13 Best Towns in Florida for a Winter Getaway
Florida’s appeal is often easier to see in its smaller towns, where daily life still revolves around water, shade, and long-established neighborhoods. In Apalachicola, the river and working docks shape the town more than any attraction. Cedar Key remains quiet and compact, bordered by marsh and open Gulf rather than condos. Inland places like Micanopy and Mount Dora are built around old streets, lakes, and tree cover that make them livable year-round. Along the coast, towns such as Vero Beach, Stuart, and Tarpon Springs reflect their surroundings through fishing culture, sponge docks, and public waterfront access. These communities are less about escape and more about how Florida actually functions outside its biggest cities.
Apalachicola
The quaint town of Apalachicola, nestled along the Gulf of Mexico and Apalachicola Bay in Franklin County, is home to just over two thousand people. This does not make the town uninteresting or pedestrian, though. Along with the Apalachicola National Forest to the north and Apalachicola Bay to the south, the town is home to the John Gorrie Museum State Park, the Raney House Museum, and the Orman House Historic State Park. There are even several charming places to stay for a night or the whole weekend in Apalachicola, like the Gibson Inn, built in 1907, and Riverwood Suites, both offering free wi-fi and free parking.
Cedar Key
Further down the inner coast of Florida, past Horseshoe Cove and Suwannee Sound, the town of Cedar Key is home to less than a thousand residents. Yet, this town has a plethora of winter activities constructed to engage every visitor’s enthusiasm. The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge and the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge provide that ecological aspect to a winter getaway while Cedar Key Museum State Park and Shell Mound County Park add in a sense of historical significance. There are even several lodging choices, including the Cedar Key Bed & Breakfast. Cedar Key Food Walks are also available in Cedar Key, offering food from five different seafood restaurants, as well as the history of that food.
Micanopy
Located in Alachua County, the town of Micanopy is home to several natural landmarks, including the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and the Barr Hammock Preserve. It is also surrounded by several bodies of water, including Tuscawilla Lake, Levy Lake, and Orange Lake, the last of which covers land in Marion as well as Alachua Counties. The Paynes Prairie State Park offers visitors a chance to camp primitively, meaning without electricity, as well as in a cabin or RV, while the Barr Hammock Preserve has a great, seven-mile-long trail that loops around the Levi Prairie. Dogs are not allowed on the trail due to a heavy alligator population. There are also a variety of indoor lodging options in town, including the Herlong Mansion Bed & Breakfast on Cholokka Boulevard.
Vero Beach
On Florida's opposite side, along the Atlantic coast, Vero Beach is a hidden treasure nestled between Fort Pierce and Melbourne. It features attractions such as Jaycee Park, South Beach Park, and the Veteran’s Memorial Island Sanctuary, along with notable sites like McKee Botanical Garden and the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. The area is renowned for its twenty-six miles of pristine beaches, accessible via Round Island Park, Treasure Shores Park, and Wabasso Beach Park, among other entry points. For accommodations, visitors can choose from several options, including Ocean Breeze Inn and Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa, both situated on Ocean Boulevard.
Tarpon Springs
The town of Tarpon Springs lies just north of the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg in Pinellas County. Home to a strong Greek influence from the sponge-diving industry in the late 1800s, Tarpon Springs is currently home to several Greek restaurants, including Mama’s Greek Cuisine and Dimitri’s on the Water. The town also offers several attractions that keep visitors coming back every winter season, such as the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks and the Tarpon Springs Historic District, which features mom-and-pop stores, restaurants, and cafes. Lodging is readily available in Tarpon Springs, including Ashley’s Victorian Haven Bed & Breakfast on North Grosse Avenue and the 1910 Inn on West Tarpon Avenue.
Fernandina Beach
Located on Amelia Island, which was named after the daughter of George II of Great Britain, Fernandina Beach is a gem of scenic beauty hidden behind the million residents of the city of Jacksonville. Fort Clinch State Park provides fishing, camping, and hiking, along with a historic look into the past, Main Beach Park and Peter’s Point Beachfront Park offer scenic panoramas of the ocean, and Egan’s Creek Greenway supplies a five-and-a-half-mile long trail with ample opportunities to view alligators in their natural habitats. There are also several other exciting events in the winter season in Fernandina Beach, including a Black Friday Pajama Party and the “Shrimp Drop” on New Year’s Eve, which is a substitute for the “Ball Drop” in New York City and the “Peach Drop” in Atlanta, Georgia.
