Living in the Sunshine State has its perks, and one of the best is that there is never a lack of things to do. More than 110 million tourists flock to our beautiful state every year simply because some of the best destinations in the world call Florida home. Whether you are heading to Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens or even some of the smaller attractions like GatorLand or the Florida Aquarium, there is a wide variety of things to do and places to see in Florida.
But what about those days when you’re looking for a little less tourism and a little more peace and quiet? Whether you are here on vacation and in desperate need of an escape or a Florida native searching for a new spot to enjoy, here are our Top 10 Amazing Destinations that Floridians Don’t Want You to Know About.
Here’s the link to the YouTube video version of this list too: Ten Amazing Places Floridians Don’t Want You to Know About
#10 – Lake Jesup, Sanford, FL
Lake Jesup is known widely around Central Florida as one of the most alligator infested lakes in the state. Just outside of Orlando, this is a perfect destination for anyone in town visiting Disney or Universal who is interested in seeing some of the local wildlife. Home of Black Hammock Airboat Adventures, the lake features airboat tours, wildlife viewing and themed dining options. A 30-minute airboat ride runs about $25 per person, but be sure to check out their website because there are often some nice coupons featured there. Their on-site restaurant has a wide variety of unusual culinary options including, you guessed it, some yummy gator on the menu. And no, in case you were wondering, it doesn’t taste like chicken. Well, not exactly.
Website: http://www.theblackhammock.com
#9 – Caspersen Beach, Venice, FL
Venice, Florida is known widely as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World. According to Visit Sarasota, the history of the large amounts of shark teeth in the area dates back to 10 million years ago when Florida was completely submerged under water. The water slowly receded, and Florida began to exist, but all those sharks that were in that water for thousands of years left their teeth behind in the sandy bottom that became Florida. The Venice coastal area sits on top of a fossil layer that runs 18-35 feet deep. With its well-known shark tooth status, Venice can hardly be called a secret. That’s where Caspersen Beach comes in. A few miles south of Venice Beach, Caspersen has a plentiful supply of sharks teeth without the large crowds. This picturesque beach boasts beautiful boulders along certain parts of the shoreline, which is a perfect hiding place for those little shark teeth. On your drive to Caspersen, swing by Sharky’s on the Pier to rent a shark tooth sifter tool for a mere $7. It will make your tooth hunting a hundred times easier and save your back to boot!
Website: https://www.visitsarasota.com/parks/caspersen-beach-park
#8 – Downtown St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL
Known as the Sunshine City, St. Petersburg, FL has a reputation for being a retiree’s dream city. However, the city scene is really anything but elderly. A cultural destination, St. Pete has really transformed in recent years to an arts and culture town featuring fun local festivals, a glittering nightlife and world-class restaurants. The city is also home to some renowned museums including the Salvador Dali Museum, the Chihuly Collection featuring Dave Chihuly’s incredible blown glass creations, and the Museum of Fine Arts. The city is adorned with beautiful murals, along with countless sidewalk cafes, art galleries, boutiques and collectors’ stores that call to shoppers and browsers alike. Plus, with a short drive, visitors can head to Ft. DeSoto Park, a gorgeous beach destination with snowy white sand and multiple fishing piers. At Ft. DeSoto, visitors can rent bikes, including eight passenger surrey bikes, canoes and kayaks, and even a fishing pole or two, or they can explore the historic fort and museum, which was an active army post in the late 1800s and early 1900s. All in all, this sleepy little city is anything but tired, and is a worthy inclusion on this top 10 list.
#7 – Thai Buddhist Temple’s Sunday Market and Brunch, Tampa, FL
Just outside of downtown Tampa is a Thai Buddhist temple located on the Palm River called Wat Tampa. This breathtaking temple is home to a weekly community event that is so special we couldn’t help but add it to this list – the Sunday Market and Brunch . Every Sunday for the past 30 years, the Buddhists at Wat Tampa have been opening their doors and inviting community members and visitors inside for traditional thai cuisine and a fantastic marketplace experience. With hundreds of visitors and dozens of vendors, lines for their authentic thai dishes are long and worth the wait. Papaya with sweet, sticky rice, fried bananas, pumpkin and massaman curry, pad thai, spring rolls, and egg rolls are just a few of the amazing foods for sale. Everything is very reasonably priced, as well, as we fed a family of four and spent less than $20 doing it. A separate flower market sells a huge array of orchids, along with some fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, and the entire event is set under a canopy of ancient oak trees along the picturesque Palm River. The authenticity of this incredible cultural experience combined with the delicious food and amazing environment make this a must-see for Floridians and visitors alike.
Website: http://www.wattampainenglish.com/wat-tampa/activities/sunday-market.html
#6 – Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Micanopy, FL
Who knew that Florida had wild bison, horses and gators just roaming around. Ok, so yes, you knew about the gators, and maybe you knew about the horses, but bison? Well, believe it or not, it’s true. Just outside of Gainesville, in a small town called Micanopy, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is home to more than 21,000 acres of what looks like an African Savannah, but instead of lions and tigers, there are wild horses and bison wandering through the wilderness.
