FLORIDA WEEKEND ESCAPES: 10 Trips So Good You’ll Forget They’re in Your Own Backyard

By Staff Reports
You don’t have to leave Florida to feel like you went somewhere. Tucked between the theme parks and the beaches are chocolate factories, tropical fruit gardens, glass-bottom boats, and monster trucks rolling through orange groves. This is our first Florida Weekend Escapes roundup — the unusual, the hidden, and the just-plain-fun, all within a tank of gas.

1. Eat exotic fruit straight from the ground — Fruit & Spice Park, Homestead. This 37-acre tropical garden, about an hour south of Miami, grows more than 500 varieties of fruits, herbs, spices, and nuts. Here’s the unusual part: visitors can taste fruit that has naturally fallen from the trees — exotic mangoes, bananas, jackfruit, papaya, and fruits most people have never seen. One rule: you can’t pick from the trees or take fruit home; only fallen fruit may be sampled. Guided tram tours roll through the gardens all day.
2. Visit a real chocolate factory — Angell & Phelps, Daytona Beach. Watch chocolate being made through the viewing windows, browse handmade chocolates, and grab samples when they’re out. It’s a viewing experience rather than a guided tour, and it pairs perfectly with a beach day.
3. See manatees at Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River. Crystal-clear water, clear-bottom kayak tours, and — during the cooler months — manatees everywhere. Crystal River is the winter capital of the manatee world.
4. Ride a glass-bottom boat at Silver Springs State Park. Look straight through the floor of the boat at fish, turtles, and the underwater world of one of Florida’s oldest attractions. Kayaking, trails, camping, and cabins round out the weekend, just outside Ocala.
5. Wander a tropical garden at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami. Exotic plants, butterfly exhibits, rare palms, and some of the best photography backdrops in South Florida.
6. Float a natural lazy river at Kelly Park, Rock Springs. Spring-fed, crystal clear, and made for tubing, swimming, and snorkeling. Arrive early — this Apopka favorite reaches capacity and closes the gate.
7. Stop at the famous fruit stand — Robert Is Here, Homestead. Exotic tropical fruit, legendary fruit milkshakes, local honey and preserves, and a small petting zoo. Pair it with Fruit & Spice Park and you’ve got a full South Florida food weekend.
8. Explore an old sugar mill at Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, Port Orange. Historic mill ruins, botanical gardens, and — because Florida — dinosaur statues hiding in the greenery. Admission is free; donations are encouraged.
9. Paddle a clear kayak at Silver Springs. See-through kayaks put the underwater world right under your seat — a favorite for couples, friends, and anybody with a camera.
10. Ride a monster truck through a citrus grove at Showcase of Citrus, Clermont. Monster truck adventures through working groves, seasonal fruit picking, farm animals, and fresh Florida citrus. Definitely different.

Before you go: check each spot’s official site for current hours and admission — a few of these fill up or close early on busy weekends.
This is just the first round. Our Weekend Getaway Guide will keep stacking up trips under $50, under $150, and worth the splurge.
Join the conversation: Which one are you doing first — the fruit park, the chocolate factory, or the monster truck? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Fruit & Spice Park (Miami-Dade County), Florida State Parks, attraction sites