A Fantastic Florida trip !

Summer break is right around the corner and we've got a week at the beach on our minds!  If you missed your summer vacation last year, due to COVID, maybe you are feeling the same!  

While we LOVE our Disney fix -- this month we've rounded up some of our favorite resorts in Florida, aside from Walt Disney World.

From the Panhandle, all the way down both coasts, to the Keys...we have so many great options!  ​

Panhandle

The Henderson

​Where to Stay:
The Henderson - Destin: Located on some of the best beaches in the US, this resort offers 4 restaurants, 2 pools, and lots of activities.
Watercolor Inn - Santa Rosa Beach: a family friendly boutique resort on sugar sand beaches, offering 3 restaurants and 5 pools.
What to Do:
National Naval Aviation Museum - one of the most visited museums in Florida.  Features 150 restored aircraft.
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park - one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, this is a hotspot for manatees!
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park - historic aquarium with a variety of aquatic animals
Florida Caverns State Park - one of the most unique parks in Florida.  Find limestone stalagmites and stalactites here which are millions of years old!

Watercolor Inn

Gulf Coast

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point

Where to Stay:
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point - Bonita Springs: Award-winning tropical resort near Naples, Florida with 5 water slides, 4 refreshing pools, a lazy river, and a secluded private island. 
JW Marriott - Marco Island: Situated along three miles of private beach, this resort offers 12 restaurants, 3 pools, and lots of family activities.
What to Do:
Busch Gardens - offering some of Florida's best thrill rides and is also home to more than 200 species of animals.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park - an enchanting spring which offers kayaking, canoeing, a water park, and the legendary live mermaid show.
Crystal River - the only place in North America where you can legally swim with manatees.  
Sanibel Island - a unique barrier island which has made it to be known as the shelling capital of the world!

JW Marriott Marco Island

Atlantic Ocean

Acqualina Resort

​Where to Stay:
Acqualina - Miami: Where the charm of a Mediterranean villa meets a luxury seaside escape - offering 3 restaurants and 3 pools
The Breakers - Palm Beach: Known for its seaside glamour and world-class service, this oceanfront resort offers 9 restaurants and 4 pools
What to Do:
Kennedy Space Center - train like an astronaut, see the Space Shuttle Atlantis and a Mars Rover, and so much more!
Sawgrass Recreation Park - board an airboat to see the wild side of Florida
Venetian Pool - Perhaps the world's most beautiful public pool!  Reconstructed from an abandoned rock quarry and opened since 1924.
Everglades National Park - 1.5 million acres of wetland offering boating, biking, hiking, and wildlife viewing

The Breakers Hotel

The Keys

Hawks Cay Resort

Where to Stay:
Hawks Cay - Duck Key: Recently awarded the #1 family resort in America, offering 5 restaurants, 5 pools, and a swimming with dolphin encounter right on site!
Cheeca Lodge - Islamorada: Tropical escape featuring 3 restaurants, 3 pools, and 1,200 feet of palm tree lined private beach!
What to Do:
Key West Conch Tour Train - 75 minute tour with stops near the Ernest Hemingway House, Key West Lighthouse, Southernmost Point, and Mallory Square
Dry Tortugas National Park - located 70 miles from Key West, this park is only accessible by seaplane or boat.  It's a popular snorkeling spot and also home to Fort Jefferson.
Dolphin Research Center- swim with dolphins, watch one of the shows, chat with trainers, or cool off at the spray ground.
Bahia Honda State Park - 400 acres offering snorkeling boat tours, beach equipment rental, concessions, and probably the nicest beach in the Keys

Cheeca Lodge

​Photo credits: Classic Vacations