25 amazing Florida destinations that demand a road trip

Seacrest Wolf Preservation
3449 Bonnett Pond Road, Chipley | 850-773-2897

Packs and packs of playful wolves and arctic foxes are waiting for you at the Seacrest Wolf Preserve. Don’t worry, Orlandoans -- these furry friends are tamed and have been living in the preservation since they were pups, so they’re accustomed to hangin’ with humans.

Photo via Seacrest Wolf Preservation/Facebook

Ancient Spanish Monastery
16711 W. Dixie Highway | 305-945-1461

Originally built in the 12th century, the Monastery has been brought to Miami one brick at a time. Stone statues, wooden-cast doors and stain-glass windows will ignite your imagination about the history of this Monastery, or at least earn you a good Instagram pic.

Photo via bru_bac/Instagram

Christ of the Abyss
102601 Overseas Highway, Key Largo | 305-451-6300

The original statue is located in the Mediterranean Sea. But in 1965, a bronze replica was dropped in 25 feet of water approximately six miles east of Key Largo in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and now offers an incredible spot for snorkeling.

Photo via el_squid/Instagram

Coral Castle
28655 S. Dixie Highway, Homestead | 305-248-6345

After his beloved Agnes left him a day before their wedding, early 1900s sculptor Ed Leedskalnin took 30 years to handcut gigantic pieces of stone into the works of art that you see today at Coral Castle. The whimsical shapes and designs made from rigid stone are perplexing to say the least.

Photo via Coral Castle/Facebook

Devil’s Den
5390 NE 180th Ave., Williston | 352-528-3344

A small circle of land collapsed over this subterranean river a long time ago, so now we have one of the most beautiful cave diving spots in the country. Shades of green, blue and orange line the rock walls of the cave while the heated pools aboveground sooth divers looking to relax after their descent.

Photo via jjnme123/Instagram

Dali Museum
1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg | 727-823-3767

The St. Pete Dali Museum has the largest collection of works by the famed artist in the entire world (like the lobster phone and the melting clocks!). What better way to spend an afternoon than digging through the works of a genius?

Photo via dalimuseum/Instagram

Jules’ Undersea Lodge
51 Shoreland Drive, Key Largo | 305-451-2353

You have to scuba dive to your room, which is located 21 feet underneath the water’s surface. Although it’s more like an old submarine than a posh hotel, it’s definitely a view you won’t find anywhere else.

Photo via Jules Undersea Lodge/Facebook

Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road, Marianna | 850-482-1228

At the famed Florida Caverns, prepare for limestone stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flowstones and draperies painted with warm red, orange and blue tones that’ll put any caver in a trance.

Photo via marti-eh/Instagram

Disappearing Island
Ponce Inlet

Disappearing Island is like walking onto the set of a hip-hop music video: boats, booze and bangin' tunes in every direction. Enjoy the warm water while you can ... low tide only lasts so long and then there goes the island.

Photo via chriskernstock/Instagram

Neptune Memorial Reef
300 Alton Road, Miami Beach | 954-655-3592

Cremated ashes are mixed with cement to form these super goth memorials that make up a 16-acre artificial reef called Neptune Memorial Reef. These sunken monoliths are located about three miles off the coast of Key Biscayne.

Photo via laurendafish/Instagram

Falling Waters State Park
State Park Road, Chipley | 850-638-6130

A 73-foot waterfall surrounded by natural forestation cascades into a sinkhole, making Falling Waters State Park truly a thing of wonder. Pack a basket for a picnic by the lake or go for a hike down to the butterfly garden, where you’re sure to see a myriad of native and migrating butterflies.

Photo via carltonward/Instagram

Wynwood Walls
2520 NW Second Ave., Miami | 305-531-4411

These uniquely artistic walls feature everything from giant murals of the Dalai Lama to colorful paintings that are constantly in rotation. The best time to visit the Walls is during Art Basel Miami Beach, when multitudes of famous artists from around the world descend on the city.

Photo via Wynwood Walls/Facebook

JFK Secret Bunker
2400 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach | 561-848-2960

The secret bunker was installed underground on this South Florida vacation spot during the Cold War to shelter President John F. Kennedy in case the country was destroyed by nuclear war.

Photo via chamography/Instagram

Guang Ming Temple
6555 Hoffner Ave. | 407-281-8482

A day at Guang Ming Temple is unlike anything you’ll experience in Orlando. You can take a leisurely walk around the temple grounds or have a volunteer guide you along, which we highly recommend. Calm the mind with meditation, then indulge yourself in their vegan tea/snack room, which houses a giant statue of Buddha.

Photo via mykolalexander/Instagram

Seven Dwarf’s House
1819 Taylor Road, Port Orange | 386-255-0285

In 1938, homeowner Albert Nippert began transforming the property into an exact replica of Snow White’s cottage as he coped with the death of his wife. (What is it with these guys ho turn to construction to deal with heartbreak?) It’s said that Walt Disney accepted an invitation to the house in 1939.

Photo by Rick Kilby via studiohourglass.blogspot.com

Monkey Island
5297 Cherokee Way, Homosassa | 352-628-2474

Five spider monkeys reign supreme on Monkey Island, a small chunk of land floating around the Homosassa River. All day long these little fellas are just “monkeyin' around” while visitors check them out from a nearby restaurant or dock.

Photo via Wikipedia

Caladesi Island State Park
1 Causeway Blvd., Dunedin | 727-469-5918

When you can only get somewhere by boat ... well, you'll have a lot brag about when you get home. You can have one of the best shelling experiences of your life or just drag a lounge chair to the warm waters for a relaxing afternoon. Either way you'll be left to your own devices at Caladesi.

Photo via dlegoas/Instagram

Rainbow Springs
10830 SW 180th Ave., Dunnellon | 352-465-8555

You can still catch a glimpses and remnants from when Rainbow Springs was an amusement park, but what’s really intriguing here is the colorful waterfall in the center of the land. And there’s nothing quite like splashing around next to a waterfall, even if it's manmade.

Photo via toinoux78/Instagram

Tiffany Chapel
445 N. Park Ave., Winter Park | 407-645-5311

Louis Comfort Tiffany made a name for himself at the 1893 Chicago World Fair with his outstanding stained glass chapel. And thanks to the careful reconstruction work of the Morse Museum, residents of Orlando get to experience the wonder of this Tiffany’s iconic chapel any day of the year.

Photo via The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art/Facebook

Opa-locka

Opa-locka is a South Florida town developed in the 1920s to look like something straight out of Arabian Nights. Although it stands out for its Moorish-style buildings, it’s perhaps best known as the location where Amelia Earhart began her ill-fated trip around the world.

Photo via theundeniable/Instagram