Florida is the ultimate bucket-list holiday destination for families, couples and solo travellers alike. But a once-in-a-lifetime trip doesn't have to break the bank. For those looking to keep costs down, there are plenty of memorable things to do in the Sunshine State that are completely free, from summer beach concerts and hanging out with manatees, to canoeing on secluded rivers and hiking in peaceful state parks. Here, we round up our favourite free activities in Florida, which our team of well-travelled experts believe to be the best.

Although subjective, read on to discover what we've ranked as the number one...

Stretching from Tarpon Springs in the north to St Petersburg in the south is this 75-mile (120km) protected green space that follows an abandoned railway corridor. It’s a peaceful trail where walkers, joggers, cyclists and skaters unite on its paths to enjoy the local nature and explore its distinctive towns. The loop was recently completed with the opening of the 6.7-mile (11km) North Gap path.

Florida is home to species of birds not found anywhere else in the US. The state is also a key stop on many exotic birds’ migratory routes, for spotting opportunities galore. For example, the JN ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island is home to the elegant Roseate Spoonbill (pictured). Check out the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail’s website too, which explains what birds and wildlife you can see at different times of year. 

It might be a charming small town surrounded by sweet-scented citrus groves, but St Wales has an eerie side. A public road through town has been renamed Spook Hill, for a strange phenomenon. Cars parked at the bottom of the hill appear to defy gravity and look as though they’re rolling uphill. Whether it’s otherworldly forces at work or an optical illusion, who knows? What is certain is that it's a fun – and free – activity to experience when you visit the area. 

Many hotels in Palm Beach – one of the most exclusive postcodes in the world – offer guests free bike hire during their stay. An amble along the 5.5-mile (8.8km) Lake Trail is a relaxing way to explore this elite town set on a barrier island on the Atlantic coast. The route skirts Palm Beach's western edge, starting from South Lake Drive near Peruvian Avenue to its terminus north of the Sailfish Club, and offers a peek at the area’s impressive waterside properties.

On the first Friday of every month, the charming red-brick streets in downtown Fort Myers River District are transformed into a dazzling open-air art gallery for the Fort Myers Art Walk. From 5pm to 9pm, visitors follow a trail around stalls and galleries, and browse contemporary artworks from bold-painted canvases to small sculptures, by local and regional artists. You can also grab a bite to eat and catch some live music.  

Every Sunday at 2pm, the historic Biltmore Hotel – open since 1926 – flings open its grand doors for free tours of its rooms and grounds. Curious visitors can walk its storied corridors in the footsteps of elite guests, past and present: from European royalty and political heavyweights like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George Bush, to Hollywood stars such as Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby – and even infamous Chicago mob boss, Al Capone. 

For a taste of quiet, old, sleepy Florida, detour off the main interstate for a slow drive on the state’s once-forgotten 48-mile (77km) Old Florida Heritage Highway. This cluster of lazy backroads marks a time in Florida’s history before the official interstate system was introduced. Narrow roads wander and weave through pastures, wilderness lakes and towering oak trees draped with strands of moss.

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Road trippers with a keen eye who travel along the Gulf Coast Highway – a corridor that hugs the Gulf of Mexico coastline in Northwest Florida’s Walton County – will spot larger-than-life sandcastles dotted on the buttery shores. It’s often nicknamed the ‘Sandcastle Coast’ for its moist sand with an ideal texture for castle building. One of the most beautiful beaches on this stretch is Panama Beach with its pristine white sand.

Known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ community, Miami held its inaugural Miami Beach Pride Festival in 2009. In 2024, it celebrated its 15th anniversary with an extra special extended schedule of events spread across two fun-packed days. These included a Pride pool event, an LGBTQ+ family picnic, Queer Art Showcase, and the Pride March and Parade on Ocean Drive. Don't miss 2025's event; it'll be held on 5-6 April.

Central Florida’s natural beauty is celebrated within Bonnet Springs Park, a new 168-acre urban recreational oasis. Highlights include the Hollis Family Welcome Centre, the American Heritage Garden, The Florida Children’s Museum, Kids Treehouse (pictured) and a packed schedule of open-air concerts and events. It’s free to visit but donations are welcome.

Have you conquered Disney World and Universal Studios? Make a beeline for the Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards in Clermont, 30 minutes from downtown Orlando. It hosts free wine tastings, live music in the summer and winter, and an open house in the holidays. Alternatively, a trip to the San Sebastian Winery takes you to the historic town of St Augustine. Alongside tastings, there are free guided walking tours of the 18,000-square-foot (1,672sqm) wine production facility.

As the oldest continuously settled city in the US, St Augustine on the coast near Jacksonville in northern Florida is an essential stop for lovers of history. Eye-catching old-fashioned architecture inspired by early Spanish settlers characterises downtown, which is also home to independent shops, cafés and restaurants. Once the town’s main thoroughfare, a walk along pedestrianised St George Street with its movie-scene-worthy nostalgic good looks is a must.

Florida's most beautiful small towns and cities

Separating Florida and the state of Georgia, the majestic 126-mile-long (202km) St Mary’s River is a quiet setting for some family time. Sightings of native Floridian wildlife, such as osprey, bald eagles, deer, beavers and otters, are not uncommon. You can launch a boat at the Canoe Country Outpost too. Throw in the option to pitch a tent on the shore for free, and you have the ticket to a fun, low-cost camping weekend. 

