Planning an Epic Florida Road Trip
Before you start planning your trip, there are a few things to consider, mainly where to start and how long your road trip will take. There are many resources available to help you create a solid plan that suits your family’s needs. Keep in mind that Florida is a large state, and any given road trip could easily stretch into a multi-week adventure if you choose to travel along both the east and west coasts, covering more than 1500 miles.
You can follow our Florida road trip plan precisely or use it as a baseline. Either way, make sure to include time for the following types of activities:
- Beaches
- Freshwater springs
- Wildlife experiences (kayaking, wildlife drives)
- Boardwalks – these are great for exploring forests without hiking
- Small town sites – Florida has many historic towns with rich histories
While Florida is known for its beaches and theme parks, it also offers a wealth of educational opportunities. From the limestone springs to cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks, and mangrove islands, there is a lot to learn about Florida’s natural ecosystems. Historic sites like De Soto National Memorial, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, and the towns of St Augustine or Tarpon Springs offer fascinating insights into the state’s past. Plan your time to include some learning as you explore.
Where to Stay During a Florida Road Trip
Depending on your travel style and budget, you’ll find a wide variety of accommodations in Florida, from hotels and resorts to campgrounds and vacation rentals. You can choose to stay in high-end luxury hotels or opt for more affordable options. Many national hotel chains like Best Western Plus or Holiday Inn Express provide convenient booking and loyalty programs. High-end stays are often located near the beaches, but they can also be found in Central Florida.
To create a well-rounded itinerary, plan for a few luxurious stays along the way. For example, if you’re staying at the beach instead of in the historic downtown of St Augustine, book a stay at Embassy Suites directly on St Augustine Beach. This allows you to wake up and walk onto the sand, then enjoy drinks by the pool later. If you’re adding Universal Orlando or Walt Disney World to your trip, consider staying at one of the many budget-friendly options near the parks rather than a luxury hotel, as you won’t spend much time at your accommodation.
In places like Fort Myers Beach or Miami Beach, staying somewhere beautiful with character is a great choice and worth the experience. The ability to step out of your accommodations and into a vibrant atmosphere is a highlight of any Florida road trip. Each day brings something new and special, making the journey itself a memorable part of the adventure.
Packing for a Florida Vacation
Packing for a warm-weather trip in Florida doesn’t need to be complicated. We recommend bringing plenty of swimwear, at least one pair of pants, and a light jacket for each person. You don’t need to stress over packing everything you think you might need, as Florida is not a place where people care about how you dress. However, there are a few essential items you should bring:
- Flip flops
- Active sandals (Keens or Tevas are great)
- Tennis shoes or walking shoes
- Brimmed hats and sunglasses for everyone
- Swimwear suitable for the beach, pool, or waterpark
- Waterproof phone cases
- Small umbrellas for the most sun-sensitive individuals
Keep in mind that Florida gets a lot of rain, so pack clothing that dries quickly and shoes that won’t leave you uncomfortable if they get wet.
First Leg of the Florida Road Trip: North Atlantic Coast
This is the part of the state where we live, so we always start here. It’s easy for others to start here as well. If you’re driving from another state on either I-95 or I-10, you’ll be coming to Jacksonville anyway. If you’re flying into Florida, you can fly into Jacksonville (JAX) from any major city east of Denver, and in the coming years, flights have been announced to start from a few California locations. If you don’t want to fly into JAX, you can also do the road trip in reverse by flying into Miami or Orlando.
Casa Marina and Jacksonville Beach
North Florida is beautiful in its own way. It’s quieter and feels similar to California beach neighborhoods like Mission Beach in San Diego or Seal Beach in Orange County. Jacksonville Beach has wonderful sand and lots of beach access points. Start your Florida road trip with a solid dose of the beach.
Back when New York and Hollywood were all flash and glam, Jacksonville Beach was the spot for the elite to escape to, and the Casa Marina Hotel hosted them all. Starting your trip along the Scenic Route of unique Florida, spend a day or two in Jax Beach enjoying the chill vibes of the now trendy beach town while staying in a vintage hotel room at the Casa Marina just over the dunes. Is the Casa Marina haunted? Hard to say, but the kids loved the roaring twenties feel… and there were footsteps in the hall.
Historic St Augustine and the Castillo
We encourage our friends to return to St Augustine not just to visit us, but because it’s the most captivating city we’ve been to in Florida. St Augustine is the oldest city in the USA and includes a 16th-century Spanish fort (the Castillo de San Marcos), an actual city wall, delicious fusion food (think seafood/Cuban/Spanish), and great museums for kids (the Lightner Museum is awesome).
We work history into our travels whenever possible, and history is one of the aspects that makes the Scenic Route through Florida so unique. Even for the non-history traveler, St Augustine is sure to fascinate and be a favorite destination. And an added bonus to spending time in St Augustine: ecotourism. From kayaking to boat expeditions with marine biologists, we’ve had some incredible encounters with wildlife, all handled in a professional, conservation-first way. Florida’s unique nature is alive and well here and there are many ways to enjoy it before moving onto your next destination.
