Orlando and the Theme Parks
Orlando is built for visitors, and where you stay comes down to which park you are here for and your budget. On the Universal side, value resorts like Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort and the two Universal Endless Summer Resort properties (Dockside Inn and Surfside Inn) offer early park access at lower rates, while Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando steps up to full service. Near Disney, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort in Lake Buena Vista sits inside the bubble, and big off-property options like Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa and the Hyatt Regency Orlando on International Drive give you more room for your money.
Orlando works as a base for more than parks, since it is about an hour from the Atlantic beaches at Cocoa and central to day trips. Expect the highest rates around holidays and spring break, covered in our best time to visit Florida guide. If you land at MCO and stay in the parks, you may not even need a car, though most trips beyond Orlando do, per our getting around Florida guide.
The Gulf Coast Beaches
The central Gulf coast is the family beach heartland, with soft white sand and calm water. On Clearwater Beach, the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Suites, Opal Sands Resort & Spa, and Shephard's Beach Resort sit right on the sand. Just south on St. Pete Beach, the Island Grand at TradeWinds and its sister RumFish Beach at TradeWinds are large family-friendly resorts. Farther down, Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach and the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort anchor the southwest coast near Naples, Sanibel, and Marco Island.
Fly into Tampa (TPA), Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ), or Southwest Florida (RSW) depending on how far south you are headed, as our Florida airports guide explains. The Gulf's calm shallow water and sunsets over the sea are the draw here, a contrast spelled out in our Gulf vs Atlantic coast guide. Book winter and spring-break dates well ahead, since these beach resorts fill fast in the dry season.
Miami, the Southeast, and the Keys
On the Atlantic side, Miami Beach delivers the beach-plus-city combination. The Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Loews Miami Beach Hotel are large oceanfront classics on Collins Avenue, 1 Hotel South Beach leans upscale and design-forward, and downtown the InterContinental Miami puts you near the port for cruises. This is the base for nightlife, the Art Deco district, and the drive south to the Keys.
For the Keys, lodging books up months ahead in winter and carries a real price premium. Gilbert's Resort & Marina in Key Largo is a laid-back marina stay at the top of the island chain, while Opal Key Resort & Marina in Old Town Key West puts you steps from the harbor at the end of the road. Many travelers break the drive with a night in Islamorada or Marathon, as our Overseas Highway guide lays out. Remember the Keys evacuate early in storms, so check our hurricane season guide for summer trips.
North Florida, the Space Coast, and the Panhandle
North of the metro areas, the character shifts. On the Space Coast, the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach sits on the wide Atlantic strand near Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. Historic St. Augustine, about 50 minutes from Jacksonville (JAX), suits a stay in the old town for the country's oldest city. These northern beaches run cooler in winter than South Florida, so time a swimming trip for late spring through early fall.
For the Panhandle's Emerald Coast, base yourself around Destin, Pensacola Beach, or 30A, and fly into Destin/Fort Walton (VPS) or Pensacola (PNS) rather than Orlando, which is 6.5 hours away. The Panhandle has the whitest quartz sand in the state and a distinct Gulf Coast feel. Wherever you base, start from the Florida travel guide home page to match your region to the right airport, and budget the stay with our Florida trip cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best area to stay in Florida for families?
For theme parks, base in Orlando near Disney or Universal at a resort like Cabana Bay Beach Resort or Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. For a family beach trip, the central Gulf coast at Clearwater Beach or St. Pete Beach offers calm shallow water and large family resorts like the Island Grand at TradeWinds.
Should I stay in one place or move around Florida?
It depends on your trip length. A short trip is best focused on one region, since Florida spans about 450 miles. For a week or more, a two-base plan works well in South Florida, for example a few Gulf days near Naples and a few Atlantic days in Miami, only about 2 hours apart.
How far ahead should I book Florida hotels?
Book several months ahead for winter and spring-break dates, when the dry season packs the beaches and the Keys carry a steep price premium. Late-summer trips in September and October are the easiest to book last minute and the cheapest, since that overlaps the quiet hurricane-season weeks.
Where should I stay to visit the Florida Keys?
Key Largo, like Gilbert's Resort & Marina, is the entry point good for diving, while Old Town Key West, such as Opal Key Resort & Marina, puts you at the end of the road near the harbor and nightlife. Many travelers add a middle-Keys night in Islamorada or Marathon to break the drive.