Planning Your Next Vacation: Florida Attractions with Guy-Appeal

Whether you're a guy traveling to Florida for business, heading out on a boys-only weekend with friends, or taking a two-week vacation with your family, you'll want to ensure that you find some great Florida attractions to visit. From the most obvious places to visit - amusement parks, beaches, and sporting events - to the lesser known attractions - museums, battlefields, historical sites and more - there's lots for a guy to do when taking trips to Florida. Of course, these attractions have a broader appeal for both men and women young and old, so if you're looking for fun, educational, or unusual Florida attractions, take a closer look at the following ideas.

The Great Outdoors

If you like outdoor activities, there are an overwhelming number of Florida attractions for you to enjoy. Both the Florida Keys and the Panhandle offer a variety of big game fishing opportunities, which can give you a chance to just relax in the sunshine and enjoy the water. If you time your trips to Florida right, you may even be able to watch - or take part in - a tournament. Plus, Palm Beach offers the opportunity to go diving in a coral reef and explore the beautiful coral and exotic wildlife. There are also hundreds of beaches throughout Florida on which you can surf, boat, or just relax. Why spend your trips to Florida indoors when there's so much to explore?

Sports

For fans of any types of sports, there are many Florida attractions as well. If you like college football, you can't miss taking in a Gators game at the University of Florida with some of the most devoted fans in the country. Maybe you are more of a baseball fan instead? Spring training takes place every year in locations around the state. For example, you can watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play on Vero Beach, or visit Port St. Lucie to see the New York Mets. Check your individual team's website for the particulars and then plan your trips to Florida so you can catch a preseason major league game and watch the players practice.

Or are you a racing fan looking for Florida attractions? You can plan your trips to Florida to include a visit to the famed Daytona International Speedway on the Central Atlantic Coast. There, you can take in a race or even sign up for the Richard Petty Driving Experience, which allows you to drive a race car - alone or with a guide - several times around the track. The track also offers daily educational tours, so you can visit even if there's not a race scheduled.

Need even more sports-oriented Florida attractions to visit? You can take in a golf game at one of the many golf courses across the state - either playing or just watching others compete. You can also check out the golf and beach resorts across the state for all sorts of fun activities to enjoy on your trips to Florida, including tennis, sailing, and fishing, all in one place.

Military History

If you are a military history buff, there are many opportunities to visit Florida attractions that include historical sites or specialized museums. Start your trips to Florida on the Central Atlantic Coast, where you have Fort Pierce and the Navy Seal Museum to visit. There, you can view all sorts of great exhibits on how this elite group trains and performs.

You can also take some time on the Panhandle to check out Florida attractions such as the Air Force Armament Museum, located just outside the gates of Eglin Air Force Base, and view an assortment of aircraft, missiles, and bombs. Your trips to Florida can also include a stop at the historic battleground of Marianna, as well as the National Museum of Aviation at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.

In addition, you can check out the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in Titusville, near Cocoa Beach, on one of your next trips to Florida. There you can not only see actual police artifacts but also take a helicopter ride and test your skill as a marksman on the gun range. A memorial wall for fallen officers killed in the line of duty is also featured.

Theme Parks and Aquariums

Of course, Orlando offers all sorts of fun activities in which you can take part on your trips to Florida. The famous theme parks offer Florida attractions such as thrill rides galore and entertainment that can fill up days and nights, whether you have the kids with you or not. You can also take time at Sea World to catch one of their famous killer whale shows. And make sure you look into one of the behind-the-scenes tours offered at Disney for a real insider look at what goes on in the hidden tunnels beneath the Magic Kingdom.

For a more offbeat option to explore during your trips to Florida, visit nearby Kissimmee and Old Town Park, which offers retro fun for you and the rest of your family, including classic car shows, a Ferris wheel, and a go-kart track. Outside of Orlando, Florida attractions of this type include the Gulfarium on Fort Walton Beach, which is full of intricate exhibits on sea life that you will certainly enjoy.

Florida Attractions That Can't Be Categorized

Then there are the Florida attractions that defy categorization. On the North Atlantic Coast, you can take some time to tour the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, complete with tastings. The Panhandle offers the opportunity to go camping and sleep in a Yurt tent or to explore Florida Caverns State Park, which offers cave tours to the public. You can also visit the Museum of Florida History to gain a bit of perspective about your trips to Florida. And finally, Fort Lauderdale hosts the Greater Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for both those that want to buy a boat and those that just want to dream about doing so.

Conclusion

So remember, guys, whether you'll be traveling with young children or with a bunch of your buddies, there are lots of intriguing Florida attractions to take in. Take some time before you leave to carefully plan your trips to Florida and you're sure to have a great time exploring!

About the Author

Fraser Hannah spent eight years working as a freelance television production manager and researcher before leaving to join his family's business working with the elderly. He founded Traveling2Florida.com in 2003 after purchasing his own vacation home in Florida and being frustrated by the lack of vision shown by many of the existing vacation rental sites. Traveling2Florida.com, an online Florida vacation guide, now connects thousands of travelers directly with the owners of high-quality vacation rentals in Florida, from Orlando to the Florida Keys.