THE VILLAGES FLORIDA
DAY TRIPS

The Villages Florida day trips and one tank trips described here on our website are all within 100 miles of the popular central Florida community.  

Places to see within 100 miles of The Villages, Florida.

The Villages is located in the central part of the state, not far south of Ocala.

These day trips and things to do are all within 100 miles of The Villages.  The map below shows you some of the major towns and places within this radius.

DAY TRIPS FROM THE VILLAGES

Air Force Space & Missile Museum is at Kennedy Space Center and  includes many exhibits about the history of rocketry and space flight.

Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, in Winter Park is the home and studio of a prominent American sculptor.  Included are several of his major works and a beautiful sculpture garden.

Alexander Springs Recreational Area,  in the Ocala National Forest has camping, swimming, canoeing, scuba diving, hiking, birding and wildlife viewing. 

American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in Titusville is the nation’s first museum and memorial dedicated to police officers. 

American Victory Ship & Museum docked in Tampa offers visitors a glimpse into maritime history and the critical role these ships played during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Anclote Key Preserve State Park is an island three miles off the coast of Tarpon Springs. It spans 11,773 acres across four islands and is accessible only by boat or ferry.

Appleton Museum of Art  in Ocala is a 81,610-square-foot museum featuring Appleton’s permanent collections.

Archbold Biological Station near Lake Placid is a world-renowned ecological research center. This living laboratory spans nearly 20,000 acres including a working cattle ranch at Buck Island Ranch.

Archer Historical Society Railroad Museum in Archer is located in the relocated and restored Seaboard Air Line depot. You can see artifacts, photographs, and exhibits that capture the golden age of railroads in North Central Florida.

Apollo Beach, Canaveral National Seashore

Baynard House Museum is a historic home in Auburndale.  The Folk Victorian-style house was built in 1894.

Best Beaches in Florida include many that are within an easy drive from The Villages.

Blue Spring State Park in Orange City is a great spot to see manatees sheltering from the cold in the clear waters from November to March.

Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures in Kissimmee has 12 airboats for a wide variety of tours where you will see wildlife including water birds and alligators.  

Bok Tower Gardens is on one of the highest hills in Florida and you can hear daily carillon concerts and enjoy the views of tower and gardens.

Boutique Adventures LLC is a small firm near The Villages featuring day trips to many of the Central Florida off the beaten paths written about on our website.

Bradlee-McIntyre House is a historic home in Longwood. Built in 1885, it showcases Queen Anne-style architecture.

Bridge of Lions is a beautiful drawbridge that stretches across the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Augustine, tying downtown to Anastasia Island.

Bronson is a small town northeast of Gainesville that is notable for the gravesite of the great rock and roll icon, Bo Diddley.

Bronson-Mulholland House and museum is a historic site in Palatka. Built in 1854, it sits on 3 acres along the St. Johns River.

Busch Gardens in Tampa is  a 335 acre animal themed park with 8 roller coasters, 3 water rides, and many other rides and animal attractions. 

Camp Blanding Museum and Memorial Park is in Kingsley Lake, a small town near Starke, Florida. The museum honors the military history of Camp Blanding. It's housed in a restored World War II barracks, and the museum displays artifacts, photos, and exhibits.

Canaveral National Seashore is accessed from Titusville or New Smyrna Beach.  24 miles of undeveloped beach for your enjoyment.

Cassadaga is a spiritualist community near DeLand where you can get your fortune told by one of the resident mediums or spiritualists.

CatBoat Adventures in Mount Dora lets you pilot your own twin hulled motor boat on Lake Dora with a guide in a separate boat.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine is the oldest Catholic parish in the United States and was founded in 1565.

Cedar Keys Lighthouse sits on Seahorse Key, three miles from Cedar Key. Built in 1854, it’s a two-story structure with a short tower.

Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden focuses on the railroads of Central Florida.

Citrus Tower is an old Florida attraction in Clermont where you can take an elevator to the top and see where all the citrus groves used to be.

