Situated in a state that is home to the country’s most idyllic beaches and diverse ecosystems, Miami is a great place to live when it comes to day-trip opportunities. Hit the road and explore wildlife-rich wetlands and relaxing beachside towns.
LessThe sand on the beaches of Key Largo is so white it looks bleached. Combined with glassy waters and a serious island-time atmosphere, it’s a good introduction to the Florida Keys archipelago. It’s roughly a one-hour drive from Miami, so you can be sipping rum cocktails and planning snorkel trips to spectacular rainbow reefs in no time.
Florida’s Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the US. Covering more than 2 million acres, it’s teeming with grasslands, mangrove swamps and freshwater prairies, and home to species such as manatees and the Florida panther. Everglades National Park makes up around 20 percent of these wetlands, and is best discovered with a guide who can help you make the most of a day trip to this awe-inspiring landscape.
Once known as an epicenter of Spring Break revelry, Fort Lauderdale has made a conscious effort to refine its image. While there is still plenty of fun to be had, it has a new-found popularity with travelers who are drawn to the city’s majestic swathes of coastline and less showy attitude than some of its Sunshine-State neighbors.
White-sand beaches, turquoise waters and a more chilled-out vibe than other seaside spots in the area, Marco Island is a tropical paradise. The fact that you can get here in under two hours by car is reason enough to envy Miami residents. The perfect day trip, you’ll leave salt-crusted, sun-kissed and sandy.
A stretch of beach that has managed to remain blissfully skyscraper-free, Naples is a romantic beachside town. Echoing the European elegance of it’s Italian namesake it is free from the neon-fronted attractions that can at times feel synonymous with Florida’s coastal cities. A true romantic getaway, it warrants a whole weekend, but it does just as well as a day trip destination if you’re limited on time.