6 Best Places in Florida to Visit for Young Adults to Vacation

Who are we kidding? Florida is full of old people. There are no places in Florida for young adults to vacation! WRONG! Here are our 6 best places in Florida to visit for young adults to vacation.

If you think that the over-55 crowd doesn’t know how to have fun in Florida, you better take a closer look at some of the best places in Florida for young adults to vacation and have the time of their life!

Our destinations for young adults in Florida will give you options for fun adventures, entertainment, and some history and ecological value thrown in. Our guess is that some of the over-55 crowd may also be sneaking a view of this post – they still want some fun.

Key West – One of the Best Cities in Florida for Young Adults

Key West offers a serene island and the opportunity to boat over to the craziness of the city.

Key West can be as irreverent or elegant as you choose it to be.

We admit Key West is one of our favorite of the 6 Best Places in Florida for Young Adults to Vacation in the whole state.

Consider these facts –

• There are more bars and daily entertainment venues per square mile in Key West than in any other place in Florida.
• There is a wide range of international restaurants and shopping opportunities in Key West.
• If you like seafood, few destinations can offer more fresh seafood options than Key West.
• If history is your thing for vacation, Key West is rich with historical sites. Perhaps only second to St. Augustine as the most significant city in Florida’s development.
• Where else can you find hundreds of watersports like snorkeling, diving, fishing, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and dozens more water-related activities around the island?
• Want to be pampered? Key West has dozens of resorts that will cater to every need and whim.
• Want a hidden getaway vacation for young adults? Consider Sunset Key less than a mile from Mallory Square. You have a private shuttle to and from the island.
• Nightlife? How many places do you know that have live entertainment at multiple venues within walking distance of each other that stay open until the wee hours?
• One of the best driving vacations for young adults is on the way to Key West through the Florida Keys. Read about the road trip here.

We could go on extolling the reasons Key West is the best place in Florida for young adults to vacation, but the list could get exhausting! Check out some of the links we included above for more.

South Beach Miami

• A youthful, vibrant population that demands upscale restaurants, boutiques, and quality surroundings.
• A famous huge beach that hosts just about any sight you can imagine on a beach. 
• Easy to access Miami from around the country.
• Many famous hotels along South Beach and in Miami.
• Plenty of trendy cafes and people-watching along the beach drive.
• If you like the nightclub scene and like to be part of it, South Beach Miami is the place to be.

The biggest issue with South Beach and Miami, in general, is the crime statistics are high. You are most likely safe in the high foot traffic areas, but even locals will tell you to travel in groups. This may not be a big deterrent for young adults coming from areas that are much worse.

Everything considered, if you want an energy-charged, glitzy week in a nationally recognized vacation area, Miami Beach is the place for young adults to vacation in Florida.

Destin – One of the Best Cities in Florida for Young Adults to Vacation

For most readers, Destin, Florida may not be on their list of vacation ideas. This well-known Florida panhandle area is far removed from the sleepy retirement communities like Sarasota, Ft. Myers or Vero Beach.

Destin, as one of the best cities in Florida for young adults, has become a dynamic community offering plenty of beaches, watersports and lively nightlife. We can suggest Destin because;

• Being in the western panhandle, you don’t have to worry about the extreme heat if you are traveling in the summer months.
• There are plenty of hotels and hundreds of VRBOs in the area.
• Comparatively, you will spend much less on your vacation than in the major metropolitan areas Miami or Orlando.
• Destin is one of the premier fishing locations in the state.
• You have plenty of nearby towns to fuel your daytime wandering. Places like Panama City Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Santa Rosa Island and Pensacola are nearby. You could do a beach each day of your vacation in the area.
• Destin’s Harborwalk is a fun place for entertainment, food and boating activities.
• Excellent location in Florida to sample fresh seafood from the Gulf coast. Oysters, clams, red snapper, grouper, and blue crabs dominate the local restaurants.

We recommend Destin if you want a relaxing vacation with few traffic problems and more beach time. Driving the panhandle of Florida is fun. However, Destin by air may be a challenge for you.

We think this is a great idea for young adults to vacation in Florida because Destin will welcome them.

