The Largest Cities in Florida

At a staggering 840 square miles, Jacksonville is the most populous city in the state of Florida and the largest by area coverage in the contiguous United States. The city is sprawled along three winding rivers with several sweeping bridges that span their waters. Jacksonville is a city that provides the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation, allowing its residents and visitors to decide just how active they want to be. This city features over 22 miles of pristine beaches, world-class fishing, an extensive park system, historic neighborhoods, delicious craft beer, creative coastal cuisine, and a vibrant nightlife. Travelers looking for an unforgettable trip in a trendy coastal city should look no further than Jacksonville.

Miami is an internationally recognized city that is located on the southeastern tip of the state of Florida. It’s a city filled with beautiful, art-deco structures, sun-kissed beaches, and award-winning cuisine. With its burgeoning arts scene, endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, and blazing nightlife, residents and visitors are sure to always be having the time of their lives. Miami is a city brimming with fun and exciting attractions, including the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, Miami Seaquarium, Miami Beach Botanical Garden, and the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Visitors can enjoy memorable adventures that range from manatee searches off of Virginia Key to sunset strolls along stretches of Mid-Beach.

Tampa is a vibrant city that is located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, surrounded by the shimmering waters of Tampa and Hillsborough Bay. Tampa is a city that features over a century of rich Cuban culture, family-friendly attractions, highly-acclaimed museums and art galleries, and world-class cuisine. Tampa has a wide variety of wonderful attractions for visitors to explore, such as the African-themed Busch Gardens adventure park, Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa Zoo at Lowry Park, Henry B Plant Museum, and Florida Aquarium. The revitalized Riverwalk around the Hillsborough River glitters with scenic green spaces and contemporary architecture. No Tampa trip is complete without a visit to Ybor City – a National Historic Landmark District.

Orlando is a Central Florida city that is home to over a dozen world-renowned theme parks. Some of those theme parks include SeaWorld Orlando, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, and Discovery Cove. Bay Lake is a smaller city that is located approximately 20 miles southeast of Orlando, containing the Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Magic Kingdom Park, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Beyond theme parks, Orlando offers award-winning gastronomy, world-class accommodations, a vibrant museum and performing arts scene, several fantastic nature preserves and botanical gardens, and lovely tree-lined neighborhoods. Visitors will enjoy premier shopping, countless outdoor adventures, and a thrilling nightlife.

Long recognized as a retirement capital and spring-break party town, St. Petersburg has begun forging a new identity as a culturally diverse, Central Florida city. St. Petersburg is situated on a peninsula that juts out between the waters of Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico; connected to the city of Tampa via several sweeping bridges. Visitors can peruse the city’s revitalized historic district, explore the stunning Dali Museum, and check out the awe-inspiring downtown murals. The city has recently spawned several craft breweries, sophisticated restaurants, artsy galleries, and bountiful farmer’s markets. St. Petersburg has several attractions for visitors enjoy, including Sawgrass Lake Park, the Sunken Gardens, and Museum of Fine Arts.

Florida’s sixth-largest city, Hialeah is a bustling city that is part of Miami’s metropolitan area, just northeast of downtown Miami. The city features several green and scenic parks for its residents and visitors to enjoy, including Walker Park, Goodlet Park, Timothy H. Artman Park, Carl F. Slade Park, McDonald Park, and Amelia Earhart Park. Hialeah offers quite a few fun and exciting attractions for visitors to explore, such as the Hialeah Park Racing and Casino, the Leah Arts District, Garden of the Arts, and Bucky Dent Water Park.

Primarily known for being the capital city of Florida, Tallahassee is where cultural center meets college town, performing arts meets politics, and nature meets history. Located in the very northern part of the state, travelers will discover it’s a shorter drive to Atlanta, Georgia, than to Miami, Florida. This city features many outlying attractions and interesting museums that appeal to both nature and history buffs. The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Mission San Luis de Apalachee, Cascades Park, Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, and St. Marks Lighthouse, should all be added to the itinerary of anyone wanting a feel for Tallahassee.

Less than an hour’s drive north of Palm Beach, Florida, Port St. Lucie is a thriving urban area that is located in the center of Florida’s Treasure Coast. Visitors will have the chance to partake in everything from hiking through environmental preserves to paddling down gentle rivers to taking in an MLB Spring Training game to riding horses along pristine beaches. The city provides a wide variety of dining and shopping opportunities for visitors to take advantage of. Port St. Lucie is also home to a number of popular area attractions, such as the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, Veterans Park at Rivergate, and Oak Hammock Park.

Located in the southeast part of Florida, just north of Miami, Fort Lauderdale is a city famous for its culture, arts, events, and most of all, beautiful beaches. The city boasts quite the international yachting scene, a myriad of Venice-like waterways, top-notch restaurants, and a plethora of spiffy new hotels. Visitors can enjoy everything from premier shopping on Las Olas Boulevard to romantic gondola rides through the city’s complex canal system. Fort Lauderdale features several exciting attractions that most visitors will want to see, including Fort Lauderdale Beach, the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Historic Stranahan House Museum, and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.

Cape Coral is an energetic city that is located on Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast, about two hours south of Tampa. Cape Coral is an appealing destination with its verdant golf courses, abundant family attractions, and renowned Gulf Coast beaches. With over 400 miles of complex canal systems, waters sports, fishing, and boating are among some of the top recreational activities in the area. There are several magnificent parks and preserves within close range of Cape Coral (Video) for visitors to explore, including the Yucca Pens United States Wildlife Management Area, Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve, Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, and the Pine Island Sound Aquatic Preserve.