How to explore Florida by car, train and water taxi

23.08.2023 - 17:27 / lonelyplanet.com / Spirit Airlines / United Airlines

Visitors have many options for getting between and around Florida’s pristine coastlines, swampy lagoons and big-time cities.

While the sprawl of Florida makes it a car-centric place, you’ll find there are a growing number options for exploring all the Sunshine State has to offer. Whether you crisscross the state by plane, hop on a train along the southwest coast or Key-hop via water taxi, the transportation mode(s) you favor will reflect how you want to explore the state’s vast terrain.

Wherever your adventure may take you, here’s how to get around Florida.

If you’re visiting Florida from somewhere else in the USA or abroad, chances are you’ll be flying in. In total, the state has 131 public airports (24 of them international), with hubs in Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Fort Myers and Jacksonville. 

Several airlines provide flights within Florida including American Airlines, United Airlines, Miramar-based operator Spirit Airlines and Fort Lauderdale–based Silver Airways.

Along with most US airports, major holidays (eg, Thanksgiving and Christmas) can bring major congestion and longer wait times at Florida’s airports, particularly as northern residents escape the colder temperatures.

Perhaps surprisingly, Florida boasts extensive passenger train service. Amtrak has 19 total stations in the state, serving three principal routes that generally run north to south. With 14 total stops, the Silver Meteor route starts in Jacksonville, runs to Orlando in Central Florida and then south along the Atlantic Coast through West Palm Beach and to Miami. The Silver Star route has 18 total Florida stops, also starting in Jacksonville before hitting Orlando, running west to Tampa and Winter Haven and then winding back to the Atlantic Coast via Fort Lauderdale to Miami.

For travelers either starting or ending an East Coast train adventure in Florida, Amtrak’s Auto Train is a unique offering. This overnight route between Sanford, FL, and Lorton, VA – with no stops in between – lets you take your car or motorcycle on board. Don’t worry: you can relax in the dining and lounge cars rather than having to sit in your auto the entire time. 

Also operating within the state is Brightline, the modern and luxurious high-speed passenger rail system that now has stops in Orlando (effective September 1, 2023), West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura and Miami. A ride from Fort Lauderdale to Miami takes 30 minutes and a one-way trip from West Palm Beach to Miami takes an hour. Amid typically heavy traffic and rush hour in South Florida, this serves as a stellar option for shaving some time off a trip, with stations conveniently located in the heart of each destination’s downtown. A trip from Miami to