A Florida road trip is a vacation
paradise because there is so much to do. In fact, there's probably too
much to do and the real challenge is figuring out how much you can cram into
your limited amount of time. Florida has several amazing cities that are
all worthy of exploring and great hotel bargains are readily available.
You'll want to spend some quality time at the beach working on your sun tan but
you should also check out some of the National Parks. Florida offers the
perfect variety of activities and destinations for all road trip sizes-weather
your alone, with your family, friends, or on a college road trip.
Miami
is the ultimate downtown city adventure. There are many places for you to
enjoy a shopping excursion or escape to the beach for the afternoon and soak in
some warm sunshine. Miami is a quick drive to the Everglades or to
many of the theme parks spread throughout the state. There is always
concerts, amazing nightlife, and great dining experiences awaiting your arrival.
The city of Miami has their
own website so that you can keep up with what is going on and plan your
vacation.
St.
Petersburg has an average temperature of 74 degrees year round and is
the fourth largest city in Florida. St. Petersburg is known as the
"Sunshine City" for a good reason-it had a stretch of 768 consecutive days of
sunshine which is in the Guinness Book of World Records. There are
over 130 parks spread throughout the city and also a 37 mile biking trail that
you can explore for the afternoon. The feature attractions in St.
Petersburg include, "The Pier", Tropicana Field, Sunken Gardens, Tampa Bay Walk
of Fame, Baseball Boulevard, adn the St. Petersburg Times Walk Through History.
There's plenty of museums you can check out including the Salvador Dali Museum,
American Stage, Museum of Fine Arts, and the St. Petersburg Museum of History.
Cocoa
Beachis a stereotypical beach town and is only one hours drive from
Orlando. If you are planning a Disney vacation then you may seriously want
to add a day to your itenerary to explore Cocoa Beach. There's lots of
piers to charter a boat for a deep sea fishing or parasailing adventure.
There are casino cruises, lots of shopping, and golfing to easily add loads of
enjoyment to your Florida road trip.
Daytona
offers you the perfect beach vacation and the weather will be absolutely
spectacular. If you find yourself traveling into the area then you will
not need to do an excessive amount of planning in advance. Bring your
swimsuit and get ready to chill out at the beach
Fort Lauderdalehas much to do and you can keep up on their
schedule
of events here.
Hialeah
is a suburb of Miami and may offer an inexpensive hotel option for your Florida
road trip. If you will be traveling the state in your car and searching
for prime beaches to park yourself under the sun then you may want to consider
staying in Hialeah.
Jacksonvilleis a great city and there is so much to check out including
a Jaguars NFL game. There are always great hotel packages available for a
city adventure in Jacksonville.
Key West
is an ultimate road trip and vacation destination because there is so much to do
for everyone. You can kayak, view dolphins, eat at amazing restaurants,
explore the beaches, or charter a boat for a deep see fishing adventure.
The night clubs in Key West are great and this is the perfect destination for a
college road trip during the spring break season.
Orlando
is your destination if you are planning a Disney theme park vacation. It's
within one hour to the beach and you can drive to the Everglades and back in one
day. There are deals on vacation packages to the area and it is worth
looking into if you always wanted to check out Space Mountain at Disney World.
Panama
Cityis perfect for fishing and checking out the beach. Florida's
Gulf Coast is an excellent destination for you to consider on your upcoming road
trip.
Sarasota
is the perfect city for you to explore. There's lots of art galleries and
beaches to keep you occupied for a long time. If art is not interesting to
you then you can charter a boat here as well for a deep sea fishing adventure.
Tampa
is near Daytona and is easy to fly in and out of at their airport. While
in the Tampa area you can visit Busch Gardens or explore some of the beaches.
There are an abundance of golf courses for you to drive your ball on these
beautiful fairways, cruise lines, and RV parks to add an amazing diversity to
your road trip.
Florida National Parks
are the perfect destination for your road trip. While visiting these parks
you can enjoy some amazing activities such as snorkeling, sea shell collecting,
beach combing, and scuba diving. The Everglades will provide the perfect
opportunity to get up close and personal with real alligators. If you
would like to watch a space shuttle launch then you'll want to head to Cape
Canaveral and watch from one of their undeveloped beaches.
Animal Kingdom is one
of four Disney amusement parks located in the Orlando area. This park has
over 1,700 animals that roam over 500 acres of beautiful Florida landscape.
The Animal Kingdom is the largest animal-based theme park in the world and is a
perfect destination for any animal lover in your road trip group. The park
is divided into seven unique areas that are all worth exploring!
