12 Hidden Getaways in Florida for a Blissful Winter Vacation

America’s sunshine state is a popular destination for winter escapes, but you can still find secret winter getaways in Florida too.

Think miles of pristine, uncrowded beaches, progressive cities, and incredible nature preserves with unique wildlife-watching opportunities.  As the southeastern most state in the U.S., Florida has them all.

Where can you find these hidden gems in Florida?  I teamed up with other pro travelers to come up with this list of the best winter vacation locations in Florida that are not as well-known.

As a Canadian, of course, I wanted to find the best Florida beaches to help stay warm during our cold months.  The list also includes Florida winter vacation spots for nature-lovers, for families or for couples, along with suggestions for places to stay in Florida.  If you’re wondering what to pack for the winter or any time of the year, see this Florida packing list.

Read on for the list of hidden Florida getaways, and start planning your winter escape!

Florida’s Hidden Getaways:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Crystal River
2. St Petersburg
3. Big Cypress National Preserve
4. Sanibel & Captiva Islands
5. South Walton
6. Mount Dora
7. Titusville
8. Caladesi Island State Park
9. Tarpon Springs
10. Anna Maria Island
11. Blowing Rocks Preserve
12. Bahia Honda State Park

1. Crystal River, a unique Florida wildlife experience

From Jenn and Ed Coleman at Coleman Concierge:

Crystal River might not have the name recognition of Disney, but it can be every bit as magical for a winter getaway in Florida. Why? Because when the waters in the Gulf of Mexico drop below 68 degrees, manatees flock to the crystal clear springs of Crystal River, just 1.5 hours drive north of Tampa or west of Orlando. Not just one or two, but over four hundred of these gentle giants come to stay from December through March.

You can watch them from the shore at Three Sisters Springs. You can visit the manatees recovering at Homosassa Springs State Park, but our favorite activity is swimming with manatees. The Florida Wildlife Commission has been utilizing these manatees encounters to help educate the public about manatees.  You’ll learn how to take care of the manatees while experiencing some of the cutest animals around.

Make it a weekend getaway and see the mermaid show at Weeki Wachee, explore the Rainbow River, eat fabulous seafood on the waterfront, or simply take in the charm of small-town Florida. You’ll be glad you came, and even happier that you stayed.

Book your Crystal River swim with manatees here.

2. St. Petersburg, a Florida vacation spot for art & food lovers

From Ayngelina Brogan at Bacon is Magic

While Tampa deservedly gets lots of attention for being a fantastic city to visit in Florida, not many people know about its neighbour, St.Petersburg.

This city was once known as ‘God’s Waiting Room’ as nothing was happening here. But it is quietly becoming very popular with outsiders looking to live in a great small city. 

Sometimes called the “new Portland”, it has all the art, culture and entrepreneurship of Portland Oregon, but without the grey skies.  In fact, St.Petersburg has a whopping 361 days of sunshine each year – there are only 4 days a year without sunshine!

One of the more progressive cities in Florida, it has embraced street art and features it on the backs of most of the buildings downtown, so often the alleys are the most colourful.  St.Petersburg is also home one of the largest Pride parades in Florida and has a thriving LGBT+ community. 

The best restaurants in St.Petersburg are independently owned.  There is a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, but otherwise you don’t find mediocre quality chain restaurants here.  Instead, St.Petersburg has a diverse food community featuring local produce and international flavours. 

St.Petersburg is also home to the Dali Museum, which has the largest collection of Salvador Dali work outside Europe. A newer museum, there are lots of fun activities for kids including a 3D virtual reality experience.

There are lots of great hotels in St.Petersburg but the most grand is the Vinoy Renaissance Hotel, which is the unofficial hotel for nearly every major sports team that visits.

3. Big Cypress National Preserve, an off-the-beaten path Florida getaway

From From Megan Johnson at Red Around the World:

Big Cypress National Preserve is a great Everglades National Park alternative, especially if you want to avoid the crazy crowds of peak season. Big Cypress covers most of South Florida that isn’t part of the Everglades or 10,000 Islands. This is a must-visit on any South Florida road trip. Big Cypress is a great place to camp so you can easily explore all it has to offer. But don’t worry, if camping isn’t your thing, you can always stay in Everglades City.

Make sure you stop at both visitor centres and look for gators in the water out front (or back). Then walk all the boardwalks and admire the cypress strands. The boardwalks are easy walks and pretty short. If you want to get off your feet and onto the water, rent a kayak and do some paddling trails to get up close and personal with the flora and fauna.

Big Cypress is great for spotting wildlife, too, and not just gators. You can see tons of birds, armadillos, bears, manatees (in the right area), the elusive Florida panther, and maybe even a Skunk Ape, Florida’s version of Bigfoot.

