Water Activities
Snorkelling and Diving
The Florida Keys sit alongside the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. Most reef trips leave from Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and Big Pine Key, and visibility is usually best on calm days in late spring and summer.
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (Key Largo). The first undersea park in the US and the easiest place to start. Snorkel boats go out to the reef several times a day, and glass-bottom boat trips suit non-swimmers and small children.
- Looe Key (Lower Keys, off Big Pine Key). A spur-and-groove reef, meaning long coral fingers separated by sandy channels, which makes it easy to follow. It's part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, so charter boats tie up to mooring buoys rather than dropping anchor.
- Fort Lauderdale. Artificial reefs and wrecks sit close to shore, and there are shore-snorkel spots in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
- Crystal River. Guided snorkel tours with wild manatees run in winter, roughly November to March, under strict rules set by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
If you only snorkel once, hiring a mask on the boat is fine. If you plan to go out several times, or you have children who hate a leaky rental mask, bringing your own is worth the suitcase space. Look for a tempered-glass lens and a silicone skirt that seals without over-tightening the strap; you can compare options in this search for snorkel masks on Amazon UK. We haven't compared specific models, so pick one that fits your face shape. Full-face masks are banned on some charter boats, so skip those.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kayaking and Paddleboarding
Much of Florida's water is flat and sheltered, which suits beginners:
- Everglades mangrove tunnels. Narrow, shaded channels near Flamingo and on the Gulf coast at Everglades City. Quiet, and you'll often see wading birds close up.
- Spring-fed rivers. The Wekiva near Orlando, the Ichetucknee in north-central Florida and the Rainbow River near Dunnellon all run clear enough to see fish and turtles beneath the boat.
- Coastal lagoons. The back-bay waters behind the barrier islands on both coasts are calmer than the open sea and good for a first try on a paddleboard.
- Bioluminescent kayaking. On dark, warm nights, usually from early summer into autumn, plankton and comb jellies in the Indian River Lagoon glow when disturbed by a paddle. Tours run from Titusville and Merritt Island; aim for dates close to a new moon.
Fishing
Florida has a huge range of fishing within a short drive:
- Offshore charters. Available from most coastal towns, targeting species such as sailfish, mahi-mahi and wahoo depending on season.
- Inshore fishing. Tarpon, snook and redfish in the bays, mangroves and estuaries, usually from a flats boat with a guide.
- Pier fishing. Most public piers allow fishing and some rent rods. It's an easy family option.
- Freshwater. Florida's lakes are known for largemouth bass, and guides operate on lakes around Orlando such as the Kissimmee chain.
Visitors aged 16 and over need a Florida fishing licence for most fishing, and non-resident short-term licences are sold online through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Fishing from a licensed charter boat or a pier that holds its own licence usually covers you; ask when you book.
Airboat Tours
Airboats are the best-known way to see the Everglades, and our Everglades page covers where to go. They also run elsewhere:
- Around Kissimmee and Lake Toho, near Orlando, which is handy if you have no time to drive south
- On the St. Johns River, south of Jacksonville and near DeLand
- Along the Tamiami Trail (US-41) between Miami and Naples, where most operators are on private land outside the national park
Nature and Wildlife
Florida Springs
Florida has hundreds of freshwater springs, one of the largest concentrations anywhere in the world. The water comes up from the aquifer at around 22°C all year, so in summer it feels cold and in winter it feels mild. Many are in state parks with swimming areas:
- Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Tubing down the spring-fed river is the classic summer day out. Tubing numbers are capped and the upper river closes at times to protect the riverbed, so check the park page before you drive.
- Rainbow Springs State Park. A clear, bright swimming area near Dunnellon, with kayak and tube hire on the river below.
- Blue Spring State Park. In winter the spring run becomes a manatee refuge and swimming stops; you watch from the boardwalk instead. Swimming reopens when the manatees leave in spring.
- Wekiwa Springs State Park. About half an hour from downtown Orlando, with a swimming area and canoe hire on the Wekiva River.
Popular springs close their gates once they reach capacity, often by mid-morning on summer weekends. Arrive early or go on a weekday.
Manatee Viewing
The West Indian manatee is easiest to see between November and March, when it moves into warm water to survive cold snaps:
- Crystal River and Homosassa. Kings Bay in Crystal River is one of the very few places in the US where swimming near wild manatees is allowed, with guided tours and passive-observation rules.
- Blue Spring State Park. Boardwalk viewing over the spring run. On cold mornings counts can run into the hundreds.
- TECO Manatee Viewing Center (Apollo Beach, near Tampa). Manatees gather in the warm water discharged by a power station. Viewing is free and the centre opens seasonally in winter.
