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Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House, Orlando

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Florida

Updated 1 October 2026 · 17 things to do

Pictured: Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House

Florida is a lot of holidays stacked into one peninsula. In the middle, Orlando's theme parks run on pure spectacle. To the south, Miami swaggers along Ocean Drive in pastel Art Deco. Further on, a single road hops island to island all the way to Key West, and on the Gulf coast the sand is so soft and pale it squeaks.

Most visitors pick two or three of these and do them properly. Orlando plus a beach week is the classic. Add Miami and the Keys if you have ten days or more, and rent a car, because distances are bigger than they look on the map.

Don't miss

  1. 1Walt Disney World
  2. 2Kennedy Space Center
  3. 3South Beach
  4. 4Everglades National Park
  5. 5Key West

Orlando and the Space Coast

Theme parks first, then a launch pad.

  1. Walt Disney World

    Activity

    Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
    Photo: Rstoplabe14 Carlos Cruz, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Four theme parks, two water parks and a small city's worth of hotels, all sprawled across swampland south-west of Orlando. Magic Kingdom, with Cinderella Castle at the end of Main Street, is the one that most people picture. Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom each have their own character.

    Plan like a general. Decide which parks matter most, arrive for opening, and build in a pool afternoon.

    Tip: Download the official app before you fly. Much of the day, from ride queues to dining, runs through it.

  2. Universal Orlando Resort

    Activity

    Hogsmeade village at Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando
    Photo: Benoît Prieur, CC0

    Disney's big rival is built around rollercoasters and film worlds. Islands of Adventure is home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hogsmeade, while Universal Studios Florida covers Hollywood, New York and Diagon Alley. Epic Universe, the newest park, has opened nearby.

    It suits teenagers and thrill-seekers best. Younger children will usually find Disney gentler.

  3. Kennedy Space Center

    Day trip

    Space Shuttle Atlantis on its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center
    Photo: Bill Ingalls, Public domain

    About an hour east of Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex sits beside the launch pads that sent the Apollo missions to the Moon. The star is the Space Shuttle Atlantis, displayed with its payload bay doors open as if mid-orbit, and a towering Saturn V rocket lies on its side in a hangar.

    Even if you don't care about space, standing under that rocket is humbling.

    Tip: Check the launch schedule before you book. Watching a real rocket go up is unforgettable.

Miami and the south

Colour, music, mangroves and a very big swamp.

  1. South Beach

    Neighbourhood

    Art Deco hotels along Ocean Drive in South Beach
    Photo: Robbschultz69, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Miami Beach's most famous strip is a parade of pastel Art Deco hotels along Ocean Drive, with a wide white beach behind them. Early morning is for runners and lifeguard towers painted like sorbet. By night the neon comes on, the cafés fill, and the Latin music drifts out of every doorway.

    Walk Lincoln Road, a pedestrian street of shops and restaurants, for a break from the sand.

    Tip: The Art Deco Historic District has walking tours that explain the buildings, and they are worth doing once.

  2. Little Havana

    Neighbourhood

    Calle Ocho is the heart of Miami's Cuban community. Domino players slap tiles in Máximo Gómez Park, cigar rollers work in shop windows, and walk-up windows hand out thimbles of sweet, strong cafecito.

    Come hungry and try a Cuban sandwich while you're here.

  3. Wynwood Walls

    Landmark

    Murals around the plaza at Wynwood Walls in Miami
    Photo: Dan Lundberg, CC BY-SA 2.0

    An open-air gallery of huge, colourful murals by street artists from around the world, set in a former warehouse district. The streets around it are plastered in more art, with breweries, coffee roasters and galleries behind the walls.

    A good way to spend a late afternoon, especially if it's too hot for the beach.

  4. Everglades National Park

    Nature

    A water-lily pond and swamp grass on the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades
    Photo: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0

    A vast, flat river of grass, mangroves and wetland that spreads across the southern tip of Florida. Boardwalk trails such as Anhinga Trail let you spot wading birds and alligators from a safe distance, and airboat and kayak trips explore the waterways.

    It's quiet, strange and unlike anywhere else in the United States. Go early, wear repellent and bring water.

    Tip: The dry winter months are the most comfortable time to visit. Summer brings heat, rain and mosquitoes.

The Keys

One road, a hundred-odd miles of sea.

  1. The Overseas Highway

    Activity

    The Seven Mile Bridge running across the sea in the Florida Keys
    Photo: United States Department of Transportation, Public domain

    US-1 leaves the mainland and hops across the Florida Keys on bridges, with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic on the other. The Seven Mile Bridge is the showstopper, a long ribbon of road over bright turquoise water.

