From Miami to Orlando: What to See in Florida – Your Ultimate Guide

It is said that when the Spaniard Juan Ponce de León landed in the coasts of florida In the year 1513, he did so by searching the fountain of eternal youth. Of course he does not achieve his goal, despite his desire to pursue a legend that deceived many explorers and conquerors at that time. Well saving from poisoned arrows of the indigenous people, as well as from the bite of the cunning alligators, guardians of wetlands and swamps found for posterity a peninsula that, today, five centuries after that event, is capable of providing its visitors one of the best trips possible in the United States of America. A adventure suitable for all types of travelers in search of new experiences, and above all, the fountain of eternal youth whose real meaning is none other than have fun and enjoy life like if tomorrow does not exist.

Miami Orlando, the untamed nature of the Everglades a succession of keys with crystal clear waters and fine sand beaches, the best amusement parks in the worldthe place where rockets are launched into space or the oldest city in the country are some of the many things what to see in Florida. It doesn’t matter if alone, as a couple, with family or with friends. In reality, it is about a destination for everyone. In order to be able to take full advantage of a new landing in this privileged corner, I present below a brief guide with my favorite (and essential) places what to visit in Florida along with some Practical tips that can be used for prepare a trip full of possibilities.

The importance of being called Florida (a little history)

107 years before the Mayflower arrived on the shores of Massachusetts (1620) with the first Puritans from Great Britain, the Spanish conquistador Ponce de León had already spotted and explored the coasts of this territory that is now part of the United States. He named it Florida since it arrived in the middle of spring, during Easter, given that it apparently arrived in the middle of Easter Sunday and this is one of the names given to what is one of the most important days of Holy Week. . Although there are those who still incorrectly cling to the fact that the deep and “floral” vegetation that the Spaniard encountered, along with other characters who landed with him, was the sole reason for this toponym.

Also before the Mayflower was the incredible expedition of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca from Jerez, a Christian and little friend of violence, who made a trip of more than 11,000 kilometers from Florida to California, something many consider one of the greatest milestones of the exploration, as well as History in the United States of America (the book he wrote about his adventure, “Shipwrecks”), is highly recommended. Decades later, in 1565, Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded San Agustín de la Florida, the first European city built in which for three centuries it would be the North American stronghold of an Empire that did not see the sun set.

Much of North America was Spanish until well into the 18th century and the Real of eight was the official currency (origin of the dollar) in many corners of the planet. From Florida to the tip of Alaska, Spanish place names explain an important portion of a history that seems to have been blurred by a strong WASP current (WhitTOnglo-Saxon and P.rotestant), somewhat forgetful about the past of a country in which English was not always spoken. But it is probably in Florida where Spanish continues to be heard with the ease brought to it by new sailors from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and other nations in America.

Florida, ingredients for a movie trip suitable for all audiences

If you like, we are going to cook a good menu in Florida with starters, main course, second course and dessert. A menu for all types of travelers who dare to explore the Florida peninsula either by rental car, motorhome, motorcycle, bicycle, public transportation, excursions booked with more or less time or even on one of the very fast hydrofoils that They can be seen in the Everglades, that territory populated by more alligators than people.

What to see in Florida? What to do in Florida? 10 essential places for a great trip

It’s time to break down all those ingredients with which visiting Florida becomes a feast worthy of the best diners. Of course, if you come looking for objectivity in this blog, I’m afraid you won’t find it. If subjectivity has to do with giving an informed opinion, letting yourself be carried away by experiences and sensations, then I recommend that you continue reading because you will find many ideas for planning a trip to Florida. Prepared? Here are 10 tips on those things to see and do in Florida that, for me, are essential:

1. Make your own movie in Miami

Miami is not among the most beautiful cities in the United States. But it is not its architecture that attracts the public (although the Art Deco District of South Beach deserves it) and has little or nothing to do with the Chicago, San Francisco, Boston or New York of the day (although its downtown is becoming more and more “Manhattan”). The correct question is not what to see in Miami but what to do in Miami or, rather, what to experience in this city. Because the possibilities are endless in this city with a Latin rhythm where appearances are its greatest virtue. Few cities in the world are as posturing as this one. From Miami Beach to Key Biscayne, the routine turns into a game of beach volleyball with the pecs roasting in the sun, a skateboard ride, a posh party at midnight or a motorboat ride near the mansions of the richest. and famous.

Miami is a place where you can make your own movie and, why not, let yourself be carried away by the stereotypes that have brought you to this city:

+ Go to classic South Beach:

In Miami Beach, South Beach is the most famous and busiest beach. It would be something like Ipanema or Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Its version in Florida is located in front of the low-rise hotels, lobster restaurants at night and clubs in that row of art deco buildings so 1920s and 1930s that they are part of the popular iconography of this city. South Beach and Ocean Drive (the main street here) are for those who like to be seen. Strongmen carving their abs on public roads, people skating and the typical couple who leaves their red convertible in a double row to take a selfie. Or that famous person that no one knows but who sounds familiar to you from having appeared in that police series. Everyone welcome to Miami!

