Things to do in  Florida

An exclusive enclave for the rich and famous, Fisher Island is 3 miles (5 kilometers) off the coast from Miami. Its mansions, apartments, and marina filled with luxury yachts belong to some of Florida’s wealthiest residents, and the island is heavily protected. With no roads or bridges leading to it, access is only by ferry or private boat. The island also features a golf course and two upscale hotels.

Situated right on Biscayne Bay, the open-air, 2-story Bayside Marketplace is one of downtown Miami's most popular shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations. It's home to dozens of shops, selling everything from apparel and watches to cosmetics. It also offers a wide range of dining options, while its proximity to highlights, including the Skyviews Miami Ferris wheel, makes it a popular stop for families.

Little Havana is the epicenter of Miami's Cuban community, where Latin culture and daily life come together on Calle Ocho. Travelers come here to see cigar rollers at work, sip Cuban coffee, or watch locals debating politics while playing dominoes in the local park. Bursting with colorful murals, live music, and street food, this district overflows with energy and local flavor.

Famous for its white sand beaches, photo-worthy art deco architecture, and carnival-like atmosphere, South Beach is Miami’s most iconic stretch of coastline. The area blends beach relaxation with a buzzing café culture, exciting nightlife options, and endless people-watching. With 10 miles (16 kilometers) of shoreline and oceanfront views, it’s one of the most glamorous and energetic beach destinations in the United States and a must-visit for those coming to Miami.

Stretching from Key Largo all the way to Key West and the Dry Tortugas National Park, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary spans the entire coastline of the Florida Keys. Ranking as the third-largest barrier reef in the world—and the only one in the United States—the vast protected waters harbor more than 6,000 marine life species and more than 1,000 shipwrecks.

With a proud reputation for serving up some of the most memorable sunsets in Florida, Mallory Square is the only place to be as the sun sinks over Key West. Overflowing with Key West quirkiness, the nightly Sunset Celebration on Mallory Square always pulls in a crowd, and it’s packed with street performers, food carts, and arts and crafts stalls.

The Kennedy Space Center has been hurtling humans and shuttles into space since 1968, and it’s still a primary site for NASA launches. Parts of the sprawling campus are open to the public. On daily tours, you can interact with astronauts, try simulated space flights and an astronaut training experience, and see artifacts from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

One of the first established neighborhoods in Miami, Coconut Grove melds an eclectic history with a modern vibe, creating a historic, hipster hub for food, art, and culture. From its idyllic waterfront on Biscayne Bay to quaint walking streets lined with boutiques and cafés, the village is the perfect laid-back base for a Miami vacation.

The Southernmost Point of the Continental USA monument is a quick but must-do photo op while vacationing in Key West. The iconic buoy-shaped concrete marker indicates that you’re in the southernmost point of the continental United States, just 90 miles (145 kilometers) to Cuba. Snap a pic and then get busy enjoying island life in this legendary Florida destination.

St. Augustine is home to several historic landmarks that offer a unique glimpse into the country’s past, including the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. The oldest masonry fort in the United States, it was constructed by the Spanish in 1672 to protect their New World territories. Learn about the crucial role this landmark played in the Civil and Spanish–American Wars during a visit.

With expansive white-sand beaches and warm, turquoise waters, Florida's Clearwater Beach, a waterfront community on the Gulf of Mexico, is an ideal launching pad for kayaking, parasailing, boating, and biking. It's known as being more low-key than its southern neighbor, the bustling St. Pete Beach, and many consider Clearwater Beach to be among the best beaches in the United States.

Biscayne National Park—95 percent of which lies underwater—is unique among the country's national parks, and one of the top snorkeling, kayaking, and scuba-diving destinations in the United States. Divers and snorkelers flock to this idyllic stretch of sea to experience Biscayne Bay's extensive reef system. Above the water, you can explore the Florida park's small mainland mangrove shoreline and keys by boat.

Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale is a scenic waterfront promenade along the New River in Fort Lauderdale's historic downtown district. Stretching just over a mile (1.6 kilometers), it links a series of parks, plazas, and tropical walkways. Visitors come for relaxed riverside strolls, boat watching, and easy access to nearby shops, museums, movie theaters, cafés, and restaurants—the perfect mix of green spaces and city attractions.

With more than 23 miles (37 kilometers) of sandy shoreline, the Fort Lauderdale Beachfront offers plenty of ways to spend the day. Visitors can try water sports such as windsurfing, snorkeling, jet skiing, and deep-sea fishing, or stay on land with beach volleyball, swimming, and jogging along the promenade. For a slower pace, many simply relax in a lounge chair on the beach and soak up the views—the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Though Flagler College was founded in 1968, some of the buildings that host its campus date back to 1888. It was previously a women’s college, then reorganized as a coed higher learning institution in 1971. Today, it’s a private liberal arts college offering primarily bachelor’s degrees, although it also has three master’s level degrees.