Florida Bucket List: Top 10 Creative Travel Experiences
With theme parks, endless coasts, wildlife, and more unique attractions, Florida is perfect for a creative adventure. Here are 10 unique creative travel experiences for your Florida bucket list.
Florida is a creative travel destination focused on play, nature, and unique travel activities. With so much to do, it can be hard to decide where to start. This creative travel bucket list can help you dive deeper into the creative history of Florida and the different types of travel you can do while visiting.
Whether you’re planning a creative retreat or family vacation, personalize your trip with unique and creative Airbnbs and personalize your trip to match your creative travel goals and get the most out of your visit.
Why Travel To Florida
- Well-Being
- Nature
- Unique Experiences
- Cultural Exchange
- Educational
- Play
Florida has a lot to offer creative minds, which is why so many famous creatives lived and traveled here to boost and support their creativity. Each with its own unique features, creative travelers can customize their trip to fit all types of creative retreats and vacations.
Well-Being
Florida can be a rejuvenating travel destination that can help one rest the mind or reignite creativity through healthy activities, food, nature, authentic experiences, and more to support one’s creative well-being, both physically and mentally.
Nature
Nature can enhance creative ways of thinking in many ways, and Florida features 1,350 miles of coast, 11 national parks, many natural springs, thriving wildlife, and more to rejuvenate and inspire creative minds.
Unique Experiences
Florida is full of unique experiences to enhance cognitive flexibility and creates new connections in the brain to support creative thinking and fresh ideas.
Cultural Exchange
Florida is a diverse community of inspiring creatives from all around the world. With endless opportunities for cultural exchange, learning opportunities, and more to inspire new perspectives and strengthen the creative mind.
Educational
With a long artistic history and thriving creative communities, there are endless workshops, retreats, programs, and more to learn creative skills. Discover famous creative spaces from Ernest Hemingway to Thomas Edison Florida has a rich history of creativity.
Play
With nearly 500 theme parks and endless activities and attractions for play, you’ll never get bored. Florida is full of adventures and activities to support the creative benefits of play for all ages.
Florida Creative Travel Bucket List
Amusement Parks
Creative Benefits
- Play
- Relationships
- Unique Experience
Play is an important part of creative travel. With countless benefits for all ages, play boosts creativity and adds to any travel experience. If you’re traveling to Florida, the theme parks are a must for your creative travel bucket list. The hardest part is choosing which one to go to with the states featuring nearly 500 theme parks, each with unique experiences and themes to inspire and celebrate creativity.
The good news is the most popular ones are in Orlando, the theme park capital of the world, so you can knock out several in one trip.
How to Boost Creativity at Theme Parks
- Train Creative Skills
- Disney World Scavenger Hunt and Hidden Mickeys
- Learn How to Draw an Animal Like a Disney Animator
- Seek Out Unique Experiences
- Disney Animal Kingdom Safari
- Explore different cultures at Epcot
- Face Your Fears
- Try scary and intimidating rides/experiences
- Strengthen Relationships
- Play with friends and family to experience new perspectives
- Immerse yourself in creativity that inspired you
- Stay in unique and inspiring places
- Bring out your inner child
- Try activities and hobbies you enjoyed as a child
Best Florida Theme Parks
- Disney – Magic Kingdom
- Universal Studios
- Disney – Epcot
- Busch Gardens
- Disney – Hollywood Studios
- Universal – Islands of Adventure
- Disney – Animal Kingdom
- Universal – Volcano Bay
- Legoland
- SeaWorld
Tips
- Research rides in advance and use express passes/fast track for top-priority rides
- Consider unique places to stay inside the parks
- Download the park apps for wait times, showtimes, and availability
- Visit during slow seasons (late winter and late spring, early June and late August, autumn and early winter)
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
Creative Benefits
- Unique Experience
- Mindfulness
- Autonomy
- Nature / Water
With 1,350 miles of coast and year-round sunshine making the waters warm and crystal clear, Florida is an inspiring and fun destination for scuba diving, snorkeling, and other water sports.
If you’ve never gone scuba diving or snorkeling, Florida is a great place to start and even learn. This unique travel experience supports creativity as much as it does health and well-being. With benefits like curiosity, mindfulness, autonomy, play, and more, you can boost your creativity and elevate your travel.
Unique Spots
- Dry Tortugas National Park (Snorkeling Fort Jefferson and shipwrecks)
- Crystal River (snorkeling with sea manatees)
- Ginnie Springs (natural springs)
- Devil’s Den and Blue Grotto (Cave Diving)
- West Palm Beach (Sea Turtles)
- Pensacola, Destin, Panama City, Key Largo (Historical Shipwrecks)
- 1000 Mermaids (Artificial Reef Project and Gallery)
- Venice (Megalodon Fossil Hunting)
Tips
- Manatee Season is from Mid-November to February
- Avoid peak hurricane season for Florida (August-October)
- Make sure you are certified to dive.