+ Don’t forget other beaches in Miami that are worth it:

It’s not all South Beach. Photogenic and a bit more postcard-like is Bill Baggs Beach, at the southern end of Key Biscayne (Key Biscayne), next to the famous Cape Florida Lighthouse. Crandon Park and its classic palm trees that remind us that we are in a tropical area, Homestead Bayfront that has its own coral reef where you can have fun diving (or snorkeling) or Matheson Hammock Park, on Old Cutler Road, ideal for families since it has With the help of a false atoll, a circular pool of seawater has been created without any waves. These are some of those beaches in Florida that are worth visiting to realize that there is much more to it than seeing people skating on Ocean Drive. It is even worth highlighting the north of Haulover Beach, the only (legal) nudist beach on the Florida peninsula for practicing naturism.

+ Stroll along Lincoln Road

The city’s most important pedestrian street is Lincoln Road, which runs through Miami Beach from east to west. In the late afternoon, let yourself be carried away by this pleasant walk between picturesque buildings, shops from the best brands, luxury restaurants and cafes where you can have a drink without putting a hole in your pocket.

+ Teleport to Cuba in Little Havana

The Cuban community in Miami that settled after Fidel Castro came to power is part of what the city is today. Little Havana is considered a living example of all this and currently allows its visitors to discover the Cuban style way of life of its inhabitants. What if old clothes and beans in restaurants that seem taken from the charming Malecón in Havana, clubs where salsa is danced until the wee hours of street music. The district is quite large, but the most attractive area is Calle Ocho (8th street) between 10th and 16th streets.

+ Discover the artists’ quarter (Design District)

A neighborhood that leaves no one indifferent is the Design District, a place revered by artists and architects, as well as by lovers of shopping in luxury stores. Filled with art galleries and museums, it is one of the cultural fortresses on which a city that never stops innovating on itself is supported. Two classics that I like to photograph are Fly’s Eye dome (a leaky dome) as well as The Wynwood Wallswalls where urban art and graffiti are the protagonists.

+ Browse in search of famous houses…or something else

One of the attractions of Miami has to do with sailing. And with so many internationally famous mansions, boat tours from which Miami is shown from another perspective are common. The three best-known islands are Star Island, Palm Island and Hibiscus Island, where Hollywood actors, singers and world-class athletes reside. These types of excursions last approximately 90 minutes and are usually quite successful.

Map of famous houses in Miami

To release adrenaline, there are also those who get on a speedboat like “Miami Corruption” to see the houses of famous people but as if they were fleeing from the police. Crazy! For more calm, almost better than doing it aboard a pirate ship. The good thing about these excursions, if English is not your thing, is that they are also done in Spanish. You can even combine a city tour with an expert guide that includes a boat ride, which is usually quite affordable. You can also enjoy Miami and its islands from a bird’s eye view on a helicopter flight over the best of the city.

In my case I prefer to have several bases, although it helps if you have your own or rented vehicle, as well as staying in different cities.

2. Enjoy it at the best amusement parks in Orlando

If you are one of the people who enjoys amusement parks, or you are preparing a family trip, don’t hesitate. Orlando (380 km northwest of Miami) has the best in the world. Theme parks that go far beyond Disney World, which is actually where it all began. Orlando tourism is focused on fun and, to get an idea of ​​what this city can offer in terms of parks, it is best to stay several days. And the most difficult thing, choosing the park or parks you want to visit. The tickets to them are not exactly cheap and it is advisable to be clear about some concepts before deciding which places to go to feel like a child again.

What are the best theme parks in Orlando (Florida)?

• Disney World (Disney World) It is not in a single park. There are actually four: Magic Kingdom (the most popular, here is the mythical Sleeping Beauty castle), Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and EPCOT), without forgetting its two water parks, which are Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach. Magic Kindom is the main one of them all and the one that wraps you the most in the magic of Disney, whose concept has been exported to Paris, Los Angeles, Tokyo, etc. Hollywood Studios is more about movies and entertainment and its attractions are incredible. EPCOT focuses on new technologies and space discoveries, while Animal Kingdom is a large mega-zoo. All of them, even Animal Kingdom, have attractions to ride.