Typically the area tends to be quite dry, as most of the water drains to a nearby sinkhole called the Alachua Sink, but during our visit, the area was still recovering from hurricanes that occurred nearly 8 months earlier, so the land was quite marshy and there was a large number of alligators basking in the sun. On our visit we saw a huge variety of wildlife including wild hogs, birds, snakes… we even caught a bird eating a snake. For lunch, we visited a locally owned deli in downtown Micanopy, a quaint little town whose big claim to fame is that the 1990s movie “Doc Hollywood,” featuring Michael J. Fox was film there, but Gainesville is right up the road, if you are interested in a wider array of dining options.
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Paynes-Prairie
#5: Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, FL
The epitome of peacefulness, Bok Tower Gardens is the perfect destination if you really need some tranquility and natural beauty. Only about an hour outside of the Walt Disney World Resort area, Bok Tower is home to The Singing Tower, a 205-foot neo-Gothic and art deco tower with a giant carillon (a set of bells played by a keyboard) inside. The tower sings at 1 and 3 p.m. every day and is surrounding by the most beautiful expanse of gardens in all of Florida. According to Bok Tower’s website, the meandering, historic landscape garden was designed to be a contemplative and informal woodland setting offering a series of romantic recesses and tranquil resting spots, picturesque vistas and breathtaking views of the Singing Tower. And boy does it deliver. By far the most soothing of all our destinations, Bok Tower is one of our top picks for those moments when tranquility is the priority.
Website: https://boktowergardens.org
#4 – Everglades Safari Park, Miami, FL
I know what your thinking. The Everglades? This is not a secret place that only Floridians know about! True. But the purpose of number 4 is not to tell you about the Everglades, but how to best see the everglades with the least amount of tourists! Our recommendation is Everglades Safari Park in Miami. A privately owned tour company, the Safari Park is perfect for seeing unspoiled Florida Everglades without the long lines or crowded boardwalks at the National Park. And, if it makes you feel any better, Everglades Safari Park is an authorized Everglades National Park concessionaire, so this place is approved by the National Park itself! During our airboat tour, we saw a ton of wildlife, including alligators, snakes, birds and more. After your airboat tour, you can enjoy a wildlife show or venture down various boardwalks and trails. It’s a great way to see this national treasure without the crowds.
Website: http://www.evergladessafaripark.com
#3 – Falling Waters State Park, Chipley, FL
Tall waterfalls are a rarity in the Sunshine State, because the land in Florida is almost exclusively flat. The biggest exception to this rule happens to reside in the panhandle, in a small town called Chipley, Florida, the home of Falling Waters State Park. The little town of Chipley isn’t filled with mountainous anomalies, but rather several large holes. Sinkholes to be more specific. The tallest waterfall in Florida tumbles beautifully into one of these sinkholes. Falling Waters Sink is a 100-foot deep, 20-foot wide cylindrical pit that features a lovely 73-foot-tall cascading waterfall. Unbelievably, the final destination of all that water is unknown. The park itself has many other wonderful features, as well, including a lake with a swimming area (just be aware that all freshwater in Florida probably has an alligator in it somewhere), a beautiful butterfly garden, boardwalks and hiking trails, not to mention a great playground for the kiddos. The waterfall is the real show stealer here, though, and it’s definitely worth the visit.
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Falling-Waters
#2 – Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL
Right up the road from Chipley is another little town called Marianna, Florida. While it’s true the Sunshine State is not known for its waterfalls, it’s also true that it isn’t known for its underground cave systems either, at least not dry ones… mostly because the state is typically only a couple of feet above sea level most of the time. But as we have learned, there are exceptions to every rule and Florida Caverns State Park is one of those exceptions. As visitors enter the park, they will notice a small monument erected to the memory of the Civilian Conservation Workers (AKA the CCC workers) and the Works Projects Administration. Both groups came from President Roosevelt’s New Deal, in hopes of providing more jobs to men during the Great Depression, and were instrumental in the development of this state park. Cave tours are available for sign up at the visitor center and are a truly breathtaking sight. The first thing you will notice as you enter the cave is that the temperature will drop about 10 degrees during the summer and raise about 10 degrees when it is winter. Gorgeous stalactites, stalagmites and other cave-drip formations were made through the dissolving process of naturally occurring acidic rainwater. The highlight of this incredible sight, though, is a beautiful cave pool about 3-4 inches deep – it is truly an amazing visual with its utter stillness and tranquility.
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Florida-Caverns
#1 – Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring, Williston, FL
Of all the incredibly cool destinations on this list, Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring easily snagged the number one spot. Aptly named for the steam that escapes the hole at the top of the cave on cold winter days, this underground spring is a balmy 72-77 degrees year-round. Devil’s Den is what’s known as a dry cave, but in reality, it’s only half dry! Inside the Den is crystal clear, turquoise blue water, a variety of fish, turtles, plus a really nice spot to snorkel and scuba dive. For about $15, visitors can explore the den for up to 2 hours. Afterward, there are picnic tables spread out across the grounds for the visitors’ enjoyment, along with lawn games, grills, cabanas and pavillions. It would be easy to make a this a day-long, fun-filled visit.
Website: http://www.devilsden.com
And that rounds out our list of Top 10 Amazing Destinations that Floridians Don’t Want You to Know About. Thanks for watching. Leave a message in the comments with your favorite non-touristy destinations. Or if you think we missed a good one, let us know that too. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel before you go, and be sure to like and share with your friends as well. Thanks again!
