Best Day Trips From Orlando

Orlando sits in the middle of the state, so the Atlantic coast, the Gulf coast and the springs country are all within about two hours. The catch is that most of these places are hard to reach without a car. Here is how the best day trips compare, then what each one is like and who should skip it.

Drive times are approximate and assume no I-4 rush hour.

Kennedy Space Center: the best all-rounder

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is our first pick for most visitors. It works for kids and adults, and it’s the closest of the big trips. Plan a full day: the included bus tour to the Apollo/Saturn V Center takes 3–4 hours alone. You can drive and buy admission or book the Kennedy trip with transport. Our Kennedy Space Center from Orlando page compares every option, and Kennedy tickets vs tour does the cost maths.

Crystal River: swim with manatees in winter

Crystal River is one of only a few places in the world where you can legally swim with manatees, and the refuge there was set up to protect them. From November 15 to March 31, hundreds gather in the warm springs of Kings Bay. Outside that window fewer stay, so it’s a winter trip first.

The manatee snorkel tour with lunch and hotel pickup handles the drive, gear and a box lunch, and also includes Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Wetsuits cost extra on site. If you have a car, a local operator saves money: River Ventures’ snorkel tour with an in-water photographer or Manatee Tour and Dive’s guided snorkel both include a wetsuit. See our manatee trip breakdown.

Skip it if anyone in your group is uneasy in open water. Manatees are wild, so no tour can promise one, and touching or chasing them is prohibited.

St. Augustine: the oldest city

Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African American origin in the United States. The pull is the historic old town and the Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century Spanish fort.

The St. Augustine day trip with hotel pickup is a long day of about 12 hours, much of it walking outdoors. It can add a trolley, a bay cruise or museum tickets. Travelers report the coach stops near the trolley depot, a walk from the center, so the trolley option earns its keep. Read our St. Augustine breakdown.

Driving yourself? The hop-on hop-off trolley with museum entry or the trolley and museums combo covers the sights, and in the holiday season the Nights of Lights trolley tour books up.

Clearwater Beach: the Gulf coast

Clearwater Beach is Orlando’s Gulf-coast option, and the tourism board puts St. Pete–Clearwater about 90 minutes from Orlando outside rush hour. The Clearwater Beach day trip lets a driver deal with I-4, though you should expect about 2.5 hours on the coach each way. Options add the marine aquarium, a pirate cruise or a dolphin boat, and the Lunch and Express options give you the most beach time. See our Clearwater breakdown.

Skip it if you only want sand and sea: Cocoa Beach is much closer.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: another major park

If you’ve done the Orlando parks and still want coasters, Busch Gardens mixes big rides with animal habitats. The official directions put it about an hour away via I-4; in practice 70–90 minutes is common. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay tickets are admission only and non-refundable. Busch Gardens has also run a free Orlando shuttle for ticket holders that must be reserved ahead; check that it’s still operating for your date. More in our Busch Gardens breakdown.

Cocoa Beach and the Space Coast

The Space Coast is the closest beach to Orlando, with more than 72 miles of coastline. Pair it with Kennedy or make it a nature day: the Cocoa Beach dolphin and wildlife tour runs covered pontoon boats, and Brady Yaks’ guided dolphin and manatee kayak tour suits ages 5 and up. In summer, the glow of bioluminescent plankton peaks from roughly June to October; the Magic After Dark bioluminescence kayak tour goes out on the lagoon after dark, best near a new moon.

Daytona and Silver Springs

Two quieter options. Daytona Beach is about an hour away, and the Daytona Beach trip with Hard Rock resort access adds hotel pickup and optional speedway or nature-boat add-ons. Silver Springs State Park near Ocala is where glass-bottom boats were first launched in the 1870s; the small-group Silver Springs day trip includes park admission, with the boat ride on one option.

Which day trip should you choose?

• First-time visitors and families: Kennedy Space Center.
• Visiting between mid-November and March: Crystal River manatees.
• Couples who like history and old streets: St. Augustine.
• Beach day, short drive: Cocoa Beach. Beach day, Gulf sunset: Clearwater.
• Coaster fans: Busch Gardens.
• Summer nights: bioluminescence kayaking on the Space Coast.

Practical tips

• Leave early. I-4 traffic can double a drive time, and most tours pick up early in the morning.
• Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms, especially between noon and evening, so put water activities in the morning.
• Pack sunscreen, water and a dry change of clothes for any boat or snorkel trip.
• No car? Tours with pickup cover Kennedy, Crystal River, St. Augustine, Clearwater and Daytona. Our Orlando without a car guide covers the rest.

Alternatives closer to Orlando

Short on time? An airboat ride takes half a day in the Kissimmee wetlands, and Gatorland is 15–20 minutes from Disney. With young children, start with Orlando with kids.