These 10 Towns In Florida Feel Like Home
Consistently among the top three states to visit, Florida welcomed a record-breaking 143 million visitors in 2024. It is just as easy to feel at home in the third most populated state, however. Anchored by the Atlantic, the beachiest state sets itself apart from the rest with places to unwind, rewind, unplug, and embrace the pleasures.
Whether you find yours through the natural hammocks, historic districts, and downtown festivals, or on island time, these ten homiest towns, each with a head count of under 20,000, drip with a sense of belonging. From friendly Mount Dora in Central Florida to Homosassa on the Nature Coast, it is time to see the Sunshine State through a new lens.
Apalachicola
Founded in 1821, Apalachicola was once a significant Florida cotton shipping and port town at the mouth of the Apalachicola River on the Gulf Coast. Antebellum buildings and fishing boats scurrying in and from the docks are all that's left of the noise and bustle. Take a leisurely stroll down Scipio Creek Boardwalk, past natural and historic sites to a platform overlook. With its laid-back atmosphere and scenic waterfront views, this historic fishing village can feel like home or be the most relaxing getaway.
Between the lovely brick buildings, seafood restaurants, and retro houses on stilts lining Apalachicola Bay, Battery Park hosts the Florida Seafood Festival, one of the state's largest maritime events in November. Visitors enjoy the public marina under the John Gorrie Bridge, which has direct access to the bay and the river. In addition to airboat adventures, fishing trips, and kayaking on the river, try your hand at oystering, the local form of art backdropped by the iconic pier at the heart of historic downtown.
Auburndale
Spotted like a Dalmatian by lakes, Florida's cutest small town feels like a quiet, scented home amidst refreshing lakeside scenery and citrus groves. Halfway between Orlando and Tampa, Auburndale seeps quintessence, cultural heritage, and picturesque vibes next to the busier Winter Haven. Check out the Triangle Building, a “Flatiron” building from 1912, and the circa 1920s Baynard Retail Building, a touchstone to the state's Folk Victorian architecture and its most beautiful historic place.
The historic district stands as a testament of time, preserving the homegrown feel of a once vital railroad hub and subsequent citrus center. At its heart, the City Hall is a landmark decorative icon sporting Italian Renaissance Revival architectural style and a national historic site. The outdoors are steps away for lakeside strolls, like the sensual Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve, an inviting green lawn for pet-friendly recreation and events with landscaped trails, a gazebo, and water views.
Cedar Key
Remember when a peaceful heart and fresh food on the table were taken at face value? If you love seafood and retro vibes, this postcard fishing village off the Gulf Coast feels like rewinding to simpler times. Strolling along the waterfront, you can rent a kayak and watch the sunset paddling over the marshes and mangroves. Or, you can dive into a treasure hunt through quaint shops, art galleries, fishing shacks, and seafood restaurants.
Home to under 1,000, the low-key island lifestyle and plentiful natural beauty make for an ideal adventure off the beaten path. Whether you're embracing nostalgia on Florida's wild side or celebrating Pirate Festival in November, the town grows on you quickly to make a comeback for the annual February Stargazing Party. For the ultimate "unplugged," the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge spans 13 islands with remote beaches for fishing, snorkeling, and swimming.
Homosassa
Home to manatees, waterfront resorts, and restaurants, Homosassa can be a relaxing getaway, an enriching wildlife experience, or an ideal family camping trip. Kids of all ages enjoy the wild manatees at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, with boat tours, a visitor center, and birding along the Pepper Creek Trail. For many, Homosassa is all about wild water adventures at the gateway to the Gulf, the Homosassa River, and the nearby Chassahowitzka River.
Either way, the sense of belonging dawns while dining on your favorite seafood, plus the homey Chassahowitzka River Campground, with a boat launch, rentals, and a camp store. The brackish rivers, where spring-fed freshwater mixes with the sea, brim with both saltwater and freshwater fish. In addition to paddling and boating, you're at one of Florida's prime spots to hunt for bay scallops in the shallow seagrass beds a few miles offshore, with charter companies or boat rentals.
Key West
Key West's tropical appeal, which felt like home for decades to nobles like Hemingway and Florida’s first millionaire, justly earns it a place on the list. Between the daunting bridge approach and the Mansion on the Sea, a historic oceanfront hotel and former residence colloquially known as the Southernmost House, there's an eclectic mix of history, art, and laid-back vibes. See how the president spent his winter working holidays on island time at the Harry S. Truman Little White House.
Key West's captivating cultural history encompasses landmarks like the Key West Lighthouse, Ernest Hemingway’s House with six-toed cats, allegedly descendants of his housecat, Snow White, and even the writer's favorite haunt along Duval Street, the island's pulse. In addition to electrifying nightlife spots, watching the sun sink into the ocean is the best daily spectacle in this southernmost city in the continental US during the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square.
