These Are The 20 Most Iconic Landmarks In Florida, How Many Have You Visited?
Florida doesn’t just sparkle with sunshine, it glitters with landmarks that mix history, wonder, and a splash of pure spectacle.
Picture ancient forts echoing with cannon fire, wild springs bubbling like nature’s own soda fountains, and rocket ships blasting off so loud they rattle your flip-flops. The Sunshine State is basically one big treasure map, and every stop is stamped with stories worth bragging about.
Question is, how many of these Florida icons have you already checked off, and how many are still waiting to blow your mind?
1. Castillo De San Marcos
Standing proudly since 1695, this remarkable stone fortress has weathered centuries of storms, battles, and tourists with equal resilience. The oldest masonry fort in the continental United States offers a fascinating glimpse into America’s earliest days.
Cannons still face the harbor, ready to defend St. Augustine, our nation’s oldest city. Could you imagine living as a Spanish soldier stationed here, scanning the horizon for approaching enemy ships?
2. St. Augustine Lighthouse
Spiraling 219 steps upward, this black-and-white striped sentinel has guided mariners safely to shore since 1874. The breathtaking panoramic views from the top make every step of the climb worthwhile!
Ghost hunters flock here for paranormal encounters with former keepers. Maritime history buffs adore the museum’s shipwreck artifacts and hands-on exhibits that bring Florida’s nautical past to life.
3. Kennedy Space Center
Where else can you stand beneath actual spacecraft that touched the stars? The home of American space exploration thrills visitors with its towering rockets and the chance to meet real astronauts.
Marvel at Space Shuttle Atlantis, suspended as if in orbit. The Rocket Garden’s massive launch vehicles reach skyward like metallic trees, silent witnesses to humanity’s greatest adventure. Simulator rides let you experience a shuttle launch firsthand!
4. Everglades National Park
Airboats glide across saw grass prairies, carrying travelers into Florida’s River of Grass, 1.5 million acres of untamed wonder.
Manatees drift gently, panthers stalk shadows, and alligators sprawl lazily on sunny banks. Rare orchids perfume hidden corners while mangroves, marshes, and cypress swamps weave ecosystems together, each revealing wild beauty unchanged by time.
5. Dry Tortugas & Fort Jefferson
Seventy miles west of Key West rises a brick fortress adrift in turquoise seas, once America’s loneliest prison. Today, adventurers snorkel vibrant reefs buzzing with tropical fish while birders marvel at rare migrants resting on sandy shores.
Reaching paradise by ferry or seaplane adds drama, making the journey part of the magic.
6. Southernmost Point Buoy
Painted like a giant beach ball, this concrete marker proclaims your arrival at the southernmost spot in the continental United States. Just 90 miles from Cuba, it’s possibly the most photographed concrete object in America!
Selfie-seekers form lines around the block during peak season. Though currently a temporary replica stands while the original undergoes repairs, visitors still flock to this iconic Key West photo op that proves they made it to the end of the road.
7. Ernest Hemingway Home
Literary magic still lingers in this Spanish Colonial treasure where Papa Hemingway crafted some of his greatest works. The real stars? Approximately 60 six-toed cats roaming the property, many descended from Hemingway’s own beloved feline, Snow White.
His writing studio remains preserved above the carriage house. Gardens burst with tropical blooms year-round, creating a lush paradise that inspired the Nobel Prize winner during his decade in residence here. Cat lovers and bookworms alike find heaven in this Key West gem.
8. Seven Mile Bridge
Seven Mile Bridge stretches across waters so blue they feel unreal, carrying travelers from Marathon into the Lower Keys on a drive that feels like flying.
Old bridge sections now serve fishermen reeling in silver flashes. Sunset paints golden streaks across waves, while dolphins and turtles glide beneath this legendary ribbon of concrete.
9. Miami Beach Art Deco District
Pastel-colored buildings with curved corners and neon signs transport visitors straight back to the 1930s. Over 800 preserved structures make this the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the world!
Walking tours reveal fascinating details – porthole windows, geometric patterns, and tropical motifs that define this uniquely Miami style. Night brings the district to life as neon signs glow against the velvet sky. Could any neighborhood capture South Beach glamour better?
10. Wynwood Walls
Wynwood Walls turned Miami’s abandoned warehouses into a global gallery, every surface drenched in massive murals by world-class street artists.
Colors explode, shifting with each new season of creativity. Influencers strike poses, art buffs trace brushstrokes, and nearby streets buzz with breweries, boutiques, and galleries feeding off this unstoppable artistic energy.
11. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Millionaire James Deering built his dream winter home here in 1916, creating a Renaissance Italian villa in the heart of Miami. Stone mermaids guard the waterfront while European antiques fill lavishly decorated rooms that transport visitors across time and space.
Formal gardens feature classical statues, hedge mazes, and secret grottos. Biscayne Bay provides a sparkling backdrop for this architectural fantasy. Film directors and fashion photographers flock here, could there be a more photogenic spot in all of Florida?
12. Cape Florida Lighthouse
Rising 95 feet above Bill Baggs State Park, this whitewashed tower has survived hurricanes, attacks, and restoration since 1825. Climb 109 spiral steps for breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean meeting Biscayne Bay.
Palm trees sway around the keeper’s cottage at the base. Beach lovers appreciate this landmark’s perfect setting on one of Florida’s most beautiful shorelines. Sunset paints the white tower in golden hues, creating postcard-perfect moments for photographers.
13. Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Yellow cables stretch skyward like giant sunbeams supporting this engineering masterpiece across Tampa Bay. Driving the steep 4-mile span feels like launching into the clouds, especially when pelicans soar alongside your vehicle!
Fishing piers built from the old bridge sections attract anglers day and night. The bridge’s distinctive shape has become a symbol of Tampa Bay, appearing in countless photos and films. Sunset transforms those yellow cables into golden ribbons against the darkening sky.
14. The Dalí Museum
A glass bubble erupts from concrete walls in St. Petersburg, home to more than 2,400 works by Salvador Dalí, the largest trove outside Spain. Inside, a spiral staircase coils like DNA, while augmented reality makes paintings shimmer alive.
Waterfront views frame an architectural wonder as dreamlike as Dalí’s surreal imagination.
15. The Ringling & Ca’ d’Zan
Circus magnate John Ringling’s legacy lives on in this spectacular waterfront estate. The jaw-dropping Ca’ d’Zan mansion flaunts Venetian-Gothic splendor with its colorful tiles, marble terraces, and 56 rooms overlooking Sarasota Bay.
The art museum houses masterpieces by Rubens, Velázquez, and other European greats. Circus memorabilia delights visitors of all ages in the Circus Museum. Rose gardens and banyan trees create magical spaces between the buildings of this extraordinary 66-acre cultural complex.
16. Bok Tower Gardens
Carillon bells ring out across this mountaintop sanctuary, creating musical magic among flowering gardens. Edward Bok’s 205-foot neo-Gothic Singing Tower rises like a fairytale castle from the highest point in peninsular Florida.
Meandering paths lead through lush landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. Rare birds flit among native plants and reflecting pools. Though Central Florida lacks mountains, Iron Mountain’s 298-foot elevation creates surprising vistas across orange groves and lakes from this tranquil garden retreat.
17. Daytona International Speedway
Engines thunder and tires screech at Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile tri-oval with 31-degree banks that’s been thrilling fans since 1959.
Behind-the-scenes tours guide visitors onto pit road and into victory lane, while the Motorsports Hall of Fame honors legends of every racing discipline. Standing in grandstands overlooking asphalt where Petty and Earnhardt carved history sparks goosebumps, adrenaline, and pure reverence for speed’s cathedral.
18. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
America’s first underwater park dazzles in Key Largo, where coral reefs shimmer with parrotfish, angelfish, and schools that sparkle like living confetti. Snorkelers dive in, glass-bottom boats glide overhead, and Christ of the Abyss stands serenely beneath waves.
Kayakers slip through mangrove tunnels perfumed with salt air, spotting herons, egrets, and sometimes gentle manatees in a preserve blending mystery, beauty, and ocean-born wonder.
19. Weeki Wachee Springs
Real-life mermaids perform underwater ballet in crystal-clear spring waters at this delightfully retro attraction. Since 1947, audiences have watched enchanting shows through submerged theater windows while fish and turtles swim alongside the performers.
The spring produces millions of gallons of water daily, creating the Weeki Wachee River. Waterslides and swimming areas offer cooling fun at Buccaneer Bay. Where else can you witness mermaids breathing through hidden air hoses while executing graceful choreography in Florida’s natural springs?
20. Cinderella Castle
Cinderella Castle rises 189 feet above Magic Kingdom, a fairytale vision crowned with 18 towers and guarded by 13 whimsical gargoyles. Inspired by European palaces and Disney’s classic film, it feels like stepping into a dream.
Mosaics inside shimmer with Cinderella’s tale, while nightly fireworks bathe walls in shifting colors, cementing this enchanting fortress as Florida’s most magical landmark and global symbol of Disney wonder.
