The Ultimate Central Florida Road Trip Is Right Here – And You’ll Want To Do It
Millions of people flock to Central Florida each year, and then never leave Disney property the entire time they’re here. The middle of our state has some of the best attractions Florida has to offer, so all these folks are really missing out. (Some of these places might not technically be in Central Florida, but that’s the simplest way to describe the trip.)
Our state is pretty large, so this trip will take about 9-10 hours of driving, and of course much longer if you stop at all of the attractions. It’s up to you how many of the attractions you want to visit and how long you want to stay at each one, which will determine how many days the trip will take. I’ve included several must-sees (marked with a purple dot), as well as several bonus attractions (marked with a pink diamond), so you can customize your road trip to your own interests. There are plenty of cities along the route that should have reasonable hotels, but you can always find more state parks (that offer camping or cabins) along the way to save money.
Now for an outline of our trip. We’ll start from De Leon Springs State Park and head west around this circle:
The final stop in the original route accounts for an extra hour of driving, so I've included an alternative route at the end for those who don't mind bypassing this stop. On the original route you don't have to drive through Orlando, but the alternative route will take you right through it, adding Blue Spring State Park and the psychic town of Cassadaga to the route. If you wanted to add a visit to a theme park to this version of the trip, it could easily be done. I'm excited to hit the road and try out this trip. How about you?
De Leon Springs State Park, 601 Ponce Deleon Blvd, De Leon Springs, FL 32130
We'll begin very early in the morning so we have time to wait in line for breakfast at The Old Spanish Sugar Mill. There, we can make pancakes with fresh-ground flour on griddles set right into the table. After breakfast we can walk off some of those calories with a hike or a swim or relax and take the Fountain of Youth Eco/History boat tour.
Rainbow Springs State Park, 19158 81 Place Rd, Dunnellon, FL 34432
Next, we'll drive through Ocala National Forest on the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway. This is a beautiful drive that will make the time fly by, but by all means stop here and check out this incredible park if you have the extra time. The rest of us will head over to Dunnellon to see the lovely man-made waterfalls.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, 6131 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, FL 34606
Next, we'll visit the mermaid city of Weeki Wachee, but you can take a detour to Crystal River Preserve State Park if you want to get up close and personal with the manatees first.
Our next stop is the Greek sponging village of Tarpon Springs. This is a good place to have another meal, because we will be surrounded by delicious and authentic Greek food.
Honeymoon Island State Park, Honeymoon Island, Dunedin, FL 34698
This spot is a little out of the way, so feel free to skip it if you're not interested in seeing the largest collection of Dali's work outside of Europe. To me, it would totally be worth the drive.
Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd, Lake Wales, FL 33853
Next on our list is the majestic Bok Tower in Lake Wales. The tower not only looks beautiful, it has 60 carillon bells, and the rolling acres of gardens are lush and serene.
Other optional stops on this route include Florida's oldest restaurant in Ybor City in Tampa (Columbia Restaurant), and Dinosaur World in Plant City.
Since we'll already be in Lake Wales, take a few minutes to try out the illusion at this gravity hill. If you drive to the line and put your car in neutral it will seem to roll backward uphill.
Blue Spring State Park, 2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763
For our final stops, you can choose whether to visit Kennedy Space Center on Route A or Blue Spring State Park and/or the psychic town of Cassadaga on Route B. Route A will take you around Orlando, and Route B will take you through it. Whatever you choose, you'll have a uniquely Floridian experience.
Well, there you have it, folks. This trip should provide you with plenty of incredible experiences and great stories to last a lifetime. I can’t wait it to try it out, and I hope you will, too.
How many of these places have you visited? What stops would you add to this trip? What’s your favorite Florida road trip? Please share your comments with us below!
