This seven-day Florida road trip takes you from Orlando to Miami via hidden gems and scenic stops along the way. Many tourists treat the drive between Orlando and Miami as little more than a necessary transfer between Florida’s big two destinations. If all you see is freeway, that’s a missed opportunity.
Take a slower route, and you’ll uncover a side of the Sunshine State that appears on precious few first-time itineraries, revealing the surprising diversity of Florida. In the space of a week, you can explore restored wetlands teeming with wildlife, the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, genuine cowboy country, citrus groves that still scent the air and small Atlantic towns where life revolves around the same marinas as a century ago and which generations of American families still return to every year.
This seven-day itinerary assumes you’ve had your fill of Orlando and Miami and replaces the freeway with this scenic Orlando-to-Miami route, with excellent local food (let’s face it, nobody gets excited by a theme park burger) and enough downtime near the beach to remind you you’re still in Florida.
No single day’s drive is particularly demanding, leaving plenty of time to stop whenever something catches your eye…which, in Florida, happens surprisingly often. It’s an ideal Florida itinerary for travellers looking for things to do between Orlando and Miami beyond the usual tourist attractions. So, with the route mapped out, let’s get stuck into this Florida road trip.
How To Get To Florida
This itinerary for a Florida road trip works equally well in either direction. Most international visitors will find Orlando International Airport (MCO) the most convenient starting point thanks to frequent direct flights from the UK and Europe, before flying home from either Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International or Miami International Airport. Both have huge car rental facilities.
If flights work better the opposite way (Miami is often cheaper in peak season!), simply reverse the route. Distances remain manageable throughout, with the longest driving day taking little more than three hours
Fancy exploring more of the USA by road? Check out our road trip guides for more routes, hidden gems and places worth pulling over for:
When To Go To Florida
Spring and Autumn are ideal for this itinerary. Comfortable temperatures make wildlife walks and exploring historic downtowns far more enjoyable than during the humid summer months or without the crowds of peak season (December to February).
Pack for all weather conditions – the odd downpour is an inevitability and bear in mind the humidity is high so lighter, looser clothing is the order of the day.
Where to stay in Florida
For the first three nights, Winter Haven provides an excellent base within easy reach of Lakeland, Bok Tower Gardens and Westgate River Ranch, with a range of accommodation to suit all budgets.
As the itinerary takes you towards the coast, Stuart provides an ideal base for exploring the Treasure Coast. Its historic downtown, waterfront restaurants and relaxed atmosphere offer a refreshing alternative to Florida’s larger beach resorts, while nearby Jensen Beach is perfect if you’d rather stay within walking distance of the ocean.
Finish your trip in Fort Lauderdale Beach, where staying close to Las Olas Boulevard or the beachfront means you can explore on foot without constantly returning to the car. Miami is a thirty-minute drive away.
Day One: Orlando To Lakeland
Driving time: Around 1 hour
Rather than rushing straight south, begin by discovering why Lakeland quietly punches above its weight.
Start early at Circle B Bar Reserve, a former cattle ranch transformed into one of Florida’s finest wetland reserves.
The aptly named Alligator Alley almost guarantees sightings of its prehistoric residents (particularly on cooler days), while bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, sandhill cranes and purple gallinules reward those who slow their pace.
After lunch, architecture lovers shouldn’t miss the Frank Lloyd Wright campus at Florida Southern College. His twelve “Child of the Sun” buildings form the largest single-site collection of Wright’s work anywhere, yet the campus still functions exactly as intended, filled with students rather than tourists. Even those with only a passing interest will appreciate the expert and accessible information provided by volunteer guides.
As evening falls, Lakeland’s food scene comes into its own. Nineteen61 blends chef Marcos Fernandez’s Cuban heritage with seasonal Florida produce, elevating familiar flavours into one of the best meals you’ve ever eaten – book in advance (and order the poutine and vieja ropa!) Finish nearby at Revival Craft Cocktails, where inventive cocktails served beneath exposed brick walls provide a sophisticated finale to your first day on the road.
Top tip:
Pick either a seasonal favourite or ask your mixologist to rustle up a bespoke creation based on your flavour preferences.
