If you’re looking for fun things to do in Florida for an upcoming trip with friends or family, then you’ve come to the right place! Check out our list of 10 exciting places you can visit to make your trip one to remember.
10. Dive into Miami Seaquarium
If you’re looking to get up close and personal with some sea life, then check out the Miami Seaquarium. Once the largest marine-life attraction in the world, this massive park is home to dolphins, killer whales, fish, sharks, sea turtles, birds, reptiles, and even manatees. It’s also where 88 episodes of the hit 60s TV show Flipper was filmed. Over half a million visitors stop by every year, will you be one of them?
9. Visit Ernest Hemingway’s House
For the literature buff, a stop at Ernest Hemingway’s House in Old Town Key West is an absolute must. The Nobel Prize winner lived in this home for more than 10 years and owned the house up until his death. His famous work, A Farewell to Arms was finished at this location, in addition to many other works. Guided tours are available any day of the year, including holidays, making this an all-season attraction for visitors like yourself.
8. Island-Hop at Dry Tortugas National Park
About 70 miles west of Key West, you’ll find the Dry Tortugas National Park . This park is known for being the least disturbed of the Florida Keys reefs. As a result, you’ll encounter plenty of sea life, tropical bird breeding grounds, colorful coral reefs, and even some shipwrecks! However, one of the star attractions is Fort Jefferson – a 19th century unfinished fortress comprised of more than 16 million bricks. Fort Jefferson is also the third largest fort in the country. Due to its isolated location, you’re most likely to get to the park by ferry, but the trip is well worth it.
7. Watch a Rocket Launch from the Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center has been NASA’s primary launch center of human spaceflight since 1968. Therefore, if you’ve ever seen a NASA rocket launch, chances are good it occurred here. This is where most of the Apollo moon missions took off and was the home of the Space Shuttle for nearly 30 years. Launches still take place here, from International Space Station payloads to the latest cutting-edge rockets from SpaceX. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex features a host of attractions for the space travel enthusiast. Believe us when we say this thing do in Florida is out of this world!
6. Catch a Race at Daytona International Speedway
Visiting of the most famous racetracks in the world, Daytona International Speedway is a fun thing to do in Florida. And it’s even better when there’s a race going on! Constructed in 1959 by NASCAR’s founder, Bill France, Daytona is home to the series’ most high profile race – the Daytona 500. If NASCAR isn’t your flavor of choice, there’s also one of the most iconic sports car endurance races – the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Due to the sheer size of its grandstands, no matter which seat you get, you’ll be able to watch the whole race unfold before your eyes. If there isn’t a race going, don’t fret – tours are available daily.
5. Tour Ca’ d’Zan Mansion
Once home to legendary circus man John Ringling and his wife, Mable, Ca’ d’Zan is a sprawling 36,000 square foot mansion situated on a waterfront site that’s 1,000 feet long and 3,000 feet deep. The home was completed in 1926 at the cost of $1.5 million, but by the 1990s, the home had fallen into a state of disrepair. Thankfully, the house undertook an exhaustive restoration at the cost of $15 million, and now has become of America’s architectural treasures and places to visit on Florida’s Suncoast.
4. Admire Insects, Birds, and Plants at Butterfly World
If you love butterflies, you’ve got to check out Butterfly World in Coconut Creek – the largest butterfly park in the world for over 30 years. Around 20,000 butterflies can be found flapping their thin, tissue-like wings at this park, but that’s not its only claim to fame. Butterfly World is also home to the largest free flight hummingbird aviary in the US, a Lorikeet Encounter, and one of the largest collections of flowering Passion Vines in the world. Other live insects are on display as well, such as water bugs, spiders, wasps, walkingsticks, and mantids, while beetles, scorpions, moths and other insects are mounted and exhibited for visitors to explore.
3. Go Shopping on Lincoln Road
If retail therapy is your way of relaxing on vacation, then take a stroll down Lincoln Road Mall, located between 16th and 17th Street in Miami Beach. Over 200 designer boutiques, merchants, national retail outlets, fine restaurants, and bars line the street in addition to a state-of-the-art movie theater complex, the New World Center concert hall, and the architecturally impressive 111 Lincoln Road Parking Garage (seriously, Google it!). Fans of midcentury architecture will also enjoy the numerous structures designed by Morris Lapidus, the designer of the famed Fontainebleau Hotel.
2. Explore Castillo De San Marcos
If you couldn’t make it out to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park, or if you just can’t get enough of masonry forts, then check out Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine. Constructed in the late 1600s under Spanish rule, Castillo De San Marcos is the oldest and largest masonry fort in the continental United States. It predates the birth of our nation and serves as a reminder of the clash between cultures prior to our foundation. The fort was actually used for 251 continuous years of military service, surviving multiple attacks during the tenure, before its deactivation in 1933. History buffs will need little convincing to visit this historical landmark. For extra excitement, check out one of their Historic Weapons Demonstrations held every week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Photo: K1 Speed
1. Experience Authentic Indoor Go Kart Racing at K1 Speed
If you want to experience something thrilling, be sure to stop by one (or all) of the three K1 Speed locations in Florida. Whether you’re visiting Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale, Medley/Miami, or Orlando, there’s a K1 Speed waiting for you. K1 Speed is known as the world’s premier indoor go karting operator. A reason for this is their all-electric karts that deliver instant power (faster than gas-powered karts), zero emissions, and plenty of speed. Their adult karts require a minimum height of 4’10” and shoot to speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. While their junior karts for kids 48” or taller go an impressive 25 mph. There’s no experience necessary to race, and no driver’s license required either. Simply Arrive and Drive – they’ll provide the headsocks and helmets.
If you have a kid who’s too small to ride in the junior karts, their arcade will keep them entertained. Meeting spaces are available for birthday parties, company events and more. Plus each location boasts an impressive display of museum-quality motorsport memorabilia. And since the locations are all indoors, it doesn’t matter if it’s pouring rain or hotter than heck outside. If you’ve never raced at K1 Speed before, you’ve never experienced the thrill of REAL go kart racing!