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These 16 unique things to do in Florida are some of my favorite places to visit in Florida for several reasons, less crowds, less costs, and more nature. In a state that gets 300,000 new residents (myself included) and over 110 million visitors each year, you’re almost never alone in a public space and it can get pricey trying to experience all that Florida has to offer.
Florida is so diverse that creating an ultimate bucket list that rivals visiting the Caribbean islands isn’t hard to do. Some of the best things to do in Florida get you closer to nature and spending quality time solo or with family and friends. If there’s a beach nearby, you can always find sailing tours, dolphin sightings, parasailing, and tons of watersports.
Hemingway House Cat Graves – Zsa Zsa Gabor
These places are also completely unique, filled with history, art, and culture. They tell little known stories or forgotten truths. From parks to museums and outdoor adventures, Florida has plenty to offer and it doesn’t always have to bust the budget. So, go ahead, make the drive, and cross off some Florida bucket list adventures while exploring all over the state.
*SAVE*: You’ll notice references below and throughout this site to several memberships that can get you free reciprocal entry to some museums, gardens, and attractions. Before you choose a local membership, check to see which reciprocal groups it may belong to. This could save you hundreds of dollars when you travel and provide interesting opportunities, both locally and afar.
- NARM – North American Reciprocal Museum Association
- SERM – SouthEastern Museums Conference
- ASTC – Association of Science and Technology Centers
- AHS – American Horticultural Society
- ACM – Association of Children’s Museums
Best Places to Visit in Florida for Nature Lovers
Florida has dozens of gardens, some on beaches, some accompanied by the homes of famous people, and some that are just the most fascinating displays of nature’s art. Each garden has a style and flavor of its own and you won’t be disappointed if you stop by the nearest one to wherever you’re visiting.
Hemingway House and Gardens
Location – Key West
2000 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Costs:
Ages 13+ $14.00
Child 6 – 12 $6.00
Under 5 Free
Hours:
Open 365 days, 9am – 5pm
Unique Experience: Explore the Home& Museum with the Free App from anywhere. Learn about the House, Hemingway’s life, and the cats from anywhere.
Try It:
• Count how many cats you see during your included 30-minute tour of the grounds.
• Sit in Hemingway’s garden with descendants of his cats.
Find It: A six-toed cat or the cat grave of Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Miami Beach Botanical Garden
Location – Miami Beach
2000 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Costs – Free
Hours – Tuesday through Sunday, 9am – 5pm
Closed on New Year’s Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
- Unique Experience: Self-guided tour system. Dial 305.423.1525 or take pics of the 13 QR codes along the path.
- Find It: A well-placed (maybe hidden) unicorn in the garden.
Bonnet House Museum and Gardens
Location – Fort Lauderdale
900 N Birch Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Costs:
Ages 13+ $20.00
Child 6 – 12 $16.00
Under 5 Free
Gardens Only $10.00
Tram Tour $5.00
*SAVE*
• $3 off for Military and Broward County Residents
• September 2019 Special – mention BAMM (Broward Attractions And Museums Month) – buy one get one free entry.
Hours:
Tuesday through Sunday, 9am – 4pm
Unique Experience: Explore undeveloped beachfront on 35 acres of a native barrier island ecosystem hidden amongst mostly commercially developed beachfront. View an amazing orchid collection and works from an American artist as well as the personal treasures of the Birch/Bartlett families.
Try It:
Take the tram tour – a nice well explained ride around the grounds.
Bok Tower Gardens
Location – Lake Wales
1151 Tower Blvd, Lake Wales, FL 33853
Costs:
Ages 13+ $21.00
Child 5 – 12 $10.00
Under 5 Free
*SAVE*
Active military with ID FREE
FREE reciprocal members – AHS
Hours:
Open 365 days, 8am – 6pm
Unique Experience: Explore a 205 foot art-deco and neo-Gothic Singing Tower Carillon on 50 acres of Olmsted Gardens.
Must Experience: Hammock Hollow Children’s Garden filled with lots of activities from splashing in the River Walk to mastering the Spider Climb or drawing in the Doodle Bug Art Place.
Find It: The Word Garden.
