11 Fun Things to Do in Florida That’s Nowhere Near the Beach

Top Florida Activities

Florida may have some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, but there’s so much more to enjoy in the Sunshine State. Here are some of our favorites.

Float Through Ginnie Springs

Head to Ginnie Springs (located in Gilchrist County), where the water stays at a nice 72 degrees all year. Its seven springs are so clear you can see straight to the bottom. Perfect for spotting turtles or fish species like bluegill and sunfish.

While regular visitors can float on tubes, those with diving certificates can explore around 4,000 feet of mapped passages. Best of all, you can camp in the woods nearby and rent all your gear right there. You can also experience the magical ambiance of Ginnie Springs by kayaking at night under the stars.

Trek Through Big Cypress

Just north of the Everglades lies Big Cypress, a huge swamp where ancient trees cover over 729,000 acres. There are both boardwalks and regular dirt trails here. Keep your eyes open for the elusive Florida panther. Take the 27-mile Loop Road drive, especially early in the morning. You can also join a ranger-led swamp walk during the dry winter months to explore the unique ecosystems of Big Cypress. When night falls, the park becomes an amazing spot to watch stars, with the Milky Way spread across the sky.

Drop by the Kennedy Space Center

At Kennedy Space Center, you’ll find rockets as tall as buildings, such as the Saturn V rocket, which is 363 feet tall. Even the Vehicle Assembly Building could fit the Empire State Building on its side.

Inside, you can walk under a real Saturn V rocket longer than a football field and see an actual SpaceX rocket and the Falcon 9 rocket (a reusable rocket). If you’re lucky, you might even feel the ground shake during a real rocket launch.

Explore the Florida Caverns State Park

At Florida Caverns State Park, guides take you through amazing underground rooms formed over millions of years through the process of limestone erosion.

Look up to see delicate icicle-like formations, and down to spot sea creature fossils in the walls.

When you’re done exploring underground, check out the 9-hole historic golf course built in 1936. It still has its original stone bridges and is one of the oldest courses in Florida.

Step Back in Time

Visit St. Augustine to see America’s oldest masonry fort, where more than 60 Spanish colonial buildings still stand.

The star of the show is Castillo de San Marcos, built in 1695, that still has marks from cannon fire.

Watch craftspeople make things the old-fashioned way in the Colonial Quarter or visit Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park to explore the history of the Timucua Native Americans, and even taste water from the famous spring.

Don’t miss the Tolomato Cemetery from 1777, where early settlers from five different countries rest.

Paddle Through Mangrove Tunnels

At Weedon Island, you can kayak through natural tunnels made by twisted mangrove trees. These narrow waterways are home to young fish and sometimes curious manatees, particularly during cooler months.

Climb the 45-foot tower to spot fishing birds and bright pink spoonbills in the water below. People have lived here for 2,000 years. You might even see bits of ancient pottery along the shore when the water is low.

Experience Wild Florida at Paynes Prairie

Paynes Prairie is like an American safari, where wild horses and bison roam free across 22,000 acres of grassland.

The horses are descendants of Spanish colonial animals from the 16th century, while the bison were brought back in 1975.

Walk the La Chua Trail to safely see lots of alligators from a raised platform. In winter, thousands of Sandhill Cranes make the prairie their home, filling the air with their calls.

Explore Surrealist Masterpieces

The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg isn’t just full of amazing art. Its geodesic glass bubble wall uses 1,062 triangular glass pieces that can stand up to hurricanes.

Inside, you’ll find 2100 works by Salvador Dalí, including seven huge paintings over 16 feet wide. Try the virtual reality goggles to step inside the paintings, or walk through the Avante Garden.

Discover Florida’s Wine Country

Yes, Florida makes wine! Lakeridge Winery in Clermont sits on a hill 226 feet above sea level, growing special grapes that love Florida’s weather. Take a free tour to see how they make wine, including their signature ‘Southern Red’ and ‘Muscadine’ version (from squishing to aging them in oak barrels). Come for their Annual Harvest festival, where you can sip wine on the hillside while listening to local music and seeing three counties from one spot.

Dive into the Devil’s Den

Devil’s Den (part of Florida’s extensive karst landscape) is an underground spring inside a cave in Williston where the water stays 72 degrees.

Scientists have found bones of extinct animals here, including ancient sloths and sabertooth cats from 33,000 years ago.

Swim down wooden stairs into clear water, where sunlight makes beautiful light beams through a hole in the cave roof. Look carefully and you might spot old shark teeth in the limestone walls 54 feet down.

Glide Through River of Grass

Zoom across the Everglades, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in airboats that go as fast as cars (typically around 35-50 mph).

Local Miccosukee guides, whose families have lived here forever, share stories about life in these special wetlands.

Go at sunset to see rare birds nesting and alligators coming out to hunt. Water here moves super slowly – just 100 feet each day – creating a unique home for all sorts of wildlife.