• Universal Orlando Resort. My opinion is that here are the best attractions in Orlando, for those who want to ensure total fun and release adrenaline. Universal is for lovers of good attractions, those that are not seen in other places in the world. In addition to roller coasters, there are more and more spaces that include virtual reality. It is divided into two different parks: Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, although, like Disney, it also has another aquatic park (Universal’s Volcano Bay). If possible, I recommend doing both parks. In Universal’s Islands of adventure there is the world of Harry Potter (with an amazing virtual reality attraction), Jurassic Park, attractions related to the Marvel World (the adventure with Spiderman and the incredible Hulk roller coaster are highly recommended). At Universal Studios Florida you can ride the Simpsons roller coaster and get into these cartoons, kill aliens in the Men in Black training center, see the arrival of a tornado in Twister or how Skynet goes crazy in the show from Terminator 2. Pure Hollywood.

• Sea World. It is a park dedicated to the aquatic world. It has two roller coasters that make your hair spin: Kraken and Manta leave no one indifferent. Another favorite attraction is Journey To Atlantis, which manages to recreate the legendary Atlantis. In the case of SeaWorld, people also come in search of spotting marine animals such as orcas, seals, penguins and many other species in what is considered one of the largest oceanographic centers on our planet.
• Legoland Florida. One of the latest to be part of the Orlando theme park family, Legoland Florida is inspired by the world of Lego to show us its world of colored pieces. But let no one think that it is a toy museum. Nothing is further from reality. And it has around 50 attractions, including roller coasters.

In Orlando the accommodation offer is enormous, even in high season. The number of hotels of all categories and, above all, well-equipped motels, is such that the difficult thing is not finding a room. Hence, Orlando, like Miami, is one of the favorite bases for exploring the rest of Florida, although as I have mentioned previously, it is better to spend a few days in both locations and move from there.

From Orlando it is less distance (about an hour) to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral than from Miami, so it is common to do this excursion from there (tickets with round-trip transportation from any hotel in Orlando). If you have less time to visit things in Florida, there are also day trips to Miami, the Everglades, the Spanish colonial city of St. Augustine or to swim with manatees in a wild environment like Crystal River.

3. Take the route through the Florida Keys to Key West (Key West)

The Florida Keys Highway provides one of the best possible car, motorcycle or RV trips in the state. A road, stretching for more than 200 km, links a multitude of paradisiacal keys or islands, while flying over turquoise waters. For many, this road became popular because of the sequences filmed in the movie “True Lies” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. The Ocean’s Higway is a gift for lovers of motors and scenic routes. You rarely see a road of this type, gaining territory from the purest and cleanest Atlantic in Florida.

There are many possible stops along the way. Islands such as Key Largo, Islamorada, and Marathon precede the last of the keys, Key West (in Spanish it was always known as Key West), the closest point to Cuba in the United States (144 kilometers) and which still keeps the essence of the times when Hemminway had his colonial mansion there (now visitable as a museum). It is the goal of travelers from all over the world, spending some time snorkeling among corals (it is better to go with someone who knows those places) culminating the day with a fiery sunset on the steps of Mallory Square or, better yet, , aboard a sailboat and toasting with champagne.

4. Visit alligator country in the Everglades

Everglades National Park occupies much of southern Florida. Shortly after leaving Miami, everything turns into an immense green wetland where there is one of the largest concentrations of alligators in all of America. A small part of this vast territory is usually visited, usually on hydrofoil tours from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale (even Orlando), since they are the only possible means of transportation to cross these swamps and mangrove labyrinths that are characterized by a very little depth. There are also areas in the Everglades with wooden walkways, as well as some observatories, where you can enjoy this national park that is also protected as a biosphere reserve and UNESCO Heritage Site.

There is a $20 park entrance fee valid for 7 days (this amount can be paid by credit card).

The airboat tour can be booked in advance (with or without transportation included). There are several possibilities:

5. Become an astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center

You don’t go to a NASA space center every day and even less so at the mythical Cape Canaveral, where the Kennedy Space Center is located, one of the essential places not only to visit in Florida but also at some point in our lives. At least if you have the slightest concern about the subject of outer space, planets, ships or space rockets. Many of the people who come here feel like an astronaut around a huge display of real machinery used in different expeditions that have left the Earth’s atmosphere behind to provide light where there was none.

The Kennedy Space Center is located just an hour’s drive east of Orlando (with Miami it is almost 400 km). Since the sixties, dozens of manned missions have been launched into space, making it more than just a museum. You can see the shuttles, the NASA offices and the hangars that store ships like Atlantis or those that have to do with the first time the moon was set on. There is an astronaut hall of fame and every day there is usually a meeting with one of the people who have been in space. One of the most striking parts of the KSC is what is known as the rocket garden, whose translation perfectly explains that it is a “space rocket garden.” To go crazy taking photos and feel tiny before such masses.

Of course, with the mecca of amusement parks less than a hundred kilometers away, there is a lot of fun for the little ones and not so little ones. One of the most amazing takes you to feel the same as an astronaut when he goes to space from Cape Canaveral. A realistic and impressive experience in one of the places to see in Florida without a doubt.

