8 Undiscovered Small Towns in Florida

Florida abounds in fascinating places, so it is no wonder that it has been ranked among the top three states to visit in the US for decades. While some of the Sunshine State destinations steal the spotlight, others steal your heart on a stroll. Winter Park, Orlando's northern suburb, flaunts brick-walled New England appeal with European-influenced architecture and Mediterranean cuisine.

Among other small-town oddities, Amelia Island sprawls in its natural splendor just off Florida's coast, while Cortez is among Florida's oldest working fishing villages on the southwest coast of the state, with saltwater fun for the entire family. After a morning bike ride along the 47-mile paved Withlacoochee State Trail, snack on the famous gator bites and have high tea in Dunnellon. Find the most undiscovered small towns in the Sunshine State.

Amelia Island

Once ruled by French, Spanish, and English, the vastly natural Amelia Island is as far north as you can go in Florida. Offering to exchange the crowds for vast sandy beaches, enjoy the unobscured views and sightseeing through Victorian architecture, a mix of Queen Anne, Italianate, Gothic Revival, and Victorian, plus a unique riverfront culture. Discovered by Hollywood, the island starred in the 1988 kids' classic The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking. Many make the journey for reknowned fresh seafood, vibey boutiques, and Fernandina's famous fudge shop. Fernandina Beach features a walkable waterfront downtown with cute shops and seafood restaurants, steps from 13 pristine miles of fine, sugar-sand beaches.

Home to the Amelia Island Lighthouse, a pirate playground, and Egan's Creek Greenway Trail, this lively town weaves southern vibes into the tropics and an Old Florida feel along live oak-lined paths. Dripping in Spanish moss, the anglers cast from bridges, and shrimping is still a family business. Spend a day on the beach, rent a bike, or launch off in a kayak along the creeks. From the spectacular sunset to a spa visit, you can also play peek-a-boo with the island's famous Gopher tortoises along the meandering catwalks over the dunes. Salt, under the helm of Chef Okan Kizilbayir, is worth the reservation and price to taste creations by the former 3-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin and Blue by Eric Rupert.

Cortez

Cortez, one of the oldest working fishing villages in Florida on the state's southwest coast, bathes in history. Bathe in the saltwater near fun for the entire family, without the crowds of the next-door neighbor, Bradenton. From pirate ship cruises to watersports, this charming fishing village offers thrills and intrigues but also a homegrown vibe of a deep maritime heritage, still the vessel of industry. Resisting development typical elsewhere, you'll be full, relaxed, and entertained, from the working waterfront to the scenic marinas, shops, and restaurants serving fresh-caught seafood. Get the inside story on a Cortez Village Walking Tour and stop by the Cortez Cultural Center. If you're a foodie, the stone crab season offers the local bounty through restaurant cuisine.

Many take up a parasailing trip, among other on-water activities, with local tour operators and rental companies like fishing charters and boat tours alongside those who navigate a rented boat, jet ski, or paddleboard. Across the Cortez Bridge on Anna Maria Island, Cortez Beach offers 140 feet of pristine shoreline under the lapping turquoise Gulf surf. The Florida Maritime Museum, housed in a brick schoolhouse built in 1912, features a butterfly garden and hosts the Cortez Nautical Flea Market in March, where shoppers can browse fishing and nautical gear, plus coastal arts and crafts. Plan for the Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival in November or escape the snow back home during the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival on a weekend in February.

Destin

This outer-bounded town on the often-overlooked Emerald Coast boasts five beachfront parks with amenities and 12 access points. Offering 24 miles of white-sand beaches that stretch west to the popular Fort Walton Beach, it is a runway for kite-flying and photography. Blessed by gentle Gulf of Mexico surf, its glassy pale green to emerald waters reflect the sunny blue skies. The shallow, warm depths are perfect for swimming among rays and turtles, diving, or learning to paddleboard. Take in the sunset along the wooden East Jetty over the beach area on the western edge of downtown next to the Destin Harbor Boardwalk. Whether you're in for fishing or theme parks, enjoy waterfront shopping, bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, and other entertainment afterward.

Destin, "the world's luckiest fishing village," is 20 miles to the offshore edge of the Continental Shelf, the hub for blackfin tuna, grouper, amberjack, and king mackerel. The sprawling Henderson Beach State Park is a beach haven with a boardwalk, a pet-friendly nature trail, plus a playground and campground, so you never have to leave the shores. From snorkeling to paddling and fishing for your beachfront dinner over fire, pick your vibe from Henderson Beach to Topsail Hill. There are also lavish resorts and the Destin History & Fishing Museum, while Destin Commons is an open-air shopping center. "Track" features go-karts, mini-golf, bumper cars and boats, kids' rides, plus an arcade, and "Gator Beach—The World's Greatest Alligator Park"—is all in its name.

Dunnellon

Aside from avid paddlers and anglers, few know of this small waterfront town along some of Florida’s most beloved rivers. At the confluence of the Rainbow River and the Withlacoochee River, the waters brim with catfish, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, and bluegill. Just an hour south of Gainesville, Dunnellon's laidback feel and untouched nature combine into a great Florida vacation with plentiful outdoor opportunities. Fuel your adventures with a hearty breakfast or a lunch plate at Breakfast Station and follow the locals tubing down the spring-fed, six-mile-long Rainbow River, known for clear water and abundant wildlife viewing. The land-bound enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian activities around Ross Prairie Trailhead and Campground.

