Hit the Road
Discover the many sides of Florida at these destinations across the Sunshine State
In Full Swing
The historic Ponte Vedra Inn & Club offers activities galore—especially for golf and tennis lovers
by Jane E. Enos
Nestled along both sides of a quiet street in Ponte Vedra Beach, about 20 miles away from Jacksonville, the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club has been providing guests an amenity-packed seaside escape since 1928. Steeped in tradition, the property occupies approximately 300 acres, several of which are beachfront. In fact, many of the resort’s accommodations afford front-row seats to an expansive, walkable stretch of sand and the powerful yet pacifying sounds of the Atlantic breakers.
While the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is currently in the process of creating new Sports and Surf Clubs (expected to debut in early 2027), the resort proper emanates country club vibes—and for good reason. After all, it introduced the region’s first golf course nearly a century ago.
Today, guests can hit the greens of the two 18-hole tracks available: the Ocean Course and the Lagoon Course. The par-71 Ocean Course—the older of the two links—comprises 6,718 yards and features expansive fairways, challenging bunkers and lagoon placements, and newly designed greens. Water dominates throughout the Lagoon Course. Though this par-70 course plays a bit shorter at 6,022 yards, tall pines and sprawling oaks—in addition to water hazards—make straight ball striking imperative. After a morning on the course or court, grab lunch at the Golf Club Dining Room, which overlooks the Ocean Course and serves savory soups, salads, and specialty sandwiches.
Courtesy of Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
If you prefer yellow balls to white, The Racquet Club awaits. To better your backhand (or any other part of your game), book a private lesson with a member of the seasoned tennis staff. Should you be seeking group tennis activities, you’ll find a bevy here, including myriad clinics, mixers, and instructional programs.
Those traveling to the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club without clubs or rackets should find plenty to enjoy, too. A day of relaxation and pampering can be had at the on-site spa. For many, however, the biggest draw will be the natural beauty that abounds. The blues of the ocean and sky create a seascape that can be appreciated from miles of shoreline. pontevedra.com
DRIVE TIME: 3 HOURS
An Emerald Gem
Immersed in nature and amenities, Henderson Beach Resort is a Southern charm meets luxury retreat
by Paige Aigret
In the heart of Destin lies a protected stretch of beach and scrub forest, untouched by the surrounding condominium corridor, nearby shopping plazas, and highway traffic—Henderson Beach State Park.
It’s the last remaining coastal scrub area in Destin. And Henderson Beach Resort & Spa is perfectly poised as the unassuming luxury resort just next door.
The Henderson’s lobby, aka the living room, is designed with the intention of passing time—there isn’t a chair here that you won’t want to sink into. The space opens to a sweeping veranda with expansive views of the scrub forest and beaches.
The view only gets better when you venture to the resort’s rooftop sushi and cocktail bar, where the height grants a perspective over the canopy of sand pines and oaks out to the beach’s white sand and emerald waters.
In-room balconies deliver a private slice of paradise where you can soak in all the sights. But with French door shutters opening from the bathtub out to the bedroom and balcony, your beach views are hardly limited to the outdoors.
A night spent at the Henderson is like being wrapped in Southern comfort. After a soak in the sunken tub, slip into a complimentary Henderson robe and saunter to the room’s ultimate comfort—the bed.
When it comes to recreation, amenities abound. There are two swimming pools, one is for adults only and one is family-friendly with a lazy river attached. Both pools are serviced by walking attendants from the poolside lunch spot, Sea Level.
Courtesy of Henderson Beach Resort
The little ones can find endless entertainment at Poppy’s Kids Club (and they’ll love the movie nights). For adults, a relaxing day at the spa awaits, or you can get energized with a group yoga or spin class or a solo workout at the fitness center. A short walk across Scenic 98 and you’re welcomed by the pristine Gulf beach. There you can enjoy a day of saltwater fun with complimentary kayaks and paddleboards, plus chair and umbrella setups available for rent.
The resort’s signature restaurant, Primrose, recently relaunched as a coastal Italian concept serving both upscale and familiar options. Horizons offers a casual, Floridian-fare experience with views overlooking the pool, beach, and state park. Sprinkles is your go-to spot for coffee (yes, they have Starbucks!), quick bites, and sweet treats.
Check out a bicycle and head next door. Guests enjoy free entry to Henderson Beach State Park’s pet-friendly nature trail, which covers more than a mile of Gulf-side beach with 30-foot sand dunes, playgrounds, and spacious pavilions.
Beyond the beach, the world’s luckiest fishing village beckons. A day spent with the boat or Jet Ski parked at Crab Island is never a day wasted. The nearby Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park will keep family fun alive for a full day. And notable districts like HarborWalk Village and Destin Commons boast an array of shopping and dining, a movie theater, bowling, zip-lining, and more. hendersonbeachresort.com
DRIVE TIME: 2.5 HOURS
Choose Your Own Adventure
Epic experiences abound at Universal Orlando Resort’s newest theme park
By Mary Murray
As visitors approach the Chronos portal—the gateway to Universal Epic Universe—they’re greeted with these words: “Beyond this gate find gardens green and epic worlds to fill your dreams.” It’s a big promise but one that Epic Universe more than fulfills across dozens of attractions designed to inspire guests of all ages to write their own heroic tale.
