Top Places to Visit in Florida

Florida is the most visited state in the US, drawing over 130 million tourists per year. Theme parks, beaches, nature preserves, and historic cities all compete for attention.

The Florida Keys and Key West offer a genuinely unique American experience — a string of tropical islands accessible by car, ending at the southernmost point of the continental US. Key West has a bohemian, laid-back culture, excellent diving and snorkeling on the only living coral reef in the continental US, and a historic Old Town that reflects its 19th-century maritime heritage. The drive down the Overseas Highway is one of the most scenic road trips in the country.

Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness preserve in the US and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Airboat tours through the sawgrass prairies, kayaking in the mangrove tunnels, and wildlife spotting (alligators, herons, roseate spoonbills, and if you're lucky, a Florida panther) make this one of the most ecologically rich visitor experiences in America.

St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the US, founded by Spain in 1565. The historic downtown is walkable and extraordinarily well-preserved — the Castillo de San Marcos (a 17th-century Spanish fort), cobblestone streets, and Spanish colonial architecture make it unlike any other American city.

Dry Tortugas National Park sits 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico — only accessible by ferry or seaplane. The centerpiece is Fort Jefferson, a massive 19th-century hexagonal fort built on a coral island. The surrounding waters have extraordinary snorkeling; the bird migrations here each spring draw serious birders.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples is home to the largest old-growth bald cypress forest in North America. Trees over 500 years old tower over the boardwalk. Rare wood storks nest here in winter — the only large wood stork colony in the US.

Amelia Island in the northeastern corner of Florida is one of the most gracious barrier islands on the East Coast — historic downtown Fernandina Beach, uncrowded beaches, and excellent cycling make it a favorite alternative to more commercial Florida beach towns.