The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail is a series of multi-use paths and trails that link together all the towns in the Florida Keys. They follow the route of a former railroad line originally built by American industrialist and founder of the Florida East Coast Railway, Henry Flagler, in 1912. A ride along the paved cycle trail offers the chance to weave through the colourful Keys communities and over Flagler’s historic railroad bridges. 

Take a free tour of the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in the Florida Keys to find out how scientists aim to bring the reef ecosystem back from the brink of extinction. They're doing this by growing different types of coral, both onshore and offshore, which they will eventually plant on the reef using a technique called micro-fragmentation. This involves cutting coral into tiny pieces, which causes coral to grow faster.

Hidden in plain sight between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood Beach offers a change of scene from its big-hitting neighbours. Strolling the oceanfront promenade feels like time travelling to Old Florida, a reminder of America’s beach boardwalk heyday.

Colourfully restored 1920s and 1930s historic cottages are the setting for The Village of the Arts, an eclectic live-work community including galleries, studios, restaurants and speciality shops. The Village’s biggest drawcard is its free evening Art Walks. Taking place on the first Friday and Saturday of every month, this is when artists also fling open their studio doors, chat to the public and sell their work.

The state’s first official scenic highway in Florida in the westernmost Florida Panhandle is impressive for its towering trees, wetlands and views overlooking Escambia Bay – which are best admired atop the bluffs, the highest points on Florida’s entire coastline. Along the route, check out the National Naval Aviation Museum, completely free to visit. Do so at the right time, and you might just catch a glimpse of the US Navy Blue Angels – the second oldest formal aerobatic team in the world – practising their moves in the sky above. 

With its tree-shaded red-brick streets, historic buildings and storefronts, Old Town Kissimmee looks like it’s been plucked from the early 1900s. This quirky Central Florida entertainment district was designed in 1986. It’s home to 60-odd shops, themed restaurants and bars and stands out for its free, fun weekly vintage car shows, when 300-plus vintage cars, from hot-rods to muscle cars, cruise around the streets to playlists from the 1950s and 60s.

An outdoor venue like no other, this 5,000-seater amphitheatre, constructed with iridescent pink coquina shells, makes a statement at Daytona Beach's Oceanfront Park. Every summer, it becomes the setting for a series of free evening music concerts, with those held on Saturday nights, culminating in a dazzling firework display over the ocean. Other spots in the state for free summer beach concerts include Pier Park at Panama City Beach, and the Hollywood Beach Theatre.

Less than an hour's drive from Orlando is Little-Big Econ State Forest, which The American Hiking Society recently named one of the nation’s top family-friendly places for hiking. Running parallel to the Econlockhatchee River, the 4.7-mile (7.5km) Little Big Econ trail promises majestic views of the river from the bluffs, lush stands of palm trees and several bridge crossings. The forest is also home to eight miles (13km) of bike trails and the option to follow a canoeing trail on the river.

Native Americans lived here for millennia before colonists built a fort on this land – and later it became the setting for a fashionable resort. Today, visitors come to Fort George Island Cultural State Park to learn about Indigenous history, and for boating, fishing, off-road bicycling and hiking. The 1920s Ribault Club (pictured) is a highlight. Once part of the fashionable resort, it’s now a visitor centre that tells the island's story.

Lake Placid is like any other small American town, with a farmers' market, a main street, quaint shops and locals milling about on a Sunday afternoon. What sets this place apart is the collection of 50 murals painted on the sides of buildings around town. Each one depicts something different about the history of Lake Placid, its culture or some of its prominent citizens. Some have sound and others have hidden clues within them to spot.

These incredible 100-acre gardens in Largo are prettily packed with bloomin' marvellous flora and fauna. But you don't just have to love plants, wetlands and wildlife to pay a visit here. There's so much for little ones to do and see too. The brand new Majeed Discovery Garden on the west side is a big hit, while a children's trail and replica heritage village also allow a magical connection to nature.

The University of Florida campus is the unexpected setting for the largest bat houses in the world. These two wooden structures are located in an open field on the north side of Museum Road across from Lake Alice. Each night around 15 to 20 minutes after sunset, look up to the western sky over the pine trees and around the streetlights, and you’ll see upwards of 500,000 bats emerging for their nightly feed.

Taking in a spectacular Floridian sunset is an absolute must-do on any trip to the Sunshine State. A popular viewing spot is Mallory Square on the historic Key West waterfront. Here, comedians and musicians keep the vibe alive as the glowing orange sun dips behind the horizon. The silhouette of sailboats against a hazy purple, pink and orange sky makes for an unforgettable scene.  

Manatees, also known as sea cows, are unique aquatic mammals that feed on herbaceous seagrasses. These gentle creatures can be hard to spot in the wild, but head to the Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach, and you're almost guaranteed a sighting. They’re attracted to the warm water put out by a nearby power station and they flock here to bask in the warmth in scores.

Miami’s South Beach is home to the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. Painted in pastel colours, with geometric lines and curves and chrome accents, they’re easy to spot. Many of the 800 buildings that make up the Art Deco Historic District are home to hotels, some of the most impressive including the Beacon South Beach and the Colony Hotel.

Topping our ranking of the best free attractions in Florida is the Florida Keys Eco Discovery Center. Located on the Truman Waterfront, visitors can dive into a world of plants and animals that are native to the Keys – without getting their feet wet. The centre's 6,000 square feet (557sqm) of exhibition space is filled with immersive experiences for all the family. Although you can explore at your own pace, staff and volunteers are more than happy to offer interesting anecdotes about this fascinating yet fragile ecosystem. Don't miss the new interactive mangrove exhibit, while kids continue to love the lobster lab.

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