Theme park · 31 min southwest
Magic Kingdom
Cinderella Castle, classic rides and parades. The heart of Walt Disney World.
- Full day · Easy
- Open daily; hours vary (check)
- Date-based tickets (check)
Day Trippin' › Florida › From Orlando
Day trips from Orlando
From Orlando, the Orlando Science Center and Leu Gardens are minutes away, Winter Park about 10, Universal under 15, Gatorland and SeaWorld under 25, EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom under 35, Wekiwa Springs about half an hour, and Blue Spring State Park under 45. The best day trips from Orlando, by drive time.
144 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Orlando
- Magic Kingdom 31 min southwest
- Blue Spring State Park 44 min north
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex 54 min east
- Three Sisters Springs 1 hr 33 min west
- Rainbow Springs State Park 1 hr 36 min northwest
- Castillo de San Marcos 1 hr 44 min north
- Fort De Soto Park 2 hr southwest
- The Ringling 2 hr 2 min southwest
- Siesta Beach 2 hr 11 min southwest
- Ichetucknee Springs State Park 2 hr 22 min northwest
Within an hour from Orlando 22 spots
Springs · 44 min north
Blue Spring State Park
The best place in Florida to see manatees in winter, hundreds at a time, from a boardwalk.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round, 8 am-sunset
- $6 per vehicle (checked Nov 2026)
Museum · 54 min east
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
See the Space Shuttle Atlantis, a Saturn V rocket and launch pads. A must for space fans.
- Full day · Easy
- Open 9 am-5 pm (check)
- Tickets (check)
Small town · 38 min northwest
Mount Dora
A hilly lakeside town with antique shops, festivals and lake views.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Zoo · 27 min north
Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
A shady, walkable zoo in Sanford with rhinos, tortoises and a lantern festival in winter.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- 9 am-4 pm (check)
- Admission (check)
Family fun · 56 min north
Daytona International Speedway
The World Center of Racing. Tours take you to the track and garages.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Tour times (check)
- Tour prices (check)
Island · 52 min north
Hontoon Island State Park
A car-free island in the St. Johns River, reached by a free ferry, with trails and a shell mound.
- Half day · Easy
- 8 am-sunset; ferry until 2 hours before sundown
- Free
Theme park · 27 min southwest
EPCOT
World showcase pavilions, big rides and food festivals.
- Full day · Easy
- Open daily; hours vary (check)
- Date-based tickets (check)
1 to 2 hours from Orlando 68 spots
Springs · 1 hr 36 min northwest
Rainbow Springs State Park
A former roadside attraction with waterfalls, gardens and a buoyed swim area at the head of the Rainbow River.
- Half day · Easy
- Headsprings 8 am-sunset; tubing closed Oct-Mar
- $5 per vehicle, $4 single occupant, $2 walk-in or bike (checked Nov 2026)
Historic site · 1 hr 44 min north
Castillo de San Marcos
The oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S., guarding St. Augustine's bay since the 1600s.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Daily 9 am-5 pm last entry; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Adult $15 for 7 days, 15 and under free (check)
Beach · 2 hr southwest
Fort De Soto Park
Nearly three miles of beach, a historic fort, fishing piers, a dog beach and a big campground at the mouth of Tampa Bay.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- $6 parking per vehicle (checked Nov 2026); increase approved for Dec 2026 (check)
Wildlife · 1 hr 33 min west
Three Sisters Springs
Boardwalks over clear springs where hundreds of manatees gather on cold winter days.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- 8:30 am-4:30 pm daily; last entry 3:30 pm
- Admission includes shuttle (check price)
Bike trail · 1 hr 6 min west
Withlacoochee State Trail
Florida's longest paved rail trail, about 46-47 miles through small towns and forest.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- 8 am-sunset
- Free
Small town · 1 hr 16 min north
Flagler Beach
A laid-back beach town on A1A with a fishing pier, surf and small cafes.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk around
Hike · 1 hr 34 min west
Crystal River Preserve State Park
Quiet trails and a long loop through salt marsh and pine flatwoods on the Nature Coast. Great for birding and biking.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; best Oct-Apr
- Free
Food town · 1 hr 54 min west
Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks
Greek town on the water with sponge boats, bakeries and Greek restaurants along Dodecanese Boulevard.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
2 to 3 hours from Orlando 47 spots
Museum · 2 hr 2 min southwest
The Ringling
Circus museum, a grand Venetian-style mansion, an art museum and bayfront gardens on one big campus.
- Full day · Easy
- Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's
- ? (check); Ca' d'Zan tour costs extra
Beach · 2 hr 11 min southwest
Siesta Beach
Soft quartz sand that stays cool underfoot, gentle water and free parking. Often ranked among the best US beaches.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free parking (checked Nov 2026)
Springs · 2 hr 22 min northwest
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
The classic Florida tubing river, crystal clear and cool, with swim spots at the head spring.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round, 8 am-sunset; tubing from south entrance
- $6 per vehicle, $4 single occupant, $2 walk-in or bike (checked Nov 2026)
Small town · 2 hr 24 min west
Cedar Key
An old fishing village on the Gulf known for clams, seafood, birdwatching and sunsets.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Aquarium · 2 hr 27 min southeast
Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Sea turtle hospital in Juno Beach where you can see patients recovering. Free to visit.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily
- Free (donations welcome)
National park · 2 hr 2 min southwest
De Soto National Memorial
Shaded waterfront trail where Spanish explorers are thought to have landed in 1539. Free and quiet.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; closed New Year's, Thanksgiving, Christmas
- Free
State park · 2 hr 10 min southwest
Myakka River State Park
Huge wild park with gators, a canopy walkway in the treetops, airboat tours and a scenic drive.
- Full day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; best Nov-Apr
- $6 per vehicle (checked Nov 2026)
State park · 2 hr 16 min northwest
O'Leno State Park
The Santa Fe River sinks underground here. Trails, a suspension bridge and a river swim area.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round, 8 am-sunset
- $5 per vehicle (checked Nov 2026)
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 32801 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.