Epic Universe opened May 22 and is Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth official theme park, joining the ranks of Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay. At its center is Celestial Park, a cosmos-inspired realm that possesses both the romantic aura of New York’s Central Park and a new-age charm drawn from various astronomical, astrological, and mythological references. Its primary attraction is Stardust Racers, a thrilling dual-launch racing coaster that reaches speeds of 62 mph and heights of 133 feet.
As one of five “immersive worlds,” Celestial Park serves as the nucleus of Epic Universe. From here, you must pass through four themed portals to access the others.
Those who grew up racing on Rainbow Road, battling Bowser, and exploring Peach’s Castle should head straight for Super Nintendo World, where a variety of interactive elements span two lands (one being the first U.S. iteration of Donkey Kong Country). Purchase a Power-Up Band to fully engage with them all, including punching ? Blocks to collect digital coins. Everyone can become part of the action on Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, which uses augmented reality and projection mapping technology to put you on the track alongside Mario and his friends.
Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort
A different kind of magic awaits in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Ministry of Magic. In this third installment of Universal’s Harry Potter–themed lands, muggles can attend the trial of Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride and travel back to the 1920s to stroll the streets of Place Cachée, a hidden shopping district in wizarding Paris. Sample a Butterbeer Crêpe, catch a circus show featuring characters from the Fantastic Beasts films, or choose a wand and then use it to cast spells around Place Cachée.
There are plenty of fantastic beasts to discover at Epic’s two other worlds: Dark Universe and How to Train Your Dragon—Isle of Berk. At the latter, walk among Vikings and spot dragons in their natural habitats. You can even meet—and pet—Toothless the Night Fury dragon.
In Dark Universe, an electrifying portal gives way to Darkmoor, a modern-day village whose progress has been stunted by its near-constant encounters with monsters. This world pays homage to Universal’s pioneering role within the horror genre, so nods to such classic monsters as Dracula and Frankenstein can be seen everywhere—from the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride to the Das Stakehaus restaurant.
Whether you’re a lifelong gamer, a wizard in waiting, a dragon trainer, or a horror enthusiast, Epic Universe invites you to step into the story. And while one visit may not be enough to experience it all, this is one epic tale worth returning to again and again.
universalorlando.com
DRIVE TIME: 4 HOURS
Gilded Age Glam
Timeless meets contemporary at this historic inn just a short drive from Clearwater’s white-sand beaches
by Kristen Desmond LeFevre
A few miles south of Clearwater Beach, you’ll find the bucolic town of Belleair, home to the charming Belleview Inn. But the inn didn’t start its storied life in this exact spot.
In the late 1800s, railroad and steamship magnate Henry B. Plant was developing his Orange Belt Railway through the wilderness of western Florida. He soon realized that the travelers he was trying to attract would need a suitable place to sleep at the end of their journey. Not one to do anything small, Plant built a 400,000-square-foot hotel known as The Hotel Belleview (the largest wooden structure in the state at the time) on a 35-foot-high bluff overlooking what is now Clearwater Bay.
One hundred years of guests included industry and society scions like the Vanderbilts and the du Ponts, plus celebrities like Babe Ruth and Thomas Edison. The hotel even housed members of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. But by the 1980s, the Queen Anne–style building began to fall into disrepair. To save it from the wrecking ball, a St. Petersburg–area property developer hatched an outlandish plan: In 2018, the original building was loaded onto flatbed trucks and moved to its current location, where it was restored (preserving nearly all its original architectural features) and relaunched as The Belleview Inn.
Photo by Jamie Mercurio Photography
Today, the gingerbread-like hotel, with its peaked gables, overhanging shingled roofs, and wide verandas, is part of the Historic Hotels of America, offering a rare glimpse into the charms of yesteryear plus all the amenities that modern travelers expect.
For an extra dose of glam, book the Iolanda Suite (named after a turn-of-the-century steam yacht built for Plant’s son, Morton) and soak your cares away in the restored claw-foot tub. Retrieve the complimentary breakfast basket of freshly baked goods and juice delivered to your door every morning, and head downstairs for coffee at Maisie’s Marketplace, a quaint all-day café with an array of noshes and sips. Or stop in later for a bottle of wine and a charcuterie board to enjoy as you watch the sunset from a rocking chair on the back veranda that overlooks the pool and the Gulf beyond.