- Dive with a certified diving school.
- Be mindful of your surroundings.
- Try a night dive for a completely new and unique experience.
The Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum)
Creative Benefits
- Educational
- Play
- Curiosity
- Nature
The Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum) is an art museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, dedicated to the works and the creative mind of Salvador Dalí. From the surrealism-inspired structure to the exhibits, every part is an expression and celebration of Dalí’s creativity.
This creative museum is a must for any art lover. The museum’s collection includes 96 oil paintings, over 100 watercolors and drawings, 1,300 graphics, photographs, sculptures, and objets d’art, plus an extensive archival library. Besides its wonderful exhibits, the museum also hosts many community events and student programs to learn more about Dalí and support your creativity.
Tips
- Download the free Dalí Museum App for info, self-guided tours, and more.
- Plan your trip with events at the Dalí.
- Explore the “Labyrinth” garden outside.
- Add some fun to your tour for the kids with the Scavenger Hunt, “Mr. Mustache” tour designed for ages 5-13.
- Inspiring Community Events:
- ArtFlix – Films related to Dalí, Surrealism, art history, and more
- Coffee with a Curator (available virtually) – Focused, theme-oriented presentation on a variety of Dalí-related topics
- DillyDally with Dalí (available virtually) – Children discover the creative world of Dalí through games, puzzles, and arts + craft activities that educate and encourage family interaction
Ringling Museum
Creative Benefits
- Educational
- Play
- Curiosity
- Nature
The Ringling Museum in Sarasota is the official state art museum of Florida and was the legacy left by John and Mable Ringling of the famous Ringling family circus.
This Florida bucket list attraction is great for the whole family, that features 21 galleries with over 10,000 creative objects that include a variety of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, and decorative arts from ancient through contemporary periods and from around the world. It also features an interactive American circus museum.
Notable creatives with featured work at the museum include Peter Paul Rubens, Marcel Duchamp, Paolo Veronese, and many more.
Tips
- Explore the eye-catching Ringling Ca’ d’Zan Mansion, the original waterfront residence built for Mable and John Ringling.
- Wander and get inspired by the Rose Garden, the Secret Garden, and the Millennium Tree Trail on site.
- Support your own creativity with one of the many creative classes held on-site including salsa dancing, acrobatics, postmodern movement, moving meditations, and more.
- Explore the museum on your own or attach one of the many types of audio or special guides to personalize your trip.
Ernest Hemingway’s Home and Museum in Key West
Creative Benefits
- Educational
- Cultural
- Creative Space
A Florida bucket list must for writers and fans of great American fiction is the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West. Take a tour through the creative home and workspace of one of the greatest writers of all time, see descendants of Hemmingway’s favorite six-toed cat, named Snow White, and you can even purchase the opportunity to work on your own masterpiece in the same space the Hemmingway worked in.
Key West was Hemmingway’s home for many years and has many attractions that you can explore and see what his creative life was like.
Tips
- Attend the Hemingway Days festival, held every year on the author’s birthday, July 21st.
- Have a drink at Captain Tony’s Saloon, the favorite watering hole of Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Shel Silverstein, and Jimmy Buffet.
- Visit Dry Tortugas National Park, one of Hemingway’s favorite fishing spots.
- Pair your trip with the books he wrote while there.
Everglades National Park
Creative Benefits
- Nature
- Unique Experience
- Educational
- Water
When most people think of the natural wonders of Florida, they think of the coast, but inland there are some very unique national parks to explore, most notably the Everglades National Park.
Everglades National Park is a unique Florida bucket list attraction that protects a unique landscape of marshlands and swamps that provide important habitats for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther. It is the third-largest national park in the contiguous United States and features many fun and unique experiences for the whole family.
Visiting the Everglades is both an educational and inspiring experience that allows you to explore a vast diversity of flora and fauna of a unique and fragile ecosystem. Covering more than 1.5 million acres of wetland, it’s best to be prepared and plan a trip that fits your needs and goals.
Tips
- Prepare For Summer Conditions – Expect the hottest temperatures and humidity from May through November.
- Take a guided tour to learn about the park optimally and safely.
- For the brave and bold, try unique wilderness camping, with most sites only accessible by water.
- Other fun activities to do in the park include hiking, biking, fishing, bird watching, boating, canoeing & kayaking, ranger programs, and more.
- Build new connections in your creative mind by eating some new unique foods in the park like, gator, frog legs, stone crab, and more.
