Florida Vacation Rentals

Florida Vacation Rental: How to Get There

If your Florida vacation rental is located in the heart of the state or close to Disney World, Orlando International Airport is the most practical gateway. From here, you can easily rent a car to set off on your Florida vacation or take the free shuttle to Disney World. Miami International Airport is another major hub, while Tampa International Airport is ideal if you're staying at a beach condo on the Gulf Coast.

If you are coming from the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, boarding the Amtrak Auto Train is one option. For New Yorkers, the Amtrak Silver Star and Silver Meteor ending in Miami are convenient, with many more stops in Florida along the way.

If traveling from an adjacent state, you could always take the Interstate or other additional highways to get to your Florida vacation rental. Alternatively, opt for a cruise as part of your trip and arrive in Florida in style, docking at Tampa, Miami, or Port Canaveral.

What to eat when visiting Florida

With your Florida vacation home rental, you can choose to eat out every night, or source local produce to cook up at home. There's a great deal of variety in Floridian cuisine, taking aspects of Caribbean cultures such as Cuban, Haitian, Jamaican and many more. Miami is a particularly interesting city for food, with Little Havana and Little Haiti offering enclaves with multicultural restaurants and cuisine.

Virtually anywhere in the state, you'll find delicious home-style foods such as yellow rice with black beans, paella, and tostones (pan-fried plantain slices). Diners serving tasty Deep South barbeque foods and all-American pancake breakfasts are further treats to savour when staying in Florida vacation home rentals.

Floridian culture

For a look at the historical and contemporary culture of the state, head to the big cities. Orlando is mostly associated with theme parks, but if you're there be sure to also check out the Historic Bok Sanctuary. These botanical gardens are home to a variety of exotic plants and animals. The Cornell Fine Arts Museum is also located here.

In Tampa, be sure to visit the Museum of Science and Industry, or go shopping and then see the Ybor City State Museum. Jacksonville is one of Florida's most artistic cities, with institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville. Collectors will love browsing the Riverside Arts Market on Saturday afternoons. Each of these cities has its own creative character and historic neighbourhoods to discover, with a range of cultural attractions to suit everyone in your group.

Ideas for family fun in Florida

It's easy to understand why travellers the world over stay at vacation houses in Florida. Orlando remains one of the globe's premier entertainment destinations, hosting a dazzling array of theme parks nearby. These include Walt Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, and Gatorland. You can easily drive to these for the day when staying at vacation rentals in Orlando, then head back home for the night.

For seafaring and beach holidays, the Florida Keys to the far south of the state are an excellent idea too. You can charter a yacht and go fishing or simply explore the different islands. Key West is a superb destination if you'd prefer to stay landside. Here, explore the McCoy Indigenous Park and Wildlife Rescue of the Florida Keys to come up close to the region's diverse wildlife. The Shipwreck Museum and Key West Lighthouse are other fascinating destinations, making it a popular place to visit with the family.

Heading out for a night on the town in Florida

It will come as no surprise to most visitors that Florida is synonymous with spring break. During this time, destinations such as Miami and Daytona Beach light up with music and parties for the ultimate celebrations. The nightclubs in Miami often get particularly busy, but arriving early and dressing to impress is a good tactic for getting in. Otherwise, sports and independent bars are good, relaxed alternatives.

Of course, Daytona Beach is also famous as the home of NASCAR. The Daytona International Speedway has a huge capacity and hosts a number of other events throughout the year. It's well worth checking out what's on when you're here. An alternative is to head to one of the other big cities, such as Jacksonville, which can sometimes be overlooked as a nightlife destination and yet offers an impressive array of places to dance the night away.

Ideas for excursions in Florida

A huge state, driving around Florida is nevertheless an exciting and eye-opening experience. Passing along country roads lined with palm trees, there are several cities that are close enough to each other for day trips. Orlando makes for an excellent base for seeing other destinations, for example. Daytona Beach is just an hour away, while Tampa is an hour and a half. Kissimmee is just 20 minutes from Orlando.

If you're staying in Miami, heading north along the coast will allow you to visit Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach. These are all within about an hour and 15 minutes away. The magnificent Everglades National Park is also just an hour away from Miami.