Florida is heating up this winter with new openings and attractions for travel-hungry visitors. Here’s a look at what’s just opened or about to launch across the Sunshine State to get travelers clamoring to visit Florida in 2022.
Action & Adventure
In Central Florida, visitors can see the state from a new perspective at the Sunshine State's most highly anticipated new drop zone at Central Florida Skydiving. Thrill seekers can enjoy Florida from miles in the sky as they parachute to the ground.
In Daytona Beach, the new Cars, Craft and Culture – The Ultimate Daytona Beach Trail Guide provides interactive themed maps, including the new Share The Heritage Trail, Monuments & Statues Trail, an Iconic Trail and a Motorsports Trail.
In St. Petersburg, the Fairgrounds St. Pete invites visitors to escape reality and explore their interactive story-driven experience and engage in a world of art, play and joy. Featuring more than 64 commissioned works and installations with ties to Florida in a 15,000-square-foot space in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District, the artist-made environment is a technology experience unlike any other.
Attractions & Amusements
Opening in February 2022, families will squeal with delight as they jump into the playful world of Peppa Pig for an unforgettable day of adventure at the World’s First Peppa Pig™ Theme Park, only at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort. Combining interactive rides and themed playgrounds with character shows and an indoor cinema for quieter moments, every corner of the charming new park is crafted with preschoolers in mind.
SeaWorld Orlando’s first launch coaster boasts the steepest vertical drop in Florida, set to open in February of 2022. Named after the icy Arctic summits, Ice Breaker will feature four launches, both backwards and forwards, culminating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida — a 93-foot-tall spike with 100-degree angle.
At Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Iron Gwazi, North America’s tallest hybrid coaster and the fastest and steepest hybrid coaster in the world will open in March 2022. Iron Gwazi will be 206 feet tall, feature a 91-degree drop, and reach top speeds of 76 miles per hour. The journey will include three inversions and 12 airtime moments as it races along more than 4,075 feet of purple steel track.
Also in Orlando, Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park opened Jurassic World VelociCoaster in late 2021, Florida’s fastest and tallest launch coaster, and the world’s first coaster based on the Jurassic World blockbuster franchise.
Celebrations & Anniversaries
In Orlando, Disney World Resort’s 50th Anniversary, is underway, welcoming guests to “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.” The 18-month event began October 1, 2021, ushering in a spectacular array of new attractions, EARidescent décor, night-time spectaculars and much more.
Near Miami, the Everglades National Park will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2022. As part of the celebration, a new four-building, 24-unit Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant and Flamingo Visitor Centre are scheduled to open by January 2022, whilst Concessionaire Flamingo Everglades Adventures, is to unveil the lodge with one and two-bedroom units available.
In Orlando, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort celebrated its 10th birthday with brick-tastic fanfare and big announcements about the fun coming to the resort in 2022 including a new ride and new entertainment enhancements to its calendar of events. To commemorate this milestone, LEGOLAND has also debuted an all-new attraction, The LEGOLAND Story - immersing LEGO® lovers in the unexpected origin story of everyone’s favourite brick.
Hotels and Accomodations
In Orlando, the inaugural voyage of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort will depart March 1, 2022. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is an experience going beyond anything Disney has created before, inviting guests to become the heroes of their own stories during a two-night adventure where they see, feel and live Star Wars.
In St. Petersburg, Hilton Garden Inn, recently opened its doors, complete with 144 spacious and airy rooms, including six suites. The whimsical touches throughout the exterior showcase the work of local artists Alyssa Marie and Braden Everly of the Alyssa Marie Gallery.
In Daytona Beach, the recently opened Daytona Grande, member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts LVX Collection, is a new oceanfront luxury resort. With direct access to the beach, the hotel towers 27-stories above the waves and offers 456 refined accommodations, exceptional service, and a wide variety of dining options.
Just south of Boca Raton, Hillsboro Beach Resort, a luxe, coastal-inspired oasis on Millionaire’s Mile, welcomed its first guests this autumn 2021 in sunny South Florida. With views over the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, this all-new luxury upscale beachfront resort offers in-demand amenities including an oceanfront pool, a ballroom, and a globally inspired restaurant, Roí.
Between Orlando and Palm Beach, Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo introduced its newest luxury glamping accommodations – ten Luxe Conestoga Wagons and ten Luxury Glamping Tents. These premium offerings are the latest addition to the unique lodging experiences available at this secluded luxury glamping resort.
In Naples, the Athens Group and MSD Partners, L.P. have acquired the legendary former Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, set on 1,000 feet of white-sand beach in iconic Old Naples. The site will be redeveloped into the Naples Beach Club, a 125-acre resort and residential beachfront development offering a one-of-a-kind, luxury lifestyle destination to residents, members, and guests. This special coastal community will include a 216-room hotel managed by leading luxury hospitality company, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, up to 185 luxury residences and unparalleled club amenities.
In Boca Raton, the 356-acre-resort complex, previously known as the Boca Raton Resort and Club, dating to 1926, is ushering in a “New Golden Era,” starting with its new-again name: The Boca Raton, and a $175 million makeover ahead of its 100th anniversary. Expect exclusive experiences for resort guests and club members, including a lakefront oasis complete with four pools, an adults-only option, a 450-foot lazy river, two slides, a splash park, and luxury cabanas.
For more information on the Sunshine State or to plan a 2022 vacation to Florida visit www.VISITFLORIDA.com.
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About VISIT FLORIDA
As the Sunshine State’s No. 1 industry, tourism was responsible for welcoming 79.8 million visitors in 2020, a decrease from the record 131.4 million visitors in 2019, attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the latest economic impact study, Florida visitors contributed $96.5 billion to Florida's economy and supported 1.6 million Florida jobs in 2019. According to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, for every $1 the state invests in VISIT FLORIDA, the official tourism marketing corporation for the State of Florida, $3.27 in tax revenue is generated. VISIT FLORIDA promotes tourism to Florida through sales, advertising, promotions, public relations and visitor services programs. As a public/private partnership, VISIT FLORIDA serves more than 13,000 tourism industry businesses, including major strategic alliance partnerships with Busch Gardens Tampa, Disney Destinations, Hilton, LEGOLAND Florida Resort, SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA follow @FloridaTourism on Facebook and Twitter or visit www.visitflorida.org. For inspiration from the Sunshine State, follow @VISITFLORIDA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.visitflorida.com. For media resources, visit www.visitfloridamedia.com.