The family-friendly Rainbow Springs State Park is open 365 days for swimming and splashing in its crystal-clear, first-magnitude headsprings, plus lush gardens and manmade waterfalls for scenic relaxation. Snack on the famous gator bites at Swampy’s Bar & Grille and switch gears to high tea at Sweetie's. Withlacoochee State Trail is a renowned 47-mile paved path for leisure or attempting the whole stretch. Soak up Old Florida vibes in the historic district—the Historic Village can satisfy any palate through quaint cafes and shops for antiques and home decor. Then take a river cruise at sunset before a seafood feast at the popular Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant.

Havana

Have you ever been to a real main street town—meet an antiquing destination—meet the unhurried pace of an overlooked community? Meet Havana, “Florida’s friendliest small town,” with a low-key vibe along the Florida Antique Trail. Just 15 miles north of the popular Tallahassee, it is a shelter from urbanity with unique culture and charming eateries that can satiate any palate. Named after the Cuban city, as you might have guessed, Havana once produced the same kind of fine, hand-wrapped cigars as a thriving tobacco industry. From browsing antiques to quaint shops and galleries like AHA Gallery and D. Arthur McBride Portrait Studio and Gallery, get the inside story at the Shade Tobacco Museum.

Surrounded by county parks, the sunny Florida skies fuel your curiosity to explore the outdoors along the Orchard Pond Road Trail or the Gadsden County waterways. Enjoy the family-friendly Eugene Lamb Jr. Community Park, spend a day at Lake Tallavana just southwest, and stop for ice cream and desserts at Heroes & Villains Sweets & Treats. Now is the time to visit the pumpkin patch and petting zoo at Pumpkinfest in October or plan for WinterFest in December to see a snowy Christmas in Florida.

Juno Beach

This town, between Jupiter and West Palm Beach, boasts the world's densest sea turtle nesting ground. Although popular among wildlife, Juno Beach sure misses human attention outside of May through October. Come witness the cute spectacle of natural life unraveling in front of your eyes along the sands, or visit sea turtles in rehabilitation anytime at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, with tours, guided beach walks, and hatchling releases, plus a gift shop. Nearby, the 569-acre Juno Dunes Natural Area, a maritime hammock, offers the highest natural point in Palm Beach County, with hiking trails and a variety of wildlife. Jupiter Off-Leash Dog Beach is like you've never experienced—where the dogs must go to heaven playing in the surf.

Next door, the scenic 990-foot Juno Beach Pier extends from Juno Beach Park over a wharf for saltwater fishing, plus angling lessons and grounds for turtle rescue programs and history tours. Get equipped at the Pier House next to the 300-foot guarded beach with a designated surfing area and picnic shelters. Flaunting attractions way over its tiny head, the small town is home to popular golf courses like the Bear's Club. Just north, Jupiter Ridge Natural Area offers a beachfront nature preserve with hiking trails, local wildlife, and striking views. Heading south, Frenchman's Forest Natural Area is a protected wetlands habitat for rare plants and animals, with a viewing platform and hiking trails.

Punta Gorda

Home to under 20,500, with its own airport, Punta Gorda is water-bundled to the east along the Peace River and dense seagrass beds of Gasparilla Sound. Often overlooked, it is perfect for thrilling outdoor activities, like fishing, boating, and recreational island visits. With destination places like Peace River Botanical Garden and Peace River Wildlife Center, the locals are real outdoor lovers "by nature," devoted to biking and standup paddleboarding. Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center opens into the eponymous park just south of town, a 70-mile shoreline nature preserve with extensive paddle and hiking trails, plus birding. From rum tasting to walking tours, boat tours depart from Charlotte Harbor.

If not canoeing or kayaking, go fossil hunting or spree through the scenic Fisherman's Village with boat views for one-of-a-kind souvenirs. Many enjoy Ponce de Leon Park for beachfront recreation, with a playground, a mangrove boardwalk, and a boat launch, or soak in the sun and views along Englewood Beach. The elegant Laishley Crab House serves seafood, while Carmelo's Italian Ristorante offers cozy outdoors with a chess-inspired floor, next door to the hopping Celtic Ray Public House. The Military Heritage Museum is a state-of-the-art building with a conference center and the Gulf Theater.

Winter Park

Starting with its name, this tiny town may feel like an oddity next to the sunny Orlando, standing out with a brick-walled New England theme. Literally minutes-access for the urbanites, this traditional American small town offers out-of-state visitors to get the best of both worlds, including Orlando's famed theme parks. Enjoy the vintage appeal, with hints of European culture through architecture and Mediterranean-influenced southern cuisine. Having played a major role in Florida's economic development, the nationally registered historic downtown paints tales of American history through museums and artistic venues like Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum and Rollins Museum of Art.

Nudging up against the vast Lake Maitland, with Lake Osceola at the heart, three more lakes are just south. After a lakefront breakfast at Briarpatch Restaurant, stop for a special exhibit at the family-friendly Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in a historic building with an extensive Tiffany collection. Just south, Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens features a museum in a historic home with sculptures and other work by Albin Polasek, plus trails and places to soak in the lake views. For entertainment, the locals enjoy the big city lights for upscale shopping, glitzy dining, and waterfront strolls. It is just a 40-minute stroll from Silver Lake to the world-class Orlando Science Center.

While it is easy to succumb to the allure of Miami’s electric nightlife and Orlando’s theme park charisma, the Sunshine State is rife with undiscovered towns begging for attention, like the world's densest sea turtle nesting ground from May through October in Juno Beach. The neon lights will never cease to glow, attracting worldwide travelers to big cities and famous landmarks.

But you can escape them for a while, from a congested setting to a relaxing retreat. Home to rare historical landmarks, unique culture, and remarkable outdoors, the sprawling Henderson Beach State Park imposes on the small town of Destin. From artsy villages like Havana to adorable beach towns like Punta Gorda, the many underexplored gems have a consuming appeal.