Florida Natural Springs
Creative Benefits
- Nature / Water
- Well-Being
- Unique Experience
If you’re looking for a cooling and unique break from the beaches and water theme parks, look no further than the natural springs of Florida. Visiting natural springs is a must-Florida bucket list experience for any creative trip. When you’re bouncing from activity to activity, the body is bound to get tired and overstimulated. Just like in the creative process with how a break can launch new ideas and breakthroughs, so is true with taking a break while traveling.
Florida has over 700 natural springs, the largest collection of springs in the US. Visiting these springs is a fun and inspiring trip with many creative benefits. Many of these natural springs include hiking, unique and fun places to stay nearby, refreshing water activities, wildlife tours, and more.
Benefits of Natural Springs
- Water increases blood flow to the brain
- Bathing improves breathing for better relaxation
- Supports better quality of sleep
- Natural hot springs contain minerals that support general and mental health: boron, calcium, chloride, sodium, sulfate, lithium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, silica, zinc, fluoride, phosphate, nitrogen, and others.
- Soaking sessions (especially in nature) can reduce stress.
- Time in nature can enhance creative ways of thinking
Best Florida Springs
- Crystal River
- Rainbow Springs
- Ginnie Springs
- Weeki Wachee
- Ichetucknee Springs
- Juniper Springs
- Madison Blue Springs
- Gilchrist Blue Springs
- Alexander Springs
- Silver Glen Springs
Tips
- Pair with other unique experiences like snorkeling/scuba diving, camping, kayaking/canoeing, paddleboarding, wildlife tours, tubing, and more.
- Plan creative retreats around nearby unique Airbnbs for breaks between work.
- Arrive early as capacity can fill up early.
- Consider wearing water shoes.
- Bring a waterproof case for your phone. Pair your visit with brainstorming, as water can help ideas flow.
Murder Mystery Dinner Train
Creative Benefits
- Play
- Unique Experience
- Problem-solving
Travel is full of amazing experiences, but often the part of getting from one place to another can be a drag. Experience a unique way to travel and dine on the Murder Mystery Dinner Train.
Enjoy a five-course dinner and a murder mystery show as you travel through the beauty of Southwest Florida along the historic Seminole Gulf Railway. The train ride and experience lasts for about three hours and is a forty-mile round trip from the Colonial Station in Fort Myers.
Tips
- Due to limited kitchen space and carrying capacity, vegetarian options are sadly NOT available.
- If you’re visiting during holidays they also host special events to fit the season.
- Go on a safari at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
- Experience Dolphin and Manatee Adventure Tours.
- Take a guided Kayak tour through the Mangrove Estuary.
Miami Creative Communities
Creative Benefits
- Community
- Educational
- Cultural
- Play
Miami is a fascinating and thriving center for creatives and a must for any Florida bucket list.
Known as the “Magic City” for how fast it grew into a vibrant community influenced by a diverse population. With so many different types of creatives, the city has become a thriving community decorated with neon art deco aesthetics, an invigorating music scene, cultural exchange, and many fun and creative things to do for creative travelers.
Tips
- Explore Coral Castle, a creative monument built by the eccentric Edward Leedskalnin as a way to work through the heartbreak of a canceled marriage.
- Creative Museums:
- Explore the Creative Communities – Arts & Entertainment District, Wynwood Art District, Design District, South Beach, Coral Gables
- Soak in Little Havana from the vibrant streets, inspiring restaurants, Cafés, and don’t forget the incredible music and salsa dancing.
- Support your creative mind with unique cuisine from a diverse community, especially the famous Cuban sandwich.
Creative Events and Festivals
Creative Benefits
- Educational
- Cultural
- Community
- Unique Experience
As such an inspiring and fun travel destination full of diverse creative communities and activities, it’s also a great place to plan your trip around events and festivals to connect deeper with the communities and support the creative mind in new and different ways while traveling.
Pairing creative travel with or around events and festivals is a wonderful way to add creative elements to benefit and inspire the mind. You can learn new things, build skills, connect with creative communities, and more.
Here are just a few events and festivals to add to your creative travel bucket list, but there are many more for all types of creative fields.
Best Events and Festivals
- Electric Daisy Carnival (Nov 11th- 13th)
- Gasparilla Pirate Fest (January 29)
- Carnaval on the Mile (March 4th and 5th)
- Miami Fashion Week (May 31st -June 5th)
- EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival (March 2-July 4)
- Hemingway Days (July 19-24)
- American Sand Sculpting Championship (2023)
Tips
- Plan a creative retreat around events to build connections and network in different creative communities.
- Plan creative travel around events with creative friends to strengthen relationships.
Zach is an international writer, photographer, filmmaker, martial artist, and creator of Creative Enso, the Zen art of creative living. His goal is to empower and inspire creatives to live healthier, happier, and more creative lifestyles.
