This seven-day Florida street journey takes you from Orlando to Miami through hidden gems and scenic stops alongside the way in which. Many vacationers deal with the drive between Orlando and Miami as little greater than a essential switch between Florida’s massive two locations. If all you see is freeway, that’s a missed alternative.
Take a slower route, and also you’ll uncover a aspect of the Sunshine State that seems on valuable few first-time itineraries, revealing the shocking range of Florida. Within the house of per week, you may discover restored wetlands teeming with wildlife, the world’s largest assortment of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, real cowboy nation, citrus groves that also scent the air and small Atlantic cities the place life revolves across the identical marinas as a century in the past and which generations of American households nonetheless return to yearly.
This seven-day itinerary assumes you’ve had your fill of Orlando and Miami and replaces the freeway with this scenic Orlando-to-Miami route, with glorious native meals (let’s face it, no one will get excited by a theme park burger) and sufficient downtime close to the seaside to remind you you’re nonetheless in Florida.
No single day’s drive is especially demanding, leaving loads of time to cease at any time when one thing catches your eye…which, in Florida, occurs surprisingly usually. It’s a great Florida itinerary for travellers searching for issues to do between Orlando and Miami past the same old vacationer points of interest. So, with the route mapped out, let’s get caught into this Florida street journey.
How To Get To Florida
This itinerary for a Florida street journey works equally properly in both path. Most worldwide guests will discover Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) essentially the most handy start line due to frequent direct flights from the UK and Europe, earlier than flying house from both Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide or Miami Worldwide Airport. Each have large automotive rental amenities.
If flights work higher the other means (Miami is usually cheaper in peak season!), merely reverse the route. Distances stay manageable all through, with the longest driving day taking little greater than three hours
Fancy exploring extra of the USA by street? Take a look at our street journey guides for extra routes, hidden gems and locations price pulling over for:
When To Go To Florida
Spring and Autumn are perfect for this itinerary. Snug temperatures make wildlife walks and exploring historic downtowns much more satisfying than throughout the humid summer time months or with out the crowds of peak season (December to February).
Pack for all climate circumstances – the odd downpour is an inevitability and keep in mind the humidity is excessive so lighter, looser clothes is the order of the day.
The place to remain in Florida
For the primary three nights, Winter Haven gives a superb base inside simple attain of Lakeland, Bok Tower Gardens and Westgate River Ranch, with a variety of lodging to go well with all budgets.
Because the itinerary takes you in direction of the coast, Stuart gives a great base for exploring the Treasure Coast. Its historic downtown, waterfront eating places and relaxed environment provide a refreshing various to Florida’s bigger seaside resorts, whereas close by Jensen Seashore is ideal when you’d slightly keep inside strolling distance of the ocean.
End your journey in Fort Lauderdale Seashore, the place staying near Las Olas Boulevard or the beachfront means you may discover on foot with out continually returning to the automotive. Miami is a thirty-minute drive away.
Day One: Orlando To Lakeland
Driving time: Round 1 hour
Relatively than dashing straight south, start by discovering why Lakeland quietly punches above its weight.
Begin early at Circle B Bar Reserve, a former cattle ranch reworked into considered one of Florida’s most interesting wetland reserves.
The aptly named Alligator Alley virtually ensures sightings of its prehistoric residents (significantly on cooler days), whereas bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, sandhill cranes and purple gallinules reward those that gradual their tempo.
After lunch, structure lovers shouldn’t miss the Frank Lloyd Wright campus at Florida Southern Faculty. His twelve “Baby of the Solar” buildings type the biggest single-site assortment of Wright’s work anyplace, but the campus nonetheless features precisely as supposed, stuffed with college students slightly than vacationers. Even these with solely a passing curiosity will admire the professional and accessible data supplied by volunteer guides.
As night falls, Lakeland’s meals scene comes into its personal. Nineteen61 blends chef Marcos Fernandez’s Cuban heritage with seasonal Florida produce, elevating acquainted flavours into probably the greatest meals you’ve ever eaten – ebook upfront (and order the poutine and vieja ropa!) End close by at Revival Craft Cocktails, the place creative cocktails served beneath uncovered brick partitions present a classy finale to your first day on the street.
High tip:
Decide both a seasonal favorite or ask your mixologist to rustle up a bespoke creation based mostly in your flavour preferences.
Day Two – Winter Haven
Driving time: Lower than one hour
Winter Haven owes its existence to water. Constructed round greater than fifty interconnected lakes (half of that are nonetheless interconnected), it’s a metropolis finest explored at a slower tempo.
