722 Best Sights in Florida, USA

For over 65 years, the Key West Garden Club has maintained lush gardens among the arches and ruins of this redbrick Civil War–era fort. You can see the impressive collection of native and tropical plants while meandering past fountains, sculptures, and a picture-perfect gazebo on a self-guided tour. The garden hosts art, orchid, and flower shows February through April, and volunteers lead private garden tours one weekend in March.

Check out the pretty palm garden next to the Key West Library, just off Duval Street. This leafy, outdoor reading area, with shaded benches, is the perfect place to escape the frenzy and crowds of Old Town. There's free Internet access in the library, too.

For the best view in town, climb the 88 steps to the top of this 1847 lighthouse. The 92-foot structure has a Fresnel lens, which was installed in the 1860s at a cost of $1 million. The keeper lived in the adjacent 1887 clapboard house, which now exhibits vintage photographs, ship models, nautical charts, and artifacts from all along Key West's reefs. A kids' room is stocked with books and toys.

Much of Key West's history, early prosperity, and interesting architecture come from ships that ran aground on its coral reef. Artifacts from the circa-1856 Isaac Allerton, which yielded $150,000 worth of wreckage, comprise the museum portion of this multifaceted attraction. Actors and films add a bit of Disneyesque drama. The final highlight is climbing to the top of the 65-foot lookout tower, a reproduction of the 20 or so towers used by Key West wreckers during the town's salvaging heyday.

Established in 1935, this unique habitat is the only frost-free botanical garden in the continental United States. You won't see fancy topiaries and exotic plants, but you will see an ecosystem that is unique to this area and the Caribbean. Paved walkways take you past butterfly gardens, mangroves, Cuban palms, and ponds where you can spy turtles and fish. There are herons, ibis, and other birds here, too. It's a natural slice of Keys paradise that offers a nice respite from sidewalks and shops.

Built in 1792 by Zephaniah Kingsley, a landowner who produced Sea Island cotton, citrus, sugarcane, and corn with the aid of about 60 slaves, this is the oldest remaining cotton plantation in the state. Take a self-guided tour of a barn and 23 tabby (a concretelike mixture of sand and crushed shells) slave houses to learn about the lives of the people who labored here. Weekend open-house hours are available, yet limited from 10 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm to protect the structure.

The towering, steaming volcano commands attention from every part of the park. But even that doesn't compare to the experience waiting inside the volcano. The ride is based on the concept that a body remains at rest until acted upon by another force. You step onto a seemingly solid floor that supports your body weight; the "other force" is gravity, when the door disappears. That's when the reaction is your body falling through the void and into a 70-degree, 12-story drop—a dizzying descent that rockets you right into the splashdown pool. Rinse and repeat. For people with disabilities: Guests must be able to climb stairways and exit the splash pool unassisted or with help from members of their party. This ride accepts only the Express PLUS Pass.

Encircling a substantial portion of the park and winding through the lush foliage, this lazy river lets you go with the flow. As you drift on an inner tube past tropical surroundings, you're occasionally sprayed by streams of water triggered by guests along the banks. When you enter Stargazer's Cavern inside the volcano, the scenery changes again—this time to a brilliant night sky. Along the way are several entrance and exit points, as well as lifeguards keeping an eye on things. For people with disabilities: some entrance points are sloped, making it easier for guests using wheelchairs to transfer to the pool.

One of Florida's quirkier sites is named for a religious cult that was active at the turn of the 20th century. It preserves a dozen structures where the group worshipped a male-female divinity and created its own branch of science called cosmogony, which claimed the universe existed within a giant hollow sphere. The cult foundered when leader Cyrus Reed Teed died in 1908, and, in 1961, the four remaining members deeded the property to the state. Rangers and volunteers lead tours and demonstrations, and the grounds are lovely for picnicking and camping. Canoeists paddle the Estero River, fringed by a forest of vegetation the Koreshans planted.

Enormous cypress trees shade this 5-acre public park on the shores of Lake Maitland. It's hidden within an upscale neighborhood and comes alive with heady color from January through March. The thousands of blooming azaleas (hence the name) make a perfect backdrop for romantic strolls, and sunset weddings are common at the park's Exedra monument overlooking the lake.

A sign that reads "Greater than any man-made thrill" greets you at this attraction. But is it really greater? You'll find out after you slip into a four-person canoe that speeds down a toboggan-style run, whips around corners, shoots you through dark tubes, and then drops you down steep falls again and again and over and over until you're alternately screaming and laughing. A quick 60 seconds later, you plunge toward the finish through a shimmering waterfall. So, yeah, it's pretty great. For people with disabilities: Guests in wheelchairs must transfer to the ride's canoe.

