With its pristine white sand beaches, bustling shopping districts, theme parks, and amazing nightlife, Florida is one of the best tourist destinations in the world. The current health crisis may have slowed things down in the tourism department, but as the world gradually opened up, Florida is back in action, teeming with life!
If you’ve been dreaming of exploring Florida soon, here are some sights that you shouldn’t miss:
11 of the Best Places to Visit in Florida
Theme Parks
Theme parks are where it’s at in Florida! Each year, millions of families flock to Florida to check out its many theme parks. The most popular are Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld.
Disney World: Disney World is not just a theme park; it’s also a resort and a hotel so you can explore, shop, and play in this sprawling entertainment complex. Kids and kids at heart just can’t get enough of Disney World’s water parks, zoo parks, unique dining experiences, and of course, thrilling rides.
Universal Studios: Universal Studios is a massive theme park and production studio that boasts live entertainment, amazing rides based on blockbuster movies, dining, and shopping experiences in every corner. It’s like being in the middle of your favorite movie at every turn!
SeaWorld: SeaWorld is a theme park known for its oceanarium and marine mammal park. It’s a place where education and fun collide. SeaWorld is a great place to visit with the kids because of the unique shows and zoological displays.
South Beach
One of Florida’s most iconic beach destinations is South Beach. Famous for its Art Deco District, South Beach is an ultra-trendy beach destination with miles of white sand and clear, turquoise waters. There are loads of beach and water activities to try, including swimming, sunbathing, dining, clubbing, and so much more. If you’re hungry for food, art, or fashion, the downtown area is teeming with high-end stores, art centers, and restos.
The Everglades
If you love to go on a nature trip, we highly suggest a tour of the Everglades. The Everglades is one of the country’s most popular natural tourist spots. It features complex ecosystems such as sub-tropical jungles, sawgrass prairies, mangrove complexes, and swamps. You’ll get up close and personal with wildlife — birds, fish, reptiles, and endangered species such as the West Indian manatee, Florida panther, or the American croc.
Kennedy Space Center
Another entertainment attraction where learning is fun! The Kennedy Space Center is located on Florida’s Space Coast, an enormous space exploration site. You’ll see rockets, meet astronauts, and learn all about previous and current space missions. You’ll also see the Space Shuttle Atlantis.
Daytona International Speedway
The Daytona 500 is an international speedway where the NASCAR Cup Series kicks off every racing season, attracting a huge crowd each year. The race track was built in 1959 by NASCAR founder William “Bill” France Sr. to host the races at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. The track is the third largest, single-lit outdoor sports facility in the country.
The best time to visit the Daytona 500 Speedway is in February, which is the start of the racing season. But if you can’t make it to the race, you can still tour the Speedway.
Dry Tortugas National Park
The Dry Tortugas is a national park that houses a fort – Jefferson Fort – built by the US Government in the 1800s. Think of Dry Tortugas as a tropical Alcatraz; it served as a protective fort during the Civil War and then as a prison complex a decade after.
Today, the Dry Tortugas sits undisturbed, and nature has taken over. The site is surrounded by greeneries and turquoise waters with abundant marine life. You can tour the fort or frolic on the park. The shallows are perfect for snorkeling! You can also camp out at Dry Tortugas for a unique desert island experience. After booking a stay, you will travel via a private boat that carries a maximum of 10 campers at a time.
Busch Gardens Tampa
Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay is a nature park and theme park. It is the largest zoological facility in the country, with a sprawling 335 acres of space housing over 2,000 animals. SeaWorld owns this amusement park. Each year, the Busch Gardens attract over 4 million people, making it the second most popular tourist attraction among all SeaWorld Entertainment-owned theme parks.
It’s a terrific tourist destination if you’re traveling with kids. They’ll learn all about the many African animals. You can go on an African safari, feed the animals, and discover wildlife in the most natural setting. For thrill-seekers, there are amazing rides to check out, including several roller coasters. Brusch happens to be the home to some of the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest coaster rides.
Devil’s Den
The Devil’s Den is Florida’s famed scuba diving and snorkeling spot. This privately-owned tourist destination boasts an 8-acre lake for fishing and boating too.
Devil’s Den has an underground river with a constant temperature of 72°F (22 °C). It’s a sight to behold with the vapor rising from the surface of the river, causing plumes to come out of the cave’s entrance. Four underwater passages extend from the natural pool, and each of these passages is teeming with ancient marine animal remains and artifacts.
South Pointe Park, Miami Beach
South Pointe Parl is a gorgeous green space that sits at the southern tip of the famed Miami Beach. It offers breathtaking views of the South Beach shoreline, the downtown Miami skyline, and direct access to the beach.
If you love spending time outdoors, South Pointe Park is the best place for going on picnics, al fresco dining, chilling at the cafe, stroll at the nearby pier, fishing, or enjoying a barbeque. You’ll love the relaxed, festive vibe, the fabulous dining options, and the shopping spots.
Three Sisters Springs
Three Sisters Springs is located in a natural water inlet on the east side of Kings Bay in Citrus County, Florida. This hot spot offers in-water recreation that could be accessed by taking a paddle craft like a canoe or kayak.
Because the Three Sisters Springs is home to the manatees, boats cannot enter the waters. You can go canoeing, kayaking, or go swimming. Lush greeneries and natural rock formations surround the water passages. The calm turquoise waters are so clear and clean; you might even see a manatee or dolphin joining in your afternoon dip if you’re so lucky. At the Three Sisters Springs, you can swim to your heart’s content and enjoy nature at its most beautiful.
Florida Keys
Rounding up our list of the 11 must-see tourist attractions in Florida is the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are a coral cal archipelago located at the southernmost part of the continental of the US. The chain of coral islands is about 137 square miles and extends from the south of Miami all the way to Key West and Dry Tortugas.
This natural wonder is teeming with life. There are scattered beaches throughout Florida keys and posh hotels and resorts all around. You can check out the many souvenir shops, galleries, museums, and cafes in the area or work on your tan, relax by the beach, and enjoy different water adventures! You’re sure to have a good time because there’s something for everyone to check out at the Florida Keys.
Florida is one of the hottest tourist destinations in the country, and we can see why. It has everything from natural wonders to colorful nightlife. Planning a trip to Florida soon? Which of these tourist spots is your favorite?