Spend the vast majority of your day at LEGOLAND Florida Resort.
One other theme park? Properly, not fairly – Legoland occupies the previous website of the much-loved Cypress Gardens. Alongside the inevitable rollercoasters, don’t overlook the fantastically preserved botanical gardens courting again to the Nineteen Thirties and whose prominence in post-World Struggle 2 advertising heralded the delivery of recent Florida tourism.
Beneath towering banyan bushes and beside mirror-like lakes, they provide a welcome reminder of outdated Florida’s golden age. Anybody you meet from Winter Haven can have a connection to Cypress Gardens, belief me.
The night belongs on the water. Be a part of Captain Rue Denton aboard Residing Water Cruises and skim throughout Lake Eloise because the day’s warmth begins to fade. You’ll land your fair proportion of ospreys circling overhead and cormorants drying their wings on half-submerged branches.
If the climate stays cooler otherwise you enterprise previous Alligator Alley, you’ll see dozens of reptilian eyes staring again at you. Captain’s Rue’s tales in regards to the Chain of Lakes and the inhabitants who name it house (human and critter alike) rework the cruise into a few of the finest recollections you’ll take from this journey
Spherical off the day at The Harbourmaster, additionally on the water, the place contemporary seafood and uninterrupted lake views present one of many space’s most memorable dinner settings.
Day Three – Winter Haven To Westgate River Ranch
Driving time: Round 2 hours
Right this moment’s route explores the Florida that existed lengthy earlier than vacation brochures.
Start at Golden Ridge Groves (open November to Could), the place family-run citrus farming continues regardless of the challenges going through the business. Relying on the season, you’ll study rising strategies, pattern freshly squeezed orange juice – or higher nonetheless, ‘swamp juice’ – and uncover why Florida’s citrus heritage stays such an necessary a part of the state’s identification.
Choosing fruit off the vine stays childishly satisfying, no matter your age and makes for the best street journey snack for the approaching days.
Proceed to Grape Hammock Fish Camp, the place an airboat trip skims throughout the headwaters of Lake Kissimmee. Inside minutes, you’ll doubtless encounter basking alligators, bald eagles and even the resident buffalo, knee-deep within the water, surveying you with an intensive disinterest. The panorama feels splendidly untouched.
Should you’re visiting on a Saturday, time your arrival at Westgate River Ranch for the legendary rodeo. Bull driving and trick roping aren’t staged performances for guests however real competitions rooted in Florida’s centuries-old cattle tradition.
Keep for dinner on the onsite restaurant earlier than settling into the grandstand as the world comes alive beneath the floodlights and a dose of pure Americana you don’t have to journey to Texas for.
Day 4 – Scenic Roads to the Treasure Coast
Driving time: Round 2 hrs 30 minutes
Earlier than leaving Central Florida, spend the morning at Bok Tower Gardens, one of many state’s most sudden landmarks. Day by day carillon recitals – you by no means knew bells may sound so exceptional – drift throughout subtropical gardens planted a century in the past and open to the general public ever since, whereas the 205-foot Singing Tower appears to be like prefer it’s escaped from Renaissance Italy.
Arriving mid-morning means cooler temperatures and a welcome sense of calm earlier than the drive east.
For lunch, resist the temptation to cease at a sequence restaurant and head as an alternative to Cherry Pocket Steak & Seafood on the shores of Lake Pierce. Half fishing camp, half native establishment, it’s the type of place the place greenback payments cowl the partitions and anglers swap tales over fried catfish. Order the gator bites when you’re feeling adventurous and attempt to ignore the murderous stares of those that’ve not but been fried wanting up at you from the water.
From right here, take the scenic drive in direction of Stuart, the place your introduction to the Treasure Coast is splendidly easy: kick off your sneakers, wander onto Stuart Seashore on Hutchinson Island and watch the sundown flip the sky 100 shades of pink and amber. After a number of busy days, it’s the right reset.
Need to see extra of the USA? Listed here are a few of our favorite American locations so as to add to your checklist.
Day 5 – The Treasure Coast
Driving time: Lower than an hour
In contrast to lots of Florida’s cities, Stuart’s enchantment lies much less in big-ticket points of interest than within the tales connecting them. However the points of interest listed below are exceptional of their vary and high quality.
Start on the Elliott Museum, whose eclectic collections vary from basic vehicles – with a large merchandising machine permitting you to see them up shut – and baseball memorabilia to native historical past, revealing how innovation and entrepreneurship helped form Florida’s east coast.