4. Sanibel & Captiva Islands, a hidden Florida getaway for nature lovers

Located in southwest Florida off the coast of Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva are barrier islands, created by nature to protect the mainland from the elements with their palm and mangrove trees. Their gorgeous white sand beaches are consistently ranked among the finest in the world, lined with picturesque sea grape and sea oats that lend themselves to striking sunrise/sunset photography. Sanibel is also widely considered the number one shelling beach in the world, lending itself to a position commonly known as the “Sanibel stoop.”

Warm even in winter months, these islands are a haven for nature/wildlife lovers: Popular things to do in Sanibel and Captiva include exploring the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, dolphin-watching tours with Captiva Cruises, kayaking Tarpon Bay, and visiting the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.

5. South Walton, a family beach vacation spot in Florida

From Priya Vin from Outside Suburbia:

South Walton and the beaches of 30A is our secret winter getaway in Florida.  The area is home to many small beach communities which is popular among families in summer and fall as well.  It includes sweet and colorful coastal communities like Inlet Beach, Rosemary Beach, Seacrest, Alys Beach, WaterSound, Seagrove, Seaside and WaterColor among others.

If you are looking for a beach getaway with sugar-white sand and emerald waters, South Walton is just the place. Located in the northwest Florida panhandle, which is known as the Emerald Coast, there are 26 miles of beautiful sandy beaches here. The light pollution is so low, we saw the milky way one night from the beach. There are very few hotels in the area, but you can rent nice beach houses, in different budgets. It’s perfect for a family trip or a beach trip with a group of friends.  You can enjoy lazy days in the beach house relaxing with cocktails by the pool, bike to the different beach communities and see some amazing South Walton sunsets.

6. Mount Dora, a small-town winter getaway in Florida

From Jillian Michelle of Adventure Dragon:

Mount Dora is a lesser-known vacation spot in Florida, located on a lake just half an hour from Orlando.  It’s known for its small town charm and festive spirit, so it’s the perfect spot for a secret winter getaway in Florida.

The town holds so many celebrations that it’s often referred to as “Festival City.” During the winter, Mount Dora hosts at least ten annual celebrations, including a Christmas Walk, a Christmas Parade, an additional Christmas Boat Parade, and Light Up Mount Dora — a designated day when the whole town turns on Christmas lights in unison to celebrate the arrival of the holiday season.

The weather is warm enough during December to take a stroll by the town’s iconic Lake Dora. While you’re there, snap a memorable photo in front of the red and white, candy-striped lighthouse.  It’s one of only three freshwater lighthouses in Florida and is just the right color to provide a backdrop for a holiday setting. You can even pretend it’s a candy cane! There are almost endless things to do in Mount Dora, Florida, and there’s a variety of restaurants to suit every palate.  While you’re there, you can even stay in the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state of Florida–the historic Lakeside Inn! I highly recommend this cozy town for your next Florida winter trip!

7. Titusville, a Florida beach vacation away from the crowds

From Vicky Sosa of Buddy The Traveling Monkey:

For a winter getaway in Florida, we recommend the city of Titusville on Florida’s Space Coast. It’s a small city, compared to cities like Orlando and Miami, but there is still plenty to do in Titusville.  Kennedy Space Center is nearby as well as other interesting museums (Get skip-the-line tickets for the Kennedy Space Center here.)  Of course, if you’d like to spend a day at a theme park, you can easily make the drive as Orlando is only 45 minutes away.

If you’d prefer more of a natural scene, we highly recommend visiting one of Titusville’s many parks or heading across the Indian River to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where you can see and learn about the area’s local flora and fauna. The beaches in Titusville are also pristine and not nearly as crowded as many other popular Florida beaches.

Do you like seafood? Titusville has great places to eat where you can enjoy seafood that’s been caught that same morning. We recommend visiting Pier 220, as they have delicious food and great views of the water. You definitely won’t be disappointed if you spend your winter in Titusville!

8. Caladesi Island State Park, a secluded Florida getaway

From Ashley Hubbard of Wild Hearted:

If you want to catch a different glimpse into Florida, head to Caladesi Island State Park. At Caladesi Island you’ll find fewer crowds due to harder access, plenty of outdoor activities aside from the beach, more seashells than you could ever imagine, and wildlife sightings including dolphins, tortoises, snakes, birds, and more. It’s entirely probable to walk around the island via trails and see no one and you can easily find your own stretch of beach with no one around. Not an easy feat in Florida!

There are a few important things to know about Caladesi Island. You can only access the island by ferry, walking, kayak, or private boat. In order to use the ferry, you must first enter Honeymoon Island State Park ($8 per car) and purchase your ferry ticket ($14 per person). Once on the island, you only get 4 hours before having to return via ferry so use your time wisely, take plenty of bug spray for the trails, and reef-safe sunscreen.

9. Tarpon Springs, a perfect Florida weekend getaway

Photo by Ketki Sharangpani from Dotted Globe

From Ketki Sharangpani of Dotted Globe:

Tarpon Springs on the Gulf Coast is our favorite under-rated winter escape in Florida. It is located about an hour away from Tampa and makes for the perfect weekend getaway.

10. Anna Maria Island, a Florida vacation spot for relaxing