Birdwatching
Florida sits on a major migration route and has large resident populations of wading birds:
- J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island). A one-way wildlife drive through mangroves and mudflats, best at low tide. The drive is closed to vehicles on Fridays.
- Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (near Naples). A long boardwalk through old-growth bald cypress, run by the National Audubon Society.
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (next to Kennedy Space Center). The Black Point Wildlife Drive is excellent in winter for ducks, spoonbills and herons.
- Everglades. More than 360 bird species have been recorded; the Anhinga Trail is the easy introduction.
Shopping
Outlet Malls
Florida's outlet centres are a fixture of UK trips, especially for American brands:
- Orlando International Premium Outlets (north end of International Drive)
- Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets (near Disney Springs)
- Sawgrass Mills (Sunrise, near Fort Lauderdale), one of the largest outlet malls in the US
- Ellenton Premium Outlets (between Tampa and Sarasota)
Tax and Prices
Shelf prices in the US don't include sales tax. Florida's state rate is 6%, and counties add their own surtax on top, so you'll pay 6.5% in Orange County (Orlando) and 7% in Miami-Dade, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. There's no year-round exemption for clothing. Whether a pair of jeans is cheaper than at home depends on the exchange rate on the day, so compare the total after tax, not the label.
UK Customs Allowance
When you fly home, UK residents can bring in goods worth up to £390 per adult without paying duty or VAT, plus separate allowances for alcohol and tobacco, according to GOV.UK. Anything over that has to be declared in the red channel. Keep receipts for large purchases such as electronics, and remember that the allowance can't be pooled onto one person's single item.
Sporting Events
NFL (American Football)
Three NFL teams play in Florida:
- Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
- Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have played regular-season games at Wembley, so they have a British following.
The regular season runs from September to early January.
MLB (Baseball)
Spring training, known in Florida as the Grapefruit League, runs through late February and March. Around half of the major-league teams train in Florida, in small stadiums with cheap seats and a relaxed atmosphere. In the regular season the Miami Marlins play at loanDepot park. The Tampa Bay Rays' home, Tropicana Field, was badly damaged by Hurricane Milton in October 2024, so check the team's site for where they're playing before you buy tickets.
NBA (Basketball)
- Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center, downtown Miami
- Orlando Magic at the Kia Center, downtown Orlando
NHL (Ice Hockey)
- Tampa Bay Lightning, who won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021
- Florida Panthers, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Stanley Cup winners in 2024 and 2025
Tickets
Buy through the team's official site or its authorised resale partner, and be wary of unofficial resale sites that add large fees at checkout. Spring-training baseball is the cheapest way to see a live US game; NFL tickets are the most expensive.
Golf
Florida has more golf courses than any other US state, by most counts more than a thousand, so there's a course near almost every hotel:
- Walt Disney World has resort courses that are open to the public.
- TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach, near Jacksonville) hosts The Players Championship and has the island-green 17th.
- Streamsong (Polk County, Central Florida) has three highly rated courses built on reclaimed phosphate-mining land.
- Municipal and resort courses across the state take visitors, often with cheaper twilight tee times in the late afternoon.
Green fees vary a great deal by course and season, so check the course's own booking page. Summer afternoons bring lightning, and courses clear the course when a storm is close.
Kennedy Space Center
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is on Merritt Island, about an hour's drive east of Orlando. Highlights include:
- Space Shuttle Atlantis, displayed as if in orbit, with its payload bay doors open
- A real Saturn V moon rocket, laid out in sections inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center
- Bus tours that pass the launch pads and the Vehicle Assembly Building
- Talks and meet-and-greets with former astronauts on many days
Buy tickets online in advance. On launch days the complex sells special viewing packages that sell out, and roads around Titusville get very busy.
Uniquely Florida Experiences
Swim in a Natural Spring
Nothing in the UK compares. The water is clear enough to see the limestone vents on the bottom, and it stays at about 22°C whatever the weather.
Watch a Rocket Launch
Launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center are now frequent, sometimes several a week. Free viewing spots line the Indian River in Titusville and the beaches around Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral. Launch times slip often, so keep the evening free and check the schedule on the day.
See Bioluminescence
The glow is strongest on warm, very dark nights. A guided night paddle in the Indian River Lagoon or Mosquito Lagoon is the easiest way to see it, and it pairs well with a Space Coast day.
Drive the Overseas Highway
Even if you only stay one night in the Keys, the drive from Key Largo to Key West, about 110 miles on US-1, is worth doing once. Our Florida Keys page covers where to stop along the way.
floriday.uk is an independent travel guide. Activity availability, prices and schedules change; always confirm with the operator or park before booking.