Sports and leisure activities Florida

Budget & Tips

Florida offers many outdoor activities at low prices. The cheapest is of course swimming in the sea! For a few dollars, you can also access the state parks which are full of hiking trails. Other water activities are possible everywhere in Florida (kayaking, snorkeling, sailing...) but you will have to pay a higher amount.

What's very local

If you have some space in your suitcase, you can bring fins, a mask and a snorkel as well as water shoes. You'll be ready for an impromptu snorkeling trip in the clear waters of Florida. To complete the perfect Floridian kit, you'll also need a folding beach chair and an umbrella (some beachfront hotels can lend them out).

Your documents please

If you can practice most of the activities freely, some of them require a specific authorization. This is the case for scuba diving, for which you will need to present a certification (or pass it on the spot), and for fishing, which requires a freshwater or saltwater fishing license (it can be purchased online at myfwc.com/license).

To be booked

Reservations are recommended for most paid activities (kayak or canoe rentals, scuba diving, guided boat tours, airboats...), especially during the peak tourist season. This is also the case for sporting events.

Main events

NBA basketball games are regularly held in Miami (Hard Rock Stadium or FTX Arena) and Orlando (Amway Center). It's a full-fledged experience in a pure American atmosphere! Miami and Tampa Bay are also well endowed with top teams in ice hockey, American soccer and baseball.

Daytona Beach, on the East Coast, is famous for its oval track, the Daytona International Speedway. It is home to the Daytona 500, NASCAR's most prestigious race.

Sporting events are open to the general public, such as the Florida Marathon in Melbourne (in February), the Seven Mile Bridge Run in the Keys (in April) or the Pride Run in Saint Petersburg (in June). However, it is necessary to register as soon as possible because these races sell out quickly.