South Florida holds more than sunshine and skyscrapers. Just beyond the buzz of Miami and the hum of highways, you'll find quiet beaches, tangled mangroves, islands that speak in sea breeze, and trails where the only noise is your breath and the birds. Each of these day trips offered me something I didn’t know I needed ... space to think, to drift, to just be. Whether it was the hush of the Everglades or the slow glow of a Captiva sunset, these escapes reminded me that a change in pace can be just as powerful as a change in place.
Best Day Trips in South Florida:
Palm Beach: Gilded Shores & Flavorful Stories
It started with olive oil and ended with murals. I joined the Taste History Food & Art Tour not knowing what to expect, but by the second stop—sampling sweet plantains and hearing the story of immigrant chefs shaping Delray’s culinary scene—I was hooked. “This isn’t just about eating,” I thought. “It’s about everything that brought the flavors here.”
Palm Beach had always felt opulent to me—white-columned homes behind hedges, Worth Avenue shimmering under bougainvillea—but this tour showed me the roots beneath the glamor. We walked through historic neighborhoods, tucked into family-run cafés, and heard artists explain the story behind their wall-sized works. I tasted empanadas, ginger-chili chicken, and pastelitos while standing just steps from century-old buildings and mosaic storefronts.
What I Loved Most: The moment we stepped into a gallery where a local artist explained the brushstrokes behind a mural of the Glades. Her voice was soft, but her message vivid—history here isn't locked behind velvet ropes, it's painted in full color on street corners.
My highlights? Mid-tour, I sipped a mango iced tea that was cold, tangy, and just sweet enough. It washed down bites of grilled jerk chicken and flaky yuca pastries. Everything smelled of spices and fresh herbs, carried on the warm breeze between stops.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Fort Lauderdale: ~1 hour north
- Vibe: Polished, historic, layered with flavor
- Highlights: Worth Avenue, Palm Beach Lake Trail, Taste History Food & Art Tour, The Breakers, Flagler Museum
- Best Time to Visit: Winter or spring for cooler weather and lively art tours
- Cost: Tour $65–75; advance booking required; beach access is free with paid parking (~$5/hr)
- Hours: Tours begin at 11 a.m. and last 3–4 hours; beaches open daily
Stillness and swamps in Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress didn’t feel like a park. It felt like stepping into something older than language — moss hanging low, water quietly holding reflections of trees, and a stillness that wrapped around my shoulders like dusk. I walked a boardwalk trail at first light and watched mist rising off the swamp as if the earth itself was exhaling. I remember thinking, “This isn’t quiet — it’s a kind of listening.”
What I Loved Most: Catching sight of an alligator half-submerged in the water, unmoving, powerful — like the preserve itself.
My highlights? After the walk, I stopped at Joanie’s Blue Crab Café on the Tamiami Trail. Fried gator tail and a slice of homemade Key lime pie — strange, southern, and perfect. I ate with the doors open and the hum of the swamp in the background.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Miami: ~1.5 hours west
- Vibe: Wild, primal, slow-moving
- Highlights: Scenic drives (Loop Road), boardwalk trails, wildlife viewing, swamp walks
- Best Time to Visit: Winter dry season (Nov–Apr) for clear skies and fewer mosquitoes
- Cost: Free to enter
- Hours: Trails and boardwalks open sunrise to sunset; visitor center 9am–4:30pm
Davie: Rustic Trails & Western Echoes
The scent of hay and saddle leather hit me as I stepped out of the car. In Davie, palm trees gave way to paddocks, and I found myself in a version of Florida that still wore its boots. Horses trotted calmly through Tree Tops Park as bikers waved to joggers, and I thought, “This is the Florida people don’t expect—but should.”
Davie didn’t rush. I wandered through the Flamingo Gardens first, where flamingos stood on one leg like sentinels, and the air buzzed with bees and orchids. Later, I drove past ranch houses and feed stores, and watched a group of kids take riding lessons at a local equestrian center—helmets crooked, ponies patient.
What I Loved Most: Walking the shady boardwalks at Tree Tops Park. The sawgrass whispered as I passed, and the air smelled like pine and wet soil. It felt untouched—almost like a secret held in the middle of suburbia.
