The 15 Must-See Destinations in Florida Right Now

Florida is one of the most visited states in the U.S. and for good reasons. So many people save thousands of dollars for years to visit this tropical state. While most people flock to Florida for the theme parks and vibrant cities like Miami, there is so much more to see. Florida isn't the only state that receives millions of visitors. California and New York are sometimes ranked as the most visited states in the country. 

Florida has a little bit of everything. It's a long state that can take over ten hours to drive from one end to the next. In the same week, if you wanted to, you could spend a day at the beach, swim and kayak in Florida's crystal clear springs, bird watch, hike and more. Also in Florida are stunning museums, unique buildings and sculptures, and breathtaking gardens and parks.

This warm and vibrant state welcomes over 130 million visitors each year. Although summer is the busiest season, tourists travel to Florida year-round for the state's warm and mild seasons. So, what is there to do here? And why did we choose these must-see spots?

To compile this list, 24/7 Tempo consulted various Florida local and national tourist websites and sources. Some of these include Visit Florida, U.S. News Travel, TripAdvisor, Travel + Leisure and Atlas Obscura. For this article, we've excluded theme parks like Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. Instead, we've chosen to list beautiful must-see destinations that don't get as much credit or love. Many of these hidden gems on our list are state and national parks. (Want to learn more about the Sunshine State? Check out 20 Iconic Things That Make Florida One of a Kind.) 

Silver Springs State Park is an unforgettable experience. It was one of the first tourist spots in Florida and remains popular. Silver Springs State Park has a surface area of over 4,000 acres. Although the springs have a long history, it's only been a state-managed park since about 1985 when the State of Florida purchased land around the springs.

While here you can kayak, hike, view wildlife, camp and take a tour on the famous glass bottom boats. This state park is great to visit when you're tired of theme parks.

Choosing just one place in St. Augustine as a must-see destination feels impossible. Instead, the entire city gets a mention. Strolling the streets of St. Augustine feels like going back in time. This city is considered the oldest city in the United States. However, it was established as a Spanish settlement.

So, what is there to see here? Some must-see destinations in St. Augustine include the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Ponce De Leon Hotel, Anastasia State Park and Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.

Did you know Florida is home to multiple national parks? This includes the Everglades National Park, located in South Florida. Everglades National Park is a beautiful 1.5 million-acre national park known for its large wetlands. Throughout the park are both American alligators and American crocodiles.

This must-see destination is perfect for nature lovers. You can bike, hike, kayak and tour the trails.

Also on our list of must-see destinations in Florida is The Florida Keys. These stunning islands are paradise. On the same day, you can tour unique museums, hike in state parks, take a dolphin boat tour, and bathe in the sun on the beach.

Some museums in the area include The Hemingway Home and Museum, Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center.

Naples is an unforgettable city in Florida. If you're looking for a city to spend a nice and calming weekend, Naples is perfect. Naples has a surface area of 16.46 square miles. The city was settled on November 6, 1886, but was incorporated as a town in 1923 and as a city in 1949.

This beautiful city is known for its stunning views of the ocean and the massive luxurious buildings. Some points of interest to consider include Naples Zoo, Waterside Shops, Naples Botanical Garden and Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

On Florida's space coast, you can find the Kennedy Space Center. The Kennedy Space Center is an iconic part of the United States and space history. Did you know you can also visit it? If you love space and science, you should visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

You can spend hours getting lost in the complex. Admission includes entrance to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, Shuttle Launch Experience, and Apollo 8 and the Firing Room.

Another incredible national park in Florida is the Dry Tortugas National Park. This calming national park is about 68 miles away from Key West. It's a unique park with a surface area of 64,701 acres. The park was established on January 4, 1935.

Visiting this park isn't easy. You either need to take a seaplane or a ferry from Key West. While here, visitors can explore Fort Jefferson, camp on the islands, snorkel, dive and swim. Most of this national park is underwater.

Manatees are breathtaking. There is no better place in Florida to see manatees in the wild than Blue Spring State Park. This state park is open every day starting from 8 a.m. until sunrise. Admission into the park is $6 per vehicle.

Although the park sometimes closes for swimming and water activities because of manatees, kayaking is a popular activity. While here, visitors can fish, bird watch, camp, hike, scuba dive and take a tour.

How can you not want to see the iconic Wynwood Walls in Miami? These beautiful walls are painted by hundreds of artists from all over the world. Although it was once open to the public for free, an admission fee is now required. Guided and self-guided tours are available.

Technically, the Orlando Wetlands is in Christmas, not Orlando. However, the city of Orlando owns and manages the land. The Orlando Wetlands is perfect if you are visiting Orlando for the theme parks and want to see wildlife, but can't drive to the Everglades.

While here you can enjoy 18+ miles of trails and take a scenic and informational tram tour.

Florida isn't exactly known for its waterfalls, but one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the state is in Falling Waters State Park. The surface area of Falling Waters State Park is 171 acres. The park was established in 1962.

The waterfall falls into a large sinkhole. You can access views of the sink and the waterfall through a paved path.

Located in Delray Beach are the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. These beautiful gardens are worth a visit. They were established in 1977. Guests can easily spend hours walking through the gardens.

Some of the gardens within this area include the Bonsai Collection, Roji-en: Garden of the Drops of Dew and Yamato-Kan. The museum and gardens also host many events like sunset strolls, the Demonstration of Kyudo: The Way of the Bow and Sumi-E Floral Sessions.

Encountering wolves sounds like a dream. Another must-visit spot in Florida is the Seacrest Wolf Preserve. This non-profit provides education tours and teaches visitors about wolves with their Ambassador Wolves.

There are multiple packs of wolves in Seacrest Wolf Preserve. Pawnee is the alpha of the Rowdy Ones pack. He is gentle and wise. Also in the same pack is Dreamer, who is known for their silly personality.

Florida has thousands of caves, but most are underwater. Very few caves in Florida are above ground. One of the best places to see caves in the state is the Florida Caverns State Park. A popular thing to do at this state park is take a guided tour. During summer and other busy times, the cave tours fill up quickly.

Florida Caverns State Park was established in 1942. The park receives a little over 100,000 visitors a year.

Last but not least on our list of the 15 must-see destinations in Florida is The Coral Castle. This unique and mysterious building is quite a sight to see. The Coral Castle was built by Edward Leedskalnin (Ed) starting around 1820. He quietly built this castle using 1,100 short tons of polite. (To explore celebrities from the Sunshine State, next read about the 10 biggest movie stars from Florida.)