Travel blogs, travel photos and features from Florida, the Sunshine State
Though it’s maybe most famous for Disney World and oranges, Florida has a lot more to offer than what you expect With a booming arts scene, great beaches, hip cities and sunshine all year round, Florida has a bit of something for everyone. Start here with my basic Florida travel tips, or jump down below to read my latest Florida travel blogs.
Florida, with its subtropical climate, is a year round destination, but probably the best time to visit is March to May when the sun is out consistently and the temperatures are not already too high. If you come in the summer months, it will be hotter and there’s more chance of wet weather (and potential hurricanes & tropic storms), but prices are likely to be a little lower, as this is a less popular time to visit.
Look out for special events and festivals, such as the iconic Art Basel in Miami each December.
Bass Museum of Art – This art museum puts on exhibitions from working and established contemporary artists from all over the globe and has an impressive permanent collection of classic art from as far back as the 7th century from Europe, the Americas and Asia.
World Erotic Art Museum – This fun museum also in Miami gives a fascinating look at erotic art from around the world including sculptures, drawings, paintings, and photographs.
Salvador Dalí Museum – The second largest collection of the Catalan artists’ work (outside of Figueres, his birthplace) is in St. Petersburg, Florida. As well as some of Dalí’s most iconic works, there are occasional visiting exhibitions from other greats like Warhol, Escher or Picasso.
With such varied cities and natural landscapes, Florida is a great place to consider taking a tour which will get you out into different parts of the state or cities you might otherwise overlook.
Typical Florida road trip itineraries run up and down the coast. But the most picturesque may be a road trip through the Florida Keys—a stretch of tropical islands off the southern tip of Florida, with gay-friendly Key West at the very end.
Looking for a tour through Florida? Try these options:
Overall, Florida may be on of the more conservative states in the US, but there are several big cities with lots of gay life, especially the largest city (and my favorite): Miami. Here are some of the other best gay cities in Florida.
Orlando – Aside from the theme parks (which are super gay, no matter what day of the year it is!), Orlando has a lot in the way of LGBT life with gay-friendly hotels, bars, clubs, parties and several different LGBTQ events taking place throughout the year.
St Petersburg – “The sunniest place to be gay” is the fun tagline for this city on Florida’s Gulf Coast. With several intimate gay bars, and plenty of gay-friendly mixed places, it’s a fun place for a night out, and in the day, there are plenty of opportunities to meet cute guys on the gorgeous beaches.
Miami – Miami, and its northern neighbor of Fort Lauderdale, is probably Florida’s most famous gay hotspot. Miami has some of the best food, events, parties, and gay beaches in Florida, and with its growing art scene (in Wynwood), it’s also attracting a slew of millennial and young travelers. Besides the many gay bars and clubs in Miami Beach, there are even explicitly gay hotels such as The Gaythering.
More gay travel resources here.
Florida has plenty of cool and quirky hotels, as well as all the big chains you’d expect. Summer months are the busiest in the Sunshine State and I’ve found that using Booking.com, Agoda.com or Hotels Combined can be really useful for finding last-minute deals.
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The I-95 highway route from New England and NYC all the way down to Miami might seem long and daunting, but it’s a surprisingly easy route with some great places to stop along the way. Below are some highlights from the popular East Coast road trip thousands make each year.
Florida is a BIG state and with plenty of things to see and do, it’s the perfect kind of place for a road trip. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of driving in Florida
One of the coolest music festivals I’ve been to — the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party in Miami with Pitbull, Ke$ha, Miley Cyrus, Krewalla and more!
My experience exploring Miami Beach for the first time as a young adult – what I liked about the beach and what I learned about Miami and South Beach