Boomers! of Dania Beach is
in the Fort Lauderdale area and is ideal for large groups because admission and
parking are always free. You will need to purchase ride tickets in advance
or at the park and you can pass them out amongst your family so they can use
them for the rides, go-carts, batting cages, laser tag, bowling, and much more.
Busch Gardens-Tampa offers
amazing rides, great animal displays, and excellent shows. There are very
affordable vacation packages available so that you can visit the park more than
once on your Florida road trip. You will want to make sure you check out
the Gwazi wooden roller coaster because it is the largest and fastest wooden
roller coaster in the entire southeast. The Kumba is a thrilling roller
coaster that you must absolutely check out while you are in the park. There are
Rhinos, Lions, Tigers, and just about every animal you could ever imagine in
this park.
Cypress Gardens in
Winter Haven is often referred to as "Florida's First Theme Park". There
are over 40 rides and attractions in addition to lots of shows that you can
check out while you are there.
Discovery Cove in
Orlando gives you the chance to swim with the dolphins and see some of the most
fantastic sea life up close and personal. The 30-minute dolphin swimming
adventure is an opportunity that you will not be able to experience anywhere
else in the world and is highly recommended for a truly one of a kind road trip
experience. This park is extremely popular and you will need to book your
reservations two months in advance-especially during the summer months.
Disney-MGM Studios is
one of the four Disney parks in the Orlando area and is well worth blocking out
a day of your vacation to explore. There are lots of great
attractions that you can explore at this park and get lost in the magic of the
movie and television industry.
Honey I
Shrunk The Kids
Studio Back
Lot Tour
A giant playground that lets kids feel like they are
the size of a miniature bug!
Check out how studio effects on the movies are
created on this 25-minute ride!
American Film
Institute
One Man's
Dream
You can look at props from some of the all-time
classic movies!
This is the true story of Walt Disney.
The Great
Movie Ride
Academy of
Television Arts
Explore some of the most memorable movie moments in
history on this ride.
A Hall of Fame which celebrates the all time best TV
personalities.
Toy Story
Mania!
Lights,
Motors, Action!™
A 4-Dimensional Game that has a theme from the Toy
Story Cartoon.
An absolutely amazing vehicle stunt show!
The Twilight
Zone Tower of Terror™
Rock 'n'
Roller Coaster®
Take the 13-Story Plunge. This is an amazing
thrill ride.
A roller coaster experience set to the music of
Aerosmith.
The Magic of
Disney Animation
Sounds
Dangerous
Discover how Disney characters are created.
An audio look at television through the eyes of Drew
Carey.
Journey Into Narnia
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
A real journey into Narnia!
A recreation of the popular Disney movie-A Little
Mermaid.
Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt
Spectacular!
Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage™
The secrets of the stuns from the Indiana Jones
movies are revealed!
A puppet show for young kids.
Star Wars Jedi Training Academy
Star Tours
If your kids want to learn the force and become a
Jedi....
Become part of the Star Wars legend.
Muppet*Vision 3-D
The American Idol Experience
Adventure into the world of Muppets.
You can experience the thrill of standing on the
American Idol stage (even if you can't sing).
EPCOT®is one of the four Theme Parks in the world famous Walt Disney World Resort
in Orlando Florida. Epcot is absolutely enormous and it covers over 300
acres which is nearly twice the size of the magic Kingdom Park. While
walking through the park you'll see lots of performers and get to explore areas
that are divided into separate countries. Epcot provides the chance to
pump some massive culture into your Florida road trip.
Islands of Adventure is
in Orlando but is not part of the Disney empire. You can explore five
islands that will allow you to explore myths, legends, comic book heroes, and
cartoon characters that have shaped all of our lives. There's amazing
roller coasters and lots of activities for the entire family to enjoy.
King Richards Medieval
Family Fun Park in Naples has laser tag and go-carts for the entire family.
There is an alligator pit and plenty of video games that the kids will want to
check out.
Magic Kingdom is the
most famous Disney Park in Orlando and is the dream vacation for kids young and
old. There are 7 magical lands in this park that you will need to explore
individually. Space Mountain is a roller coaster that lasts an amazing 2
1/2 minutes and will blast you to the outer reaches of the galaxy. There
are so many rides and attractions at this park it you'll have to trust us and
check it out for yourself on your Florida road trip. These videos will
guide you through the various areas of the park but there is so much more to
explore.
Cinderella's Castle
Main Street, U.S.A.®
Cinderella's Castle is the beginning of your Disney Adventure.
This area always has
something going on and provides endless photo opportunities.
Adventureland®
Frontierland®
Part jungle, part tropical island, just a pure
adventure waiting for you to explore!
