit. Mermaids have been performing here for more than 60 years, and a trip to Weeki Wachee is almost a rite of passage for many tourists. Take one of the 400 seats in the underwater theater and get ready to enjoy a show like you've never seen before.
At least a dozen images come to mind when mentioning Florida, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. For many, it's Orlando's world-famous theme parks at Disney World and Universal, while others can think of the almost endless number of championship golf courses scattered throughout the Sunshine State. Located in South Florida, Miami is one of the most popular and modern cities in the state. Miami and nearby Miami Beach show the old and new side of Florida.
The thriving and modern downtown area contrasts with the much more relaxed atmosphere of Miami Beach. South Beach is the most exciting of Miami's beaches, known for its Art Deco district and its ultramodern pedestrian mall that runs parallel to the beach, full of waterfront outdoor restaurants, entertainment and lots of things to do. It's also a popular honeymoon destination in Florida. Families descend in large numbers to amusement parks during school holidays, but the city is a popular destination year-round.
This constant influx of tourists has brought a full range of recreational activities and services to the Orlando area, from championship golf courses and elegant spas to restaurants and huge shopping centers. Other nearby attractions can be a refreshing change of pace and can be easily visited on day trips from Orlando. Some of them include the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral and seeing manatees on the Crystal River. Its location has resulted in a rich cultural mix that includes influences from many Caribbean islands, which have brought a relaxed attitude, interesting architecture and culinary variety to the region.
Key West is also a popular cruise port, full of entertainment options and things to do. Duval Street is the main tourist area, home to boutiques, souvenir shops, restaurants, and even some historic houses. Some of the city's top attractions include a shipwreck museum that explains the area's long history of salvage and the Key West Aquarium. Those interested in ocean ecology will want to visit the Dry Turtles National Park, which consists of seven reef islands that form an archipelago.
Although the Florida Keys are not known for their beaches, Key West has several beaches. These can be a good break from sightseeing. Key West's casual vibe and the fact that it's a small town with lots to do make it a great destination for solo travelers. Getting around is easy and the people are friendly.
It's one of the best places in the United States for solo travelers. The southernmost city on Florida's Gulf Coast is Naples, an exclusive area with a picturesque downtown area and a beautiful stretch of beach. A mix of posh homes, some luxury resorts, and condo towers line the ocean, but the downtown area has maintained a small-town vibe. South and 5th Avenue South are home to its trendiest restaurants, art galleries and boutiques.
The beaches of Naples and its surroundings are some of the best in the entire state. The warm, shallow waters here are generally calm with small waves, making them ideal for swimming and playing. The white sand is soft and perfect for lying on your towel and enjoying the famous Florida sun while contemplating the Gulf of Mexico. A visit to the Naples Pier, the city's most beloved historical monument, is a must-see for tourists and the perfect place to watch dolphins without boarding a boat.
Despite its reputation as a high-end golf resort town, Naples has several historic attractions, as well as unique natural parks. If you're looking for one of Florida's most consistent warm climates, even on the darkest days of February, head straight to Marco Island. Located near the southernmost tip of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, this tourist island is almost always warm, while places like Fort Myers or Orlando are shaking. Walt Disney World is easily one of Florida's top tourist attractions.
Originally built to complement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, this Florida theme park has become the flagship of Disney's theme park empire around the world. Orlando is Florida's most visited city, with more than 75 million visitors a year. People come to this beautiful Central Florida city, from all over the country and around the world to enjoy the fantastic theme parks, first-class restaurants, and other amenities offered by this beautiful city. Nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, northwest of St.
Petersburg, Clearwater is a popular family vacation destination known for its spectacular 3-mile long beach, wonderful climate and long, narrow barrier reef. The beach is full of luxury hotels, resorts, bars and restaurants. Take the children to see the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where injured dolphins and sea turtles are taken to recover and rehabilitate. Watch the game at Bright House Field, where the Phillies baseball team comes to train in the spring.
Stroll along Pier 60 to watch the sunset and street performers entertain the crowd. Enjoy the shaded boardwalk paths through the Lake Moccasin Nature Park, or take a tour of the bay to see playful dolphins in their own environment. Things to Do in Clearwater Delray Beach is a small coastal town in Florida known for its beautiful sandy beaches, but also for the lively arts community in its eclectic center. The Pineapple Grove Arts District is full of incredible art galleries and public art.
The Cornell Art Museum, established in 1913, is famous for its collection of contemporary artworks. There's also the School of Creative Arts and Fieldhouse, established in 1925, and much more. A variety of art festivals are held throughout the year. First Friday art walks are a great way to explore the city's art scene, see a show, or attend a concert.