6. Tour St. Augustine, the capital of Spanish Florida for more than 200 years

In September 1565, more than 50 years after the discovery of Florida, the Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded the city of San Agustín. For 2 centuries it was the capital of Spanish Florida and is considered the oldest permanently inhabited European settlement in the United States. Although it was a magnet for privateers and looters, among whom was Sir Francis Drake, one of the greatest enemies of the Spanish possessions in America, the brand new castle of San Marcos as well as Fort Matanzas were able to resist all possible attacks.

San Agustín, 168 km from Orlando (approximately 2 hours by car), preserves part of the Spanish colonial past in buildings and monuments. Its inhabitants call Spain the “Motherland” and it is not strange to see the flag with the Burgundian cross flying, the one used from the first monarchs of the Austrian dynasty (from Philip the Fair) until the beginning of the 19th century, as well as one of the banners that represent the Tercios of Flanders.

This is a perfect day trip to do from Orlando. A city more than 450 years old. Truly one of a kind not only in Florida but in the entire United States.

7. Swim with manatees in Crystal River (in the wild)

The warm, crystal-clear waters of Crystal River (138 km west of Orlando) have made this wilderness area one of the main nature refuges in Florida next to the Everglades. The Cristal River mixes with the warm waters of different springs, which has allowed it to be the home of the manatee in the United States, among the many animal species that inhabit it. In fact, it is considered one of the best wild manatee refuges in the world. It is estimated that there are around 400 of these animals in a fairly small space, so the chances of seeing them up close are quite high.

The mere fact of taking a boat ride and having the possibility of swimming alongside the manatees (which have always been said to be the origin of the myth of mermaids) is incredible, always respecting their physical space and trying not to touch them, no matter how friendly as they seem. And not because they can do anything to us but because it bothers them. This is another snorkeling or diving opportunity, as if you were in the Red Sea.

8. Cruise the New River in Fort Lauderdale, the Venice of America

Fort Lauderdale, north of Miami, has become the cruise capital of the United States. Many use it as a shuttle to go to the Bahamas (there are ferries from the Spanish company Balearia connecting Fort Lauderdale with the Bahamas in just 4 hours from 100 euros) or to take a route through some of the many Caribbean islands, even reaching the coasts of Mexico or Cuba. The prices of these cruises, also from the most important companies in the world, are quite competitive in many cases.

Anyone who does not consider Fort Lauderdale as a mere link on a cruise should know that this city north of Miami (a few minutes from it) has good beaches and a network of ocean canals through which many millionaires sail their boats. , as well as good hotels and luxury restaurants. Hence its nickname “the Venice of America.” The beaches of Fort Lauderdale are much quieter than those of Miami, so for many this city is also a good option to spend a few days resting or exploring Florida.

It has become very popular to take a trip along the New River to enter the swamps of the Everglades and spend just half an hour from the city to be contemplating a good number of alligators at a short distance.

9. Go to an NBA game

In Florida there are two NBA teams, the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. If you happen to be there when the season is being played, it can be a huge opportunity to go to a game in the best basketball league. Attending an NBA game goes beyond sports. It’s quite a spectacle.

Since the NBA game schedule is closed before the start of the season, it is best to look at dates and see if you happen to be in the city (be it Miami or Orlando) right when there is a game.

10. Watch dolphins from a boat in Clearwater Beach, the best coastal town in Florida

A charming coastal town in the midwest of the Florida peninsula where getting away from the hotspots of Miami and Orlando responds to the name of Clearwater Beach. This enclave has been chosen on more than one occasion as the best town and even the best beach in Florida. It is also a stopover for bottlenose dolphins, so on a boat trip you can see dozens of these friendly cetaceans jumping. The probabilities of success in each outing are close to 100%.

Clearwater Beach is located 173 km from Orlando (although it is located much closer to Tampa, which is just half an hour away) and can be another option for one or two days of travel through Florida.

There are many things to see in Florida, right? Well, this is a sample of what the southernmost state of the United States can offer. And I haven’t talked about so many things! Like the fact that in Busch Gardens Tampa (a little more than an hour from Orlando) there is the best collection of roller coasters in the country, the quality of the snorkeling in Key West or in Molasses Reef (Key Largo), the color of the waters of the Ichetucknee springs, the collection of Victorian houses that the city of Mount Dora boasts, just 40 minutes northwest of Orlando, the museum dedicated to shipwrecks in Key West… It would be enough not for one guide, but for many. Although I think that with this we have given a good idea of ​​how much a trip to Florida can offer, beyond the amusement parks of Orlando and the beaches of Miami.

Now there’s only one thing left, for you to embark on a fascinating trip to Florida and then tell us what you liked the most. If you have already been, then you have no excuse to leave your comment below and complement the information in this brief practical guide to traveling to Florida.