This public beach bustles with beachgoers of all ages thanks to the prolific family offerings. The waterfront retail promenade—the old-fashioned nongambling Lake Worth "casino"—has a Mulligan's Beach House Bar & Grill, a T-shirt store, a pizzeria, and a Kilwin's ice cream shop. The beach also has a municipal Olympic-size public swimming pool, a playground, and a fishing pier—not to mention the pier's wildly popular daytime eatery, Benny's on the Beach (open for dinner weekends in season). Tideline Ocean Resort and Four Seasons guests are steps away from the action; Eau Palm Beach guests are a short bike ride away. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this country inn, built in 1883, overlooks 4,500-acre Lake Dora and is Florida's oldest continuously operating hotel. A stroll around the grounds, where seaplane passengers board or disembark, makes you feel as if you've stepped into the pages of The Great Gatsby. You, too, can book a seaplane tour or a cruise; both leave from the inn's large dock. Three restaurants offer indoor and outdoor dining. There are 90 guest rooms if you have time in your schedule for an overnight stay.

The Panhandle is home to the Florida District of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the longest tract of protected seashore in the United States. At the Fort Pickens area of the park and on the Gulf-side tip of Santa Rosa Island, this beach is one of the top spots to experience the unspoiled beauty and snow-white sands for which this area is known. Keep an eye out for wildlife of the flying variety; the Fort Pickens area is known for its nesting shorebirds. A large covered pavilion is great for picnicking and a few minutes of shade. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunrise; sunset; walking.

Up the road about ½ mile from Long Key State Park, beginning at a close-to-the-ground marker, is a free trail that leads through a tropical-hardwood forest to a rocky Florida Bay shoreline overlooking shallow grass flats. It takes about 20 minutes to walk the ¼-mile route.

This beach is guarded by the frequently photographed Sanibel Lighthouse, built in 1884, before the island was settled. (Although it's not currently open to the public, there's talk of refurbishing the lighthouse so visitors can climb to the top.) The surrounding park curves around the island's eastern tip, so there's waterfront on both the Gulf and the bay, where a fishing pier draws avid anglers, and shaded nature trails connect the two shores. The park is listed on the Great Florida Birding Trail because of its fall and spring migration fallouts. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunrise; walking; windsurfing.

In his quest to turn Florida into an American Riviera, Henry Flagler built two fancy hotels in 1888: the Ponce de León, which became Flagler College, and the Alcazar, which closed during the Great Depression, was purchased by publisher Otto Lightner in 1946, and was donated to the city in 1948. It's now a museum with three floors of furnishings, costumes, Victorian art glass, not-to-be-missed ornate antique music boxes, and even an early-20th-century-era shrunken head from the Jivaro Indians of Ecuador.

If your little ones have always wanted to race with Lightning McQueen, then speed on over to Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy. A very convincing Audio-Animatronic car teaches the audience some of his tricks using a simulated track. Of course, the no-good Chick Hicks tries to outrace you, so, with the help of a wraparound screen, you'll get to watch Lightning race his longtime nemesis. This is a show, so while the Lightning McQueen figure is amazing, you will be sitting on a bench the whole time. This is a great place to take little ones while older kids ride the Tower of Terror or the nearby Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

On the National Register of Historic Places, this 280-acre bayside island is the site of a virgin hardwood forest and the 1919 home of chemical magnate William Matheson. His caretaker's cottage serves as the park's visitor center. Access is by boat—your own, a rented vessel, or a tour operated from Robbie's Marina. The tour leaves at 8:30 am Friday through Sunday and takes in both Lignumvitae and Indian Key (reservations required).

Drive your own vehicle along 4 miles of paved roads through a cageless zoo with free-roaming animals (chances are you'll have an ostrich tapping at your window), and then let loose in a 55-acre fun-land with bird feedings, games, and rides. Audio included with admission narrates the winding trek past white rhinos, zebras, and ostriches grouped into exhibits like Gir Forest, which is modeled after a sanctuary in India and has native twisted-horned blackbuck antelope and water buffalo. (For obvious reasons, lions are fenced off, and no convertibles or pets are allowed.) Aside from dozens more up-close critter encounters after debarking, including a petting zoo, kids can go paddleboating, play a round of minigolf, climb aboard carnival rides, or have a splash in a 4,000-square-foot aquatic playground (some extra fees apply).

A canopied boat cruises through three artificial biomes—rain forest, desert, and prairie—and into an experimental live greenhouse that demonstrates how food might be sourced in the future, not only on the planet but also in outer space. Shrimp, tilapia, eels, catfish, and alligators are raised in controlled aquacells, and tomatoes, peppers, squash, and other fruits and vegetables thrive in the Desert Farm area via drip irrigation that delivers just the right amount of water and nutrients to their roots. Gardeners are usually interested in the section on integrated pest management, which relies on "good" insects like ladybugs to control more harmful predators.