Ponce Inlet: Beyond Daytona Beach
Just south of Daytona Beach is the Ponce Inlet. This may be our kids’ favorite place in all of Florida. While there’s not a lot to the town, there are some fun, unique experiences to be had. Ponce Inlet has the tallest lighthouse in Florida and it’s open to the public to climb. With 203 steps to the top, kids and adults love the challenge (and the view is gorgeous too!).
Also near the lighthouse is the Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center. From rays and fish to sea turtles in the turtle recovery unit, visitors get to check out a unique blend of an aquarium and hospital. And the volunteers are very passionate about their Florida wildlife! You’ll find some beautiful places at Ponce inlet for kayaking opportunities and beach access. There are so many things to do here and in the Daytona area.
Central Florida Road Trip Stops
As you head inland from Daytona Beach, you very quickly come into the start of the freshwater springs of Florida. They start here, about 40 minutes from Daytona and actually stretch westward into the Panhandle. We’ve got a few springs to stop at that aren’t far out of the way and you’ll love spending time here. Central Florida also includes time at the theme parks if you’re interested. You don’t have to include Universal or Disney on your Florida road trip, but many families try to add a day or two at one of the parks.
De Leon Springs and pancakes at the Old Sugar Mill
We always love visiting any of the more than 1000 freshwater springs in Florida, but De Leon Springs has something extra special and totally unique. Pay attention because this may be one of the only restaurants we ever tell anybody they’ve got to go to, but you’ve got to go to the Old Spanish Sugar Mill. Located just off the ACTUAL FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, the Sugar Mill is just the coolest family dining in Florida.
You sit down at your griddle/table, you cook your own breakfast as you sit in the mill, and then you can head out for a hike through the Florida forest or take an ecotour from the headspring down the St Johns River, scoping out manatees, alligators, all kinds of bird and who knows what else.
Blue Springs for Manatees and More
It seems that no matter how many times we visit Blue Spring State Park we’re always thinking about our next visit. If you’re in North Central Florida during the winter months, you’ll no doubt see manatees in the springs and rivers, but at Blue Spring you’ll see hundreds of them. Manatees are a unique Florida treasure and there’s no better place to observe or encounter them than at Blue Spring State Park.
Visiting in the off-season (non-manatee time of Spring through Fall) is also wonderful. Florida’s freshwater springs are always warm, with Blue Spring being a consistent 73 degrees F, so swimming in the off-season is awesome! The kids did get a little spooked by the enormous Florida Gar in the springs (large fish) but splashing and watching turtles makes it all worthwhile for them.
Universal Orlando for Volcano Bay Water Theme Park (and another park)
We’ll be the first to tell you that Universal Studios and the whole Universal Orlando Resort is crazy fun, but the best parts are actually Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay. As you explore Florida on your road trip you’ll drive through Orlando… and you MUST stop. If theme parks aren’t your thing, that’s fine. That’s what Volcano Bay is for.
For just one day at a Universal park, we would choose Islands of Adventure, as it has the most and best attractions outside Epic Universe. And then if you have another day or want a different experience, how about a waterpark designed with adults (and kids) in mind? Volcano Bay offers a great mix of waterslides, raft rides, sandy beaches and even a water coaster. Adding a day at Volcano Bay is the perfect way to break up the cross-state drive, even though it’s not that far, and will bring a totally different element to the travels you’ve been having. And don’t worry, even on the hottest days when Volcano Bay is at capacity, it’s still both fun and relaxing.
Lakeland and the Lakes: REAL Florida
It’s easy to do Orlando and just head to the Gulf Coast for Tampa and the sugar sand beaches, but before you do, spend a day in old Florida if you can swing it. Lakeland is a cool city and it’s surrounded by really beautiful nature and some fun places. Bok Tower and Gardens is a Florida icon, Circle B Bar Reserve is epic for nature and learning about the unique ecosystems of Central Florida, and then Lake Kissimmee State Park is a blast for fishing and wildlife watching.
The best way to experience the wildlife here is to actually go out on an airboat. Lake Kissimmee is really big and it’s very unusual. Full of alligators, wading birds, eagles and even… bison. If you’ve never done an airboat, you’re going to love it and it’s the perfect addition to a Florida road trip. We’ve been out with Grape Hammock Fish Camp a few times and they do the best wildlife safari in Central Florida. I love it.
Florida Gulf Coast Road Trip Stops
This portion of our Florida road trip could actually be its own vacation. The Florida Gulf Coast is beautiful, and if you are dreaming of beaches, you’ll have endless opportunities to swim or beachcomb. It’s gorgeous and so much fun, especially if you’ve got kids with you.
Going Greek in Tarpon Springs
Did you know that the largest Greek community in the USA is actually in Tarpon Springs, Florida? True story and it’s an awesome place to visit for a day. We’re all about mixing it up when it comes to food and making sure our kids will eat anything, so having a day of Greek food was just what the travel doctor ordered. Tarpon Springs is a very unique town in that it grew and thrived due to the sponge industry, with a rich history in sponge diving. Weirdly cool, huh?
