With how expensive travel has gotten, shoulder seasons offer the perfect opportunity to cut back on costs and keep your adventures a bit more local – if you play your cards right, you can still have the time of your life while saving for a bigger, better winter getaway.
And if you’re anything like me and can’t seem to be able to let go of that summer sunshine, Florida is probably on top of your bucket list right now.
It’s warm but not scorching, lively but not crowded, and offers a good mix of nature, culture, history, and good old-fashioned fun.
The downside? Depending on where exactly you go, the costs can really add up, defeating the purpose of a domestic trip in the first place.
But though prices have increased across the board, there are still some gorgeous places that offer everything you’re looking for and more for a pretty reasonable price, at least that’s what a recent report by Florida Rentals discovered.
The company analyzed the cost of accommodation, food, transportation, alcohol, and entertainment across the state in search of the cheapest travel destinations, and let me tell you, one of these will blow your mind.
Tallahassee
First up we have Tallahassee, a city where hotels average a remarkable $104 – with some great options going even lower than that.
Take Clarion Pointe, for example.
Not only are its rooms clean, spacious, and highly reviewed, but its usual rate of $80-something a night has been discounted to $50 on specific dates throughout this fall season, so you can definitely get a good deal.
And as the state capital, Tallahassee promises an experience that’s everything but boring – complete with the Florida State Capitol Complex, the Museum of Florida History, the gorgeous Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, as well as some unmissable seasonal events like the Tallahassee Downtown Market and the annual Greek Food Festival.
Everglades National Park
If you’re looking for something more nature-centered right now, a trip to the Everglades National Park is the best thing you can do.
Not only are the average total daily costs comfortably below $200, but for just $30 you’ll get access to the park for an entire week, and if you manage to time your visit during National Public Lands Day (which falls on September 28th this year), you won’t have to pay anything at all.
The best thing about coming here is that you’ll have to spend little to no money on activities – hiking, bird watching, and biking are all free!
Cocoa Beach
Don’t want to give up on beach holidays just yet?
You can always come to Cocoa Beach.
Sure, it might not have the lively big-city vibe you might be used to but its quiet, small coastal town atmosphere can be so refreshing (both mentally and financially), especially now that most of us are looking for a change of pace.
You can spend your days here lounging around Lori Wilson Park and taking surfing lessons – the former is entirely free while the latter will only set you back $65 for a 2-hour session.
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral is a haven for curious souls looking to get something more than just relaxation out of their fall getaway.
From watching rocket launches to exploring wildlife sanctuaries, you’ll be in awe at just how much you’ll get to experience here on a pretty limited budget, so to help you narrow things down, here’s how much you can expect to pay for some important stops you can add to your itinerary.
- Rocket launch watching – $0 (though you can pay $15 for a premium viewing spot at Jetty Park)
- A picnic in Cherie Down Park – $0
- Lighthouse & Spaceflight Tour – $35
- A visit to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum – $0
Miami
Miami was definitely the wild card in today’s ranking.
Most of us tend to link the iconic Florida city with high-end stores and expensive parties, but when you think about it, when it comes to a city as vast and diverse as this, you can have an amazing time on almost any budget.
Not only can you book some fantastic rooms for less than $150 a night (see Hilton Miami Downtown and Novotel Miami Brickell), but you’ll also get to lounge around South Beach, explore the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, and even participate in Art Walks – which all in all should cost you less than $20-$30 a day.
Most Expensive Places
So now we know which places to prioritize when planning a budget-friendly Florida getaway, but an arguably even more question to answer is – which ones to avoid?
Lucky for us, Florida Rentals ranked the state’s most expensive destinations too, and a couple of these might catch you by surprise, too:
- Duck Key
- Destin
- Big Pine Key
- Key West
- Orlando
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