Harry P Leu Gardens
Location – Orlando
1920 N Forest Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Costs:
Ages 18+ $10.00
Child 4– 17 $5.00
Under 4 Free
*SAVE*
FREE Reciprocal Members – AHS
General Public Free Admission days at Leu Gardens:
Monday, October 7, 2019
Monday, November 4, 2019
Saturday & Sunday, March 14 & 15, 2020
Monday, April 6, 2020
Monday, May 4, 2020
Hours:
Open 364 days, 9am – 5pm
Closed on Dec. 25th
Unique Experience: Explore the gardens while hunting down 20 enchanted fairy doors, but only until September 30, 2019.
Must Experience: The Tropical Stream Garden to Lake Rowena Overlook, through the Northwoods to the Landing and the Floral Clock. (Those are my favorite parts.)
Unique Things to do in Florida for Beach, Nature and Outdoor Lovers
Florida is covered from coast to coast in beaches and outdoor adventures. You’ll find beautifully preserved beaches in every part of the state run by both the state park system and federal parks. Those beaches usually are not free but can provide more calming authentic natural Florida experiences. They tend to be less crowded and even if there are some crowds, you can always find a quiet little pocket of earth to yourself if you wander.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Location – Key Biscayne
1200 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Costs:
Per Vehicle $8.00
Single Occupant $4.00
Pedestrian/Bicyclist $2.00
Hours:
Open 365 days, 8am – dusk
Unique Experience: Tour the lighthouse, the oldest structure in South Florida, built in 1825.
Try It:
• Some beach time but watch for Portuguese Man of War warnings during winter.
Amenities:
• Accessibility with 2 beach wheelchairs and 1 swimming wheelchair available free of charge.
• Rent 2 chairs and an umbrella for $20.
• Bike rentals, nature trails, museum, café overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, picnic pavilion, playground, showers, restrooms, boat camping, kayak launch, and more.
Find It: Deconstructed parts of the lighthouse on display.
Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens
Location – Williston
4990 NE 180 Ave, Williston, FL 32696
Costs:
Ages 13+ $12.00
Child 6 – 13 $7.00
Under 6 Free
*SAVE*
Active military with ID $6.00
Hours:
Daily except Wednesday, 930am – 5pm
Closed on Dec. 25th
Unique Experience: Explore a once abandoned lime rock quarry that has been transformed into a Japanese style series of islands with waterfalls and bridges.
Must Experience: The journey down and back up to the overlook point (rainy weather could cause a rise in water levels that might make some areas inaccessible, watch the weather around the time you go).
Find It: The overturned boat.
Big Talbot Island Boneyard Beach
Location – Big Talbot Island
Jacksonville, FL 32226
Costs:
Per Vehicle $3.00 CASH
Hours:
Open 365 days, 8am – dusk
Boat ramp open 24 hours
Unique Experience: A short trail walk to Boneyard Beach from the parking area leads you to a salt washed graveyard of live oak and cedar tree skeletons.
Must Experience: The Timucuan Trail runs parallel to A1A and is 2.9 miles long. Perfect for skating or biking. Black Rock Beach is just down the road, another good stop.
Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park
Location – Gainesville
4732 Millhopper Rd, Gainesville, FL 32653
Costs:
Per Vehicle $4.00
Pedestrians/Bikes $2.00
Hours:
Wednesday through Sunday, 9am – 5pm
Unique Experience: Explore a historic sinkhole from the 1880’s with many legends about its name. Did the devil kidnap a Native American princess and create the sinkhole to trap her rescuers? Who Knows?
Must Experience: The new sinkhole boardwalk is finished! Descend down the sinkhole, notice the temperature change and the trickling waterfalls, listen to the sounds of nature.
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Things to do in Florida for Art Lovers
Art museums in Florida house some of the most famous artworks but you’ll also find private collections and technology intertwined, as well as regional and local history highlighted. Many have children’s areas that teach and keep their attention with hands-on activities. When you visit Wynwood Walls, there are beautiful murals perfect for social media poses and sidewalk treats to purchase. A trip to the Dali museum is striking with bits of surreal art from the building to the landscaping. Imagine museum highlights just how crafty artists can get with glass.