Matlacha
It doesn't take long to get into the spirit of this quirky fishing village in Southwest Florida—all peace-and-love vibes—between Cape Coral and Pine Island. Pronounced Matt-LaShay, meaning "big warrior" in Seminole, Matlacha is a no-fuss residential island town. Crossing the Matlacha Pass Bridge, “The Fishingest Bridge in the World,” is a sight to behold before merging into the unique coastal lifestyle of this vibrant arts community with a pier at Matlacha Community Park.
Matlacha stands out with its brightly painted cottages and an artsy vibe. Some say it means "knee-deep water," which strikes a chord as an anglers', birding, and boating haven known far and wide as Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve. Whether you're up with the sun to explore the protected channel or after the local boutiques, galleries, and seafood shacks, its distinct charm, worlds away from the state's buzzy beach scene, inspires a place to feel the most comfortable, like home.
Micanopy
Founded in 1821 as Florida’s oldest inland town, it doesn’t take long to see what prompted settlers to call the Lake Tuscavilla shore home. In addition to trails and an observation tower north of town, the surrounding lakes and the omnipresent rural Florida charm feel like flipping pages of a long-loved novel or history book beneath moss-draped oaks that also line the Cholokka Boulevard and its epitome, the Herlong Mansion, a beautiful B&B on the National Register of Historic Places.
Whether you stay put or opt for a campsite on Lake Wauburg next to a rustic pier, it is here that many fall in love with the notion of Old Florida. Home to the most charming historic district and the Barr Hammock Preserve, the town exudes laid-back vibes as a self-proclaimed antique capital, with self-guided tours, cute homes, and intriguing history. It is hard to miss a selfie by the red door of the white Church of the Mediator at 501 Cholokka Boulevard with moss trees draping this 1874 landmark.
Monticello
The seat of Jefferson County, named to honor Jefferson's historic estate, seeps charm along the oak-lined canopy roads. The circa 1890 Opera House, antique shops, and the Chamber of Commerce inside the nation's first Catholic church, with palms in the front yard, convey pure Southern charm. Steering clear of the coastal hype, there's no better place to reconnect in the peaceful outdoors than Cypress Landing Astronomical Park, a stargazing observatory with a ramp on the lake.
Meanwhile, alligators, turtles, and river otters call the spring-fed Wacissa River to the south home. Fish seem more than willing to make it on a plate at dinnertime, including small- and largemouth bass, bream, catfish, and mullet. Winged species watch reluctantly overhead, including barred owls, bald eagles, herons, and egrets, diving for their feast. Many enjoy Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park, overgrown with vegetation and trees, to stretch their legs and picnic.
Mount Dora
Just over 30 minutes from Orlando, this charming Central Florida town on Lake Dora envelops you in fall vibes. Known as “Festival City,” the annual Mount Dora Craft Fair draws 200,000 visitors before Halloween, while the mid-November Renninger's Antique Extravaganza welcomes over 1,500 dealers of eclectic antique treasures. Between antique shops, galleries, and historic buildings, it is easy to find your niche in a homegrown atmosphere that grows quickly on you.
Every touching site hits close to home, like Grantham Pointe, the red and white striped lighthouse. The tree-lined Lighthouse Walk meanders to the lake for a sit-down cocktail, seafood, or American food at an outdoor cafe with views. Many enjoy picnic shelters and trails along Palm Island Boardwalk, with a fishing pier and a chance of alligator sightings. In addition to the relaxing parks, hop on a water-based eco adventure to see the town along the Dora Canal or delve deeper into the lake.
Stuart
Stuart is the epitome of the state's coastal charisma and hospitality between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. Take in spectacular sunset views across the iconic Roosevelt Bridge, with a tunneling effect by night. Spanning both sides of the wide St. Lucie River, Jupiter Inlet Aquatic Preserve, and a portion of a barrier island, each distinct shoreline bathes in postcard views with attractions like the hands-on touch tanks at Florida Oceanographic Society Coastal Center.
The town's beach scene draws divers, snorkelers, swimmers, and paddlers, delivering rentals and thrills over ocean views. Strolling along the riverwalk, visitors enjoy the free heritage museum next to the late 19th-century church and the waterfront Shepard Park, a green space with a boat launch and dock for fishing, walking, and picnic grills. Pick one of the family-friendly cafes with ocean views and great bites on the menu. The B&A Flea Market is year-round with antiques, art, and vendors.
Florida boasts a vibrant artistic culture, celebrities, and presidential history, even in its furthest corners, like Hemingway's haunt in Key West. The port towns and historic fishing villages funnel you into the past with engaging activities like scalloping, remote beaches, and antebellum B&Bs.
See why Cedar Key is an underrated gem and a window to the past—bring your camera, for this town drips in nostalgia. It has a distinct quality that appeals to the part of you that gets excited about the fall vibes, antiquing, and camping while it snows back home.
