Ten places in Florida where FLORIDIANS go on Vacation

I am a Native Floridian and honestly, I won’t tell people my favorite beaches and fishing spots. Because I would be heart broken if they turned into a tourist spot. But there are a lot of GOOD beaches to visit. Cedar Key is a great place to go for a get away type place to go. Crystal River has a lot to offer vacationers. St. John’s river, Fort Desoto, many state parks that are largely natural while still well maintained… So many places to go. Skip the travel guide brochure and do some hiking into what you want. Bring a camera, Native Florida is unique and beautiful.

All of those are the tourist traps I avoid as a resident vacationing. Thank you for pointing non residents in the right direction 😊😂

Kinda tough watching this. We came to Florida in 1955 and lived in Jacksonville, Key Biscayne, West Hollywood, Coral Gables, Winter Haven, and Gainesville. My father's business took him all over and often we would get to travel with him to all these areas you mention and quite a few others. Florida was so much different back in those times and I can only be grateful that I could experience it that way.

Become a Park Ranger in the Florida park service, that way you can be on vacation everyday.

We almost moved to Florida when i was a kid back in 97 or 98. My step dad almost took a job there, but he ended up not taking it at the last minute. I sometimes wonder how differently life would have turned out if wed moved. If nothing else, what a great place to spend your teenage years and early 20s!

Life-long Floridian here...just a note for those that may not know. "The Season" for Florida is different in the various parts of the state. I am sure there are some exceptions, but in general the busier season for mid to south Florida is the winter. Whereas summer is the busiest time in the Panhandle and the northern part of the Atlantic coast. North Florida can be quite cool by southern standards during the winter, so tourists tend to be from more northern locations during the winter. We have visited all the spots mentioned in the video and really prefer visiting during the 'off season'.

I'm a FL Native, and one place I love is New Smyrna Beach. Went there alot as a kid and it really hasn't changed that much. I also love Sanibel and the Keys!

I'm 67 years old now, when I was a teenager everyone you met who said they were from Florida, their parents were from New York, Massachusetts, or Michigan.

As an Atlantan, I can tell you Destin is NOT a secret here. Probably the most popular place we go.

I do and always have lived on the beach in Florida, just south of Clearwater Beach. I have a boat and any day on the water when it's warm is a blessing.

Tampa here. Great video. My favorite is Siesta Key, where the crystal fine sand squeaks between your toes !

Ocean Grill Vero Beach one of my Five Favorite restaurants

I'm a native Floridian and my favorite beach is on Casey Key. My parents always took us there on vacation. And we've always returned there just about every summer. It's also in Sarasota County and is like Anna Maria Island as it doesn't have high-rise condos. It's absolutely beautiful and not over run by people. Venice Beach is just south, and Siesta Key to the north.❤

Pass -a-grill beach is beautiful “ I was staying at the don cesar in 2019 and I had been to pass -a -grill 20 yrs previous and going back 20 yrs later nothing has changed which was so nice , such a lovely informative video thank you . Kind regards Philip essex uk 🇬🇧

The Southwest coast of Florida is the best. Last year I brought my metal detector and was able to greatly expand my collection of roofing nails.

I'm from West Ga. and my wife is from coastal S.C. Of the places in this video, we've been to Destin and St. Augustine but just driven through Key Largo and Islamorada. We love Key West, Matlacha, Dunedin as well as the other places I mentioned. It broke our hearts to see Matlacha so devastated. I hope they are recovering.

I live in Tampa and want to thank you for not mentioning my favorite local beach. The best beach for lots of space.

Interesting Insights! Great overview of Florida's coastal gems. Thanks for the tips on off-the-beaten-path spots!

Thanks for this 🌻! It’s refreshing to see vacation spots in Florida that aren’t just the usual tourist destinations. Can’t wait to explore 🚤🌺.

20 years as a resident of the Tampa Bay Area and really, we staycation right here most of the time but our go to out-of-town vacation is absolutely St. Augustine.