    Drive it with the windows down and stop often. Key lime pie, snorkelling and cold drinks are all along the way.

  2. Bahia Honda State Park

    Beach

    One of the best beaches in the Keys, with soft white sand, clear shallow water and old railway bridge ruins making a picturesque backdrop. There are walking trails, snorkelling and kayaking, and a camp-and-picnic feel on weekends.

  3. Key West

    Neighbourhood

    Sunset over the water from Mallory Square in Key West
    Photo: Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, CC BY 2.0

    The end of the road is laid-back and a bit eccentric. Pastel conch houses, roaming chickens, and Hemingway's old home share the streets of Old Town. Duval Street is the party strip, and every evening the crowds gather at Mallory Square to watch the sun go down.

    Hire a bike. It's the best way to see it all, and you'll find quieter lanes away from Duval.

Gulf coast beaches

Calmer water, softer sand and better sunsets.

  1. Siesta Key Beach

    Beach

    The white sand of Siesta Key Beach near Sarasota
    Photo: 4net, CC BY 3.0

    Siesta Key's quartz sand is famously fine and white, and it stays cool underfoot even in a Florida summer. The Gulf here is calm, shallow and warm, so it suits families and long paddles.

    Stay for sunset, when the whole beach turns gold.

  2. Clearwater Beach

    Beach

    A broad strip of white sand on a barrier island near Tampa, with calm green water, a lively boardwalk and a sunset celebration at Pier 60 every evening. It's a polished, family-friendly beach with plenty of cafés and water sports.

  3. Anna Maria Island

    Beach

    A slow, low-rise barrier island off Bradenton, with no high-rises, a free trolley and a long run of pale sand. Bikes and golf carts outnumber cars, and the water is calm enough for paddleboards and toddlers.

    It's the Florida of old postcards, and a very good place to do very little.

Eat and drink

  1. Cuban sandwich

    Food

    A pressed Cuban sandwich at a Calle Ocho restaurant in Miami
    Photo: Todd Van Hoosear, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and mustard, pressed flat in crusty Cuban bread. Miami and Tampa both claim it, and both will argue about the details. Try one at a Little Havana lunch counter, washed down with a café con leche.

  2. Key lime pie

    Food

    A slice of Key lime pie in a Key West restaurant
    Photo: Haydn Blackey, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Florida's official pie is tart, creamy and pale yellow, made with small Key limes and a graham cracker crust. The Keys are the place to eat it, preferably on a shady terrace. A frozen slice on a stick, dipped in chocolate, is a Key West tradition.

Days out

  1. St Augustine

    Day trip

    The stone bastion of the Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine
    Photo: Juliancolton, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Founded by the Spanish in 1565, St Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European-founded settlement in the continental United States. Narrow streets, the huge Castillo de San Marcos fort and Flagler College's Spanish Renaissance buildings make it a charming change of pace from the theme parks.

  2. Dry Tortugas National Park

    Day trip

    Seventy miles west of Key West, a cluster of small islands is crowned by Fort Jefferson, a huge unfinished brick fort from the nineteenth century. You reach it by ferry or seaplane, and the clear water around it's excellent for snorkelling.

    It feels like the end of the map, which is exactly the appeal.

    Tip: Book your transport ahead, and take sun cream and water.

Where to stay in Orlando

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Florida →

Getting around

Florida is built for cars. Hire one for Orlando, the Gulf coast and the Keys, and book a transfer or use the resort shuttles if you're only visiting the parks. In Miami, a short ride-hail is easier than parking in South Beach.

When to go

Winter and spring bring the driest, most comfortable weather. Summer is hot, humid and stormy, and hurricane season runs from June to November. Theme parks are busiest at school holidays, so go in term time if you can.

Questions about visiting Orlando

What is Florida best known for?
Walt Disney World and Orlando's theme parks, Miami's South Beach, the Everglades, the Florida Keys and Key West, Kennedy Space Center and miles of beaches on both coasts.
How many days do you need in Florida?
A week works for Orlando plus a few beach days. Ten to fourteen days lets you add Miami, the Everglades and the Keys without rushing.
What is there to do in Florida with kids?
The Orlando theme parks are the obvious draw, but the calm Gulf beaches, the Kennedy Space Center and the boardwalk trails in the Everglades are all great for children too.
Do you need a car in Florida?
Yes, for almost any trip beyond a single resort. Attractions are spread out and public transport is limited outside the main cities.

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