My highlights? A hearty lunch at Flashback Diner—the chicken pot pie arrived bubbling hot, the crust golden and buttery. The inside was creamy, with big chunks of vegetables and tender meat, and the smell reminded me of Sunday kitchens. I followed it with a slice of apple pie that was tart, sweet, and cinnamon-rich.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Miami: ~45 minutes north
- Vibe: Western, relaxed, nature-forward
- Highlights: Flamingo Gardens, Tree Tops Park, Bergeron Rodeo Grounds, Old Davie School Historical Museum
- Best Time to Visit: Winter and spring for dry trails and blooming gardens
- Cost: Most parks ~$5–10; gardens ~$22 adult; parking generally free
- Hours: Parks typically open 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; attractions vary
Lazy rivers and warm sands in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs felt like a place that didn’t need to try. It welcomed you with warm water, easy smiles, and a rhythm you didn’t realize you needed. I floated down the Imperial River in a rented kayak, the trees leaning over like they’d been watching this current forever. Later, I walked the beach just as the sun folded itself into the Gulf. I remember thinking, “This is how a day can stretch — not with plans, but with ease.”
What I Loved Most: Hearing ospreys call from overhead while paddling past mangroves and lily pads.
My highlights? Lunch at Wyld’s Café — grilled mahi tacos with pineapple salsa and a cold glass of iced tea. Bright, simple, eaten on the patio with the sound of wind through palms.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Naples or Fort Myers: ~30 minutes
- Vibe: Laid-back, sunny, river-to-shore
- Highlights: Kayaking the Imperial River, Bonita Beach Park, Everglades Wonder Gardens
- Best Time to Visit: Late fall to early spring for mild temps and blue skies
- Cost: Free to visit beaches; kayak rental ~$25–$40
- Hours: Parks open 8am–sunset
Shells and sunsets on Captiva Island
Captiva felt like a whispered secret passed from the Gulf to the shore. The island was slender and sunwashed, dotted with pastel cottages and palms that swayed like they knew the rhythm by heart. I wandered the shell-strewn beach at golden hour, each tide gift glinting like a treasure just for me. I remember thinking, “I haven’t checked the time all day — and I don’t need to.”
What I Loved Most: Watching the sky fade to apricot as pelicans skimmed the waves in synchronized stillness.
My highlights? A beachfront dinner at The Mucky Duck — grilled grouper with lemon butter and a side of hush puppies. I ate with my toes in the sand, the sun a soft flame on the horizon, and the salt air tasting better than any spice.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Fort Myers: ~1.5 hours (with traffic and toll bridge)
- Vibe: Romantic, barefoot, sun-drenched
- Highlights: Shelling beaches, Gulf sunsets, art galleries, kayaking
- Best Time to Visit: Winter and spring for mild temps and clear water
- Cost: $6 toll to Sanibel Causeway; public beach parking ~$5/hr
- Hours: Beach access dawn to dusk; restaurants open 11am–9pm
Romantic Day Trips in South Florida:
Tide and trail at Cayo Costa State Park
Cayo Costa felt like Florida before the noise. Accessible only by boat, it greeted me with sea breeze and silence. The ferry dropped us at the dock, and from there it was footpaths, dunes, and the lull of Gulf waves on untamed sand. I remember thinking, “This is what it feels like when a place trusts you to explore without telling you what to do.”
What I Loved Most: Walking through the maritime hammock to reach the beach — alone, surrounded by whispering palms and the buzz of unseen life.
My highlights? A packed picnic of fresh fruit, crackers, and cheese brought on the ferry. I sat under a palm with my towel and my thoughts, barefoot and sun-drowsy, eating slowly as the waves applauded softly nearby.
Plan your day trip:
- Access: Only by boat or ferry from Pine Island, Captiva, or Bokeelia
- Vibe: Remote, undeveloped, healing
- Highlights: Shelling, swimming, nature trails, untouched shoreline
- Best Time to Visit: Dry season (Dec–Apr) for calm seas and cool breezes
- Cost: Ferry ~$40 round trip; park entrance $2
- Hours: Park open 8am–sunset; ferry times vary
Air, water, and wild stillness in the Everglades
The Everglades felt like Florida unfiltered — no skyline, no soundtrack, just air and water trading places under an open sky. I took a slow walk on the Anhinga Trail, where alligators sunbathed inches from the boardwalk and herons moved like poetry through the reeds. I remember thinking, “This isn’t danger — it’s presence. Everything here knows its place, and for a while, so did I.”
What I Loved Most: Hearing nothing but the rustle of sawgrass and the low bellow of a distant gator — primal, grounding, unforgettable.
My highlights? A stop at Robert Is Here fruit stand on the way back — a passionfruit milkshake so fresh it tasted like sunshine in a glass, surrounded by peacocks and roosters strutting nearby.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Miami: ~1 hour to Homestead entrance
- Vibe: Raw, alive, reverent
- Highlights: Anhinga Trail, Shark Valley, airboat tours, wildlife viewing
- Best Time to Visit: Dry season (Dec–Apr) for wildlife and cooler temps
- Cost: $30 per vehicle for 7-day pass
- Hours: Open 24/7; visitor centers 8am–5pm
Sunlight and style along Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront
Fort Lauderdale shimmered — not in a flashy way, but like a place that had made peace with its beauty. I walked along Las Olas Boulevard beneath palms swaying over boutiques and breezy cafés. The canal boats drifted by, slow and certain, like they were never in a hurry to be anywhere else. I remember thinking, “Here, even movement feels like leisure.”
