In 2024, Florida welcomed a record-breaking 143 million visitors, according to Visit Florida. As a native Floridian, I wish I could sit down with each one of these travelers and help them craft a unique Sunshine State itinerary, but that’s just not possible. However, I can share the recurring mistakes I see visitors make on their Florida vacations, how to avoid them, and have a more satisfying trip.

From where to go, how to get around, and even what to pack, these are the most common clichés that you can avoid for your next Florida stay so you make the most of your visit and uncover beautiful and surprising Florida experiences along the way.

Avoid These Misconceptions

Thinking Orlando Is Just Disney World

When I tell people I am from Orlando, they think I’m neighbors with Cinderella’s Castle. The truth is Disney World, and the theme parks as a whole, are just that—a world of their own just south of the City of Orlando. Most Orlando visitors fly into Orlando Airport (MCO) and hop straight in a car bound for the themed attractions, whisking them in the opposite direction from the arts, culture, and cuisine that defines “The City Beautiful.”

But it’s here in Orlando proper that you’ll find creative, bohemian neighborhoods and award-winning restaurants. Hugging Orlando’s city boundaries are storybook towns with Old World character, like Winter Park and Winter Garden.

Underestimating How Big the State Is

Driving the length of Florida, from Jacksonville down to Homestead (the last town at Florida’s southern tip) will take you seven hours or more. Want to go all the way to Key West? Add on another three hours to that journey. Florida is bigger than most visitors envision in their head.

Don’t ping-pong around the state trying to hit all the highlights in one frantic trip. Instead, focus on a single coast or a region. Try 7 to 10 days exploring the Gulf cities of Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Tampa, and you’ll find there’s more than enough to entertain you in this culturally rich midsection of Florida.

Assuming the Keys is Just Key West 

There’s a lot of lore surrounding Key West, and understandably so—it’s well worth a visit. But before you reach Florida’s southernmost point, there’s a long chain of islands you have to drive through, each with its own unique character. It’s here you’ll find underwater state parks to dive, mangrove tunnels to kayak, sea turtle centers to visit, and hundreds of sandy-floored seafood restaurants to stop at for fresh catch. Take your time and road trip slowly down the Keys as you adjust to the pace of the islands.

Thinking You Have to Drive Everywhere

There’s nothing quite like a Florida road trip, and I think everyone should experience the unhurried pleasures of driving down the scenic A1A or the 30A (pro tip: grab a Publix sub sandwich for a roadside picnic—then you’ll really be living like a local). 

But there are other ways to get around Florida if you’re not keen on highway driving. Many visitors don’t know that Florida has many train networks. The Brightline high speed train transports you swiftly between Orlando and Miami, with stops along the way in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and more. Amtrak’s Floridian Line travels from Jacksonville to Miami, rolling through the center of the state with stops in towns like Tampa, Sebring, and Deland. In South Florida, you can commute via the Tri-Rail, and in Central Florida you can avoid the traffic by taking the SunRail.

Underestimating the Weather

Florida’s weather can be extreme if you’re not prepared. For visitors, this lack of preparation can have a big impact on the enjoyment of their vacation. Whether it’s the bugs, the humidity, the afternoon thunderstorms in the summer, or the intensity of the sun, too often I see Florida vacations curtailed because the itinerary didn’t take into account the weather. Here are a few weather-ready tips for working with Florida’s climate, not against it.

• Stay out of the sun during midday. Go to the beach in the morning or evening for the most enjoyable temperature (and fewer crowds).
• Wear bug spray. Between May and October, there will be mosquitos so wear your bug spray of choice if you’re outside to avoid bites. For sand fleas, a tiny critter that nips at ankles on Gulf beaches at dawn and dusk, try essential oil repellents.
• Always be prepared for rain. Florida’s weather can change in an instant. This is especially true in the summer when you can expect sunshine one minute and thunderous downpour the next. It’s nearly impossible to predict when and where there will be a shower, but you can expect the rain to be short-lived. These downpours are usually brief, but you don’t want to be caught in one without an umbrella or poncho.
• Wear sunscreen. Always. Florida’s sun is intense, even in the morning. Start your day by applying sunscreen before ever going outdoors. Don’t forget easily overlooked areas like tops of hands, feet, ears, and the back of your neck. You can always spot a Floridian by their pronounced flip-flop tan.

What You’re Missing Out On

Choosing Only the Beach Instead of Florida’s Freshwater Springs

Don’t get me wrong, Florida’s beaches are incredible—from the award-winning Clearwater Beach to the rocky, limestone outcroppings in Jupiter. But my favorite Florida shores are inland, at the gin-clear freshwater springs. The water here is always a steady, crisp 70 to 75 degrees, and has a gentle current that gives the water incredible clarity. Manatees call the springs home in the winter, and in the summer these swimming holes are the place to be to cool off and float long days away in a tube.

Missing Out on the Panhandle

Many visitors think the Panhandle isn’t worth the detour, citing its “too far,” or “too slow.” The sleepy, small coastal towns of the Panhandle have a timeless Old Florida allure not found in many other parts of Florida. The Forgotten Coast and the Emerald Coast are both Panhandle shores, and I recommend a few days spent staying in one of the many historic inns in this region. With wraparound porches, onsite bicycles, and easy access to uncrowded beaches, this is the kind of Florida pace that will leave you recharged, not raddled.

Avoiding the Off Season

Florida’s peak visitation season is winter. But it has a lot of appeal in the shoulder seasons and summer months too. Between May and September, you’ll find the best deals on hotels, accommodation, and restaurants as destinations drop their prices. Cities like Miami and Orlando offer entire months of deals and savings on dining and spas—Miami Spice, Miami Spa Month, and Orlando’s Magical Dining.

Florida also has native fruits and vegetables that come into season during the summer, like mangoes, starfruit, watermelons, and blueberries, and there’s nothing like eating this produce sun-ripened and freshly picked.

Skipping the Inland Attractions

The beaches and coasts of Florida will always be attractive, but there’s a lot to see in Florida’s interior too. From the dark night sky of Kissimmee State Park Preserve to the massive Everglades National Park to the dense pine brush and tucked-away springs of Ocala National Forest, the Florida landscape is wildly diverse. Leave time to wend around inland, stopping at towns like Lakeland, Gainesville, and Tallahassee.