Florida Travel Guide: Theme Parks, Beaches & the Keys

Florida is the US state I know better than any other. I've been going since I was a kid - our family holidays from Northern Ireland meant flights out of Dublin or Belfast and straight into the theme parks, year after year - and I still haven't run out of things to do: world-class theme parks in Orlando, the art deco curves of Miami Beach, rocket launches on the space coast, and the slow, salty drive down to Key West. Now, as an expat in Australia, Florida is often my first stop on the way home. This guide is everything I've learned across all of those trips.

When to Visit Florida

Florida's weather shapes everything, so start here:

• December to April (dry season): the sweet spot. Warm sunny days in the mid-20s, low humidity, cool evenings. This is peak season, so expect peak prices and crowds, especially around Easter
• May to early June: hot and getting humid, but quieter and cheaper. A good value window
• June to November: hurricane season. Most visits are completely fine, but keep an eye on forecasts, buy refundable rates, and know that August and September carry the highest risk. Afternoon thunderstorms are a near-daily event in summer
• My pick: late April to May, or October if you're happy to watch the sky. Warm water, thinner crowds, better rates

Coming From the UK or Ireland

This is the route I grew up flying - out of Belfast and Dublin - and it works a bit differently from the Australian angle:

• Expect to pay roughly £500 to £800 return in economy from the UK to Orlando, with sales dipping below that from time to time. Dublin departures (Aer Lingus flies direct to Orlando) are often worth pricing too, and prices in euros follow a similar pattern
• Book early through a package agent. UK agencies like Thomas Cook and TUI (TUI is a firm favourite for families, with package deals that bundle flights, hotels and park tickets) let you book far ahead - technically up to two or three years out - and booking early with a low deposit often locks in a much better price than waiting
• Join the "It's Orlando Time" Facebook group. It's a UK- and Ireland-based community of Orlando obsessives, and it's where a lot of families find the best deals on flights, tickets and villas - plus it's genuinely useful for asking anything about Orlando or Florida in general. If you're planning a first Disney trip from the UK or Ireland, spend a few evenings reading it before you book anything

Orlando: The Theme Park Capital

Orlando is the reason most people first come to Florida - and it's the reason my family did. These parks were my childhood holidays, so I've done them enough times to know what works:

• Walt Disney World is four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom) plus water parks. One park per day minimum; don't try to "do Disney" in two days
• Universal Orlando has two parks plus the newer Epic Universe, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter remains the best themed land anywhere - the dragon on Gringotts and Hogwarts Castle never get old. Park-to-park tickets let you ride the Hogwarts Express between the two lands
• Don't skip the water parks. Universal's Volcano Bay, with its 200-foot volcano and wave pool, is one of the best-relaxing days you can have in Orlando

• Book dining reservations early - character meals and popular restaurants fill up 60 days out
• Stay on property if you can. Early park entry alone is worth the price premium at both Disney and Universal
• August and September are the cheapest and quietest times, if you can handle the heat

Celebration: The Town Disney Built

Just south of the parks is Celebration, and it's one of Florida's quirkiest and nicest days out. It's the town that Walt Disney World effectively built - master-planned by Disney in the 1990s, all pastel houses, white picket fences and a picture-perfect downtown around the lake. You might recognise it from the recent documentary about the town, and it's even better in person than on screen. The Celebration Hotel sits right on the waterfront, and the whole place is walkable and genuinely lovely. If you can time a visit for the Fourth of July, do it: Celebration puts on one of the best small-town Independence Day celebrations in the area, with a parade and fireworks over the lake. Shopping-wise, The Florida Mall is close by on the Orlando side if you need a retail fix.

Orlando is about 30 to 45 minutes from the theme parks' own orbit of hotels, and about an hour from the coast, so you can easily pair it with beach time.

Miami and the Southeast Coast

Miami is a proper city break with a beach attached. South Beach for the art deco strip and people-watching, Wynwood for street art and breweries, Little Havana for Cuban coffee and pastelitos, and the beach itself - wide, soft and free. Key Biscayne and Fort Lauderdale make easier-paced alternatives nearby.

Driving north, Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast are quieter, wealthier and slower - a good reset after Miami.

The Gulf Coast: Florida's Best Beaches

If you want the classic white-sand, calm-water Florida, the Gulf coast wins:

• Clearwater and St Pete Beach: soft white sand, spectacular sunsets, family-friendly
• Sarasota and Siesta Key: the sand is literally powdered quartz and stays cool underfoot
• Naples and Sanibel: shelling, mangroves and a slower pace (check that Sanibel's causeway and island businesses have fully reopened in the season you visit - the hurricane recovery has been gradual)

Gulf water is warmer and calmer than the Atlantic side, which matters with kids.

The Space Coast: Kennedy Space Center

One of my favourite days anywhere in Florida. Kennedy Space Center's visitor complex is a full-day experience - the Saturn V rocket alone is staggering - and if you time it right you can watch an actual launch from the area. Launch schedules are published online; even a distant night launch is unforgettable. Cocoa Beach makes a convenient base.

The Florida Keys and Key West

The drive down the Overseas Highway is the attraction: 113 islands connected by 42 bridges, with ocean on both sides. Give it a full day and stop along the way.

• Key Largo: snorkelling on the reef, and a short hop from Miami
• Islamorada: fishing charters and laid-back tiki bars
• Marathon: the Seven Mile Bridge and turtle rescue centres
• Key West: Duval Street, sunsets at Mallory Square, Hemingway's house, and the southernmost point of the continental US

Key West is a two-and-a-half hour drive from Miami without stops - plan the whole day, and book the sunset sail before you arrive.

The Everglades and the Wildlife

Between Miami and the Gulf sits the Everglades, one of the strangest and best landscapes in America. Take an airboat ride out of Homestead or Everglades City, walk the boardwalks at Shark Valley, and keep your eyes on the water - you will see alligators, and from a safe, respectful distance. Winter (dry season) is best: wildlife concentrates around the remaining water and the mosquitoes ease off.

Practical Florida Tips

• Bring more money than you think. America has got genuinely expensive, and the exchange rate is making it worse for visitors from Australia, the UK and Europe. Florida on a budget is still possible, but prices at the parks, restaurants and hotels have climbed - budget generously and expect the bill to be higher than the menu says (sales tax is added at the register)
• You will need a car almost everywhere except Miami Beach. Hire early, and remember toll roads around Orlando and Miami - get the toll transponder from the rental company
• Tipping: 18 to 20 percent at restaurants and bars
• Sun protection is not optional. The Florida sun is ferocious even on cloudy days; reapply sunscreen
• Afternoon storms in summer are short and dramatic - plan outdoor activities for mornings
• Hurricane season (June to November) is usually fine, but book flexible rates and keep an eye on forecasts from August
• Theme park tickets are cheaper online and through authorised resellers than at the gate - never buy from street sellers
• Alligators: admire from a distance, never feed, and keep pets away from fresh water

Final Thoughts

Florida packs theme parks, big-city beaches, rocket launches, swamps and a tropical island chain into one state, which is why I keep coming back. If it's your first visit: Orlando plus the Gulf beaches is the classic pairing, while Miami plus a Keys road trip is the better adults-only trip. Do one properly rather than both in a rush - there's always the next visit.

Start here: United States Travel Guide: Tips From an Expat

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