City of Hawkinsville is a submerged paddlewheel steamboat in the Suwannee River near Old Town. It’s a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, the state’s third.

Clay County Historical and Railroad Museum in Green Cove Springs preserves the county’s past. Located in the 1890 Courthouse Annex, it showcases everyday life from the last century. And there's a red caboose.

Crescent City Historic District is a preserved region showcasing the town’s past. It covers a compact area between Lake Stella and Crescent Lake with 212 historic buildings.

Cross Creek is between Gainesville and Ocala and was the home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of The Yearling, Cross Creek, South Moon Under and other classics.  Her home is now a state park that you can visit.

Crystal River attracts manatees in the colder weather.  There are numerous business set up to allow people to see the manatees and even swim with them.

Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell preserves and commemorate the site of Dade’s Battle of 1835.  Of 110 American soldiers, only 3 survived the ambush by Seminoles. 

Davenport Historic District covers 32 acres and includes 28 historic buildings and one structure. 

Daytona Beach has hard sand beaches that you can drive your car on, the International Speedway, and many other attractions.

John B. Stetson Home, DeLand, Florida

DeLand is the home of Stetson University and has a fine downtown with many murals, good shopping and dining places.

DeLeon Springs State Park near Deland is centered around a natural spring that pours out millions of gallons daily. The park also has a historic sugar mill turned restaurant.

Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainesville is an unusual geological formation that has its own rainforest ecosystem. 

Dinosaur World in Plant City features lifelike replicas of more than 150 dinosaurs.  Adults love it and kids really really love it.

Disney Springs is a giant outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at Walt Disney World. 

Doctor Phillips is a community south of Orlando along Sand Lake Road. It is loaded with many restaurants and shops, and is close to Universal Studios and the attractions along International Drive.

Doctor Phillips Center for the Performing Arts includes the Walt Disney Theater, the Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, the DeVos Family Room, the Seneff Arts Plaza, and many other spaces. 

Don CeSar Resort and Spa, known as the Pink Palace, sits on St. Pete Beach. Built in 1928, the resort offers Gulf views, two pools, a spa, and dining options.

Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala has more than 90 race cars on display and another 50 antique cars.

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens (Botanical Gardens of Volusia) is a 10-acre botanical garden in Port Orange that features the ruins of a 19th-century sugar mill.

Eatonville, near Orlando, was incorporated in 1887. It is considered by most people to be the oldest self-governing all African-American city in the United States.

Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort is one of 4 theme parks at WDW. It celebrates human achievement in technology and culture.

Eustis is on the lake of the same name and has a nice downtown with parks, shopping and restaurants.

Evinston is near Cross Creek south of Gainesville and is home to the old Wood & Swink general store on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fantasy of Flight in Polk City has a display of more than 140 civilian and military planes and many of them can fly.

Farm Tours of Ocala is a tour of working farms that takes you behind the scenes to chat with pros who work with thoroughbred horses. 

Ferran Park and the Alice B. McClelland Memorial Bandshell is a historic site in Eustis. Located on Lake Eustis itself, the park offers a lakeside walkway and green spaces.

Flagler Beachfront Winery is in Flagler Beach, north of Daytona.  Watch wine being made and enjoy tasting it while soaking up the ocean breeze.

Florida Air Museum in Lakeland is designated Florida’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center”. 

Florida Aquarium in Tampa focuses on teaching visitors about the ecosystems of Florida and the world.

Florida Day Trips by Theme is a section on this website that is for people who like to focus on one theme such as art, museums, history, etc.

Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville has one of the largest collections of natural history items in the United States.

Floridan Hotel, now the Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown, is a National Historic Landmark blending vintage elegance with modern luxury. This 19-story Beaux Arts skyscraper was Florida’s tallest building until 1966.

Fort Christmas Historical Park in the community of Christmas is a charming open-air museum that brings to life Florida’s frontier heritage.

Fort Cooper State Park in Inverness covers 710 acres around Lake Holathlikaha. The park preserves a historic site from the Second Seminole War.

