10 Best Places To Go On Vacation In Florida

places to go for vacation in florida
James
James 
Updated
| 5 min read

Florida is a state in the US nestled on the country’s south-easternmost region in between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. This feature has attributed to the state’s long beaches, stretching hundreds of miles or kilometers, making it a perfect beach vacation destination. However, the Sunshine State of Florida has even more to offer with its exciting nightlife, notable art scenes, and lots of cultural influences. The state is famous for its theme parks, including Walt Disney World, and lots of exceptional attractions that suit your budget and taste. Explore these top places to go on vacation in Florida to make the most of your time in the fantastic region.

1. Cape Coral


Our first on the list and of course, one of the best places to be in Florida, Cape Coral is located in proximity with the must-explore Fort Myers Beaches and the charming Sanibel Island. This friendly community boasts of family-friendly attractions, including the famous Sun Splash Family Waterpark, verdant golf courses, and popular Gulf Coast beaches. Relax along the white sands and enjoy the lovely Cape Coral sunset or rent a kayak or paddleboard and cruise the warm barrier island waters for a memorable experience. Away from the waters, you can explore the city’s nature preserves, explore the athletic parks, or spend some time in the tennis courts and golf courses.

Sun Splash Family Waterpark

Address: 400 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral, FL 33991, USA

Website: Sun Splash Family Waterpark

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 10 - 15 USD

Visited this place?

2. St. Augustine

Flagler College
Source: Pixabay

St. Augustine, a city first inhabited by the Spaniards in 1565 and the oldest continuous European base in America, boasts a great history to explore and lots more exciting attractions. The town is situated in northeastern Florida and features breathtaking shoreline monuments and buildings, and colonial architectures lined in narrow paved streets. With the many Romanesque Revival-inspired buildings and many other old landmarks, the city is said to be haunted by the first inhabitants and Spanish settlers, and is thus a hub of fantastic nighttime ghost tours. Explore many of the city’s art galleries, live music venues, excellent restaurants, boutiques, and the stunning architecture of Flagler College.

St. Augustine

Address: St. Augustine Florida, USA

Website: St. Augustine

Visited this place?

3. Key Largo

Wow! Just in time! Stunning day before Easter in the Florida Keys! Blue skies, calm winds and SPF 50! No kidding, mid...

Posted by John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Concession on Saturday, 26 March 2016

If you have always been elated by the Florida Keys, then you may as well start with them on your exciting adventure through the Sunshine State. This magnificent tropical island stretches 193 km (120 mi) from the southern extreme of Florida between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. As you may have guessed, this region is a world of exciting water activities such as diving, kayaking, and fishing. You can even explore the reef below through a glass-bottomed boat in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Discover unique local dishes or rent a kayak and discover the island’s mysterious mangroves. Get acquainted with the Key spirit and fulfill your getaway wishes.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Address: 102601 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037, USA

Website: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Opening hours: 8am - 5pm (daily)

Price: 2 - 8 USD

Visited this place?

4. Fort Myers


Originally, Fort Myers was constructed on the banks of the Caloosahatchee to prevent the Seminole Indians from getting in contact with then-settlers. However, the 21st-century Fort Myers is a business hub and a tourist paradise due to its myriad of beaches, parks, and landmarks. Apart from spending time on the beach, snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming, the region boasts of many other exciting family escapades. Your children will love to ride the miniature train and catch some fun at the Lakes Regional Park. You shouldn’t forget to visit the estates and laboratories of the two 20th-century geniuses – Henry Ford and Thomas Alva Edison.

Lakes Regional Park

Address: 7330 Gladiolus Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33908, USA

Website: Lakes Regional Park

Opening hours: 7am - 8pm (daily)

Visited this place?

5. Panama City Beach


Panama City Beach is a fantastic beach spot in northwestern Florida along the Gulf of Mexico. Students and adventurers alike storm this lively spot to savor its plethora of nightlife and scenic beaches. The seahorses flitting about the islands’ shallow waters and the bottle-nosed dolphins along the Shell Island are a sight to behold. Make life long memories in the Shipwreck Island Waterpark featuring water slides and pools, the Gulf World Marine Park where you can soak in the picturesque waters with the dolphins, and the Race City Amusement Park. Other destinations you shouldn’t miss exploring in Panama City Beach include the Lake Powell and the undisturbed dunes of the Camp Helen State Park.

