The 12 Best Places to Visit in Florida, According to a Lifelong Resident

Florida is where the U.S. goes on vacation, but deciding exactly which places to visit can be a challenge. While the Sunshine State is known for its year-round warm weather and miles of beaches, there's so much more to see and do, from the famous theme parks to culture-rich cities and destinations for nature lovers. As a fourth-generation Floridian, here's my take on the best places to visit: Well-known favorites like the Florida Keys and Miami are certainly worth the hype, but there are also slower paced, local-loved gems, such as Amelia Island and Crystal River.

• Best tourist destination: Florida Keys
• Underrated hidden gem: Crystal River
• Best for families: Orlando and Central Florida
• Best for couples: Naples
• Best for solo travelers: Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Read on for the rest of my recommendations to inspire your next Florida trip.

Florida Keys

Stretching from Key Largo to the southernmost point of the continental U.S. in Key West, the Florida Keys are a veritable paradise. Pick any Key along the way and you're guaranteed a tropical getaway with no need for a passport. Fill your itinerary with activities like boating, diving, fishing, snorkeling coral reefs, feeding 10-foot tarpon at Robbie's, and generally enjoying one of the best destinations in the world for a let-your-hair-down vacation.

Key Largo boasts the adults-only Bungalows Key Largo, the first all-inclusive in the Keys, while Playa Largo is a solid choice for families or anyone who loves an action-packed trip. There are pools and water sports like sailing, parasailing, and kayaking.

For the best seafood in the Keys (and house-made Key lime pie), book a table at The Fish House. The family-owned Key Largo institution is one of the only restaurants sourcing exclusively from local fishermen, so the fish is as fresh as it gets.

Crystal River

Crystal River is a sleepy, tucked-away destination on Florida's Gulf Coast. It doesn't have much to offer in terms of food or nightlife, but it's home to the most striking natural beauty of Florida, especially for those who love being on the water.

A clear kayak tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking is the perfect way to explore Hunter Springs, Jurassic Springs, and Three Sisters Springs. You may spot dolphins, turtles, or pelicans, and wintertime visitors even have a good chance of paddling alongside the manatees who migrate into these enchanting springs each year. The nearby Plantation Resort on Crystal River offers simple, no-frills waterfront accommodations spread across 232 acres on Kings Bay.

For an even more delightfully Floridian vacation activity, head to one of the legendary live mermaid shows at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, about a 40-minute drive south of Crystal River.

Orlando and Central Florida

Orlando is the destination of choice for theme park lovers, as it's home to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, Discovery Cove, Legoland, and more. These spots will always be popular for families — while you're there, get out and explore more of the region.

For example, head due east from Orlando and you'll land at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, which offers a slew of space-travel artifacts and simulators in its visitor complex. You can even watch rocket launches. To the north, quieter Winter Park is considered the Palm Beach of central Florida. There, you can enjoy lakeside sunsets and stroll under canopies of old oak trees. Eat breakfast at Briarpatch and dinner at Hillstone Restaurant.

There are also plenty of ways to get outside once you've left tourist-centric Orlando. About a 90-minute drive from the Orlando area but still in central Florida, you've got the Blue Grotto, a 100-foot-deep clearwater cavern that's popular with divers, and also the nearby Rainbow Springs State Park, where you can lazily float down Rainbow River in an inner tube.

Naples

Naples is another gem on Florida's western coast — the area is called the Paradise Coast for a reason. Romantic and ritzy, The city is known for beautiful white-sand beaches, sprawling golf courses, high-end restaurants, and upscale shopping.

If retail therapy is on the agenda (and it should be in Naples), head to Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South to put a dent in your credit limit. Or, if natural attractions are more your speed, visit the Naples Botanical Garden, Clam Pass Park, or the Naples Zoo. Art lovers will also find a lot to enjoy at Artis — Naples, a multidisciplinary organization home to The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, plus the many impressive art galleries dotting the city.

Miami and Fort Lauderdale

No place in Florida sizzles quite like Miami. It's a global city with great eats, world-class hotels, and party venues. In the uber-Instagrammable Art Deco District in South Beach, you'll find bubbling creativity and the sort of old-meets-new style that keeps Miami on the map. Across Biscayne Bay, Wynwood Walls has street art and massive murals galore.

The Brightline high-speed train connects Miami to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. In the seaside metropolis of Fort Lauderdale, you can work your way down the Ale Trail for craft brews and bites, or board the Water Taxi to get a sense of why people call the city the "Venice of America." Hop off the boat at Las Olas Boulevard for the city's best shopping and dining.

August is by far the best time to have an indulgent five-star experience. With the overlap of Miami Spa Months and Miami Spice Restaurant Months, you get a chance to book ultra-luxe spa treatments and dine at the city's best restaurants for a fraction of the usual price.

The Palm Beaches

The Palm Beaches showcase the best of Florida. An umbrella term for the cities of Palm Beach County, the region includes West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Wellington, Delray Beach, Jupiter, and Boca Raton.