When you’ve had your fill of porch sitting and pool dipping, head out to one of the more modern amenities accessible to guests: the beach at the Sandpearl Resort (The Belleview Inn’s sister location), or the Belleair Country Club and its two elite golf courses. No matter your pastime, a stay at The Belleview Inn is a glamorous way to relive the past while making some history of your own.
opalcollection.com/belleview-inn
DRIVE TIME: 5 HOURS
Bird of Paradise
Flamingo Lodge delivers Everglades wildlife and creature comforts in equal measure
by Kristen Desmond LeFevre
Florida is known for its must-visit getaways. Folks from far and wide flock to our state in search of sun, fun, and all the things that make Florida, well, Florida. So, when you learn that The New York Times listed only one Floridian location on its venerable “52 Places to Go in 2024” list, you’re likely inclined to think that the publication’s editors would have selected one of our luxe, pedigreed resort destinations.
Think again. Flamingo, Florida, and its newly reopened Flamingo Lodge, located 40 miles west of the Homestead entrance to Everglades National Park, was the only Sunshine State location named among bucket-list-worthy places like Paris, Maui, and Singapore. (No Florida destinations made the cut in 2025.)
Chalk it up to the spot’s unrivaled natural beauty and the unique experiences offered there. Set in the heart of the Everglades at the southernmost tip of the state’s peninsula, Flamingo Lodge is the national park’s only hotel, replacing the 1950s-era lodge that bore the same name and was destroyed by a series of hurricanes in 2005.
Courtesy of Flamingo Everglades Adventures
Constructed from eco-friendly shipping containers, the lodge boasts 24 rooms elevated on pilings to withstand sea level rise. Its restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it will even cook up your own fresh catch, whether it be grilled, fried, or blackened. There’s also a wine and beer program in partnership with Redlands-area wineries and breweries, resulting in the perfect spot to kick back over views of the Florida Bay with a refreshing tipple after a long day of adventuring.
Whether you’re a birder, a boater, or simply someone looking to get to know the Glades up close and personal, Flamingo Lodge lets visitors of all stripes connect with the famed River of Grass in comfort. At the Guy Bradley Visitor Center next door, learn about Florida’s natural treasures, and sign up for ranger-guided bird walks, mangrove marches, bicycle rentals, kayaking outings, and boat tours of the backcountry and Florida Bay—where you’re guaranteed to spot everything from saltwater crocs and manatees to osprey, anhinga, and more. Don’t miss the center’s nighttime stargazing sessions: Flamingo is the darkest part of South and Central Florida that’s reachable by car, and on a clear night, you can glimpse 1,500 stars or more. Compare that to the 30 or so that are visible on a good night in Miami, and you can see why Flamingo Lodge is the newest bright spot in the constellation of places that should be part of your bucket list. flamingoeverglades.com/flamingo-lodge
DRIVE TIME: 9 HOURS
Island Time
Three reasons to escape to Little Palm Island now
by Daphne Nikolopoulos
Since 1988, the single biggest reason to visit Little Palm Island has been the castaway glow that comes from being on a secluded, private island. The four-acre retreat reachable by boat from Little Torch Key has perfected “do nothing time” with Gumby Smash cocktails, toes-in-the-sand dining, and thatch-roofed bungalows with romantic private beaches. Looking for an excuse to visit—or return? Here are three. littlepalmisland.com
1.Brunch is Back
After a few years’ absence, which was noted among Little Palm Island devotees, the decadent foodfest that is brunch has returned. The all-you-can-eat experience is an occasion to be anticipated (read: come hungry) and savored. It works like this: Come Sunday morning, you’ll put on your island finest and settle into a seaside table or terrace banquette for the next two or three hours. Then you’ll sip Champagne or a bloody mary—glasses are bottomless—and nibble on monkey bread while you wait for your small plates (which are actually not that small) to arrive. Some choices from a recent visit: Florida lobster hash, shakshuka, heirloom tomato gazpacho, Key West pinks with cheddar grits, aji panca-rubbed tri-tip, bison empanadas, and the definitive key lime pie. In food nirvana, you’ll find the closest hammock and nap for the rest of the afternoon.
2.Snorkeling Looe Key
Most Floridians don’t realize the world’s third-largest coral reef is in our backyard. Part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Looe Key, off Big Pine Key, is a treasure trove of marine life and offers some of the best snorkeling on the planet. Through its Paradise with a Purpose package, Little Palm Island will whisk you to the Looe Key reef for a day of snorkeling, during which you’ll encounter a head-spinning array of fish—the usual tropical suspects, plus bigger fish like grouper and sharks—in spectacular terrain and Windex-blue water. A naturalist swims out with guests to help spot and identify wildlife and interpret the experience.
3.Immersion in Nature
Is there anything more precious than a key deer? The diminutive ungulates, which are native to the Lower Keys and very much endangered, swim to Little Palm Island from nearby mangrove islands to forage. They’re so innocent, they’ll come right up to you for a close encounter of the most adorable kind—just don’t touch or feed them. Furthermore, the Little Palm water is so clear that you can observe the prolific marine life from a kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or Boston Whaler (all available on the island). At night, hang out by the docks and watch the tarpon and snook feeding frenzy; by day, be on the lookout for sharks, turtles, and, if you’re lucky, a manatee lolling in the sea grasses.