See Mickey Mouse–shape fruits and vegetables (there might be pumpkins, cucumbers, or watermelons) nurtured with the help of molds created by the science team; scientists also have grown a "tomato tree"—the first of its kind in the United States—that has yielded thousands of tomatoes from a single vine. Many of the growing areas are actual experiments-in-progress, in which Disney and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have joined forces to produce, say, a sweeter pineapple or a faster-growing pepper. The plants and fish in the greenhouse are regularly harvested for use in The Land's restaurants. For people with disabilities: Those using an oversize wheelchair or ECV must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices. If your party finds Living with the Land interesting, check out Behind the Seeds, an hour-long tour for ages 3 and up that provides a more detailed look at the greenhouse. The tour is offered every half hour and costs $35 per person. Sign-up in advance on the My Disney Experience app or check the desk by the ride's exit.

What is sometimes called “the Oceanside Beach” offers an excellent view of Henry Flagler’s old railroad bridge. A small rock island not far from shore is easy enough to kayak around (rentals are available elsewhere in Bahia Honda State Park), and there are plenty of snorkeling opportunities in the clear waters. This beach doesn't have  picnic pavilions, and its comparative lack of amenities makes it less crowded and more rustic than other park beaches. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

As you cross the Long Key Channel, look beside you at the old viaduct. The second-longest bridge on the former rail line, this 2¼-mile-long structure has 222 reinforced-concrete arches. The old bridge is popular with cyclists and joggers. Anglers fish off the sides day and night.

To see the best variety of wildlife in Big Cypress, including alligators, raccoons, and softshell turtles, follow the 24-mile Loop Road, south of US 41 and west of Shark Valley. Bring binoculars for bird-watching as there are swallow-tailed kites and red-shouldered hawks here as well. Afterward, stop at the H. P. Williams Roadside Park, west of the Oasis Visitor Center, for a picnic, taking time to walk along the boardwalk to spy gators, turtles, and garfish in the river waters of the cypress swamp.

This whirling carnival staple is for the vertigo addict looking for a fix. The Disney version is based on its own 1951 film Alice in Wonderland, in which the Mad Hatter hosts a tea party for his un-birthday. You hop into oversize, pastel-color teacups and whirl around a giant platter. Add your own spin to the teacup's orbit with the help of the steering wheel in the center. Check out the soused mouse that pops out of the teapot centerpiece. For people with disabilities: If using a wheelchair, enter through the exit on right, then transfer to a ride vehicle.

Featuring wax copies of real and fictional characters, Madame Tussauds lets you grab a selfie with the faux superheroes, including Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, and Aquaman, as well as celebrities both living and dead—from Taylor Swift and Pink to Pitbull and Michael Jackson—and the rich and famous from politics and sports. Combo tickets are available for this museum, The Wheel at ICON Park, and SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium.

Known to locals as "Mad Beach," this lively barrier island town occupies the southern tip of Shell Key. The beachfront consists of a long stretch of soft, shell-strewn sand, and it's often crowded with families as well as clusters of twentysomethings. You can here via numerous public access points, but your best bet is to park at the municipal beach parking lot and head to the sand from there. It's easily accessible from Treasure Island, northern St. Petersburg, and Clearwater Beach. Amenities: food and drink; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking.

Brightening the lush Adventureland landscape is this jewel-tone ride around a giant genie's bottle. You can control your own four-passenger, state-of-the-art carpet with a front-seat lever that moves it up and down and a rear-seat button that pitches it forward or backward. Part of the fun is dodging the right-on aim of a water-spewing "camel." The ride is short but a big hit with kids, who are also dazzled by the colorful gems implanted in the surrounding pavement. Parents must ride with toddlers. For people with disabilities: There's ramp access for guests in wheelchairs. If you're in an ECV, you must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Lines here are relatively short and move fairly quickly: visit when Pirates of the Caribbean or Jungle Cruise have long lines—they may have shortened by the time you're done with this ride.

Along this trail, you get an up-close view of unusual animals, including giant fruit bats that hang to munch fruit from wires and fly very close to the open and glass-protected viewing areas and Bengal tigers in front of a maharajah's palace ruins. The tigers have their own view (with no accessibility, of course) of Asian deer and black buck, an antelope species. At the end of the trek, you walk through an aviary with a lotus pool. Disney animal experts are on hand to answer questions. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; equipped for audio-description devices. Guests with service animals should check with a host before entering the aviary. Come anytime. Crowds stay fairly light, as people are constantly on the move.

This half-mile boardwalk trail, accessible for those with disabilities, takes you through a hardwood hammock where the lush vegetation includes gumbo-limbo trees and air plants. This thick canopy forest is typical of South Florida and also happens to be home to America's largest mahogany tree. Along the way, listen for the calls of birds that are hidden within the thick forest. Easy.