10 Days in Florida: Itinerary

Florida is a large state — Miami to Orlando is nearly 250 miles, and Key West is another 160 miles south of Miami. This 10-day itinerary runs south-to-north: arrive in Miami, drive south to the Keys and Everglades, then head north to Orlando and finish at Kennedy Space Center. You’ll need a rental car for everything outside Miami Beach.

Car Rental Notes

Pick up in Miami, return in Orlando (or drive back for a round trip). One-way between Miami and Orlando costs approximately $50–$150 extra depending on the company. Standard cars run approximately $45–$75/day; SUVs $70–$110/day. Florida has toll roads — a SunPass transponder is typically included with rentals, with tolls billed to your credit card afterward. Budget approximately $20–$40 in tolls for this route.

Budget Tiers

Budget: Freehand Miami (South Beach hostel/hotel hybrid) ~$50–$80/night dorm, ~$130–$160/night private. Key West Hostel (William Street) ~$45–$70/night dorm. HI Orlando Hostel ~$35–$55/night dorm.

Mid-range: Circa 39 Hotel Miami Beach ~$180–$240/night. The Marker Key West ~$280–$380/night. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Orlando ~$280–$350/night.

Luxury: The Setai Miami Beach ~$700–$1,100/night. Cheeca Lodge & Spa Islamorada ~$450–$650/night. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World ~$550–$750/night.

Days 1–3: Miami

Day 1 — South Beach: Walk Ocean Drive from 5th to 15th Street — the highest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the world. The Art Deco Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive offers walking tours (approximately $35 as of 2026). Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana for lunch (Cuban sandwich approximately $12–$15). Afternoon on the beach, sunset cocktail at the Broken Shaker rooftop (Freehand Miami).

Day 2 — Design District and Wynwood: The Wynwood Walls (NW 2nd Avenue, free entrance to the outdoor murals) opened the current era of street art tourism. The surrounding neighborhood has galleries, coffee shops, and restaurants. Alter restaurant on NW 2nd Avenue for a serious dinner — approximately $85–$120 per person with drinks, one of Miami’s best. The Design District is a 15-minute walk north — Louis Vuitton and Dior stores housed in architecturally interesting buildings.

Day 3 — Day trip to the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens: A 1916 Italianate estate on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove — admission approximately $25 as of 2026. Open Wednesday–Monday. Afternoon in Coral Gables: the Venetian Pool (a public swimming pool in a 1920s coral rock quarry, approximately $17 adults). Dinner back in Miami — Zak the Baker (Wynwood) for wood-fired food, approximately $18–$30.

Day 4: Miami to Key West (160 miles, ~3.5 hours)

The Overseas Highway (US-1) runs over 42 bridges connecting the Florida Keys. Stop at the first big landmark: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo — snorkeling tours run approximately $35–$40 per person for a 2.5-hour trip. The underwater Christ of the Abyss statue is the most photographed attraction.

Continue to Islamorada for lunch — Robbie’s Marina is worth a stop for the famous tarpon feeding (approximately $3 to feed them, free to watch) and lunch at the Fish House (approximately $18–$28 for mains).

Arrive in Key West by late afternoon. Duval Street is the main strip — dense with bars and restaurants. Mallory Square for the nightly Sunset Celebration (free).

Day 5: Key West

Morning: The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum (907 Whitehead Street) — approximately $18 as of 2026. The 6-toed cats are real and numerous. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park (approximately $6/vehicle) has the best beach in Key West and a Civil War-era fort worth the short walk.

Afternoon: Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory (approximately $15). Rent a bicycle (approximately $15–$20/day) and ride around the quiet streets of Old Town away from Duval. The Key West Lighthouse costs approximately $13.

Evening: Dinner at Louie’s Backyard (Waddell Avenue) — waterfront dining with mains approximately $35–$55. Or keep it casual at the Half Shell Raw Bar on the historic seaport — oysters and fish tacos approximately $15–$25.

Day 6: Keys to Everglades National Park (Key West to Flamingo entrance ~170 miles, ~3 hours)

Drive north on US-1, stop at the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key (free) where tiny native deer the size of large dogs roam freely. Continue to Homestead and enter Everglades National Park at the main entrance on Route 9336.

