Florida is one of our favourite places to visit, not just because of it’s links to Disney. There are hundreds, if not more beautiful places to visit off the beaten track. Very few tourists know or visit these gems making them fantastically uncrowded and in many cases you could find yourselves being the only visitors there.
While I’m over here dreaming of being back exploring all that Florida has to offer I thought I’d put a list together of our favourite places to visit, which don’t break the bank but are still fun and exciting for the whole family. Perfect for a low budget trip to the sunshine state!
Lake Louisa
High on my list is Lake Louisa. It’s just $5 to enter the State Park for the whole day. There’s lots of land to explore and a brilliant beach by the lake. Perfect for a paddle! We visited a couple of times on our last trip to Florida, the first time we stumbled upon it whilst driving home one day, the next visit was a more organised trip complete with picnic. There are plenty of picnic sights and if you’re visiting by campervan you can stay on their campsite. There are also lakeside lodges to stay in. There’s water sports and horse riding if you fancy more than a paddle. To find out more visit their website here.
Manatee Springs
Another State Park, absolutely stunning. $6 Per car (2-8 people) for the day, there’s a visitor centre which tells you everything you need to know about manatees and the park itself, you can swim in the lagoon or enjoy a spot of fishing. Again, there’s plenty of picnic space available for lunch, a bonus when travelling around with the kiddies! There’s plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife, if you’re lucky you could see the Manatees and their babies in the river and lagoon! To find out more visit here.
Homosassa Springs
One more little treat is a visit to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Amazing for the kiddies and not touristy at all. Great if crowds fill you with dread like me! There’s lots of animals to see including Lu the hippopotamus (The oldest hippopotamus in captivity!) The Florida Panther, Black Bears, Alligators and River Otters. There is a children’s educational centre on site, a gift shop and café. Tickets are $13 for Adults (age 13+) and $5 for Children (ages 6-12). Under 5’s are free! I would say our trip here was much more enjoyable than our tip to Animal Kingdom. For more information visit here.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our top 3 cheap days out in Florida, leave a comment below if you’ve heard of these places (or not!) or have even visited yourself? Do you know of any budget friendly places to visit? We’d love to add some more to our list for our next trip!
All these places are fun and accessible for the whole family and away from the crowds you get in Orlando’s major theme parks. Your family trip to Florida can be relaxing, I promise!
Look out for our itinerary for a more relaxed holiday in Florida coming up shortly.
See The World With The Kids 
What is your favourite place to visit in Florida?
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