USA Road Trip: Sun and Fun in Florida

Make your own way to Orlando International Airport and pick up your rental car.

Orlando, synonymous with the magic of Disney and the glitz of Universal Studios, is located in central Florida. Apart from the lure of theme parks, this sprawling city is sought after for its art galleries and museums.

Explore Orlando on Your Own

From theme parks to history to art, you can find it all in Orlando. Spend a few hours or even the whole day at Walt Disney World Resort or Universal Orlando Resort. Enjoy family fun at LEGOLAND Florida Resort or explore the unusual at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Watch a ballet at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts or catch a Shakespeare play at Orlando Shakespeare Theater.

For those interested in history, Orlando has deep ties to the Civil Rights movement. Explore Eatonville, one of the oldest African American municipalities in the United States. Discover the large collection of Hispanic and Latino artefacts at the Orlando Museum of Art, which includes works from the Aztecs of central Mexico and the Inca of Peru.

There’s plenty of birdwatching to be had, with Lake Apopka being a magnet for nesting and migrating birds. Take a guided canoe or kayak tour of Shingle Creek, known as the Headwaters of the Florida Everglades. Bike the 20.8-mile paved West Orange Trail that runs from Winter Garden to Apopka.

Group Special Interest Tour of Kennedy Space Center

Explore the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando on this full day experience. Plan to arrive at the bus embarkation point around 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time. A space expert will then lead you on a bus tour of America’s multi-user spaceport. Visit spaceflight icons such as the Vehicle Assembly Building and historic Launch Complex 39, which was originally built to be the Apollo program's ‘Moonport’. The complex was later modified to fit the Space Shuttle program.

Disembark from the bus to get a closer view and to take photographs. Your bus ride ends at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which you can explore on your own. Gaze up at the Saturn V, the largest rocket ever flown, then watch the first crewed Saturn V mission blast into space from the Firing Room.

Get a look at a real command service module and learn how the astronauts took the lunar rover to the moon. Stop at the ‘Moonscape’ exhibit to watch the scene where Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong planted the American flag on the lunar surface. You can also see how far a golf ball will fly on the moon and practice landing and launching the lunar module.

Visit Walt Disney World’s EPCOT Theme Park (Tickets only)

Spend your day exploring EPCOT Theme Park in Orlando. The park celebrates human achievement and culture, and is divided into four areas known as neighbourhoods. Visit the Mission: Space exhibit and go on a simulated mission to Mars or take a gentle simulated orbit ride around Earth. Spend some time at Spaceship Earth to learn about the history of human communication from the Stone Age to today.

Temporarily join the Marvel Universe as you take part in an intergalactic adventure with the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. Wander over to the Chevrolet Design Center to build your own virtual car and then take it for a spin on a virtual test track. Follow an exploration trail inspired by the Disney film ‘Moana’ that lets you play with water as it travels from the sky to the oceans and back again.

Board a special space elevator to Space 220 Restaurant, where you can enjoy daytime and nighttime views of Earth as if on a space station 220 miles up while you dine. Before leaving the park, browse the flagship Creations Shop for Disney mementos and artwork.

Drive yourself from Orlando, FL to St. Augustine, FL in your rental car. The duration of the trip is about two hours.

St. Augustine lies along the northeast coast of sunny Florida. With its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and cobbled pathways, this city retains something of the charm of its past. The living history museums offer an immersive experience, while the many monuments stand testimony to the region’s rich heritage and culture.

Group Scenic Boat Ride

Set out on a scenic boat ride along Florida’s Atlantic Coast, to view St. Augustine’s historical landmarks and sites. This ancient city, with its architecturally significant structures and gorgeous beaches, is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the United States.

Sail toward the Bridge of Lions that connects the historic downtown to Anastasia Island. This drawbridge, completed in 1927, was built to transport cars across the Intercoastal Waterway. Take in the cityscape as you journey to the Castillo de San Marcos. A designated National Monument, this Spanish waterfront fortress was constructed using native coquina stones.

Navigate to the north end of Anastasia Island, where you’ll find the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum that overlooks Matanzas Bay. The vessel drifts slowly, allowing you to take photos, before heading to The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche. Pass by this Catholic Marian sanctuary and then return to the pier.

Drive yourself from St. Augustine, FL to Crystal River, FL in your rental car. The duration of the trip is about three hours.

Group Swim with Manatees in Kings Bay

Get up close with a Florida manatee on this snorkelling adventure. Kings Bay has the largest concentration of manatees in the world and the government permits the passive observation of these gentle giants. The best time to see the manatees is early morning.

Prior to your tour, watch a ‘manatee manners for swimmers’ video to understand how to behave in the water with these animals. Manatees can be curious and playful but are also sensitive to movement and sound. You will have to wear wet suits and snorkels, and avoid diving as bubbles tend to scare them.

You also can’t get underneath them or pursue them in any way. In other words, you have to let them come to you. On average you will spend your time in about 10 feet of water. Once back on dry land, hot chocolate, coffee and hot showers will be provided.

Drive yourself from Crystal River, FL to Clearwater, FL in your rental car. The duration of the trip is about two hours.

Clearwater is a thriving beach town located west of Tampa, in Florida. It has miles and miles of white sand beaches that entice you to have some fun in the surf. The city also has its share of music, theater, and museums.

Explore Saint Pete / Clearwater on Your Own

Saint Petersburg or Saint Pete and Clearwater are cities on Florida’s Gulf Coast in the Tampa Bay area. With 35 miles of white-sand beaches and lively cultural scene, Saint Pete/Clearwater is the perfect getaway for people of all ages. Begin your exploration in downtown Saint Pete’s Waterfront Arts District, which is home to the Museum of Fine Arts and the world-renowned Salvador Dali Museum.