Tampa is one of the 6 Best Cities in Florida for Young Adults to Vacation

This may surprise you, but Tampa would be one of our top choices for the 6 best places in Florida to visit for young adults to vacation. This fast-growing city has it all or is close to it all! Consider this;

• Tampa has a vibrant downtown community of young adults who live, work and play in the city. 
• Tampa has year-round championship sports teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Tampa is within 90 minutes of Disney World.
• Tampa is 45 minutes from one of the top beaches in the state, Clearwater Beach.
• Attractions like the Florida Aquarium, Riverwalk and Ybor City are within walking distance of downtown hotels.
• Many famous restaurants make Tampa their home including world-renowned Berns Steakhouse and Columbia Restaurant.
• A massive interstate system allows access to destinations throughout central Florida.
• One of the top international airports in the country is Tampa International (TPA).
• There are plenty of quality hotels serving the downtown area including two Marriott hotels on the riverwalk.

Tampa is a Florida vacation destination for young adults that is popular for the downtown scene and the variety of other options.

If there are any negatives, it would be there are too many choices of things to do in central Florida. On the other hand, you are not weather dependent or locked into just one destination.

Amelia Island – A Must On Your List of Best Places in Florida for Young Adults to Vacation 

Up in the northeast corner of Florida, there is a great Florida destination for a vacation for young adults. Amelia Island is a 13-mile-long island with its eastern shore along the Atlantic Ocean. This water-bound location makes a perfect spot for young adults to vacation in Florida.

Amenities include;

• World-class resorts on the eastern side of the island.
• Golf courses are part of some resorts.
• Beaches run many miles along the island’s shores.
• Historically, Amelia Island was once held by four different countries.
• Watersports are prevalent throughout the island.
• On the western shore is the quaint town of Fernandina Beach. The town includes the oldest continuously operating bar in Florida, the Palace Saloon.  There are many local restaurants, rustic boutiques, and historical landmarks.  nearby the Palace Saloon.
• You have spectacular views from various parts of the island including the Georgia shore from Fernandina.
• If you decide to wander off the island, Jacksonville is just a few miles south. The home of the PGA Championship is at Ponte Vedra Beach in south Jacksonville.
• The most historical city in Florida, St. Augustine is located just about 45 minutes to the south.

We believe Amelia Island is one of the best places in Florida to visit on a  beautiful island. You could spend an entire day just resort-hopping along the eastern shore. A visit to Ft. Clinch State Park is part of the history associated with the island.

Choosing the right vacation for young adults in Florida should include Amelia Island as an option.

Naples and The Everglades Best for Eco-Conscious Young Adults Vacation in Florida

This is a “two-for”. You can’t visit one without the other. You will go from the elegance of Naples to the rustic river of grass and forested swamps.

Your vacation should include;

• A visit to the ultra-affluent Naples area. Naples includes some of the most wealthy estates in the country.
• The shopping district of Naples will place a dent in your budget. Known as the 5th Avenue district, the shops showcase the most upscale array of clothing and jewelry you will find anywhere.
• Of, course, elegance doesn’t stop with store goods. The restaurants offer eclectic fare from prime steaks to fresh-off-the-boat seafood.
• Put on your t-shirt, cargo shorts and sunscreen. Then you will be ready for the Everglades. An airboat trip through the “glades” will allow you to see the habitat of alligators and other creatures of the swamp.
• While on the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades, one of the state’s famed art galleries is right in the middle. The Clyde Butcher Galleries is a must-visit.
• You can miss the Swamp-Ape Headquarters!
• The Big Cypress Swamp Boardwalk takes you into the flora and fauna of the Everglades.

  

• You can also visit the Everglades towns of Everglades City and Chokoloskee for two places that look and feel like they did 75 years ago.
• Finally, if you want a real Florida adventure, take the Loop Road turn-off of the Tamiami Trail. Read about that adventure here.
• Want something even more upscale? Just south of Naples is Marco Island. This one of the best cities in Florida for young adults to vacation is style and luxury.

Naples is about decadence and the Everglades are about the survival of the ecosystem and the life of the swamp.

Quite a vacation for young adults in Florida if you can handle the dichotomy that Florida presents.