Destin
Destin, home to Henderson Beach State Park and Crystal Sands Beach, is near Grayton Beach State Park and Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park. It also features the Village of Baytowne Wharf and the Destin Harbor Boardwalk, which offer top seafood restaurants, live music, and an array of mom-and-pop shops, making Destin an excellent winter retreat. The three state parks—Henderson Beach, Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou, and Grayton Beach—provide visitors with options such as camping, fishing, hiking, and swimming. During winter, Henderson Beach State Park additionally offers horseback riding, star gazing, and various exciting tours.
Mount Dora
Hidden amid a series of lakes, adequately named the Harris Chain Lakes, in the center of the state, Mount Dora is filled with several amenities and attributes that make it an excellent choice for that great winter getaway for family or friends. Along being alongside Lake Dora, the third-largest of the Harris Chain Lakes, Mount Dora is home to Palm Island Park, Lighthouse Park, and Trimble Park, all three of them offering breathtaking scenic views of the water. There are also a plethora of events happening in Mount Dora, even during the peak of the winter season. The Florida Storytelling Festival is held every January and the Scottish Highland Festival takes place every February.
Crystal River
The town of Crystal River, lying along the inner coast of Florida, in Citrus County, is home to approximately five thousand residents. It is also home to several natural attractions perfect for forgetting about the winter season outside of Florida. Along with being famous for providing opportunities to swim with manatees in the ocean, the town of Crystal River is home to Crystal River Preserve State Park, Crystal River Arch State Park, Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, and Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. There are also several great lodging choices in Crystal River, including the Retreat at Crystal Manatee and Crystal River Lullaby Bed & Breakfast, and several restaurant choices. Cody’s Original Roadhouse and Grannie’s Restaurant are both located on Highway 19.
Stuart
Hidden among the quarter of a million residents of Port St. Lucie, the town of Stuart is almost lost in the mist. Yet this town of eighteen thousand has qualities that make it a great place to step away for a winter getaway. Situated in Marion County, Stuart is best known as the world’s sailfish capital. It is also known for Halpatiokee Regional Park, Shepard Park, and Bathtub Reef Beach. There are several other amenities and events that make the town of Stuart a worthy place to visit in the winter, including the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, which features turning discarded shells into handmade jewelry during the Shoreline Creations Walks in December.
Key Largo
Key Largo, situated on the first of the island keys, which also utilizes the moniker of Key Largo, was probably made most famous through the Beach Boys iconic song. From top attractions, like the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, Key Largo is a great destination for that winter weekend getaway. There are also several natural wonders in and around Key Largo, including Molasses Reef, Harry Harris Park, and Christ of the Deep, one of four sculptures placed around the world. For some great lodging choices, Key Largo has several options, like Kona Kai Resort and Island Bay Resort, both on Overseas Highway, and Atlantic Bay Resort on Sterling Road.
Winter Park
The town of Winter Park, located just outside the city of Orlando in Orange County, is home to several botanical gardens that bring a welcome touch of spring and life to even the worse parts of the winter season, including the Albin Polasek Gardens, the Kraft Azalea Gardens, and the Mead Botanical Garden. Winter Park is also home to the Hamilton Square Heritage Center and the Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, known best for its Andalusian influence. There are also several dining and lodging choices in Winter Park, for those planning a winter getaway, like Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine for a taste of Mediterranean food, and the Alfond Inn for a great night’s sleep.
Lake Placid
Hidden in the center of the state in Highlands County, the town of Lake Placid is a great destination for a winter getaway for a multitude of reasons. In the category of natural attractions, Lake Placid is home to approximately fifty murals depicting everything from historical aspects and innovation to famous personages and quaint, picturesque scenes of nature. There are also several other events that occur in the dead of winter in the town of Lake Placid, including Yoga and Tai Chi in the park, the Lake Placid Farmer’s Market, which offers fresh produce every Saturday, and the First Day Hike at Highlands Hammock State Park, held the first day of each new year twelve miles north of Lake Placid in the town of Sebring.
In Conclusion
Though the state of Florida, otherwise known as the Sunshine State, has a surplus of excellent cities, including Miami, Jacksonville, and Orlando, there are also several great towns in Florida, like Tarpon Springs, Key Largo, and Vero Beach, that have less people while still maintaining an excellence in naturalistic and historical ambiance for the whole family. Whether is the close proximity of a state park like the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, or the multitude of botanical gardens in Winter Park, or even the ability to camp primitively, albeit without electricity, at the Paynes Prairie State Park in Micanopy, there is a plethora of great towns in Florida.