The sheer diversity of activities available in the area is its main strength: You can shop, surf, scuba dive, enjoy brunch with your pup, watch an international polo match, or relax on 47 miles of shoreline. How about meeting rehabilitating sea turtles at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, or taking a two-night cruise to the Bahamas? You can even catch a Broadway musical at the Kravis Center or get up close and personal with rhinos, giraffes, and zebras at Lion Country Safari, a cage-free, drive-through zoo spread over 300 acres.

If you're after a ritzy resort stay, Palm Beach and Boca Raton have you covered. Nothing beats The Breakers — you'll be treated like royalty — but The Colony Hotel, Eau Palm Beach, and The Boca Raton are all chic choices.

Across the bridge, West Palm Beach has a big-city feel without the headaches of traffic and congestion. Take the free trolley between Clematis Street, CityPlace, and the waterfront, or head out to Grandview Public Market in the trendy Warehouse District.

Guests of the Hilton West Palm Beach get to enjoy Galley, a restaurant with tasty cocktails, fresh seafood, and gourmet pizzas, while those staying at The Ben West Palm and Canopy by Hilton West Palm Beach Downtown have access to rooftops with stellar views.

St. Augustine

As the oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S., St. Augustine has had a lot of time to get things right. After Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León's arrival in 1513, a European settlement was established in the mid-1500s. Today, it's a walkable town imbued with intrigue; whispers of the past swirl through every cobblestone alley.

You can get a feel for St. Augustine's colonial history at the imposing waterfront Castillo de San Marcos, built in the late 1600s, or on a ghost tour once darkness envelops the city. When it comes to food and drink, try Michael's, The Floridian, or O.C. White's. Finish the evening with a cocktail at Ice Plant before heading to your hotel.

For the perfect marriage of history and luxury, book a stay at the adults-only Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens, where you can tour the grounds with the property historian and gather for expertly crafted cocktails at The Well Bar. For a taste of old-world elegance, St. Francis Inn — built in 1791 — is a homey bed-and-breakfast that captures the spirit of the city. It's located right on St. George Street, St. Augustine's main drag.

One of the loveliest times to visit is during the holidays, when the annual Nights of Lights event sets the city aglow.

Amelia Island

Quiet little Amelia Island is popular with visitors who appreciate a charming seaside destination with no crowds in sight. Rolling dunes and marshes add interest to the coastal scenery. There are beaches, of course, but nature lovers will also want to check out Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and Fort Clinch State Park, home to the 19th-century Fort Clinch plus nature trails, campgrounds, and wildlife.

Another of the island's attractions is the oldest lighthouse in Florida, standing 64 feet tall. Charming beachfront lodges and inns line Amelia Island, so visitors have their pick of endearing accommodations. Head to historic downtown Fernandina Beach to shop or chow down at the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, an annual tradition on the first weekend in May.

Tampa Bay Area

Tampa and its surrounding neighborhoods make up a tri-city haven on the Gulf Coast. Ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens, or head over to Clearwater Marine Aquarium for an encounter with the slippery stars of the Dolphin Tale movies.

Nearby Clearwater Beach is a laid-back town with one of the best beaches in Florida. Visit during the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival to see monstrous sand sculptures. Stay at Opal Sands — it's a half-mile beach walk from the festival, and each one of its 230 guest rooms is waterfront. Together with St. Petersburg, the area is also an under-the-radar art and culture mecca, full of murals and museums such as the visually stunning Salvador Dalí museum.

Panhandle

The Florida Panhandle consists of Pensacola, Panama City Beach, Destin, and Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. It's a popular spring break spot known for its calm Gulf waters and white-sand beaches. But beach day alternatives abound: Visitors can hike, bike, or canoe in St. Andrews State Park or start happy hour early at Panama City Beach institutions like the delightfully over-the-top Pineapple Willy's (don't leave without ordering a po' boy with your frozen drink). In Destin, Big Kahuna's Water & Adventure Park will keep the whole family entertained.

Cedar Key

A peaceful island city with pastel homes, Cedar Key is a charmer. Visitors can expect secluded beaches and botanical gardens to wander, plus nearby natural springs to swim and paddle around in. Cedar Key is a simple spot, so it flies under the Florida tourism radar, but it's a nice place for anyone seeking a vacation that's a bit quieter than the state's more happening hot spots.

Some fun activities in and around Cedar Key include a day trip to nearby Manatee Springs State Park for an up-close animal encounter, especially during the cooler months, or just to bike, kayak, and hike. There's also Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, Cedar Key Museum State Park, and the Cedar Key Historical Society if you want to learn more about the area.

Everglades National Park

A national park trip may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Florida, but the state is full of one-of-a-kind spots and Everglades National Park is its crown jewel.

Encompassing 1.5 million acres of preserved wetlands on the southern tip of the Floridian peninsula, the Everglades is actually a slow-moving "river of grass," comprising unique habitats such as coastal mangroves, sawgrass marshes, pine flatwoods, and more. It's a wildlife lover's paradise, teeming with alligators, snakes, fish, more than 360 species of birds, and even endangered animals like the Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian manatee.

For those eager to explore, trails and guided tours are available; the main entrances are at Shark Valley, Florida City near Homestead, and Everglades City on the Gulf Coast. Visit during the park's dry season (November to April) for lower temperatures, more active wildlife, and fewer mosquitoes.