The park entrance costs approximately $35/vehicle as of 2026, valid 7 days. Drive the 38-mile Main Park Road to Flamingo. Stop at Royal Palm for the Anhinga Trail (0.8 miles — the best bird viewing in the park, especially November–April). Eco Pond near Flamingo is excellent for wading birds at dusk.

Accommodation: Flamingo Lodge (inside the park, approximately $150–$200/night) or backtrack to Homestead for more options (approximately $80–$130/night at standard chains).

Day 7: Everglades to Orlando (270 miles, ~3.5 hours)

Morning airboat tour from Coopertown Airboat Rides on the Tamiami Trail (US-41) — approximately $32 per person as of 2026 for a 30-minute tour. Alligator sightings are essentially guaranteed.

Drive north to Orlando, arriving by early afternoon. Check in and rest.

Evening: If you have a Universal Studios or Disney ticket starting tomorrow, research the best arrival strategy — both parks have dedicated resort hotels with early park entry benefits. Universal’s Early Park Admission (15 minutes early for resort guests) is valuable for beating queues at the most popular rides.

Days 8–9: Orlando Theme Parks

Day 8: Universal Orlando Resort. The Epic Universe park opened in 2025 and is now the primary draw. A 1-day 1-park ticket runs approximately $109–$189 as of 2026 depending on the date (peak pricing applies to weekends and holidays). Universal Express Pass (unlimited fast lane access) costs approximately $80–$170 extra — worth it in peak season. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both original parks requires a park-to-park ticket (~$50 extra).

Day 9: Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom is the classic park; EPCOT for adults; Hollywood Studios for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge). 1-day tickets run approximately $109–$189 depending on date, with Genie+ reservation system replacing the old FastPass at approximately $35 extra/day. The Lightning Lane passes for individual attractions (like Tron Lightcycle or Guardians of the Galaxy) cost approximately $7–$25 per ride on top of Genie+.

Alternatively, skip one park day and visit LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven (40 minutes from Orlando) — approximately $60–$80 as of 2026 and far less crowded.

Day 10: Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is 60 miles east of Orlando (approximately 1 hour on the 528 toll road). Admission is approximately $75 adults as of 2026. Allow a full day — the highlights are the Saturn V rocket hall (full Apollo-era rocket, fully restored), the Atlantis shuttle exhibition, and the bus tour into the actual launch complex. Astronaut Encounter sessions with real NASA astronauts run at 11am and 1pm.

The Kennedy Space Center is the largest launch site in the world — there is a reasonable chance you will see a rocket launch if you check the schedule at kennedyspacecenter.com. SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and NASA all launch from here regularly. Launch days draw large crowds.

Return to Orlando for departure, or fly from Melbourne International Airport (45 minutes from KSC) if routing allows.

What to Skip

Miami Beach nightclubs: Cover charges run $40–$100 and the hype rarely matches the experience. The best bars in Miami are in Wynwood and the Design District.

Orlando’s International Drive: A strip of chain restaurants and overpriced tourist traps between the theme parks. There is no good reason to eat here.

Key West excursion boats to the Dry Tortugas: Fort Jefferson and the national park are genuinely spectacular, but the day trip (approximately $195–$215 as of 2026) requires a very early morning and a 2.5-hour ferry each way. Only worth it if you are a snorkeler or a birder willing to commit a full day.

Shark Valley in the Everglades: The tram tour is pleasant but the Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm gives you equally good wildlife viewing in a fraction of the time.

Booking Tips

Everglades airboat tours: book online the day before — popular operators sell out on winter weekends.
Universal Epic Universe: buy tickets online 2–4 weeks ahead in peak periods (spring break, summer, Christmas). Walk-up prices are the same but availability narrows.
Kennedy Space Center: buy tickets online (same price, skip the ticket line). If you want to watch a launch, check the schedule and consider building a launch day into your itinerary — the schedule changes frequently.
December–April is the best season for Florida: mild weather, fewer mosquitoes, excellent Everglades wildlife viewing. July–September brings intense heat, humidity, and hurricane season.
Miami hotel prices spike significantly during Art Basel (first week of December) and Ultra Music Festival (March).