Frontierland® features
Big Thunder Mountain that is the most popular attraction at the
park.
Liberty Square
Fantasyland®
This is the most low key area of the park. It
will remind you of old Williamsburg in Virginia.
Snap a picture of Cinderella's Castle while you are
here.
Mickey's Toontown®
Fair
Tomorrowland®
You can ride the Barnstomer while you are in this
area of the park.
This area of the park is "The Future That Never Was"
Main Street Pier Amusements is
in Daytona Beach and this is generally just a fantastic area to walk around and
explore.
Old Town in Kissimmee
features free admission and free parking-what a deal. There are car shows,
dining, and lots of great entertainment for you to get wrapped up and spend an
entire day here.
Sam's Fun City in Pensacola
has lots of attractions for young kids and is waiting for them to jump into the
go-carts or on the Ferris wheel.
SeaWorld Orlando is
great wholesome fun for the entire family. There's lots of shows and
attractions for you to take in including the world famous Shamu!
Universal Studios Florida is
an excellent place to consider stopping at for your Florida road trip.
There are a couple areas of this park you will want to explore: Islands of
Adventure, Wet and Wild, and Universal Studios Florida. This is the number
one movie-based theme park in the world and is an absolutely amazing experience.
You can download the Universal Studios
travel brochure here.
Outdoor Festivals
are common in Florida because of the amazing weather all year long. Many
of these concerts are on the beach and provide incredible scenery with the
music. This is always a great road trip idea to strongly consider when
planning your vacation.
Florida Wineries
are a great way to break up a drive through this state and escape the suns
warming rays for an afternoon and cool off. There are several wineries in
the state and you can look at this
map to find some of the best tasting wine in Florida.
Calder Race in Miami
has been open since 1971 and has attracted more spectators than any of the other
professional sports teams since that time. If your looking to escape for
the day and watch some races and eat at the casual Calder's Clubhouse Dining
room or the exclusive Turf club then you are "on the right track".
Gulfstream Park is in
Hallandale and offers a live horse racing, a casino, and amazing food.
There is a lot for you to check out at this facility.
Hialeah Park in Miami
is listed as one of the 11 most endangered historic places in America. The
park was built in 1920 and the city is threatening to demolish what is left of
this landmark.
Pompano Park offers
live horse racing and a casino. You will want to dine at Farraddays
because the food is absolutely mouth-watering fantastic.
Tampa Bay Downs in
Oldsmar offers a wide variety of activities for the gambler including horse
racing, Silk's poker room, and a golf course.
The beaches in Florida will likely be the
highlight of your road trip and you should make it a point to stop in some of
these beaches-even if it is just for an afternoon. There's nothing more
spectacular then eating breakfast at an outdoor restaurant overlooking the
ocean. For a complete overview on Florida's beaches you'll want to check
out the Florida
beach guide.
Apollo Beach, Hillsborough County
Apollo Beach, Volusia County
Bahama Beach, Pinellas County
Bahia Beach, Hillsborough County
Big Bear Beach, Glades County
Bonair Beach, Martin County
Bonita Beach, Lee County
Bonita Beach, Taylor County
Bunche Beach, Lee County
Butler Beach, St. Johns County
Caspersen Beach, Sarasota County
Cocoa Plum Beach, Monroe County
Crescent Beach, Sarasota County
De Soto Beach, Brevard County
Dixie Beach, Lee County
Dunedin Beach, Pinellas County
East Beach, Pinellas County
Eatons Beach, Marion County
Eau Gallie Beach, Brevard County
Englewood Beach, Charlotte County
Fort Island Beach, Citrus County
Fort Lauderdale Beach, Broward County
Gardenville Beach, Hillsborough County
Hampton Beach, Marion County
Haulover Beach, Miami-Dade County
Hernando Beach, Hernando County
Highland Beach, Monroe County
Hollywood Beach, Broward County
Indian Beach, Sarasota County
Klondike Beach, Brevard County
Lido Beach, Pinellas County
Long Beach, Monroe County
Manatee County Beach, Manatee County
Marco Beach, Collier County
Money Beach, Gulf County
Morgan Beach, Collier County
Mustin Beach, Escambia County
Navarre Beach, Escambia County
New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County
North Beach, Pinellas County
Pass-a-Grille Beach, Pinellas County
Playalinda Beach, Brevard County
San Carlos Beach, Escambia County
Sand Beach, Franklin County
Sarasota Beach, Sarasota County
Seminole Beach, Duval County
Siesta Beach, Sarasota County-Siesta is located in
Sarasota and is ranked among the top 10 beaches in the country!