Today, Tarpon Springs is the perfect spot to eat your heart out, take a boat tour out into the Gulf of Mexico (dolphins anyone?), and you guessed it, buy some natural sponges. Due to the canals and bridges everywhere, getting off the beaten path in town is easy and you may just fall in love with this perfect slice of Greek America.
Fort de Soto: Birds, Dolphins and Manatees
St Petersburg is a rather big city between Tampa Bay and the Gulf, but there are some smaller communities and sights to enjoy here too. For us, Fort De Soto in the Tierra Verde area was a slice of unique Florida heaven. Fort De Soto Park is home to mangrove forests, a wild bird refuge (roseate spoonbills!), decommissioned military bunkers, and miles of beaches that, on a weekday, nobody else is on!
Oh, and the wildlife. Have you ever been swimming and accidentally bumped into a manatee? Or have you ever been standing on a pier surrounded by egrets while dolphins jump out of the water below you? We have, right here at Fort De Soto. It’s a picturesque, nearly unknown Florida treasure. I would say that this is going to be a highlight on the Florida road trip.
Fort Myers and Sanibel Island
This is a great town for another 2-3 night stay. Sanibel Island is super beautiful and has some of the best beach combing for shells we’ve ever done anywhere. There are bike paths all around the island, all the way to Captiva Island. The beaches are awesome and there’s a beautiful lighthouse. The waters here are pristine and the Ding Darling Nature Preserve has some of the most epic birding. For a really fun tour, head out with the Tarpon Bay Explorers for a guided kayaking trip for even more wildlife and to explore the mangroves.
While you’re staying on Sanibel, do a day trip over into Fort Myers. The Ford and Edison Estate is really cool to explore, especially with kids. The Six Mile Cypress Slough is a really cool forest boardwalk hike with, again, so much wildlife. It’s awesome in the morning and is absolutely worth the time.
Big Cypress National Preserve
Being on the northern end of the Everglades, actually bordering Everglades National Park, Big Cypress is one big, beautiful, epic swamp. That sounds totally unappealing, I know, but it’s really magical. Between the enormous cypress trees creating an otherworldly atmosphere to alligators and even crocodiles below and around the boardwalks, Big Cypress National Preserve is an easy and worthwhile stop along the Scenic Route through Southern Florida. You can experience it just by stopping into a visitors center off the Tamiami Trail or you can be fully immersed in the cypress swamp with one of many hikes. WARNING: mosquitoes are also big fans of Big Cypress National Preserve.
Everglades and Biscayne National Parks
While the northern side of the Everglades is quite marshy and full of alligators, the other accessible areas are quite different. Either going out of Everglades City or Homestead, you can experience the National Park via boat. It’s an easy drive to the eastern side of the Park which is just outside of Miami, and thankfully it’s not overrun with tourists most days.
Kayaking at Flamingo is a fun way to get on the water and you’re highly likely to see crocodiles! The same goes for Biscayne National Park. Both of these parks are pristine examples of unique Florida ecosystems. While much of the Everglades is composed of grass islands that you can explore through boardwalks, Biscayne is best toured by boat. 95% of Biscayne National Park is underwater, but the sites above the surface are pretty cool too. From the mangrove coastline to Stiltsville out in the Bay, to the lighthouse out on Boca Chita Key. There’s lots to see and do!
Finishing Out with Miami
Miami is its own trip, but since you’re most likely flying into or out of Miami there is one thing you must know about and seek out: croquettes. Yes, we’re talking about those little dumpling type tatertotish hushpuppy esque balls of deliciousness. Croquettes are a Caribbean creation and they come in a variety of shapes and fillings. Some just are breaded fried mashed potatoes and some have a little meat and sauce in them. They’re all delicious and perfectly Miami.
How to find: look for any small Caribbean cafe, including coffee shops, that serve breakfast. If you’re lucky, you might even find a street vendor pushing a cart that makes them. Calle Ocho is also a good spot to find them.
Beside my favorite Miami snack, there is so much to do here. The beaches are great and all, but exploring the Art Deco district of South Beach is my favorite. It’s really pretty, it’s fun, and it’s the best people watching in the city. A visit to Calle Ocho is great for more good food or to join in a community dominoes tournament. And then the Viscaya Estate is incredible to visit. I wish I could live there.
Bonus: Continue into the Florida Keys
If you haven’t had enough of your Florida road trip, you can still add on more. You can go from Miami, or skip Miami and continue onward from Everglades National Park down into the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys road trip is an unforgettable one on its own, with turquoise waters, snorkeling, dolphins and lots of history. Getting all the way to Key West and enjoying one of the most colorful and fun towns in the state is an epic way to end the adventure.
If you don’t want to take a whole week to do the Keys, you can simply drive the whole way to Key West in one day and enjoy being here for 3-4 days. There is plenty to do and see, and the hotels and resorts are amazing. I love traveling in the Keys, and I really love spending time in Key West, and I know you will too.
Check out our Florida Keys website, TheKeysExplored.com for lots more information and travel planning!
Wow! Thank goodness we live in Florida because we get to enjoy the state and its many unique experiences all the time! Each of these fun Florida sites and things to do are characteristic of the fun our family seeks out with each visit to a new part of the Sunshine State.
