10 Best Small Towns In Florida For A Crowd-Free Summer
Florida is synonymous with glitzy beaches, exciting cities, and world-famous theme parks, but let's face it, these places get hot. Luckily, it's also known for Southern hospitality and pristine nature, where the shaded trails and air-conditioned bars provide a reprieve from heat. Hidden from the crowds, nothing says the "best summer" like an unglorified little town in the Sunshine State or the only mineral spring pools in Safety Harbor.
From the rugged shores in Cedar Key to Chokoloskee and the Everglades, "unpolished" is part of the charm that translates into the desirable quieter, more authentic experiences. Whether you're into kayaking and hiking or shopping and seafood, there are no fussy tourist crowds nor obscured views to share intimate moments. Each idyllic slice reveals a retro side of Florida in its natural state with adventures and the freshest seafood. Let's visit the 10 best small towns in Florida for a crowd-free summer.
Anna Maria Island
The seven-mile-long barrier island is brimming with history, arts, and culture. Anna Maria's award-winning beaches and laid-back vibe make many wish its obscurity would last another year ... and the one after. Bean Point Beach is ideal for a swim in the tranquil Gulf waters, and those flashing, westward-facing sunsets? Unforgettable. The Skyway Bridge is best seen from the City Park — a real vision with its white sailing span across Tampa Bay to St. Petersburg.
Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge protects endangered wildlife on a former military base with a rustic fort and crowd-free shores ideal for paddling and snorkeling or shelling and fossilized shark teeth finds. Back on dry land, the town's historical society presents exhibits on local history within a "cool" 1920s icehouse alongside the city's old jail. Lined with stores along Pine Avenue and Gulf Drive, Ugly Grouper will lure you in with a funky 3,000-pound metal fish sculpture for its easygoing vibe, seafood, and burgers.
Apalachicola
With a fishing pier, charters, and oyster boats bobbing gently where the Apalachicola River enters the Gulf, this charming coastal village embodies the essence of Old Florida. At its heart, Orman House Historic State Park features an antebellum home on a vast green lawn. The 19th-century mansion offers seasonal guided tours and an adjacent botanical garden for strolls and picnics year-round. The Raney House Museum displays life from those days in the 1800s in the home of a cotton trader turned museum of local artifacts.
Whether you're after the freshest seafood or want to try oystering, the waterfront rings the historic district with a crowd-free feel for strolls. From the weathered front porches and the moss-draped oaks to the marina and the working city dock, the all-time favorite Battery Park ends at the pointy pier, while Lafayette Park across town is the perfect spot for an oceanfront sunset picnic with a scenic gazebo. Everything is fit for the Forgotten Coast, like the Scipio Creek Boardwalk through a preserve that hasn't changed in centuries.
Cedar Key
Despite quick state highway access, few make it this far off the Nature Coast. Ringed by rugged coastline with crying seagulls over its pristine beaches, Cedar Key retains a traditional Florida feel. With low traffic and no high-rises, your memories and photoshoots will be unmarred. The waterfront Dock Street offers access to the beach adjacent to Key City Park, the pier, and boats in the marina with rentals and ramps. Cemetery Point Park offers a long boardwalk through the marsh on water and a designated fishing area.
The Cedar Key Museum State Park at the northern corner delves into the port town's natural and railway history with activities for all ages. Adventuring along the Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail, the 13 islands in your sight were home to the First Peoples' fish camps, accessible via kayak. Streamers is a cover-worthy spot to indulge in seafood from the deck on stilts next to the famous pier at sunset, while the bayside-facing pretty-pastel Pirates Cove Cottages invite sunrise right into your window.
Chokoloskee
For every family and adventurer seeking Chokoloskee's secluded lifestyle, a dozen more overlook this tiny island. It is accessible via Everglades City by a short causeway just off Southwest Florida's coast. From family-friendly boat tours to guided paddling and fishing charters, the laid-back fishing village is chockful of outdoors, with unbeatable fishing along the uncrowded shores and deep in the Gulf. At the edge of Ten Thousand Islands, the remote vibe and friendly locals offer sightseeing and attractions unique to this Paradise Coast slice.
Smallwood Store has been a local fixture on stilts since 1906, with a ghost story and a gift shop. Take the hidden opportunity behind the building for a skiff excursion through the mangroves with dolphins jumping behind the boat over the waves. Big Cypress National Preserve is the western entrance to exploring the world-famous Florida Everglades by land and water, like the popular airboat rides. Lodgings appease every taste, while HavAnnA Cafe specializes in homestyle Cuban seafood alongside a tranquil garden patio.
Cocoa Beach
When the space program launched at Cape Canaveral in the 50s, Cocoa Beach was a favorite detour with its beachy vibes and attractive streets. This Space Coast town today is all about kicking back with long days at the beach in the hometown of Kelly Slater, a famous surfer. From the murals and art along the streets to over 150 unique businesses, it is a hop to serene nature. The palm-lined Maritime Hammock Preserve Park is downtown with a wooden boardwalk over a stormwater pond, perfect for a hike, picnic, and birdwatching.
Whether you're in for a rocket launch, surfing the waves, or learning to paddleboard, Lori Wilson Park offers beach access and pavilions with grills and dune views, plus a boardwalk and fishing. At the backdoor is Banana River Aquatic Preserve. The Kayak Landing jets you to explore the marshland and mangroves amongst resident manatees. North at Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier, circa 1962, is an 800-foot restored fishing pier and surfer's hub with restaurants, live music, bars, and boutiques. End the night at Surfside Playhouse.
