Florida North Atlantic Coast

Beaches, wildlife, art, history, cars, and rockets—the offerings of the Florida North Atlantic Coast span from relaxing to enlightening to out of this world, and every member of your family can easily find what hits their vacation sweet spot.

In St. Augustine, America’s oldest European-settled city, history is all around, but so are art galleries and white-sand barrier-island beaches. Canoeing or kayaking in Anastasia State Park gets you up close to its wildlife-filled tidal marshes, or you can hike its leisurely Ancient Dunes Nature Trail. For racing fanatics, the speedway is Daytona Beach’s prime draw, but there are also numerous museums to explore, restaurants serving freshly caught blue crab, and the chance to spot dolphins and manatees from atop a paddleboard, not to mention its popular namesake beach. Just 15 miles south lies New Smyrna Beach, a low-key destination with a quaint shop-filled main drag and the pristine, peninsular Smyrna Dunes Park, where pets are welcome.

No science buff should miss a visit to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, at Cape Canaveral, where you can get nose-to-nose with rockets, interact with astronauts, and perhaps even witness a liftoff. And in Cocoa Beach, get ready to surf, regardless of your skill level; local surf schools and mellow waves are an ideal combination for getting your feet wet. And once you’ve mastered some new board skills, treat yourself to lobster or mahi-mahi at one of the town’s seafood hot spots.