Race City Amusement Park

Address: 9523 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, FL 32407, USA

Website: Race City Amusement Park

Opening hours: 12pm - 11pm (daily)

Price: from 4 USD

Visited this place?

6. Marco Island


This adorable island is among the other 10,000 islands in Florida and its features one of the best tropical climates for a perfect escape. This region has many unforgettable experiences awaiting you with its parks, museums, and waterways. To begin your adventure, go to the Marco Island Historical Museum and learn about the Calusa Indians, the original inhabitants of the island, via a recreated village. Alternatively, you can explore the fauna and the flora through the 762-meter (2,500-foot) boardwalk of the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, the largest in the state.

Marco Island Historical Museum

Address: 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island, FL 34145, USA

Website: Marco Island Historical Museum

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 9am - 4pm (closed Sun & Mon)

Visited this place?

7. Amelia Island


Armenia Island is the northernmost barrier island in the Sunshine State, featuring 67.34 square kilometers (26 square miles) of magnificent natural beauty and the rich history of America, British, French, and Spanish rule. Presently, the region has transformed into a great holiday location, known for its myriads of sandy beaches, golf courses, luxury resorts, and the educational Amelia Island Museum. Your kids can search for shark’s teeth along the sandy beach or escape the summer heat kayaking on the beautiful water along the island. Alternatively, you can go over to the Main Beach Park and have some family fun with the available recreational and public sports amenities, or exploring its dunes.

Amelia Island Museum

Address: 233 S 3rd St Fernandina Beach, Florida

Website: Amelia Island Museum

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 4pm; Sun: 1pm - 4pm

Price: 30 USD

Visited this place?

8. Hollywood


Hollywood is mostly suited for a family getaway, and the palm-studded beach nestled between Fort Lauderdale and coastal city is a major family-fun destination. You can freely travel the beach via a Segway if you are no more than five; otherwise, it costs a dollar per hour. You can also explore the stores and restaurants lined up along the boardwalk. Don’t also forget to experience other recreational destinations, including the Flamingo Gardens and Anne Kolb Nature Center.

Anne Kolb Nature Center

Address: 751 Sheridan St, Hollywood, FL 33019, USA

Website: Anne Kolb Nature Center

Opening hours: 8am - 7:30pm (daily)

Price: 2 USD

Visited this place?

9. Miami

Coconut Grove, Miami FL
Source: Photo by user derÄsthet used under CC BY 2.0

This prominent American seaport and city sits along the Atlantic coast on the southeasternmost part of Florida. This region is a full blend of outstanding features to feed your taste and curiosity on a unique adventure. Some of these features include excellent shopping spots at Coconut Grove, a slice of history at Coral Gables, gorgeous beaches at Miami Beach, elegant hotels around, the Little Havana with Latin music and energy, the Art Deco district with pastel-hued architecture and decor, and many more. The sea all around Miami creates water-based activities such as watching dolphins and different marine life play around. Don’t miss this fabulous destination.

Coconut Grove

Address: Virginia Street, Miami, FL 33133

Website: Coconut Grove

Opening hours: 7am - 5pm (daily)

Visited this place?

10. Orlando

Seaworld-Orlando-Shamu-1510
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Loadmaster used under CC BY-SA 3.0

The city of Orlando is centrally located and is famous for its more than a dozen family-friendly theme parks. One famed theme park that you may have already guessed is the Walt Disney World featuring water parks, the Epcot, and Magic Kingdom. Aside from the Walt Disney World, the city boasts of other exciting venues, including the Sea World, Legoland, MGM Studios, and the Universal Studios. Visiting these venues will give you a fulfilling getaway. However, the city also boasts of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, a plethora of shopping options, myriads of alligator parks, and a giraffe farm for you to discover.

SeaWorld Orlando

Address: 7007 Sea World Dr, Orlando, FL 32821, USA

Website: SeaWorld Orlando

Opening hours: 9am - 9:30pm (daily)

Price: 84.99 USD

Visited this place?

Maximize your vacation moments

The city of Florida boasts of several fantastic vacation spots, and it can be challenging to pick an ideal destination for your next trip. For this reason, many factors were considered, such as places to reside, weather, and the number of attractions while outlining this article. These are the top 10 favorite and exceptional places to go for vacation in Florida to maximize your every moment on your getaway.

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

James Kure is an ardent writer from a very humble background. He loves writing about the world’s top travel destinations, especially the Scandinavian and Japanese regions. When not writing, James...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Orlando
Looking for accommodation?
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.