Day Two – Winter Haven
Driving time: Less than one hour
Winter Haven owes its existence to water. Built around more than fifty interconnected lakes (half of which are still interconnected), it’s a city best explored at a slower pace.
Spend the majority of your day at LEGOLAND Florida Resort.
Another theme park? Well, not quite – Legoland occupies the former site of the much-loved Cypress Gardens. Alongside the inevitable rollercoasters, don’t overlook the beautifully preserved botanical gardens dating back to the 1930s and whose prominence in post-World War 2 marketing heralded the birth of modern Florida tourism.
Beneath towering banyan trees and beside mirror-like lakes, they offer a welcome reminder of old Florida’s golden age. Anyone you meet from Winter Haven will have a connection to Cypress Gardens, trust me.
The evening belongs on the water. Join Captain Rue Denton aboard Living Water Cruises and skim across Lake Eloise as the day’s heat begins to fade. You’ll land your fair share of ospreys circling overhead and cormorants drying their wings on half-submerged branches.
If the weather stays cooler or you venture past Alligator Alley, you’ll see dozens of reptilian eyes staring back at you. Captain’s Rue’s stories about the Chain of Lakes and the inhabitants who call it home (human and critter alike) transform the cruise into some of the best memories you’ll take from this trip
Round off the day at The Harbourmaster, also on the water, where fresh seafood and uninterrupted lake views provide one of the area’s most memorable dinner settings.
Day Three – Winter Haven To Westgate River Ranch
Driving time: Around 2 hours
Today’s route explores the Florida that existed long before holiday brochures.
Begin at Golden Ridge Groves (open November to May), where family-run citrus farming continues despite the challenges facing the industry. Depending on the season, you’ll learn about growing techniques, sample freshly squeezed orange juice – or better still, ‘swamp juice’ – and discover why Florida’s citrus heritage remains such an important part of the state’s identity.
Picking fruit off the vine remains childishly enjoyable, regardless of your age and makes for the ideal road trip snack for the coming days.
Continue to Grape Hammock Fish Camp, where an airboat ride skims across the headwaters of Lake Kissimmee. Within minutes, you’ll likely encounter basking alligators, bald eagles and even the resident buffalo, knee-deep in the water, surveying you with a thorough disinterest. The landscape feels wonderfully untouched.
If you’re visiting on a Saturday, time your arrival at Westgate River Ranch for the legendary rodeo. Bull riding and trick roping aren’t staged performances for visitors but genuine competitions rooted in Florida’s centuries-old cattle culture.
Stay for dinner at the onsite restaurant before settling into the grandstand as the arena comes alive beneath the floodlights and a dose of pure Americana you don’t need to travel to Texas for.
Day Four – Scenic Roads to the Treasure Coast
Driving time: Around 2 hrs 30 mins
Before leaving Central Florida, spend the morning at Bok Tower Gardens, one of the state’s most unexpected landmarks. Daily carillon recitals – you never knew bells could sound so remarkable – drift across subtropical gardens planted a century ago and open to the public ever since, while the 205-foot Singing Tower looks like it’s escaped from Renaissance Italy.
Arriving mid-morning means cooler temperatures and a welcome sense of calm before the drive east.
For lunch, resist the temptation to stop at a chain restaurant and head instead to Cherry Pocket Steak & Seafood on the shores of Lake Pierce. Part fishing camp, part local institution, it’s the sort of place where dollar bills cover the walls and anglers swap stories over fried catfish. Order the gator bites if you’re feeling adventurous and try to ignore the murderous stares of those who’ve not yet been fried looking up at you from the water.
From here, take the scenic drive towards Stuart, where your introduction to the Treasure Coast is wonderfully simple: kick off your shoes, wander onto Stuart Beach on Hutchinson Island and watch the sunset turn the sky a hundred shades of pink and amber. After several busy days, it’s the perfect reset.
Want to see more of the USA? Here are some of our favourite American destinations to add to your list.
Day Five – The Treasure Coast
Driving time: Less than an hour
Unlike many of Florida’s cities, Stuart’s appeal lies less in big-ticket attractions than in the stories connecting them. But the attractions here are remarkable in their range and quality.
