Choose from 156 Fun Things to Do in Florida
Legoland Florida Resort
Las Olas Boulevard
- Las Olas Boulevard is an ideal destination for shoppers and art lovers.
- Several shops in the district are pet friendly.
- Note that there are few public restrooms in this area.
- The Sun Trolley runs from Fort Lauderdale up the boulevard to the beach.
Miami Seaquarium
- Allow at least four hours to see the Seaquarium and all four daily shows.
- Frequent shows include killer whale, dolphin, and sea lion performances.
- Dolphin Harbor is an especially fun venue for watching marine mammals play and show off.
- Ample paid parking is available on-site.
Mango's Tropical Cafe
Conveniently, Mango’s Tropical Cafe is located across from Miami Beach. Just like at Miami Beach, you can expect beautiful people at the nightclub and restaurant and a party that seems to never end.
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Marineland of Florida
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Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
- You can order a meal or a snack at Park & Ocean, the on-site restaurant and bar.
- Beach wheelchairs are available from the Beach Concession.
- You can check out the park’s one-mile audio tour for free.
- Restrooms are located at the Beach Concession.
Potter's Wax Museum
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Madame Tussauds Orlando
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I-Drive 360
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Mallory Square
Few things are as beautiful as a Florida sunset, so while you are in Key West, be sure to celebrate the sunset in true Key West style - at Mallory Square. Every night, starting two hours before the sunset, the square hosts its "Sunset Celebration." Arts and crafts exhibitors, street performers and food carts descend on the square providing you with fun entertainment to enjoy in the last daylight hours.
During the daytime, Mallory Square offers numerous attractions at its many restaurants and shops. While you are there, you should also check out the famous Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden. Open since 1997, the garden contains 36 bronze busts of the men and women who have had the greatest impact on Key West. The most famous of these are renowned writer Ernest Hemingway and President Harry S. Truman.
Mallory Square is located on the northwest end of the island and is easily accessible from most locations.
Jungle Island
Jungle Island (formerly Parrot Jungle Island) is a glorious homage to tourism kitsch. This is one of those places kids beg to go, so just give up and prepare for some bright-feathered, bird-scented fun. Actually, the 18 acre (7 hectare) waterfront facility, lushly landscaped and using a minimum of pesticides, is pretty impressive, thanks in part to the parrots, macaws, flamingos, and cockatoos flying about in outdoor aviaries.
The Cape Penguin colony is especially cute, as is Crocosaurus, a 20 foot (6 meter) long saltwater crocodile that lives in Serpentarium. Other critters include snakes, crocodiles, gibbons and orangutans, not to mention tortoises, iguanas, and a rare albino alligator on exhibit.
You can even see animals in action, as Jungle Island host a number of shows starring roller-skating cockatoos, card-playing macaws, and numerous stunt-happy parrots. Nearby is Pinecrest Gardens, which has a petting zoo, mini-water park, and a lake.
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Jungle Island sits on the north side of MacArthur Causeway, which connects downtown Miami with South Beach. To get here, take I-95 to I-395 east (MacArthur Causeway). Make a right on Parrot Jungle Trail, which is the first exit after the bridge. If you have kids, consider combining a visit to Jungle Island with the Miami Children's Museum, which is located nearby.
House of Blues Orlando
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Imaginarium
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Jungle Queen Riverboat
- Reservations are required, so make sure to book in advance.
- Choose between an evening dinner cruise (four hours) and shorter sightseeing cruises (90 minutes or three hours).
- For the dinner cruise, vegetarian meals are available upon request, but must be arranged at least 24 hours in advance.
- The boat and Tropical Isle are wheelchair accessible.
Miami Cruise Port
How to Get to Miami
Your ship will be docked at the port on Dodge Island, just a couple of miles from downtown. It’s a 15-minute walk to the Bayside Marketplace shopping and dining center. Most other Miami attractions require a cab, which you’ll find near the port.
One Day in Miami
The beach is a must, but first, head inland to explore one of Miami’s most colorful neighborhoods, Little Havana, just west of downtown. Wander down 8th Street (or ‘Calle Ocho’), where you can watch cigars being rolled, try a Cubano sandwich and see several memorial statues along Cuban Memorial Boulevard.
Next, hop in a cab and head to the Miami Seaquarium, an aquatic park spread across nearly 40 acres (16 hectares) on Biscayne Bay. Watch sharks being fed, manatees being brought back to health, dolphins showing off their tricks and rescued turtles enjoying some rehabilitation.
Now it’s time to visit Miami Beach, which is reached easiest by cab. Ask the driver to drop you off around Ocean Drive and 10th Street, which puts you in the heart of the Art Deco District. Walk around for a bit to admire the historic buildings that put Miami on the architecture map, and then kick off your shoes and spend the rest of the afternoon on the white sands of South Beach.
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Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum
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Lightner Museum
Housed in a gorgeous former hotel built in 1887 in the Spanish Renaissance style, the exterior of the Lightner Museum is reason enough to visit. The real treats though are the various antiquities located on the inside of this three story museum.
The first floor houses a Victorian village, with shop fronts offering Victorian era wares. Take a look at the Victorian Science and Industry Room and its eclectic array of artifacts including model steam engines, stuffed birds, a small Egyptian mummy, and a shrunken head. The second floor contains samples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and stained glass work. The third floor, housed in the ball room's upper balcony, exhibits paintings, sculpture, and furniture from the time period. Overall, the museum's careful attention to details and rustic recreation of the time period make it a fun place to visit.
The museum is located in downtown St. Augustine.
Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI)
The ideal destination for curious people of all ages, the Museum of Science & Industry offers numerous exhibits and attractions designed to pique one's scientific interest.
With over 450 hands-on attractions, MOSI offers a unique interactive experience to its visitors. Feel free to lie down on a "bed of nails," allow a butterfly to land on your shoulder in the "Bioworks Butterfly Garden," enjoy an astronomy show in the Saunders Planetarium, or take a ride on the famous "High Wire Bike," suspended on a cable 30 feet (9 meters) above the ground. No matter how daring you are or how interested in science, the museum offers engaging opportunities designed to draw in visitors of all ages.
"Kids in Charge!,"the largest children's science center in the United States, is the perfect place to bring those in the 12-and-under crowd. The attractions there emphasize the value of learning through play by bringing together science and creative thinking, and inspiring the imagination. MOSI is also home to Flordia's only IMAX Dome theater. The Dome regularly shows both educational and popular commercial films.
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MOSI is about a 20-minute drive north from downtown Tampa.