Proceed just a few miles north to the Home of Refuge, the final remaining refuge home constructed alongside Florida’s Atlantic coast. Constructed in 1876, it supplied shelter for shipwrecked sailors who washed ashore on what was as soon as often called the “Treasure Coast” lengthy earlier than roads or motels reached this stretch of shoreline.
The tales of wardens preventing off bears who swam throughout the river are simply a few of the exceptional tales you’ll hear.
The afternoon belongs to the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Centre, the place boardwalks thread via mangroves, a huge aquarium whose composition precisely resembles the close by ocean showcases native marine life, and rescued sea turtles and rays spotlight the conservation work going down behind the scenes. Come for feeding time for up-close and private encounters.
That night, drive to Jensen Seashore for Conchy Joe’s Seafood, an establishment overlooking the Indian River the place blackened mahi-mahi, conch fritters and sundown views have been drawing locals for many years. Keep later, and also you’ll inevitably end up pulled onto the dance ground because the in-house cowl band strikes up.
Day Six – Down The Treasure Coast
Driving time: Round 1½ hours
Right this moment showcases the Treasure Coast’s biggest energy: simply how a lot wilderness stays inside simple attain of the coast, providing a glimpse of what the panorama regarded like a century in the past.
Begin with a peaceable stroll via Hobe Sound Nature Middle, the place maritime hammocks, pine flatwoods and coastal scrub help gopher tortoises, wading birds and the occasional bobcat all the way down to a pristine stretch of seaside.
They run all method of neighborhood outreach, together with ‘Pint and Predators’ at a neighborhood brewery the place drinkers are launched to the animals they share a panorama with
Proceed to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, the biggest such park within the southeast USA. There are over forty miles of trails to discover, however the Loxahatchee River boat tour is the standout. Gliding slowly via cypress swamps and mangrove-lined banks, guides clarify how this turned Florida’s first federally designated Wild and Scenic River whereas stating turtles, ospreys and alligators alongside the way in which.
Afterwards, rent a motorcycle or deal with one of many park’s climbing trails or climb Hobe Mountain – once more, take “mountain” with a pinch of salt – Commentary Tower for surprisingly expansive views throughout the encompassing forests.
Again in Stuart, reward your self with a cease at Frazier Creek Brewing in Downtown, just lately voted the perfect small-town brewery in America. Small-batch beers, relaxed seating and pleasant workers who’re solely too glad to supply suggestions make this a great place to finish the day.
Day Seven – Stuart to Fort Lauderdale
Driving time: Round 2 Hours
Spend your last day embracing two of Florida’s ongoing obsessions – Gators and Seashores.
Cease off within the Everglades Nationwide Park in your drive south for a tour via this distinctive panorama. Gators are an inevitability – a lot bigger than these you’ll have seen to the north – and also you’ll disembark with a wholesome respect for the predators which have referred to as this space house lengthy earlier than people arrived on the scene.
The complete stretch of coast close to Miami is a sprawl of high-rises, however cease off at Hollywood Seashore, whose broad brick-paved boardwalk is a delight.
Journey tip:
Hire a motorcycle and cruise the two.5-mile oceanfront path, cease for espresso and lunch overlooking the Atlantic or rent a jet ski when you’d slightly finish the journey with a burst of pace than a leisurely pedal.
End your journey in Fort Lauderdale, a metropolis finest appreciated from the water. If time permits, hop aboard the Water Taxi, weaving via canals lined with superyachts and lavish waterfront properties.
Proceed with a cocktail on the terrace at The Atlantic Lodge & Spa. Overlooking each the seaside and Fort Lauderdale’s vigorous promenade, it’s the best vantage level from which to observe joggers, rollerbladers and households drift previous because the solar begins to sink over one other Florida night.
End off your Florida street journey with a wander over to Las Olas Boulevard for dinner. Impartial eating places, galleries (and equally cool avenue artwork) and vigorous bars present a becoming finale to a street journey that has revealed simply what number of totally different Floridas can exist inside per week’s drive.
Have you ever been to Florida?
What are the perfect stops in your Florida street journey? Something you’d add to this Florida bucket checklist?
International Traveller Phil Thomas is a contract journey author based mostly within the UK, with over 110 nations beneath his belt. You possibly can observe Phil’s adventures via his weblog, Somebody Else’s Nation and through Instagram, Fb and Bluesky.