Fort Gates Ferry

Fort Gates Ferry is a historic ride across the St Johns River between the Ocala National Forest and Fruitland.

Fort Matanzas National Monument on the shores of the Matanzas River in St. Augustine was built by the Spanish in the mid-18th century.

Frank Lloyd Wright Child of the Sun.
The largest single collection of the great architect's buildings are on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland.

Fun Spot America in Orlando has 4 different go-kart tracks and 3 roller coasters, plus another 3 different thrill rides. 

Gainesville is the home of the University of Florida and its many art galleries, museums, a vibrant downtown area with good shopping and dining.  This can be one of the best of The Villages Florida day trips.

Gamble Rogers State Park was named for a famous Florida folk singer and storyteller who lost his life in the ocean trying to save somebody who was drowning. It has one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida.

Gatorland is one of the oldest Florida tourist attractions.  It is between Orlando and Kissimmee and has some of the neatest alligators in Florida.

Ginnie Springs is a park with great opportunities for swimming, camping, canoeing and enjoying nature.

Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Memorial Hall in St. Cloud is a tribute to the Civil War Veterans of the Union Army who retired here.

Great Outdoors Restaurant, High Springs, Florida

High Springs is a typical little Florida town with a fixed up downtown that has several neat antique shops and at least one very good restaurant.

Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring became one of Florida’s first state parks in 1935. During the Great Depression, the CCC built trails, pavilions, and a botanical garden. They're still in use today.

Hontoon Island State Park in DeLand is a 1,650-acre island in the St. Johns River accessible only by boat or free park ferry.

Ichetucknee Inner Tube Trip at Ichetucknee Springs State Park. A Florida tradition for years, floating down the clear cool river. 

ICON Orlando, on International Drive in Orlando is giant 400 foot tall observation tower in the form of a Ferris Wheel with separate enclosed air conditioned observation capsules.

Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex takes all of a day to see and maybe two.  See hundreds of exhibits and displays, the real Space Shuttles, theaters, bus tours, and much more.

Lake Kissimmee State Park covers 5,930 acres near Lake Wales. Living history at an 1876 cow camp shows Florida's ranching past.

Lakeland has a beautiful downtown and Florida Southern College has the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings in the world.

Lake of the Hills Community Club in Lake Wales was built in 1927 and stands as a cherished landmark of community spirit and historical significance.

Lakeridge Winery near Clermont is one of Florida's largest wineries.  You will enjoy watching the wine making process and sampling their wares.

Lakeside Inn has been in business since 1883. It is on the east shore of Lake Dora. It is someplace special and the centerpiece of the charming town of Mount Dora.

Lake Wales Arts Center is a cultural hub in Lake Wales, Florida. Housed in a historic Spanish Mission-style building, it offers art exhibits, concerts, and classes.

Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven is a 150 acre theme park with more than 50 rides, dozens of shows, shops, restaurants, and a water park. 

Leu Gardens in Orlando is one of the country's foremost botanical gardens.  If it grows in Florida, it is probably here.  Self guided tours or formal tours.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

Lighthouses, Florida has many that can be visited by car and you can even climb some of them.  They have no elevators.

Lightner Museum in St. Augustine is a museum of art and artifacts housed in the former Alcazar Hotel.

Lippincott Mansion, also known as Melrose Hall, is a historic building in Ormond Beach.

Little Manatee River State Park in Wimauma spans 2,433 acres along the Little Manatee River. The park has hiking, kayaking, camping, and horseback riding.

Longwood Historic District covers 190-acres and includes 37 historic buildings.  The streets are tree-lined and walkable. 

Marineland is on Highway A1A just south of St. Augustine. Founded in 1938, it was once the most popular tourist attraction in Florida.

May-Stringer Heritage Museum is a historic house in Brooksville. The four-story, 14-room Victorian home was built in 1855.

McIntosh is near Micanopy and is a fine example of Old Florida homes. It's just fun to wander around the quiet streets.

Melrose is a small Victorian village near Gainesville with historic buildings and a fine restaurant.

