Florida has the weather, the sun, the beaches—we know—but it also has greenery that offers the perfect balance to outdoor enthusiasts who might not be so sweet on saltwater. Think flowers. Butterflies. Perfectly Instagrammable moments with friends and family.
We want to help present the state in more of a floral pattern this spring, helping amateur horticulturalists see how a trip to the Sunshine State can add a pop of color that they’ve been craving all winter.
Snap some stamens: With a subtropical climate, Florida always has something growing. The state’s many botanical gardens and arboretums are the perfect place to exercise a little flower photography this spring as the seasonal varieties blossom. Head to Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, ranked the second-best botanical garden in the country by USA Today’s “10Best” series.
Celebrate what’s blooming: Horticulture festivals like the Spring Bloom at Bok Tower in Central Florida, now through April, is a way to indulge in Florida’s botanical wonders. And Orlando is the place to see topiaries come to life with everyone’s favorite Disney characters at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, through May. Keep up with all the events happening statewide this spring.
Ditch the cocoons: It’s not just flowers popping open! While butterflies are a year-round occurrence in Florida, the spring is an especially vibrant time to catch them as they migrate and breed. Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, is one of the world’s largest places to encounter more than 20,000 varieties of the creatures. Or catch the spring edition of the Monarch breedings as they migrate north in places like St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the state’s panhandle.
Road trip with a view: We think of Florida’s waterways, but often forget that it is rife with scenic drives that are a colorful contrast to what most of the nation endures while waiting for spring to get its act together. There are many options, like the Pensacola Scenic Bluffs or the Suncoast Parkway near Tampa that offers a leisurely, rarely busy ride through natural splendor.
Get in touch to learn more about Florida’s varied landscapes and natural features beyond its coasts, including family-friendly springtime events and festivals waving the springtime banner