Begin at the Elliott Museum, whose eclectic collections range from classic cars – with a giant vending machine allowing you to see them up close – and baseball memorabilia to local history, revealing how innovation and entrepreneurship helped shape Florida’s east coast.
Continue a few miles north to the House of Refuge, the last remaining refuge house built along Florida’s Atlantic coast. Constructed in 1876, it provided shelter for shipwrecked sailors who washed ashore on what was once known as the “Treasure Coast” long before roads or hotels reached this stretch of shoreline.
The stories of wardens fighting off bears who swam across the river are just some of the remarkable tales you’ll hear.
The afternoon belongs to the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Centre, where boardwalks thread through mangroves, a gigantic aquarium whose composition exactly resembles the nearby ocean showcases local marine life, and rescued sea turtles and rays highlight the conservation work taking place behind the scenes. Come for feeding time for up-close and personal encounters.
That evening, drive to Jensen Beach for Conchy Joe’s Seafood, an institution overlooking the Indian River where blackened mahi-mahi, conch fritters and sunset views have been drawing locals for decades. Stay later, and you’ll inevitably find yourself pulled onto the dance floor as the in-house cover band strikes up.
Day Six – Down The Treasure Coast
Driving time: Around 1½ hours
Today showcases the Treasure Coast’s greatest strength: just how much wilderness remains within easy reach of the coast, offering a glimpse of what the landscape looked like a century ago.
Start with a peaceful walk through Hobe Sound Nature Center, where maritime hammocks, pine flatwoods and coastal scrub support gopher tortoises, wading birds and the occasional bobcat down to a pristine stretch of beach.
They run all manner of community outreach, including ‘Pint and Predators’ at a local brewery where drinkers are introduced to the animals they share a landscape with
Continue to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, the largest such park in the southeast USA. There are over forty miles of trails to explore, but the Loxahatchee River boat tour is the standout. Gliding slowly through cypress swamps and mangrove-lined banks, guides explain how this became Florida’s first federally designated Wild and Scenic River while pointing out turtles, ospreys and alligators along the way.
Afterwards, hire a bike or tackle one of the park’s hiking trails or climb Hobe Mountain – again, take “mountain” with a pinch of salt – Observation Tower for surprisingly expansive views across the surrounding forests.
Back in Stuart, reward yourself with a stop at Frazier Creek Brewing in Downtown, recently voted the best small-town brewery in America. Small-batch beers, relaxed seating and friendly staff who are only too happy to provide recommendations make this an ideal place to end the day.
Day Seven – Stuart to Fort Lauderdale
Driving time: Around 2 Hours
Spend your final day embracing two of Florida’s ongoing obsessions – Gators and Beaches.
Stop off in the Everglades National Park on your drive south for a tour through this unique landscape. Gators are an inevitability – much larger than those you’ll have seen to the north – and you’ll disembark with a healthy respect for the predators that have called this area home long before humans arrived on the scene.
The entire stretch of coast near Miami is a sprawl of high-rises, but stop off at Hollywood Beach, whose broad brick-paved boardwalk is a delight.
Travel tip:
Rent a bike and cruise the 2.5-mile oceanfront path, stop for coffee and lunch overlooking the Atlantic or hire a jet ski if you’d rather end the trip with a burst of speed than a leisurely pedal.
Finish your journey in Fort Lauderdale, a city best appreciated from the water. If time allows, hop aboard the Water Taxi, weaving through canals lined with superyachts and extravagant waterfront homes.
Continue with a cocktail on the terrace at The Atlantic Hotel & Spa. Overlooking both the beach and Fort Lauderdale’s lively promenade, it’s the ideal vantage point from which to watch joggers, rollerbladers and families drift past as the sun begins to sink over another Florida evening.
Finish off your Florida road trip with a wander over to Las Olas Boulevard for dinner. Independent restaurants, galleries (and equally cool street art) and lively bars provide a fitting finale to a road trip that has revealed just how many different Floridas can exist within a week’s drive.
Have you been to Florida?
What are the best stops on your Florida road trip? Anything you’d add to this Florida bucket list?
Global Traveller Phil Thomas is a freelance travel writer based in the UK, with over 110 countries under his belt. You can follow Phil’s adventures through his blog, Someone Else’s Country and via Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.
