Florida attractions

The Halifax Historical Museum resides within a piece of Volusia County history: the Merchant’s Bank building constructed in 1910. It opened in this former financial center in 1984 with a mission to honor local history, particularly World War II–era history. Today, it showcases artifacts and exhibits of the greater Daytona Beach area stretching all the way back to 5000 BC.

This oceanside marine park in the northwest reaches of the Florida panhandle is ideal for a day of fun, educational sea life encounters. It's more than an aquarium—visitors can pair with dolphins to make one-of-a-kind art, safely snorkel with stingrays and small sharks, and get up close and personal with endangered penguins.

Located between the Historic Old Northeast district and Snell Isle, Coffee Pot Bayou is one of the oldest neighborhoods in St. Petersburg. An upscale, residential area, it’s also known for the many wildlife species that can be found in the waters of the bayou and surrounding areas, including manatees, dolphins, and birds.

Jackie Robinson Ballpark is the oldest minor league ballpark still in use, currently home to the Daytona Tortugas. Located on Daytona Beach’s City Island, it was a segregated stadium when Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player to play an integrated Major League Baseball (MLB) game in 1946. The ballpark was renamed in Robinson’s honor in 1989.

West Palm Beach, Florida, institution for four decades, Rapids Water Park is home to 35 water slides that cater to everyone from thrill-seekers to families with small children. There’s a slide with 360-degree loops in total darkness and flume slides that drop riders down the ultimate vertical plunge, plus a wave pool and kid-size slides.

From roller coasters and bumper boats to miniature golf, Zoomers amusement park in Fort Myers is a prime destination for family-friendly fun. Enjoy a variety of outdoor rides and indoor games, including air hockey and video games. Guests can pay as they go or opt for an all-access pass.

Located in Coconut Creek, just outside Fort Lauderdale, Butterfly World is a visual feast. Experience thousands of butterflies—up to 50 species—fluttering around you in an atrium filled with exotic plants and flowers. Butterfly World offers a relaxing atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens opened in 1914 as the Municipal Zoo with a single red-tail deer. Today, it’s the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. The park is home to more than 2,000 animals, 1,000 plant varieties, and a Manatee Critical Care Center that rehabilitates injured manatees.

Evidence of Native American activity at Little Manatee River State Park dates back more than 10,000 years ago. The area attracted loggers, railroad workers, and other settlers in the 1800s, but most remnants of the past have since vanished, leaving the mostly-untouched natural park a quiet place for outdoor lovers to explore.

At the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, visitors stroll along trails and boarded walkways to spot native Florida wildlife, or enter an aviary where bald eagles, owls, wild skunks, pythons, and other rescue animals live. The planetarium tells the story of the skies during daily presentations.

If you're looking for a laugh in Naples, don't miss Off the Hook Comedy Club. Known for hosting big names in comedy—from Louie Anderson to Jim Breuer—the club offers great performances with intimate seating. Be sure to snag advance tickets as shows often sell out, and arrive early to order dinner and drinks before the show starts.

Spread across nearly 50 acres (20 hectares), Orlando’s Harry P. Leu Gardens offer a tranquil escape from the city’s frenetic theme parks. The urban oasis was founded in 1935 by Harry and Mary Jane Leu along the banks of Lake Rowena. Visit to see the camellias, a butterfly garden, a formal rose garden, and more.

If you’re an angler— or just an aspiring angler—head to Dania Beach Pier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This pier has some of the best fishing in the area, plus everything to help you get started, with on-site fishing pole rentals and bait, plus prime spots for catching yellowtail snapper, grouper, and bluefish.

Chocolate doesn’t immediately come to mind when you think of St. Augustine’s history of pirates and Spanish settlements—until you’ve visited Whetstone Chocolates. This delicious confectionery store near the historic district offers scheduled tasting tours that’ll introduce you to the sweet side of the city.

Dating to 1963, Swap Shop is a 180,000-square-foot (54,860-square-meter) flea market operating daily in Fort Lauderdale; it’s the ultimate indoor flea market for bargain hunters. Vendors selling food and second-hand goods fill the space, which also includes a small Ferrari Museum.