Nearby, at Morean Arts Center, view legendary glass artist Dale Chihuly’s unique sculptures and participate in a glass-blowing demonstration. Drive to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, teeming with beautiful mammals and multi-coloured fish from the Gulf of Mexico. See dolphins, otters, sharks, eels, clownfish and more.

Next, it’s time to soak up some wonderful Florida sunshine at Pier 60 where you may come across musicians, performers and artists. Time permitting, head to Madeira Beach and its main attraction, John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk, famous for its seafood restaurants.

Drive yourself from Clearwater, FL to Fort Myers, FL in your rental car. You should reach Fort Myers in about two hours.

Fort Myers is the gateway to the Southwest Florida region and its stretch of islands fringed with white-sand beaches. The town has an artsy, youthful vibe, as evidenced by a bustling downtown district peppered with bars, clubs, coffee houses and restaurants. Rich in nature and history, Fort Myers is also known for having hosted Thomas A. Edison. He not only built his home and laboratory on McGregor Boulevard but also convinced his friend Henry Ford to buy the house next door.

Group Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise

Take a guided dolphin watching cruise into the waters of Estero Bay. See bottlenose dolphins, manatees and a variety of seabirds in their natural habitat. Listen to the skipper’s interesting commentary as you watch a pod of dolphins frolicking in the waves of the Gulf of Mexico. Observe them up close as they ride alongside and in the wake of the boat.

You may notice the dolphins snapping their jaws and slapping their tails on the surface of the water. You could even hear the dolphins squeak and squawk, and see them leap as high as 20 feet in the air. As you glide along, the crew will share fun facts about the playful dolphins and offer insight into the area’s history. You will also learn about the nutrient-rich mangroves ecosystem teeming with fish such as grouper, spotted sea trout and snook.

Drive yourself from Fort Myers, FL to Florida Keys, FL in your rental car. It will take you between three to five hours to reach your destination.

Florida Keys is an archipelago of lush tropical islands, south of Florida, floating between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. This idyllic stretch is a collection of over a hundred mangrove-and-sandbar islands populated with mudflats, mangrove forests and tidal bars. Key West, the most popular city in the Keys, is home to a vibrant cultural scene. Its famous landmarks include the Tennessee Williams Museum, memorialising America’s iconic playwright, and the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, a registered national historic landmark.

Group Snorkel Trip

Take this snorkelling trip to view the huge population of tropical marine life at Islamorada, also known as the ‘Sport Fishing Capital of the World.’ Once you are fitted with a mask, fins and snorkel, take a short boat trip to swim with the local marine life and explore the area’s diverse underwater ecosystem. The shallow reefs and broad ledges shelter large numbers of French grunt and goatfish, as well as parrotfish and snook.

The crew feed the fish so that they leave their hiding places and meander within inches of you. You will also have a chance to see friendly green moray eels swim freely along channels, and loggerhead sea turtles casually gliding by. You can also spot reclusive nurse sharks lurking beneath the overhangs and mini walls, along with several species of crabs and jellyfish.

Drive yourself from Key Largo to Key West in your rental car. You should reach your destination in about 2.5 hours.

Key West is a slice of tropical paradise located in the Straits of Florida, 90 miles south of the mainland. This small island offers one non-stop party with its exciting watersports, scenic beaches, and pulsating nightlife.

Group Sunset Cruise with Live Music

Set off on a leisurely sunset cruise in Key West. Make yourself comfortable on the spacious sundeck or the shaded lounge area as you set sail. Indulge in refreshing drinks and appetisers while you take in the gorgeous views. Watch the sunset from your vantage point in the water, to the accompaniment of live music onboard. Capture stunning images of the sun and the sky before you return to shore.

Group Walking Food & Culture Tour of Key West

Enjoy a gastronomic exploration of Key West. Accompany a food expert to half a dozen eateries in the historic old town area, where you will taste traditional dishes of the region. The island city is famed for its fresh seafood specialties such as conch and typical Cuban cuisine.

As you walk at an easy pace from stop to stop, gain an insider’s view of the city’s culture, culinary evolution and architecture. Sample a variety of flavourful dishes, and for dessert, enjoy delicious key lime pie, a dish that is believed to have originated here. Please inform us of any food allergies and dietary preferences in advance.

Drive yourself from Key West to Miami in your rental car. The duration of the trip is about 3.5 hours.

Miami, with its gorgeous beaches and tropical vibe, sits along the azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean in southern Florida. When in Miami, soaking in the sun on the pristine white sand and watching the spectacular sunset are not to be missed. Fiestas and music festivals are held year-round, giving the city a continuously festive air.

Group Everglades Tour with Airboat Ride

Explore the marshes of the scenic Florida Wetlands by airboat. Take a thrilling ride on the Everglades, as you skim over shallow waters and plough through grass and vegetation at high speed. Witness one of the world’s unique ecosystems that is home to about 15 rare and endangered species including the Florida panther and West Indian manatee.

As the driver navigates across the expansive Everglades National Park, you may spot birds like herons, ospreys, cranes and egrets. While cruising the waterways, see freshwater alligators and saltwater crocodiles from a safe distance. Your guide will also point out exotic plants such as strangler figs, royal palms and sawgrass.

During a stop at the Miccosukee Indian Reservation, learn about native culture, arts and crafts. You will also gain insight into conservation efforts in the area and how mangrove forests provide a nursery for marine animals. Afterwards, glide through the narrow channels and return to the start point.