Over 130 million visitors came flocking to vacation in Florida in 2019. Florida has broken records year on year and has seen a huge increase in visitor numbers in the last several years.
So what makes Florida such a magnet? And Central Florida in particular?
9 Reasons to Vacation in Florida
Drum roll please….
1) Everyone is Jealous of Our Weather
Winters are the envy of those living in the blizzards up North. Warm sunny days and gentle breezy evenings. Summers are hot, hot, hot. sizzling hot.
But there’s so many ways to cool down. And air conditioning comes as standard.
Everyone knows a little vitamin D is food for body and soul. Even in the midst of winter, daytime temperatures only rarely get below the 60s and 70s. The winter months are a great time to take a vacation in Florida.
Florida even has the accolade of being the first place to make commercialized suntan lotion. Back in the 40’s Benjamin Green, a pharmacist in Miami, mixed veterinary petroleum with coconut oil and other ingredients and tested it out on his bald head. Today we know that lotion as Coppertone.
Please keep it a secret, but Florida has rain in the summer.
Every. Single. Day.
Florida isn’t called the Sunshine State because of threatening black clouds floating overhead that open up without warning to drench the ponchos and umbrellas below.
But that’s wha we have! However, the showers don’t last long, you can almost set your watch by them, and it’s still gloriously warm and the sidewalks dry in seconds.
And clouds bring spectacular sunsets!
The rains are caused by intense heat building up over the Everglades, which result in regular afternoon showers in the summer.
Splash in the puddles and play while you can. Flip flops optional. And there’s lots of things to do in the rain anyway.
2) Vacation in Florida for Out of This World Theme Parks
For the first time ever, Orlando surpassed New York when it was revealed as the most visited in the USA in 2014. It has maintained position as the number 1 tourist destination in the USA ever since.
Orlando really is the theme park capital of the world and no other location comes close. If theme parks is your thing, a vacation in Florida is the absolute perfect choice.
Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom are the 4 main ingredients of the Walt Disney World success story.
Harry Potter is waving his wand to challenge the might of the Mouse at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
LEGOLand has blossomed into a kid’s block building paradise. SeaWorld is the place to be for thrills and animal encounters and you can swim with Dolphins at Discovery Cove.
There are literally thousands of attractions in Orlando to suit every age, every thrill seeker and every budget.
And let’s not forget the Water Parks. The perfect place to cool down on a hot winters day.
3) More Surf n Sand than Any Other State
With almost 700 miles of beach, it should come as no surprise that Florida is blessed with an overwhelming array sandy shores.
Florida has family-friendly beaches, quaint coastal towns, remote hidden island get-aways, party-focused beaches, big city beaches and shelling shores.
Children making sandcastles on the beach become totally oblivious to Mickey, Minnie and Harry.
And if you’re visiting Central Florida, there are plenty of beaches within easy reach of Orlando.
If you love beaches and hanging out at the coast, a vacation in Florida is hands down the best!
4) Vacation in Florida for Lots of SPACE
Florida was the perfect choice for Kennedy Space Center.
The location close to the equator gives rockets the opportunity to take advantage of the Earth’s velocity when heading east for Orbit.
The Space Industry represents over $4 billion of Florida’s economy and provided employees with an average wage of $67,000.
The space shuttle program may have retired, but the rocket launches are just as awesome to watch. The Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex celebrates the epic story of the US Space Program. There are astronaut encounters, tons of entertaining and educational things to explore, take a bus tour of the launch sites or a guided tour of the rocket garden.
You can even get up close and personal with a theatre recreation of the Apollo Launch. There are even a couple of movies in the I-Max Theater.
Check out Scheduled Rocket Launches.
Experience the thrill of a rocket launch when you vacation in Florida!
5) Major League Retail Therapy
From Gucci bags to flip-flops and flea markets, there’s some serious shopping going on all over Florida.
With over 50 million square feet of retail shopping in Orlando, places like The Florida Mall, Mall of Millenia and Prime Outlets are an absolute must for any would-be shopaholic.
