Sports and leisure activities Florida

Budget & Tips

Florida lends itself to a wide range of low-cost outdoor activities. The least expensive is, of course, swimming in the sea! For just a few dollars, you can also access the state parks , which are teeming with hiking trails. Other water-based activities are available all over Florida (kayaking, snorkeling, paddle boarding, sailing, boat rental...), but you'll have to pay more.

What's very local

If you've got a bit of room in your suitcase, you can bring your own fins, mask, snorkel and water shoes. You'll be all set for an impromptu snorkeling trip in Florida's clear waters. To complete the perfect Floridian's kit, you'll also need a folding beach chair and umbrella (some beachfront hotels can lend or rent them).

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 played in Miami (Hard Rock Stadium or Kaseya Center) and Orlando (Kia Center). It's a full-fledged experience in a purely 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 renowned for its oval circuit, Daytona International Speedway. Among other events, it hosts the Daytona 500, NASCAR's most prestigious race.

Sporting events open to the general public include the Florida Marathon in Melbourne (February), the Seven Mile Bridge Run in the Keys (April) and the Pride Run in Saint Petersburg (June). It's important to register early, however, as these races sell out fast.