When you think about traveling to Florida, you might automatically think of Orlando and Disney World. However, there are so many more sights to explore that don’t involve waiting in line for an amusement park ride.
If you’re visiting for the first time, or just looking for some new experiences, here are some of the best tours to take if you’re looking to discover a different side of Florida.
Everglades National Park
For nature lovers, having the opportunity to see alligators in their natural habitat could be the highlight of their Florida trip. A tour through Everglades National Park lets you experience this unspoiled wilderness up close.
Fly across the River of Grass on an airboat, explore the park on a swamp buggy, or take a walk through an ancient cypress forest. This wide expanse of wetland in southern Florida is home to many species of turtles, fish, and birds — take a kayak tour through the mangroves to spot them all.
If you want to see beautiful sunsets or experience the Everglades without disturbing its ecosystem, you can tour it in the air in a helicopter.
Key West
Cross the famous Seven Mile Bridge and drive to the end of the road, and you’ll arrive in Key West, the southernmost spot in the United States. You can hop on the Conch Train for a trip around Old Town or enjoy a walk to the Ernest Hemingway House.
A popular destination for visitors to Florida, a tour of this island will surely take you to historic Mallory Square, a plaza on the waterfront where people gather every night to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
For adventure-seekers, parasailing over crystal-clear waters is the perfect way to see this lovely part of the state from a new perspective. You can even snorkel or take a glass-bottom boat tour of the nearby coral reef.
Little Havana
If you find yourself in Miami around lunchtime, a food tour of the famous Little Havana district is the best way to see a different side of the city. Try a world-famous Cuban sandwich at one of the family-owned restaurants on Calle Ocho, enjoy authentic Cuban music, and see the cigar rollers in action at the El Credito Cigar Factory.
The combination of history, food, and culture provides a unique experience in a city often better known for its nightclubs and beaches. The best way to see this area of Miami is on a bike or on foot, so make sure to wear your comfiest shoes.
St Augustine
History buffs will certainly get a kick out of touring the oldest city not only in Florida but in the whole United States. Founded in 1565, St Augustine is a colonial town on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, just south of Jacksonville.
The city is famous for its cobblestone streets and river boardwalk, and of course for being home to the oldest fort in the United States: Castillo de San Marcos. In a city this old there’s bound to be a few ghosts floating around, so why not take the Haunted Trolley Tour of the city and hear spooky tales that frighten and delight?
Kennedy Space Center
Kids of all ages won’t be able to resist the interactive exhibits of the Kennedy Space Center. After all, it’s not every day that you can feel what it’s like to walk on the moon or pretend to be an astronaut in the space shuttle simulator.
With plenty of interactive exhibits to explore, there’s something that will be of interest for everyone. A guided tour of the Visitor Complex will take you behind the scenes to a space shuttle launch pad. Best of all, you might even get to meet a real-life astronaut!