And of course, there are great restaurants and cafes where you can enjoy fresh food and enjoy some people watching. Stretching nearly 120 miles from the southernmost tip of Florida, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, is a chain of tropical islands called the Florida Keys. This coral archipelago begins about 15 miles from Miami and ends in the uninhabited Secas Turtles National Park. The last inhabited key is Key West, a popular tourist destination that locals call Key Weird, with its popular bars and shops on Duval Street and the daily sunset celebration in Mallory Square.
Anywhere in the Keys you can rent a boat and go fishing, snorkeling or diving, rent a kayak and explore the mysterious mangroves, sample unique local cuisine, stroll through picturesque and colorful streets and sit in one of the many rustic beach bars to soak up the spirit of the Keys. Things to Do in the Florida Keys Located 45 km north of Miami, on Florida's southeastern coast, Fort Lauderdale is a popular tourist destination famous for its beaches and picturesque sailing canals. The best place to start your exploration is on The Strip, a long and wide promenade that runs along the ocean and is filled with chic outdoor restaurants, lively bars, chic boutiques and luxury hotels. Visit 1901 Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale's Oldest Structure Still Standing.
Visit the International Swimming Hall of Fame, take a hike or boat trip through Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and visit the NSU Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art to see what local artists are doing. Things to do in Fort Lauderdale Gainesville is the bustling college town with the massive University of Florida campus. It is the largest city in north-central Florida, about a 90-minute drive from Jacksonville and Orlando. The city is lush and surrounded by rural land and the 21,000 acres of Paynes Prairie Wilderness at the south end of town.
There are more than 30 miles of walking and biking trails where you can watch birds, wild horses, bison or alligators. Floating on the cool spring-fed river in lush Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a city tradition. Visit the Florida Quilt Museum, Quilt Trail and Quilt Festival. Stroll through the spectacular forests and gardens of Cedar Lakes, with its waterfalls, bridges and small lakes.
Things to Do in Gainesville A major port city in Northeast Florida, at the point where St. John's River joins the Atlantic Ocean, Jacksonville is a large, modern city and a regional business center. The nearby Barrier Island and its wonderful beaches are a perfect place for swimming, diving and surfing, and the most popular are Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach. One of the most famous championship golf courses is the TPC Sawgrass at Ponte Vedra Beach, which is also home to the PGA Tour.
Visit Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island to see how slaves and slave owners lived. Take the kids to Jacksonville's lush tropical zoo to see elephants up close. Visit the 16th century Forth Caroline National Monument to learn about the times when the French ruled this part of Florida. Things to Do in Jacksonville Key West is the westernmost inhabited island in the United States, a part of the coral archipelago of the Florida Keys, closer to Cuba than Miami, colorful, lively and unforgettable.
Stroll Duval Street with its bars, shops and restaurants, explore narrow streets and pastel-colored conch houses, visit the Hemingway House and Museum, dive or snorkel on spectacular reefs and enjoy, with everyone else, the daily spectacle of watching the sunset at Mallory Square, surrounded by streets artists of all kinds. Visit the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, where colorful butterflies fly freely from flower to flower. Check out the 65-foot Key West Lighthouse and enjoy views of the ocean around you. Things to Do in Key West Panama City Beach is a bustling coastal city on the Gulf of Mexico, in northwest Florida.
Its fantastic beaches and rich nightlife make it a popular destination for thousands of students during spring break. Younger children prefer the Gulf World Marine Park, where they can swim with dolphins, or the Shipwreck Island Waterpark, with its pools and water slides. Hike through Camp Helen State Park to see large quiet dunes in Phillips Inlet, take a walk on Lake Powell, and swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Take a boat tour to see the dolphins or line up at Russell-Fields Pier.
Things to Do in Panama City Beach Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness area in the United States, a 1.5 million acre wetland located in the southernmost tip of Florida. It is a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve. The Everglades are made up of coastal mangroves, pine forests and sawgrass swamps that are home to hundreds of species of animals, some of them rare and endangered, such as the manatee, the American crocodile, the Florida panther and the leatherback turtle. The best way to experience the magic of the Everglades is to take a leisurely stroll along one of the many waterfront trails, a guided boat tour of the Ten Thousand Islands or Florida Bay, or a trolley ride through the fascinating Shark Valley.
If you're lucky and patient, you might see an alligator sunbathing on a log, as well as a deer or one of the many wading birds. Sanibel is a lush, green island in Florida's Gulf of Mexico, just a short drive from Fort Myers. The island is surrounded by magnificent beaches and is famous for its stunning sunsets, historic lighthouses and thousands of shells that provide endless entertainment to tourists who collect them as souvenirs. The best thing to do in Sanibel is absolutely nothing, at one of the many luxury resorts across the island.