DeLand
Often overlooked for Orlando and Daytona Beach on either side, DeLand exudes lakeside Old Florida charm and a crowd-free feel minutes from the popular Atlantic beaches. The larger town draws families and the artsy with unique attractions just inland from the East Central Coast. The original DeLand Wings mural is a downtown photo op you don't want to miss. The Historic Artisan Downtown Hotel offers an unforgettable stay with summertime deals, while fine art fans will enjoy the collection at the Museum of Art, plus sculptures.
This spirited town made for walking takes you sightseeing along DeLand Sculpture Walk and DeLand Historic Mural Walk. You won't even miss the beaches with a river and lakes all around, like Ed Stone Park and Boat Ramp with amenities and multiple boat launches for access to the St. Johns River. Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge is 21,574 riverside acres for hiking, boating, and fishing, while the tranquil Lake Beresford Park offers recreational trails and pavilions, plus a picnic area and canoe rentals at Hontoon Island Adventures.
Matlacha
This residential island community is easily overlooked and accessible via highway between Cape Coral and Pine Island. Bat House Park welcomes you off Matlacha Pass Bridge, "the Fishingest Bridge." The tide sweeps sizeable snook, redfish, and tarpon under what was just a wooden swing bridge in the 1950s, now a place to reel alongside the locals with a cleaning station. The town, which sustained extensive damage from hurricanes in recent years, is pronounced Mat-la-SHAY, meaning “water to the knee" in the ancient Calusa language, according to the Fort Myers News-Press. Matlacha captures your heart with retro bohemian vibes, decorated buildings, and moored fishing boats.
Home to artisans and fishermen, the cutesy streets display the laid-back lifestyle of turn-of-the-century Florida, with painted buses and galleries like Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens. One of them at Matlacha Tiny Village, bright houses could be yours for the weekend. Score a pair of “Matlacha Reeboks,” ideal for shallow wading, boating, fishing, shrimping, canoeing, and crabbing. The adventurers enjoy charters and rentals to navigate the aquamarine Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve, a channel of mangrove islands with bird life and fishing.
Mount Dora
Just 35 miles northwest of Orlando, Mount Dora makes for a relaxing getaway with local vibes without compromising on excitement. Often overlooked for the theme parks and beachy locales, its art and culture scenes reveal a spirited Main Street town. As the “Festival City,” Mount Dora's over 30 annual festivals lend a family-friendly atmosphere with entertainment for every age and interest. "Freedom on the Waterfront" kicks off on July 3 with live music, food vendors, a kids' zone, and fireworks over Lake Dora, followed by the Fourth of July Parade.
Every other day, sift through boutiques, galleries, and museums around the historic district and Donnelly Park. The charming yellow Lakeside Inn is next to Mount Dora Lighthouse at Grantham Pointe Park, one of the state's few inland lighthouses. You won't even miss the ocean shore with parks and waterways surrounding Lake Dora. From the beaches, bass fishing, and basking in the sun, many enjoy boating on the lake and the scenic 1.2-mile Dora Canal. Deer Island offers five miles of serene walking paths for sightseeing, picnicking, fishing, and biking.
Safety Harbor
This small city on the western shore of Tampa Bay aspires to its name with a laid-back feel and harbor-front parks. Whether you're in for a full experience or a pit stop heading to Clearwater or St. Petersburg, everything hints at a relaxing getaway. The glistening waterfront will hold you captive along boardwalks, marinas, and fishing piers. From the Safety Harbor Museum & Cultural Center to fine art and live performances, the 92-acre Philippe Park, the county's oldest, is home to the Tocobaga Temple Mound.
The vibrant main street flutters with boutiques, galleries, and charming eateries, and pet parents enjoy Neighborhood Bark, a boutique and off-leash dog bar. Located within Safety Harbor Resort & Spa, Hernando de Soto believed that “Espiritu Santo Springs” was the Fountain of Youth. Whether you stay or indulge at the 50,000-square-foot resort's spa, Florida’s only natural mineral spring-filled pools offer a relaxing soak you don't want to miss. Unwind at Crooked Thumb Brewery’s beer garden with a craft beer and live music.
Saint Cloud
With a higher population than other towns on this list, St. Cloud is a popular pit stop in Central Florida. It sits on the southern shore of 12,000-acre East Lake Tohopekaliga, with world-class freshwater fishing on Lake Toho, known for trophy-size bass. Just 25 miles south of Orlando and nine miles southeast of Kissimmee, history comes alive downtown with beautiful murals painting the picture of a humble town since the early 1900s. Sifting through handcrafted treasures and antiques, it is minutes along the bike lanes to cool off and have fun along the waterfront.
Lakefront Park features a sandy beach, marina, and fishing pier, while Runnymede Conservation Area offers easy hiking trails through diverse habitats in the company of Sherman’s fox squirrels, bald eagles, and gopher tortoises. Twin Oaks Conservation Area on Lake Toho is a westward-facing shoreline to catch the sunset after a thorough exploration. Visit this summer during the Monthly Market on the last Wednesday or perhaps for the upcoming Fourth of July Celebration with fireworks over the lakefront.
Whether you're after something classic like DeLand or atypical, rest assured, these ten picks favor tradition over tourist fuss and untamed nature over wild crowds. Each reveals the calmer side of Florida with retro vibes, working docks, antiquing, and fresh seafood.
With so much of the sunshine left to savor, pick your next destination for year-round family-friendly activities for the remaining summer months to spend in bliss. Even a wild card will highlight this season with memories that will warm you up through the colder months.