Menello Museum of American Art in Orlando displays collection of paintings by Earl Cunningham, a folk artist who painted mostly coastal landscapes of America’s Atlantic Coast.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is a huge refuge is in the shadow of Kennedy Space Center.  It has 140,000 acres and over 1,000 species of plants, 117 fish species, and much more.  

Micanopy is a small Old Florida place with some nice antique shops and restaurants.

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park covers 2,300 acres in Keystone Heights. It’s one of Florida’s first state parks, and has rolling sandhills, lakes, and a ravine.

Mill Creek Farm is a retirement home for horses.  Admission is a couple of carrots.

Monument of States in Kissimmee was built by volunteers and dedicated in 1943. It includes at least one rock from each of the states in the USA. 

Morse Museum in Winter Park is home to the world's most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, including jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass and more.

Mount Dora has a New England look.  It is on the east end of Lake Dora and has many fine shopping, dining and lodging opportunities.  Only 45 minutes from Orlando.  It is one of the favorites of the Villages Florida day trips.  Here is a list of restaurants in the Mount Dora area.

Mount Dora History Museum is housed in the city’s first fire station and jail. It showcases the town's history from the 1870s to today.

Nathan Cobb Cottage in Ormond Beach was constructed in 1897 by local builder William Fagen. The half-story home was ingeniously built using salvaged materials from the shipwrecked schooner Nathan F. Cobb.

Nehrling Gardens and Museum in Gotha was the home of Dr. Henry Nehrling, a pioneering horticulturist who significantly influenced Florida’s botanical landscape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

New Smyrna Beach has some of the nicest sandy beaches in Florida and a bit of history that influenced St. Augustine.

Horse Statue at Ocala City Hall

Ocala is in the heart of Florida's thoroughbred horse raising and training country with plenty of rolling hills and lush oak forests.

Old Jail Museum is a historic site in St. Augustine. The Romanesque Revival building was built in 1891 and looks like a hotel.

Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is the site of a significant Civil War battle. US Colored troops took part in the battle. You can see exhibits and artifacts in the visitor center.

Orange County Regional History Center is in the original courthouse building built in 1927. It has four floors of exhibits exploring 14,000 years of Orlando history and is a Smithsonian affiliate.

Orlando is where the big tourist attractions are like Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld, but it also has plenty of other quieter places to visit.

Orlando Tree Tour is a self guided tour of some of the oldest and largest trees in Florida.  You will see many magnificent oaks.

Ozello is a small village in the marshes between Crystal River and Homosassa.  Great boating and some good seafood restaurants.

Payne’s Creek Historic State Park near Wauchula is a 410-acre preserve that commemorates a pivotal moment in the Seminole Wars.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Micanopy is a 22,000 acre savannah with a wide variety of wildlife including bison, horses and hundreds of bird varieties.

Princess Place Preserve is an old hunting lodge near Palm Coast.  It is open to the public and is a nice glimpse into the Old Florida of yesteryear.  Free.

Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon.  You can swim in the freshwater Rainbow River, rent canoes and kayaks, view waterfalls and gardens and enjoy a picnic area with grills, and pavilions.

Ravine Gardens State Park is a Palatka treasure with beautiful gardens, trails, suspension bridges, and amazing topography.

Renninger's Mount Dora Twin Markets
20651 US-441, Mount Dora, FL 32757, Tel: 352-383-8393. This is a huge antique center and adjacent flea market on the same property.  Each market has hundreds of vendors.  Antiques, clothing, plants, product, eggs, meat, pets, and about anything else.

Reptile Discovery Center in DeLand is a laboratory that extracts venom from dangerous reptiles.  You can see dozens of different reptiles here and watch the extraction process behind safety glass.

Richloam General Store in Ridge Manor is an authentic old restored general store with a shady porch for relaxing.  There is a good Florida cracker restaurant nearby.

Sanford Main Street is situated on Lake Monroe. It has brick-lined streets, shops, restaurants, and art galleries. 