Wynwood Walls
Location – Miami
2520 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127
Costs – $10 Adults, $7.50 Seniors, $5 Students/Military, FREE for children under 12
Hours – Monday – Thursday from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Friday – Saturday from 10:30 a.m. – midnight
Sunday from 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Second Saturday of the Month (Wynwood Artwalk) from 10:30 a.m. – midnight
- Unique Experience:The Wynwood Walls Shop has books, magnets, and collectible figures, among other treasures that represent the exclusive artwork found here.
- Find It: Try some ice cream. The hard part is choosing which one. There is a popsicle cart. A coconut Sundae cart.
A vegan ice cream shop a few blocks down, Nabati
Dasher & Crank – artisanal ice cream dream with flavors like Kush Chicken N Waffles or Strawberry Hibiscus Sorbet
Cielito Artisan Pops.
Mr. Kream Wynwood – spray paint your own ice cream while listening to one of Miami’s DJ’s.
The Dali Museum
Location – St. Petersburg
1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Costs:
Ages 18+ $25.00
Child 13 – 17 and college student with ID $18.00
Child 6 – 12 $10.00
Under 5 Free
*SAVE*
Groupon – I saw one while I was writing this.
After 5pm on Thursdays, the $25 adult price drops to $12.
Free reciprocal entry with NARM
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Sunday, 12pm – 5pm
Unique Experience: View Dali’s masterworks in Augmented Reality (AR) through the Free Dali Museum App from anywhere.
Must Experience: The Little Surrealists Tour on a Saturday morning at 11AM. Kids 4 – 11 get a special 1-hour tour where they learn more about the imagery and meanings behind Dali’s artwork.
Mimosas and Masterpieces Catalan-inspired Brunch on Sundays.
Find It:
The painting titled Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln-Homage to Rothko (Second Version).
Imagine Museum
Location – St. Petersburg
1901 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Costs:
Ages 13+ $15.00
Child 7 – 18 $10.00
Under 6 Free
*SAVE*
Military and seniors $2 off
College Student with ID $5 off
$5 Thursdays after 5pm
Free Reciprocal entry with NARM
Hours:
Tues, Wed, Fri- Sun, 10am – 5pmThursday, 10am – 8pm
Monday, CLOSED
Unique Experience: Explore the Floating World by Karen LaMonte, an exhibition and deep study of the Kimono.
Things to do in Florida for History and Culture Lovers
Morikami Museum and Gardens
Location – Delray Beach
4000 Morikami Park Rd, Delray Beach, FL 33446
Costs:
Ages 18+ $15.00
Child 6 – 17 $9.00
Under 5 Free
*SAVE*
• $2 off for Military and Seniors
• $4 off for college students with ID
Hours:
Tuesday through Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Closed Mondays and major holidays
Unique Experience: 7,000+ piece collection to encourage and expand understanding of Japanese culture. Festivals, family fun days, and workshops that offer Japanese immersion.
Must Experience: A self-guided tour through the children’s exhibit in the Yamato-kan, Japan Through the Eyes of a Child.
My “Want To” Experience: Sushi & Stroll – Second Friday of the month: May, July, September from 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Find It:
Tsukubai – water basins that were originally used in tea gardens for ritual purification but now serve as a focal point in gardens today.
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum
Location – Clewiston
30290 Josie Billie Hwy PMB 1003, Clewiston, FL 33440
Costs:
Ages 13+ $10.00
Students, Military, Seniors $7.50
Under 4 Free
*SAVE*
• NARM, Smithsonian Affiliations, Time Travelers, American Alliance of Museums, BOK Tower Gardens, & Palm Beach Zoo Society with presentation of membership cards.
Hours:
Daily, 9am – 5pm except Holidays, see site for current list of closures.
Boardwalk closes at 4pm.
Unique Experience: Embrace a deeper understanding of Seminole history and culture with access to rare artifacts on display. Talk with artisans in a modern day version of a Seminole village along the boardwalk and watch demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts.
Must Experience: Watch the video when you arrive and allow enough time to walk the full (mile) length of the boardwalk.
Find It:
In the galleries, find the reason why women shouldn’t lay down while eating.
