In the Fort Myers River District, the Florida Repertory Theatre has made a name for itself over the last three decades. Once a vaudeville house and cinema, the former Arcade Theatre is now home to two stages: the historic, orchestra-style venue and a contemporary blackbox space. Dramas, musicals, comedy sets, and more fill the event schedule.
To experience the energy, art deco architecture, and top-notch nightlife in Miami Beach, visitors shouldn't miss Miami's Washington Avenue. This bustling stretch is the place to eat, sip cocktails, and shop. Running from City Center through the Art Deco District, you can head here to enjoy the best of Miami, without planning a thing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Express your creativity at the LEGO® Store Disney Springs, the largest LEGO store in the US. Located in Orlando, the store features a huge selection of LEGO products, including individual bricks, kits, apparel, larger-than-life models of Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters, and indoor and outdoor build and play areas.
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.
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.
On the Miami Beach circuit, LIV Nightclub is considered a top-five nightlife destination. The glam Mid-Beach spot inside the Fontainebleau Hotel has VIP banquette seating, private skyboxes, bottle service, and an exclusive guestlist. These perks plus three full-service bars help attract celebrities and VIPS from Miami and beyond.
From the curious to the strange to the grotesque, oddities abound at Ripley's Believe It or Not in Panama City Beach. Find items you're unlikely to see anywhere else, such as shrunken heads, as well as family-friendly activities, such as 7D interactive movies, a mirror maze, and laser race games—under one roof.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
EverBank Stadium (previously TIAA Bank Field) is an outdoor stadium in downtown Jacksonville. It’s home to the NFL football team and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and has an entertainment complex called Daily’s Place connected to its south end. It was the host stadium for Super Bowl XXXIX and is the annual host of the Gator Bowl.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Village of Baytowne Wharf is a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. This bayside gathering place is free and open to the public year-round, acting as an afternoon and nightlife hub for locals and visitors alike. Opened in 2002, the village features award-winning restaurants, art galleries, and a calendar full of festivals and events.
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.
You don't need to choose between splashing down water slides and braving thrill rides at Sam's Fun City in Pensacola. With more than 20 adrenaline-fueled rides, arcade games, and the on-site water park—Sam's Surf City—this Gulf Coast destination is an ideal family-friendly, sunny day adventure.
