My Personal Florida Travel Bucket List

Florida is a vacation destination for people all over the world, and there are specific places that garner the most attention. You know the Florida travel bucket list items I’m talking about – The Florida Keys, Miami, Orlando’s theme parks. However, I’m all about finding and experiencing things off the beaten path so, although those are fun things to do, there’s so much more to Florida than the normal destinations.

I recently put together my Florida bucket list, a list of more unusual things to do and see in the Sunshine State. If you enjoy this site, I know these are the kinds of things you’ll enjoy, too. Let’s jump in! Please let me know in the comments which of these you’ve done and what you would add to the list.

Photograph the Super Ghost Orchid

Update: Checked this item off the bucket list in August 2021. Read about our trip to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

The elusive and exceedingly rare Florida ghost orchid can be found in swamps in the southern part of the state. They have been seen in Big Cypress National Preserve and Corkscrew Swamp in the Naples area. These places are swampy and humid, just like the ghost orchid prefers its environment.

This orchid, however, is so rare and prized that its location is generally kept secret so that found specimens won’t be removed from their natural habitat. The “super” ghost in Corkscrew Swamp remains a notable exception. The park directs visitors how to find this orchid. They also recommend bringing binoculars as it is 50 feet up a bald cypress tree and about 100 feet away from the boardwalk

Dendrophylax lindenii, the ghost orchid’s scientific name, is endemic to Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas and is endangered. The orchid’s showy white-green flower blooms from June to August. Each plant blossoms up to ten flowers which open one at a time. Because the plant has only roots, the flower is often the only way to spot it in the trees.

The roots can photosynthesize so leaves are not needed and have been reduced to scales. It has become a symbol for south Florida. Several books, both fiction and nonfiction, have been inspired by the ghost orchid.

Florida Lighthouse Trail

Recently, on Facebook, a friend said something along the lines of, “Are there lighthouses in Florida? I don’t associate them with Florida.” Well, yeah, there are. Not as many as there once were, but enough that there’s an unofficial Lighthouse Trail and even a book.

With 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida ranks second among all states for the longest coastline. With this much shoreline, it can’t come as a surprise that the state has a lot of lighthouses, too. Perhaps the reason it comes as a surprise to some is that Florida’s reputation for calm seas; however, we do have a lot of shallow waters and shoals which can wreck a ship just as easily as a rocky coast.

Forty-six lighthouses originally lit Florida’s shores for mariners. Twenty-nine of those remain and make up the unofficial Lighthouse Trail. Eleven lighthouses line the Gulf coast while eighteen are on the east coast and in the Keys. Of these 29, one is privately owned and several are not accessible or not easily accessible due to locations on military bases or islands.

Though the Lighthouse Trail is not an official Florida trail, I am eager to see them all and visit the communities in which these beacons of hope are located.

Dry Tortugas/Fort Jefferson

A national park, I had no idea Dry Tortugas was a part of Florida until a few years ago. Sad, I know. In my boating family, we talked about the Dry Tortugas as if they’re an island, which they are, but I envisioned something like the Bahamas.

Located 70 miles west of Key West, seven small islands make up the Dry Tortugas. Historic Fort Jefferson lords over one island, Garden Key. The Dry Tortugas are world-renowned, especially among boaters, for the coral reefs and marine life. Visitors also marvel at the history of the fort and the abundance of bird life. All of these features make Dry Tortugas a top addition to any travel bucket list.

Visitors to Dry Tortugas can take a cruise over from Key West or visit via private boat. Oh, and some tour operators offer sea plane rides from Key West. Fort Jefferson is one of the main attractions, besides diving and snorkeling.

The fort is one of the United States’ largest 19^th century forts. Over the course of 30 years, Fort Jefferson’s brick walls rose from Garden Key’s flat limestone ground to guard the southernmost point of the United States as well as entrance to the Gulf of Mexico through one of the area’s deepest and most strategically-located shipping lanes. The fort was never fully completed, nor attacked, but it served its purpose nonetheless.

One of the things I would love to do here is take advantage of the campground on Garden Key, in the shadow of Fort Jefferson. This trip would be perfect to explore the fort and island one day, sleep under the stars, and spend a day snorkeling in the surrounding waters. Sun, water, history, stars, and wildlife all in one trip. Perfection!

Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail

This trip on my Florida travel bucket list is for you, kayakers. Locally, we call it the Blueways or CT (circumnavigational trail), though the state gave these trails the longer name above. Think long hiking trail except for kayakers. The trail encompasses over 1,500 miles divided into 26 segments spanning all of Florida’s coastline. The trail allows kayakers to navigate through nearly every coastal ecosystem Florida offers.

Living in the Tampa area, I have unintentionally paddled some of the Pinellas County segment. I would, however, love to spend a longer period of time in the kayak paddling from point A to point B, pitching a tent on a remote island and coming ashore to replenish food and water. A hot shower, too. Those are never overrated.

The CT now connects to the Southeast Coast Saltwater Paddling Trail. Ambitious paddlers can circumnavigate Florida from west to east then continue north to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. I’m not quite that ambitious yet!

Visit Every Florida State Park

One of my personal Florida bucket list items I’m working towards is visiting all 175+ Florida state parks. In my lifetime, I’ve probably seen less than 30. And those I have been to will require a return visit when I finally get my hands on the State Parks Passport. Each park delivers a stamp into your passport and when it’s filled, you get an annual pass to the state park system. It’s not as much about the free annual pass – it’s only $60 a year anyways. It’s about checking out and checking out each of these amazing parks. If you’d like to follow my progress through the parks, you can read more about each visit below.

• Anclote Key Preserve State Park
• Big Talbot Island State Park
• Caladesi Island State Park
• Hillsborough River State Park
• Little Manatee River State Park
• Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
• Ybor City Museum State Park

10,000 Islands/Everglades City Travel Bucket List

This Florida travel bucket list trip offers a lot of options. Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island sit within the 10,000 Islands, Everglades City on the mainland. Ways to navigate this part of Florida abound.

Many choose kayak and one of the trails out of Everglades City, Chokoloskee, or even Marco Island. Paddlers can also camp on one of a few islands or pick a tour that traverses the majority of the islands. The tour puts paddlers on the water for a week with camping on raised chickee huts or islands.

Ideally, this is the way I would visit the 10,000 Islands. Realistically right now, I’m better off visiting Everglades City, getting on the water for a few hours, and then chowing down on some of the very fresh seafood found in the local restaurants.

10,000 Islands

The 10,000 Islands are a group of a few hundred islands (not 10,000!) that run from just south of Marco Island on Florida’s southwest coast to the Everglades and Florida Bay. Some islands formed from dry land, probably sandbars that grew into islands. Others formed when mangroves started growing on oyster beds. (Learn more about how islands form.)

Native Americans lived on the islands around 3000 to 4000 years ago. In the more recent past, white settlers (or maybe Cuban or Bahamian) inhabited some of the larger islands. Campers and paddlers can still explore the ruins of a pioneer settlement on one of the prime camping islands. Today, only Chokoloskee remains inhabited, and Everglades City is the closest mainland village.

Everglades City

Everglades City received the brunt of Irma’s wrath in September 2017. A rather isolated village (by most Florida standards), the town received winds that wiped out many of the homes and businesses. Its remote location made aid difficult. Everglades City has been a fishing village for over a century. It has also been home smugglers in the early 20^th century as well as fugitives. It remains mostly a fishing village as well as place from which to explore Florida Bay and the 10,000 Islands.

Monthly Florida Travel Bucket List

One of the things I find hardest to do is to step away for a weekend each month and go try something new. It seems the month comes and goes before I know it! I’d love to plan, and execute, a day trip at least once a month. And there are tons of road trips from Tampa. It’s really the perfect place from which to visit much of the rest of Florida. A day-long road trip is also a great way to check off some of the rest of this list, like the state parks.

Let’s Connect!

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Travel Resources:

These are the places I first go when planning or booking travel. They ARE affiliate links so if you use one I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) and (bonus!) it’ll help me keep running this site. Visit my travel resources page to see all of the services and gear I recommend.

Flights: We always check flight prices and information on Way Away first.

Hotels: We use Expedia to compare and book hotels. We also love Booking.com for boutique hotels and B&Bs.

Vacation Rentals: For vacation rentals and other non-traditional lodging options, VRBO is our go-to.

Tours & Tickets: We use Viator for private tours and unique experiences.

Rental Cars: Though we prefer to experience a city through its public transportation, there are times when a rental car is needed and in those instances, we use Discover Cars.

Travel Insurance: No one wants to need it, but it’s great to have when you do. VisitorsCoverage is our go-to provider.