Historic Spanish Point
Location – Osprey
337 N Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL 34229
Costs:
Ages 13+ $15.00
Child 5 – 12 $7.00
Under 5 Free
*SAVE*
• Seniors $3 off
Free Reciprocal – NARM, ROAM
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Sunday, 12pm – 5pm
Unique Experience: • Download the app to follow the site tour and learn about the people of Historic Spanish Point.
• Take a boat tour aboard Magic, a replica of the Webb pioneer family boat from 1900, through Little Sarasota Bay.
Must Experience: Walk through Mrs. Potter Palmer’s sunken gardens and feel the breezes off the bay.
Find It:
A window to the past – see the inner workings of a shell ridge midden
Kingsley Plantation
Location – Jacksonville
11676 Palmetto Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32226
Costs:
Free
Hours:
Open Daily, 9am – 5pm
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Unique Experience: Free Audio Tour telling the story of Anna Kingsley, a Senegalese woman who was purchased as a slave by the owner, Zephaniah Kingsley and became an active independent participant in the plantation management, acquiring her freedom, her own land, and slaves as well.
Must Experience: Free Audio Tour telling the story of Anna Kingsley, a Senegalese woman who was purchased as a slave by the owner, Zephaniah Kingsley and became an active independent participant in the plantation management, acquiring her freedom, her own land, and slaves as well.
Find It: The perfect spot to sit and feel the breeze from the Fort George River.
You probably noticed that some of the gardens and outdoor places are also significant historical places. No matter where you go with this list, you’ll be getting a little bit of it all and near so many more good places to visit.
Happy Wandering Florida’s Hidden Gems!
OUR FAVORITE TRAVEL TIPS & RESOURCES
We know how important it is to save money so we can have more to spend on the things we love.
Here are our favorite travel resources for saving money and planning your trips.
- Booking Flights: To compare flights and set price alerts, search on Google Flights or Momondo.
- Accommodations: We typically stay in mid-range or boutique hotels with loyalty programs. That way we earn ourselves free stays to help extend our vacations and getaways for free. Learn more about earning your free stays here. For vacation rentals, we prefer to book using VRBO (for the lower fees and better support than Airbnb, sorry, we’re not big fans of the alternative) You can also book vacation rentals on Booking.com.
- Travel Insurance: We feel pretty strongly about this, travel insurance is a MUST for international trips, and if you still aren’t sure why, check out our Travel Horror Stories. We recommend comparing your options with Squaremouth , learn more here.
- Local Attractions: We utilize memberships to help us see more when we travel. NARM members get free or discounted access to reciprocal member Art museums, Arboretums, Historic Sites, and Nature Centers throughout North America. AHS reciprocal membership includes gardens throughout the U.S. and Canada. ASTC membership gives reciprocal access to Science Centers and Museums. America the Beautiful National Parks Pass allows entry into National Parks for $80 annually. You could spend less than $300 for all 4 memberships depending on your local museums and have access to hundreds of museums, parks, and gardens. Memberships often pop up on Groupon so always look there first.
- Save more with loyalty programs, read how to get more free flights and hotels here.
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Wow!! These are some great places. Many I’ve never heard of. Planning to visit Leu Gardens next month!
Wow. I’ve lived here my whole life and I didn’t know about half of these cool places to visit. Your images are gorgeous and now I have some ideas for day trips.
I’ve lived in Florida almost all my life and I’m ashamed to say that I’ve only been to one of these (#9) from this list. I have to get moving! There’s never a dull moment in Florida!
These places look beautiful and interesting! Thank you for sharing on Traffic Jam Weekend at LifeasaLEOWife.com!
Everyone thinks Florida only has beaches, I will direct people to your post to show how much more we have to offer.
I’m going to St Pete in December. The Dali museum is at the top of my list.
That is such a good time to visit. St. Pete has awesome night vibes, be sure to take the free trolley for a quick tour.
I’ve been all over the US but never too Florida. Possibly not yet because of the heat and humidity or it’s hurricane season but 1 day I hope to go to Disney world. I made it to Disneyland at age 5 LOL.
Awe, I have sweet memories of Disneyland at age 7. You just gotta check off Florida too, aim for September 2023, best time of year to got to Disney World.
Wow! These are great tips and a valuable resource for anyone travelling to Florida, especially people with kids. I’ve always wanted to go to Florida, especially Miami.