Beyond Orlando: Alternative Florida holidays

If you’ve had to miss out on family getaways over the past couple of years or so, we reckon it’s about time you made up for lost memories with a jolly to Florry! Er, Florida!

We’ve always got some pretty fab deals on flights to Orlando, so now’s that time to whack that trip for you and the kids in your basket. Although Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort are Florida’s premier family attractions, there’s actually SO much more to the Sunshine State than just roller coasters and water slides (although, we can’t deny, they’re pretty bloomin’ good!) If you’ve got a hankering for a trip away from the theme parks, venture beyond Orlando and check out one of these alternative destinations instead.

St Augustine – 40 miles south of Jacksonville – is the oldest continuously-inhabited European settlement in the contiguous United States. Founded way back in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it still retains its proper distinct historical character – defo one for the history buffs. Its charming Town Plan Historic District is a U.S. National Historic District, making it the place to go for a stroll. Head down the narrow, brick-lined streets and you’ll find centuries-old buildings, quaint shops and restaurants, and hidden courtyards.

One of the most impressive – and historically-significant – landmarks is the Castillo de San Marcos. Built between 1672 and 1695, this bastion fort is the only 17th-century military structure in the entire country. It sits on the shores of Matanzas Bay and has been a National Monument since1924. It’s open to the public every single day of the year – except Thanksgiving, obvs! This is America, after all.

Once synonymous with spring break, Fort Lauderdale has done a bit of growing up in recent years. Although still pretty popular with raucous, beer-swilling college students, it now attracts a more diverse crowd. Its restaurants, boutique hotels and swanky shops all appeal to those seeking a slightly more…sophisticated Florida holiday. For good eats, we ♥ a good dose of carbs at New York Grilled Cheese, whilst Sea Watch on the Ocean has been bringing fresh seafood to the table since the 70s – and when we say fresh, we mean fresh, the ocean is 50 yards away! Cyth and Co is the place to go for breakfast. Get the Blue Butterfly Latte – your Insta grid will thank us.

Las Olas Boulevard is a hub for shopping, dining and drinking, while the downtown area’s now a burgeoning arts district. FATVillage (which stands for Flager + Arts + Technology) is a four-block creative district that houses local artists, designers and techies. Their work is available to view and buy during the monthly ArtWalk, held on the last Saturday of every month.

Fort Lauderdale’s biggest draw, though, is its shoreline. There’s 23 miles of beautiful beach in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. So whether you’re looking for a quiet stretch of sand or a place to party, there’ll be one that fits the bill. It’s also a great place for a diving holiday. The three-tier reef system delights divers of all levels, and with over 100 shipwrecks there are plenty of sunken treasures to discover.

This string of islands off the southern tip of Florida makes for a proper action-packed getaway. Activities abound for visitors of all ages – kayak your way through the mangroves off Key Largo; try a bit of paddle-boarding or jet-skiing near Marathon; or charter a fishing boat in Islamorada, the sport fishing capital of the world. And, with the only living coral reef in the United States, the Florida Keys offer great diving and snorkelling. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, in Key Largo, is the country’s first underwater State Park. Check out the marine life here, or head to the Dry Tortugas, where lionfish and turtle sightings are common.

The journey to the Florida Keys is one of the best things about holidaying here. Stretching from Miami to Key West, the Overseas Highway is one of the most scenic drives in the country. It comprises 113 miles of road and a whopping 42 bridges – including the spectacular Seven Mile Bridge – that pass over sparkling water and swaying palm trees. Once in Key West, you’ll be spoilt for choice in terms of beaches. It’s hard to tear yourself away from the sand but try to find time to explore Duval Street and visit the Ernest Hemingway House, where the author lived in the 30s.

For a Florida holiday with a little bit of everything, then it’s Miami you want. Home to more than a whopping 150 different ethnicities and more than 60 languages, the Magic City is, well, pretty magic. And just a little bit eclectic too! But the most famous of all Miami neighbourhoods is defo South Beach. Rent a CitiBike and whip your way round its pastel-coloured Art Deco architecture – serious eye and Insta candy – and then make a pit stop on Espanola Way, a pedestrian-only street full of Mediterranean Revival architecture that’ll have you thinking you’re in a French or Spain! Plus, it has some of the best nightlife anywhere in Florida. LIV at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach is a mega, 18,000-square-foot hangout for world-renowned DJs and A-List celebs. Get even more French-Mediterranean vibes at Bâoli – think a vanishing glass wall, crystal chandeliers, plus banquet tables, and champagne bottles lit by sparklers. Yes please!

Ocean Drive is very much the place to see and be seen. Also in South Beach, this promenade is probs the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Miami! A legend in American cinema – Scarface and Miami Vice, to name just a couple – this is where you can go straight from white sands to knocking back White Russians. Nice one.

Coconut Grove, meanwhile, is Miami’s oldest neighbourhood. Sitting on the shores of Biscayne Bay, it’s got a real, distinctive bohemian charm and continues to attract creative types. Once-gritty Wynwood and the neighbouring Design District, on the other hand, make up the city’s artistic enclave. Loadsa buildings in these former working-class neighbourhoods have been transformed into galleries and studio spaces, and the streets here are lined with murals and food trucks.

There’s certainly no shortage of things to do in Miami – the beaches alone could keep you occupied for a week. But if you do fancy exploring further afield, there are loads of options for a day trip. Our favourites include Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, the Everglades, and Bimini in the Bahamas (yes really – there’s a direct ferry that takes just two hours!).

If you want a Florida holiday that’s heavy on the glitz, head to Palm Beach. An enclave of wealth and privilege, it’s long been the winter escape of choice for America’s jet set. It was founded as a resort in the 1890s by oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler, who made the island accessible via his Florida East Coast Railway. Palatial mansions line the coast, while Bentleys and Porsches cruise the avenues downtown. World-famous Worth Avenue is dotted with upmarket shops, and the island’s eateries are frequented by ladies who lunch.

Beneath the grandeur, though, there’s a real sense of history here. The Greco-Roman architecture’s captivating, and it offers an insight into life during America’s Gilded Age. To immerse yourself in that era even further, be sure to visit the Flagler Museum. Built in 1902, the 75-room, 100,000-square-foot estate – originally called Whitehall – was a wedding present from Henry Flagler to his new wife, Mary Lily Kenan. Today it’s a National Historic Landmark, open to the public, and receives over 100,000 visitors a year.

For a slightly more unusual trip, you can actually go and see the bunker that was built in just a little over a week to protect that handsome fella JFK whilst he was on his jollies here.

Ready to book a holiday in the Sunshine State? Check out our great deals on flights to Florida.

And if you’re wondering what to do on the plane, here’s 21 things to do on a long-haul flight.