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14 Best Places to Visit in Florida in the Spring

Springtime is one of the most dazzling times to visit Florida, as the weather is perfect and the landscapes are bursting with blooming flowers. Highlighting its natural beauty, this time of year is an ideal time to open the windows, soak in the crisp spring air and embrace the sunshine before the summertime heat and peak tourist season approaches. During these months, Florida is host to a variety of fabulous festivals, filled to the brim with exciting things to do outdoors. Read on to discover some of the best places to spend spring in Florida.

Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City
Credit: Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City by Florida Strawberry Festival

Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City

One of the most beloved events in all of Florida, springtime means that it’s time for the famous Florida Strawberry Festival to be held in Plant City. Just 30 minutes outside of Tampa, this cherished event is a crowd-pleaser with a wealth of delicious strawberry-related food items to indulge in. In addition to the abundance of strawberry treats, you can also enjoy the state fair-type fried foods, live entertainment, and carnival rides.

Epcot Flower Festival, Orlando Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Credit: Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival by disneyworld.disney.go.com

Epcot Flower Festival, Orlando

One of the most popular springtime events in Florida, the Epcot Flower Festival at Disney turns the park into a kaleidoscope of colors with a variety of stunning flower displays, live concerts, and outdoor kitchens that are sure to overwhelm your senses. Flower enthusiasts can explore more than 70 world-renown topiaries, visit how-to demonstrations and meander through vibrant gardens.

Kayaking, Dunnellon Rainbow Springs State Park
Credit: Rainbow Springs State Park by © - Dreamstime.com

Kayaking, Dunnellon

Florida’s natural springs are just begging to be explored come springtime, and with the season’s perfect weather it is an ideal time to explore the state’s lush landscapes in a canoe or kayak. Head to Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon and float through miles of picturesque, moss-draped cypress trees on crystal clear waters while you spot an abundance of diverse Florida wildlife.

Mount Dora Spring Festival of Arts and Crafts, Mount Dora Mount Dora
Credit: Mount Dora by Mount Dora

Mount Dora Spring Festival of Arts and Crafts, Mount Dora

One of the most popular small towns in Florida, Mount Dora hosts their annual Mount Dora Spring Festival that does not disappoint. Set against 19th-century clapboard houses, vintage shops, and outdoor cafes, come springtime and you can explore the town as the quaint downtown area comes alive with over 250 vendors, crafters, and artists displaying their work along the historic streets.

Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, Fernandina Beach Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival
Credit: Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival by shrimpfestival.com

Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, Fernandina Beach

The birthplace of the modern shrimping industry, Fernandina Beach boasts an annual Eight Flags Shrimp Festival offering visitors the chance to pair freshly caught shrimp with a variety of arts and entertainment, all alongside the city’s quaint Historic District. Dating back to 1964, the event has plenty of family fun to choose from with local music, parades, fine arts and crafts, a Miss Shrimp Festival Pageant and an abundance of delicious seafood.

Swimming, Fort White Ichetucknee

Swimming, Fort White

Come April, and the 70 degrees Florida spring waters are perfect for a refreshing dip. With more than 700 crystal clear springs in the Sunshine State, it can be hard to narrow it down to which swimming hole to explore. Located in the beautiful Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White, visitors can wade through the pristine spring-fed waters under miles of shady hammocks for a perfect day of soaking in the natural beauty of Florida.

Sarasota Jazz Festival, Sarasota Sarasota Jazz Festival
Credit: Sarasota Jazz Festival by jazzclubsarasota.org

Sarasota Jazz Festival, Sarasota

One of the most respected jazz festivals in the United States, the Sarasota Jazz Festival boasts an impressive lineup of top performers at this vibrant concert series in the spring. The Jazz Club of Sarasota works hard to preserve and promote the beauty of jazz with live events that highlight some of the greatest jazz musicians around the globe.

Hiking, Ocala National Forest Ocala National Forest, Ocala
Credit: Ocala National Forest, Ocala by trishhartmann via Flickr

Hiking, Ocala National Forest

One of the best ways to explore the unique terrain that Florida has to offer is on foot, and spring weather provides the perfect opportunity to explore the breathtaking landscapes. The Ocala National Forest boasts 360,000 acres of hiking, where you’ll be surrounded by pine forests, gum swamps, and cypress. The world’s largest scrub forest that contains two of Florida’s most beautiful natural springs, you’re spoiled for choice in beautiful landscapes here with over 100 miles of natural habitat.

International Fringe Theater Festival, Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival
Credit: International Fringe Theater Festival by International Fringe Theater Festival

International Fringe Theater Festival, Orlando

An exciting 14-day arts festival, the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival offers visitors a plethora of theater, music, dance, and art-related activities that are fun for all ages, with plenty of hands-on workshops for kids. One of the largest in the United States, this award-winning festival attracts artists from around the world.

SunFest, West Palm Beach Sunfest
Credit: Sunfest by Sunfest

SunFest, West Palm Beach

Spring sees some of the most popular music festivals in Florida, and one of the biggest is SunFest held on the waterfront in West Palm Beach. With a kaleidoscope of colorful performers, music lovers will find five days of top musical acts amongst an energetic crowd. In addition to its long list of top musical acts, the festival also typically hosts an impressive arts and craft event, a range of kids activities, and impressive fireworks show.

Camping, Big Pine Key Bahia Honda State Park
Credit: Bahia Honda State Park by © SimonDannhauer | Dreamstime.com

Camping, Big Pine Key

Spring weather in Florida means it’s an ideal time to pitch a tent. While there are plenty of places to go camping in the Sunshine State, none quite compares to the opportunity Florida gives campers by being situated next to picturesque white-sand beaches with lush coconut palms. Noted as one of the best beaches in the state, Bahia Honda State Park in Big Pine Key offers 60 campsites where you’ll wake up to the inviting waters of either the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Marathon Seafood Festival, Marathon Marathon Seafood Festival
Credit: Marathon Seafood Festival by Marathon Seafood Festival

Marathon Seafood Festival, Marathon

The 2nd largest event in the Florida Keys, the Marathon Seafood Festival is a premier event in Florida. In springtime, it offers visitors an abundance of excellent cuisine and family-friendly live entertainment in addition to a boat and art show. With over 200 vendors on hand, dine on some of the freshest seafood in the state, such as lobster, stone crab, grouper, and snapper.

Ultra Music Festival, Miami Ultra Music Festival
Credit: Ultra Music Festival by ultramusicfestival.com

Ultra Music Festival, Miami

One of the biggest music events in Florida, Ultra Music Festival is an annual electronic music festival in Miami that caters to a high-energy crowd of music lovers. With an extensive list of big-name performers and top DJs, what started out as a small outdoor festival has grown into a massive production that has become popular throughout the world and is one of the biggest in the United States.

Fishing, Homosassa Fishing, Homosassa
Credit: Fishing, Homosassa by bigstock.com

Fishing, Homosassa

Spring in Florida is an ideal time to go fishing for its variety of fish that swarm its waters, and in Homosassa, fishing enthusiasts are in luck with the highest success rate for an abundance of Speckled Trout. Grab your favorite rod and reel and head out on the water for an excellent day of quiet solitude and springtime fishing.

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