FestivalCentral Florida
Alive After 5
A monthly street party in Historic Downtown Sanford with live music, food, craft drinks and shopping.
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Plan your Florida trip
Florida is really a dozen destinations in one state. The Emerald Coast runs on Gulf beaches and fishing harbors, North Florida on four centuries of history, Central Florida on lakes, springs and theme parks, and South Florida on art, nightlife and the island chain of the Keys.
The FL Guide focuses on locally owned, independent businesses and the cultural anchors of each region: museums, galleries, theaters, markets and festivals, plus every kind of place to stay.
Want to narrow it down by place? Start with our area guides, from Greater Miami and Tampa Bay to Central Florida, North Florida and the Florida Keys. Looking for something on a specific date? Check the events calendar or see what is happening this weekend.
Still deciding where to base yourself? Browse places to stay by region, from beachfront resorts to boutique hotels in walkable downtowns.
Top things to do in Florida
These are the experiences visitors most often plan a Florida trip around, linked to the places and events that deliver them.
1. Spend a day at a world-class museum
Florida’s museums are destinations in their own right. See the largest Dalí collection outside Europe at The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, the circus-era estate and art museum at The Ringling in Sarasota, and the bayfront galleries of Pérez Art Museum Miami. Browse all museums in Florida.
2. Walk an arts district
Some of the state’s best art is outdoors or tucked into working studios. Start with the murals at Wynwood Walls in Miami, the Morada Way Arts and Cultural District in Islamorada, or Railroad Square Art District in Tallahassee, then explore more galleries and studios and makers. Many towns also host a monthly art walk.
3. See a show
Touring Broadway, orchestras, opera and regional theater fill stages in every major city, including the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, the Straz Center in Tampa and the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando. See all theaters and performance venues.
4. Hit the beach
With the Gulf on one side and the Atlantic on the other, the beach you pick shapes the trip. Head to the Emerald Coast for white quartz sand and clear green water, Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida for calm Gulf swimming and sunsets, or Daytona and the Space Coast for Atlantic surf.
5. Swim in a spring and look for manatees
Florida’s freshwater springs stay near 72 degrees all year, which makes them a cool swim in summer and a warm refuge for manatees in winter. The Nature Coast and inland Central Florida are the places to go, and manatee season runs roughly November through March.
6. Drive the Overseas Highway to Key West
The 113-mile road through the Florida Keys crosses 42 bridges on its way to Key West. At the end, tour the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum and join the nightly Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square.
7. Explore Florida’s historic towns
St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the continental United States, and the Lightner Museum sits inside one of its Gilded Age hotels. Pensacola, Apalachicola and Mount Dora are worth the detour too.
8. Shop a Saturday farmers market
From Winter Park to West Palm Beach, weekend markets are where locals buy produce, bread and flowers, and they double as a free morning out. Find one near you on the farmers market calendar.
9. Catch a festival, parade or holiday event
Winter and spring are festival season, with art shows, boat parades and holiday light displays across the state. Browse festivals, parades and holiday events, or go straight to this weekend.
10. Check in somewhere memorable
Where you stay can be the main event. Compare beachfront resorts, boutique hotels and inns and hotels in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and beyond.
Browse by region
Things to do by region
Every part of Florida has its own pace. Find the best of Greater Miami, Tampa Bay, Central Florida, North Florida, Southwest Florida and the Florida Keys.
Mark your calendar
Upcoming events
Thursday November 12
79°Mostly Cloudy14% rainWind 5 to 10 mph W
Live MusicPalm Beaches and Treasure Coast
Clematis by Night
A free Thursday evening waterfront concert series in downtown West Palm Beach with a different band each week.
Friday November 13
71°Mostly Sunny2% rainWind 10 mph NW
Farmers MarketDunedin
Dunedin Downtown Market
A friendly open-air market in Dunedin's walkable downtown, with produce, baked goods and local crafts on Friday and Saturday mornings in season.
FestivalSiesta Key
Siesta Key Crystal Classic
Master sand sculptors from around the world carve huge, detailed pieces on Siesta Beach's white quartz sand over four days in mid-November.
Art WalkWinter Park
Free Friday Nights at the Morse
From November through April, the Morse Museum opens free on Friday evenings, letting you see its famous Tiffany glass collection with live music on many nights.
Saturday November 14
65°Sunny1% rainWind 10 mph NNW
Farmers MarketSarasota
Sarasota Farmers Market
A year-round downtown Saturday tradition with local growers, artisans and food vendors lining Lemon Avenue and nearby streets.
Farmers MarketDaytona and the Space Coast
New Smyrna Beach Farmers Market
An early Saturday morning market at Old Fort Park in New Smyrna's Canal Street Historic District with produce, baked goods, plants and local makers.
Farmers MarketNaples
Third Street South Farmers Market
Naples' long-running Saturday morning market brings about 60 independent vendors to the heart of the Third Street South shopping district.
Sunday November 15
73°Sunny2% rainWind 10 mph NNE
Farmers MarketMiami
Lincoln Road Farmers Market
Sunday on Lincoln Road means a long, open-air farmers market along the pedestrian mall, with fresh produce, flowers and snacks to graze on as you shop.
Farmers MarketStuart
Market on Main
Downtown Stuart's Sunday market sets up in Flagler Park by the St. Lucie River, with growers, crafters and artists selling under the Roosevelt Bridge.
Farmers MarketCelebration
Celebration Farmers Market
Every Sunday, local growers and makers set up in Celebration's walkable Town Center, a relaxed stop for produce and snacks a few minutes from the theme parks.