If swimming, diving, boating, and watching the sunset aren't enough for you, visit J, N. Things to Do in Sanibel Sarasota is a large, modern city south of Tampa on the Gulf Coast, once famous for being the winter home of the Ringling Brothers Circus. Today, the Ringling Art Museum hosts numerous events, concerts and plays and exhibits works by former masters, as well as modern art. After spending time on the fine sands of Lido Beach and Siesta Key Beach, go see sharks, manatees, sea turtles and 100 other marine animals at the Mote Marine Laboratory.
Visit the lush tropical gardens of the Sarasota jungle and feed the free-roaming pink flamingos, the bird of the state of Florida. Attend a fascinating Ski-A-Rees waterski show in Sarasota, or rent a kayak or paddleboard and go see dolphins up close in the bay. Things to Do in Sarasota Located just north of Florida's Gulf Coast, 28 miles long St. George Island is one of Florida's last virgin inhabited islands.
The island has miles of beaches with few people to relax on the sand, crystal clear waters for swimming and wild swamps for wildlife viewing. George Island is a small, quiet beach community where skyscrapers and chain stores are not allowed. Nearly half of the island is protected in St. George Island State Park, perfect for watching sea turtles and birds, canoeing, hiking and swimming.
Fishing in the park is great. Don't miss the Cape Saint George lighthouse from 1852, the views from above are spectacular. Located on Florida's Northeast Coast, St. Augustine is known as the oldest city in the United States.
Its beautiful center is full of well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture. Another reminder of the city's Spanish past is the Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th century Spanish fortress made of stone that offers stunning views of the ocean and the St. Augustine's beaches are magnificent, with fine white sand, and the most popular are St. Hike through lush Anastasia State Park, a protected wildlife sanctuary with 4 miles of pristine beach, a nature trail through ancient dunes, estuary tidal swamp and sea hammocks.
Petersburg is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, a large modern city called Sunshine City because of its permanently pleasant climate. The city's beautiful beaches attract millions of tourists. In addition to fine sands, the city also has excellent golf courses and fishing trips. Among many excellent museums, the Dalí Museum is a must see, as is the Museum of Fine Arts and the Chihuly Collection, with some of the most beautiful glass works in the world.
Try attending a Florida Orchestra concert at the Mahaffey Theater and enjoy a stroll through the huge local market to enjoy some of the freshest and most delicious regional artisanal foods. You're reading 25 Best Places to Visit in Florida Back to Top. One of the closest (and best) coastal spots near Orlando is St. Known as the oldest city in the United States, St.
Augustine, on Florida's Atlantic coast, is a gem of a city and is easily one of the best places to visit in Florida. Once here, be sure to explore the historic center for small gifts. Oh, and for an extra interesting story, check out the 17th century Spanish stone fortress, called Castillo de San Marcos. Located in the state's panhandle area.
With its rolling hills and beautiful forests, the area surrounding Tallahassee looks and feels very different from the rest of the state. For a taste of the true history of the South, visit the Goodwood Museum and Gardens, the site of a former cotton and corn plantation. Or maybe visit a rebuilt 17th century Spanish mission, called Mission San Luis. With an extension of approximately 120 miles (193 km) of the south coast, the Florida Keys are a tropical delight.
The sunsets here are legendary, especially with a cocktail in hand. And maybe even a lime pie on the other. Located a 2-hour drive north of Orlando, Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a national park and a fantastic way to explore Florida's more natural side. In fact, when you're in Florida, you'll never be more than 75 miles away from any beach (and most are amazing).
To see some of the state's clearest, bluest waters, head to Clearwater Beach on the Gulf Coast (around St Pete). Attention, Dry Turtles National Park is located on a set of islands not far from Key West (68 miles away) and, as such, you have to fly by seaplane (or ferry). Destin is a city in northwest Florida, in the Florida Panhandle, on a peninsula that separates the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay. Disney World is one of the most visited places in Florida and Orlando is the most visited city in Florida.
Pensacola is a charming old coastal town in Florida, the westernmost city on the Florida coast, with the beautiful island of Santa Rosa separating it from the Gulf of Mexico and creating calm and safe sandy beaches perfect for children. In summer, visitors to Florida and surrounding states often escape the heat and head to the refreshing breezes and sparkling white sand beaches of the Florida Panhandle. Florida's parks are spectacular, from the world-class Everglades to the underwater paradise of Biscayne National Park, Florida. If your trip is based on a beach vacation or a specific activity, you may want to consider the weather and the best time of year to visit Florida.
After heading to places like Clearwater, St Petes, Miami and Fort Lauderdale (along with the Florida Keys, Pensacola, and Orlando), I realized how much more there is to Florida than just its sunshine. . .
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