What I Loved Most: Watching the late sun turn the Intracoastal into molten gold while a jazz trio played in the distance.
My highlights? Lunch at Coconuts on the waterfront — a “Scoobies” garlic crab appetizer, shrimp tacos, and key lime pie with an espresso. Casual elegance in flip-flops and sunglasses.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Miami: ~45 minutes north
- Vibe: Relaxed, stylish, sun-soaked
- Highlights: Las Olas, canal cruises, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Bonnet House Museum
- Best Time to Visit: Fall and spring for fewer crowds and mild heat
- Cost: Free to stroll; museums and cruises $10–$30
- Hours: Shops and attractions 10am–6pm; nightlife after dark
Family Day Trips in South Florida:
Old Florida charm and Gulf breeze in Fort Myers
Fort Myers felt like warmth that lingered — in the air, in the people, in the soft patina of its history. I toured the Edison & Ford Winter Estates under banyan trees that seemed to hold secrets from another century. Time slowed in that kind of place. I remember thinking, “Some places don’t change because they don’t need to — they’ve already found their rhythm.”
What I Loved Most: Standing by the Caloosahatchee River, the wind in my hair, imagining Edison himself walking the same path.
My highlights? Lunch at The Veranda — Southern fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits, served on a shaded patio with a trickling fountain and old Florida charm.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Naples or Bonita Springs: ~45 minutes
- Vibe: Historic, relaxed, sunlit
- Highlights: Edison & Ford Estates, riverwalk, vintage downtown shops
- Best Time to Visit: Winter and early spring for tours and events
- Cost: Edison estate ~$25; parking and walking downtown free
- Hours: Most attractions 9am–5:30pm
Island breezes and ocean stillness in Islamorada
Islamorada didn’t ask for anything. It offered turquoise water, dockside music, and sunsets that slowed your pulse without a word. I watched pelicans dive from a bench at the marina, sipping from a coconut with a tiny paper umbrella. I remember thinking, “This is vacation distilled — no rush, no noise, just salt, sun, and time that drifts like tide.”
What I Loved Most: Wading through the flats at Anne’s Beach, the water barely ankle-deep and shimmering like glass.
My highlights? Fresh snapper sandwich and key lime mojito at Lazy Days Restaurant, toes in the sand, ocean stretching out in every direction. The flavors were bright, clean, and exactly what the day called for.
Plan your day trip:
- Drive Time from Miami: ~1.5 to 2 hours south along scenic US-1
- Vibe: Tropical, tranquil, keys-casual
- Highlights: Beaches, fishing docks, marine parks, laid-back waterfront dining
- Best Time to Visit: Winter to spring for warm, dry weather
- Cost: Free to explore; meals ~$15–30
- Hours: Beach and dock access sunrise to sunset; restaurants 11am–10pm
South Florida Slows You Down — and That’s the Point
What stayed with me after each trip wasn’t the postcard view — it was the pause. The trail that opened into a still marsh. The ocean breeze that held me a little longer. The meal that tasted better because I wasn’t in a hurry. In South Florida, the destinations are beautiful, but the journey is what changes you. Sometimes all it takes is one road out of town to feel like you’ve arrived somewhere entirely new — and more connected to yourself.
More Resources for Exploring South Florida
- Things to Do in Southern Florida – A mix of iconic landmarks and lesser-known gems across the region.
- Things to Do in Deerfield Beach – From boardwalks to water sports, this coastal town offers breezy day-long adventures.
- Southern Florida Beaches – Discover quiet coves, family-friendly shores, and picture-perfect sands.
- Things to Do in Miami – Art, culture, food, and vibrant street energy in one of Florida’s most iconic cities.
Jump to a Spot...
- • Palm Beach: Gilded Shores & Flavorful Stories
- • Stillness and swamps in Big Cypress National Preserve
- • Davie: Rustic Trails & Western Echoes
- • Lazy rivers and warm sands in Bonita Springs
- • Shells and sunsets on Captiva Island
- • Tide and trail at Cayo Costa State Park
- • Air, water, and wild stillness in the Everglades
- • Sunlight and style along Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront
- • Old Florida charm and Gulf breeze in Fort Myers
- • Island breezes and ocean stillness in Islamorada