Places to visit in Florida | Places you’ll never forget
The best sightseeing in Florida goes far beyond beaches and palm trees. The Sunshine State offers an exciting mix of history, art, and unique cultural treasures. This guide is your starting point for discovering the most impressive museums, historical places, and real highlights off the beaten track. Many of these attractions are officially recognized and preserved by authorities like the National Park Service, ensuring a quality experience. Let this overview of top spots for sightseeing in Florida inspire you to explore a completely different side of the state.
Top Spots for Sightseeing in Florida: The Atlantic Coast
Florida’s Atlantic coast offers an exciting mix of history, art and culture. In St. Augustine, the oldest city in the USA, the Castillo de San Marcos and the historic old town invite you to travel back in time. Palm Beach impresses with the Flagler Museum, the former estate of railroad pioneer Henry Flagler. In Fort Lauderdale, the NSU Art Museum and the historic quarter along the Riverwalk are tempting.
Castillo de San Marcos: How it all began
Venetian Pool: emerald green bathing fun in Coral Gables
Sightseeing on the Gulf Coast
Florida’s Gulf Coast boasts fascinating cultural highlights. St. Petersburg is home to the world-famous Dalí Museum with the largest collection of surrealist works outside of Europe. Sarasota delights art lovers at the Ringling Museum of Art and the magnificent Ca’ d’Zan, the former home of circus pioneers John and Mable Ringling. In Tampa, the historic Ybor City tells the story of the Cuban cigar industry and the region’s cultural heritage. Another highlight: the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, where the original homes, laboratories and gardens of the two inventors provide fascinating insights into the history of technology.
Bailey Matthews Shell Museum: Not just for Sanibel Stoop
Dali Museum: as surreal as the artist himself
Edison and Ford Winter Estates: where the light bulb was invented
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: experience Florida’s flora
Old Naples: Romantic, chic and very Mediterranean
Places of interest in the Florida Keys
On the Florida Keys, the sights are strung together like pearls on a tropical necklace: from the legendary Southernmost Point in Key West to the Ernest Hemingway Home and the historic Seven Mile Bridge. Nature lovers can discover colorful coral reefs in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key Largo, while the Turtle Hospital in Marathon provides insights into the protection of endangered sea turtles. Small museums, lighthouses, historic forts and animal encounters make every stop on the Keys unique.
Harry S Truman Little White House: a Winter Residence
Mallory Square: a sunset festival every day
Robbies Marina: feeding tarpuns and meeting pelicans
Southernmost Point? You Can Do it, but You Don’t Have to!
Places of interest in Miami
Miami offers an exciting mix of art, culture and history. The Art Deco Historic District in Miami Beach impresses with its pastel-colored facades and nostalgic flair. One of the largest open-air galleries in the world awaits you in Wynwood. The Perez Art Museum Miami shows contemporary art in spectacular architecture right on Biscayne Bay. In Little Havana, you can feel the Cuban way of life – Calle Ocho, cigar factories and Latin American music included.
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Bayfront Park: a bird’s eye view and right in the middle of it all
Art Deco District: Villa Kunterbunt in South Beach
Ocean Drive: See be Seen in South Beach
Lincoln Road Mall: shopping for onlookers
Wynwood Walls: Miami Street Art
Places of interest in the Panhandle
Surprisingly diverse sights await you in Florida’s Panhandle: The historic old town of Pensacola delights with its colonial flair and exciting museums such as the National Naval Aviation Museum. In Tallahassee, you can immerse yourself in the history of the state – from the Old Capitol to the imposing plantation houses. Experience pure nature in St. Andrews State Park or while collecting shells at Cape San Blas. There are also charming towns such as Apalachicola, known for its fresh oysters and southern charm. The Panhandle is a real insider tip for explorers.
Historic Pensacola Village: immerse yourself in the past
John Gorrie Museum: inventor of the ice machine