House of Blues is a live entertainment venue and restaurant with 10 locations, including one in the Disney Springs shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. The restaurant’s indoor and outdoor dining area have a seat for all ages and appetites, while the adjacent venue rocks the stage by hosting local acts and global sensations.

IMAG History and Science Center teems with interactive fun and gives both youngsters and their parents a chance to participate in hands-on demonstrations about the wonders of nature. Feel the power of a hurricane, run through a rainstorm, observe rays and sharks, or be a weather forecaster for the day in this family-friendly museum.

Traveling by trolley is a fun way to explore Miami, Miami Beach, and beyond. Even better, in most neighborhoods, a ride on a Miami trolley is free, making it easy to keep costs down and skip the hassle of driving and tackling the city's notorious traffic. Here's what you need to know about navigating Miami’s trolley system.

This research and rescue center on the north end of Red Reef Park is one of the best ways to connect with Florida’s marine life habitats, from mangrove swamps to coral reefs. Guests can watch aquarium feedings, check out nature trails, and walk the scenic boardwalk—but the stars of the center are the naturalist-led Turtle Walk and Hatchling Release programs.

Lakes Park, also known asLakes Regional Park, is an ideal spot for getting a healthy dose of exercise and fresh air in Fort Myers, Florida. Located on the bay with more than 150 acres (61 hectares) of man-made lakes, this park offers birdwatching, a miniature railroad, playgrounds, gardens, and 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of trails for hiking and biking.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens started as the private art collection of Ninah Cummer, a local patroness of the arts. After her death, her collection of American paintings was willed to the city of Jacksonville for the cultural benefit of its people. Today, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is located on the Cummer’s former riverside property.

Located on Daytona’s historic Beach Street, Nicole’s Beach Street Mall is a treasure trove of antiques, furniture, art, jewels, and more. Housed within a 14,000 square-foot (1,300 square meter) showroom, visitors can browse a huge range of products, both old and new. It joins an eclectic mix of other antique and vintage stores along this Daytona Beach strip.

Tucked between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean on Boca Raton’s barrier island, Spanish River Park is a public park and beach. It has access to a lagoon, the Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic Ocean, nature trails, and several amenities that make for an enjoyable day in nature.

A motorsports mecca south of Miami, the Homestead-Miami Speedway is a premiere hub for fans of high-speed racing. This is the place in South Florida to enjoy NASCAR and IndyCar events, bask in the Florida sunshine, and enjoy the ambience of lakes and palm trees that surround the track—all just a short drive from Everglades National Park.

This specialist aviation museum founded by collector Kermit Weeks currently showcases about 25 vintage and rare aircraft in a 17,000-square-foot seasonal hangar. Originally opened in 1995, the larger main museum is closed as part of a long-term renovation.

Bal Harbour is an upscale community located in the northern section of Miami Beach. It is known for its luxury shops, high-rise apartment buildings, and luxury hotels. The open-air Bal Harbour Shops includes high-end retailers and designers such as Prada, Gucci, Versace, Hermes, and Chanel. The community also has fine dining and cocktail options.

Once known as the Florida Beer Company, Carib Brewery USA is a brewery and taproom in Cape Canaveral. The brewery produces 28 different styles of beer and cider, some of which have won awards. The brewery offers guided tours while the 321 Lime House taproom is always abuzz with food trucks, special events, live entertainment, games, and themed nights.

Explore a fascinating collection of some of the world’s tiniest artworks at the Micro Masterpiece Art Gallery. Located in downtown St. Augustine, the gallery houses one of the largest collections of micro-miniature paintings, etchings, sculptures, and books in the country, around 30 of which are displayed at a time on a rotating basis.

Shipwreck Island Waterpark originally was a single waterslide in 1976, but ride-by-ride and drop-by-drop, it turned into a 15-acre (6-hectare) waterpark that’s a popular summertime destination on the Florida Panhandle. This Panama City Beach attraction features a lazy river, a wave pool, inner tube rafting, a zipline drop, and other water attractions for all ages.

The Track is a family-friendly amusement park franchise with six locations in the southeast United States, including one in Destin, Florida. It’s an indoor-outdoor facility; most rides are outside, but the original Fat Daddy Arcade is inside. The Track is free to enter and you buy points for the rides, games, and activities you want to enjoy.