Scalloping in the Gulf of Mexico during season, usually July through September, is a lot of fun and you don't even need a boat.

Sea Turtles on Florida Beaches during nesting season from May to October can be legally observed and enjoyed by all.

Seaworld Orlando is three different parks in one:  SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove.  See dolphins, whales, manatees, sea lions, and other creatures perform.

Seminole Rest is a National Historic Site encompassing several prehistoric shell mounds. The Snyder Mound, for example, rises about 13 feet and spans over five acres.

Silver Springs State Park in Ocala is a spring and attraction in a Florida State Park.  You can enjoy riding on the glass-bottomed boats, paddling in a kayak, or being amazed at the crystal-clear blue depths of Silver Springs. 

St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the United States.  Much to do and even more to see.

Maximo the Crocodile at St Augustine Alligator Farm

St. Augustine Alligator Farm has more than just the famous reptile it is named for.  Crocodiles, birds and a host of other animals.  It's on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Johns Rivership Company in Sanford is where the 105 foot modern sternwheeler "Barbara Lee" takes you on a narrated cruise on the St Johns River.

Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg is a botanical garden more than 100 years old with 50,000 tropical plants and cascading waterfalls. 

Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks at Dodecanese Blvd is a popular tourist attraction located along the Anclote River.

Tavares is known as the seaplane city.  People fly in for events and weekends; it is on the west end of Lake Dora not far from Mount Dora and Eustis.

The Ritz Theater at Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in Sanford was built in 1923. It features a proscenium arch and orchestra pit.

Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach spans 2,000 acres between the Tomoka and Halifax rivers.

Townsend Building, also known as the Old Drugstore, is a historic site in Lake Butler, Florida.

Universal Orlando Resort is the second largest theme park in Orlando, it consists of two parks:  Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure.

University of Tampa (Tampa Bay Hotel) has a museum in the hotel that  contains actual furnishings enjoyed by first guests to visit here.

Walt Disney World Resort is famous and is the largest theme park in the world.  Lots to do and see here.

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park on the barrier island east of Palm Coast has beautiful trees, gardens, and amazing rock formations on the beach.

Webster Flea Markets are the biggest in Florida, but only open on Mondays in this village 25 miles south of The Villages.

Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids

Weeki Wachee Springs is one of the oldest Florida tourist attractions; you will enjoy the shows with the beautiful young mermaids performing in the clear spring waters.

Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka has been a popular recreational spot for Orlando area residents and tourists for more than 100 years. 

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park spans 4,000 acres in Port Richey. It protects four miles of coastline and features salt springs, mangroves, and marshes.

Whispering Oaks Winery offers tours and entertainment; they specialize in blueberry wine and are only a few miles west of The Villages.

Winter Park is just north of Orlando.  In addition to a wonderful boat tour of the chain of lakes, it has some of the finest shopping and dining in the state.

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour has been entertaining visitors for years on guided tours along the lakes and canals of this scenic area.

Ybor City Historic District is known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter. It is an exotic blend of aromas, flavors, sights and sounds.

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park in Homosassa preserves the remnants of a 19th-century sugar plantation once owned by David Levy Yulee. 

Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park is on 56 acres and includes many animal encounters.  Park zones are dedicated to Asia, Africa, Australia, and Florida.  More than 1,300 separate animals call it home. 

THEME BASED FLORIDA DAY TRIPS

If you are interested in particular themes, there are many places to enjoy in and out of the 100 mile radius. Examples of themes are " beaches", "seashells ", " zoos " " historic buildings ", " rockets ", "l ighthouses ", and at least 20 others. Click below to learn more.

250 FLORIDA DAY TRIPS BY THEME

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Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables

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There are interesting back road maps you can use to explore this part of Florida from your base in The Villages.  Here they are:

• Central Florida Scenic Drives
• Central East Florida Scenic Drives
• North Central Florida Scenic Drives
• Central West Florida Scenic Drives
  

Florida is the fastest-growing state in the United States and also the fastest-changing.  If you see anything in this article that has changed or is in error, please let me know.

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