And when you are exhausted to the point of submission, there are plenty of shoe shops with a promise of a seat to try shoes on.
As many of the shoppers are visitors and one-off visitors, competition is fierce in the outlets so prices are often rock bottom.
Orlando really is a shopper’s paradise.
6) Vacation in Florida for Foodie Heaven
From hidden local gems to celebrity chefs and dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, Orlando’s booming dining scene is hard to match.
With over 5000 dining establishments in and around the area, you’ll never run out of choice.
Where else can you eat your way around the world in one day? Epcot International Food & Wine Festival from July to November and The International Flower & Garden Festival from March to July provide just that.
And where else can you have breakfast with Mickey Mouse? Dinner with Prince Charming? Lunch with sharks and Shamu? Or dine with an astronaut?
And then of course we have the outdoor dining scene.
Nothing beats dinner al fresco under the stars on a balmy evening. Or kicking back over lunch looking over shimmering sun-kissed waters.
You can do that when you vacation in Florida all year-long.
From local haunts on your doorstep to world-class cuisine, Orlando is serious foodie paradise.
Psssst! Whatever you do, don’t forget to try Florida’s famous Key Lime Pie. The dessert to die for.
7) Thrive Outdoors with Sports & Adventures
With over 2000 lakes and 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways, it’s only natural that Florida would be home to so many water activities.
Take an airboat ride, a paddleboard, a jet-ski or kayak tour.
Get up close and personal with a gator, manatee or dolphin.
Float down a natural lazy river, swim in a real spring.
On dry land, the activities are endless too.
With virtually everyone’s granny and gramps making Florida their home, you could be forgiven for thinking that playing chess was the most energetic sport on dry land.
Not so. Soccer has a professional team in Orlando that is attracting record-breaking crowds.
Football, baseball and basketball are all well represented and it would be difficult to imagine a State that caters more for golfers. Thousands flock to Florida to play on our many golf courses.
We have air-borne activities aplenty too. Take a helicopter tour, a hot air balloon, go hang gliding, sky diving or even learn to be a fighter pilot.
Land, sea and air, a vacation in Florida is packed with adventure.
8) Florida has Oodles of History
Native American’s have inhabited Florida’s peninsular for 14,000 years.
St Augustine is America’s oldest continuously occupied settlement with the arrival of Europeans in 1513. Juan Ponce de Leon from Spain named it “Pascua Florida” or Feast of Flowers.
St Augustine just oozes history from every corner and cobblestone. Quirky shops and elegant galleries sit in harmony with the fascinating fort.
The City is a must-see for anybody interested in culture and history.
And the icing on the cake has to be the Fountain of Youth where a drink of the clear cold water could make you young forever.
Or just quench your thirst.
9) A Vacation in Florida is Brimming with Beauty
Florida has been wowing visitors with natural beauty since the 1800’s.
Way before the Mouse was even a faint squeak. In fact De Leon Springs State Park was one of the early ‘theme parks’.
Florida is blessed with hundreds of miles of beaches, over 900 freshwater springs and more than 11 million acres of natural wetland.
And of course, the national treasure that is the Florida Everglades.
Closer to home, the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve has over 54,000 acres of dry prairie and protects endangered animal and plant species and an abundance natural wildlife.
Disney is no slouch when it comes to nature either. The Disney Wilderness Preserve is an essential part of the Everglades ecosystem and contains 3,500 acres of restored wetlands.
Natural beauty abounds throughout Florida and there are 174 award-winning national parks: Florida State Parks
Explore all that natural beauty on a relaxing vacation in Florida.
Florida is not just for a vacation. It is for discovery and memories.
130 million people can’t be wrong!
If you are looking for a super cozy place to stay during your Orlando family vacation, we would love to welcome you to one of our vacation homes near Disney.
- 3 Bedroom Resort Home – Sleeps up to 6-8 from $200 a night
- 5 Bedroom Pool Home – Sleeps up to 12 from $360 a night
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