Travel

What to Do In Florida – 6 Top Fun Activities

December 30, 2019

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There’s a lot of weird news that comes out of Florida, but don’t let that fool you: Florida is one of the country’s premier places to visit. From the sandy beaches to the streets of Disney World, there are a million and one great things to do within the Sunshine State.

And those are just the beginning. You might even be surprised by the variety of great activities that can be found within the admittedly large state. There are so many different things to do you can find something that everyone in the family will enjoy.

Read on, and we’ll walk you through what to do in Florida if you want to have a good time.

Table of Contents

1. Art Basel

Are you an art lover? Do you love immersing yourself in culture? If you do and you’re in Miami during the right time of year, you’re in for a one-of-a-kind experience.

Art Base is a yearly art fair and festival that takes place in Miami, FL in December of each year. The fair brings in high-class art from over 4,000 artists annually and attracts an arts-minded community from all around the world.

The entirety of the city goes a little basel-crazy, with all sorts of venues turning into makeshift galleries and hang out spaces. The nightlife goes crazy downtown, with some clubs like Floyd staying open around the clock. If you’re looking for a nutty, arts-tinged weekend, Art Basel is the place to be.

2. Daytona 500

In the mood for something a little more heart-pounding? There are few things more exciting in the state of Florida than the Daytona 500, which is an annual race run by NASCAR in Daytona Beach.

It can be a bit expensive to get into a race, as it is something that occurs only once a year. But if you have the money to spend, there’s nothing more exciting to do in the state than attend this 500-mile speed trial.

If you can’t afford the race itself, you can still stop by the speedway for a variety of other fun activities. You can take a tour, sit in for smaller-scale races, or attend concerts that the venue sometimes hosts within the stadium.

3. Visit St. Augustine

One of the oldest cities in the country, St. Augustine, remains an undervalued tourist spot in the eyes of most Florida travelers. Located just south of Jacksonville, St. Augustine sits on the Atlantic Ocean and contains a wealth of amazing history.

You and your family can visit the many museums the town has to offer, or stop into the still fully erected Fort Castillo de San Marcos. There’s also the Fountain of Youth to visit or the many shops along the main cobble-stone drive down the center of town.

If history isn’t your bag, there’s also beautiful beaches and a year-round music scene that brings in huge artists ranging from Bob Dylan to Kansas. No matter your interests, you can’t go wrong visiting this perfect little town.

4. Hit The Water

Florida is surrounded by water on almost all sides, so it makes sense that some of the most fun you could have is off of the land. If you’re looking for a true escape during your time in the Sunshine State, it’s well worth considering renting a boat or chartering a yacht off of the coast of the state.

This may sound like an exercise in emptying your bank account, but these kinds of boat rentals are often more affordable than you might initially assume.

All you need to do to get started is to make a reservation. Once you do, you’ll be surprised how quickly and easily you’ll be out on the water, enjoying the wind and the waves.

5. Explore Movie Shooting Locations

If there’s a film fanatic in your family, there might be no activity that will excite them more than taking them to some real Florida filming locations. The southern state has been a prime shooting location for decades, with many different productions and television shows setting up shop in the state.

If there are comedy fans in your clan, you can visit some of the golf courses in South Florida where Caddyshack was shot. You can visit some locations in Miami where Al Pacino starred as Scarface, or visit the newly minted Moonlight Way from the Best Picture winner of the same name.

Much of Tim Burton’s seminal Edward Scissorhands was filmed in Lakeland, FL. Of course, if you want to see props and sets from your favorite films you can also head to Orlando and see them collected at the state’s many entertainment theme parks.

6. Alligator Farms

You can’t make it on a trip through Florida without taking the opportunity to glimpse some natural wildlife. There are many Alligator Farms throughout the state that is well worth stopping into if you have an affinity for our scaly friends.

The best Alligator Farm of all is likely the one located down south near The Everglades, still the wildest part of the Florida landscape. The farm itself has over 2,000 gators and allows multiple ways to view and get intimate with these fascinating creatures.