Day trips from Orlando
The best day trips from Orlando
Kennedy Space Center, St. Augustine, Clearwater and Daytona beaches and manatee trips: here is how far each one is and how to get there, with honest advice on the drive, the price and the time it takes.
See our 8 picks
The easiest day trips from Orlando are Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach, each about an hour east, and St. Augustine, about two hours away.
Every tour below starts in Orlando, so you don’t need a car.
Our 8 day trips from Orlando, from €79
Three space days, two manatee days, St. Augustine and two beaches. All eight start in Orlando and have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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from €79 per person Our top pick 10 hours 4.8 (892) reviews on GetYourGuide
Kennedy Space Center with transport
About 10 hours, from next to ICON Park on International Drive, or with pickup. The entry ticket is an option you pick when you book.
Best for Space without a car
Check availability: Kennedy Space Center with transport on GetYourGuide -
from €89 per person 12 hours 4.6 (115) reviews on GetYourGuide
St. Augustine with hotel pickup
A 12-hour day in a town the listing calls America’s oldest, with free time for the fort and old streets. Book at least 2 days ahead. Food and tips are not included.
Best for History and old streets
Check availability: St. Augustine with hotel pickup on GetYourGuide -
from €89 per person 12 hours 4.6 (113) reviews on GetYourGuide
Clearwater Beach day
A 12-hour day on the Gulf coast. The drive takes about 2.5 hours each way, the listing says, and you are dropped at Pier 60. Towels and food cost extra.
Best for A Gulf beach day
Check availability: Clearwater Beach day on GetYourGuide -
from €79 per person 8 hours 5.0 (17) reviews on GetYourGuide
Silver Springs in manatee season
Pickup in Orlando, park entry and up to five hours at Silver Springs State Park. You can kayak, walk or add a glass-bottom boat. Not for wheelchair users.
Best for Winter wildlife
Check availability: Silver Springs in manatee season on GetYourGuide -
from €151 per person 11 hours 4.6 (106) reviews on GetYourGuide
Crystal River manatee snorkel
Snorkel near wild manatees in Crystal River, then visit Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Hotel pickup and lunch are included. The wetsuit costs $15.
Best for Swimming with manatees
Check availability: Crystal River manatee snorkel on GetYourGuide -
from €106 per person 9 hours 4.8 (25) reviews on GetYourGuide
Daytona Beach with resort access
A 9-hour small-group day with hotel pickup and access to a beachfront resort. Walk the boardwalk and the pier. Lunch is not included.
Best for An Atlantic beach day
Check availability: Daytona Beach with resort access on GetYourGuide -
from €201 per person 10 hours 4.5 (91) reviews on GetYourGuide
Kennedy Space Center and an airboat ride
Space center entry, the general bus tour and a 30-minute airboat ride on the St. Johns River, in 10 hours. Book at least 7 days ahead.
Best for Two highlights in one day
Check availability: Kennedy Space Center and an airboat ride on GetYourGuide -
from €213 per person 11 hours 4.7 (25) reviews on GetYourGuide
Ultimate Kennedy Space Center day
Hotel pickup, breakfast, a $15 lunch voucher, entry and the Explore bus tour past the launch pads, in about 11 hours.
Best for A guided, longer space day
Check availability: Ultimate Kennedy Space Center day on GetYourGuide
Day trips from Orlando compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Pickup | Drive on your own | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Space Center with transport | €79 per person | 10 hours | Pickup optional | About 1 hour; parking $15 | Space without a car | The best-rated space trip, 4.8 from 892 reviews. |
| St. Augustine with hotel pickup | €89 per person | 12 hours | Pickup included | About 2 hours | History and old streets | A long day with time on your own, rated 4.6 from 115 reviews. |
| Clearwater Beach day | €89 per person | 12 hours | Pickup optional | About 2.5 hours (tour listing) | A Gulf beach day | White sand on the Gulf, rated 4.6 from 113 reviews. |
| Silver Springs in manatee season | €79 per person | 8 hours | Pickup included | No official time | Winter wildlife | The top rating here, 5.0 from 17 reviews. |
| Crystal River manatee snorkel | €151 per person | 11 hours | Pickup included | About 1.5 hours | Swimming with manatees | The only trip where you swim, rated 4.6 from 106 reviews. |
| Daytona Beach with resort access | €106 per person | 9 hours | Pickup included | No official time | An Atlantic beach day | The best-rated beach trip, 4.8 from 25 reviews. |
| Kennedy Space Center and an airboat ride | €201 per person | 10 hours | Pickup included | About 1 hour; parking $15 | Two highlights in one day | Space and gators in one trip, rated 4.5 from 91 reviews. |
| Ultimate Kennedy Space Center day | €213 per person | 11 hours | Pickup included | About 1 hour; parking $15 | A guided, longer space day | Everything included, rated 4.7 from 25 reviews. |
Kennedy Space Center with transport
€79 per person10 hours 4.8 (892)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup optional
- Drive on your own
- About 1 hour; parking $15
- Who it suits
- Space without a car
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated space trip, 4.8 from 892 reviews.
St. Augustine with hotel pickup
€89 per person12 hours 4.6 (115)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Drive on your own
- About 2 hours
- Who it suits
- History and old streets
- Why we picked it
- A long day with time on your own, rated 4.6 from 115 reviews.
€89 per person12 hours 4.6 (113)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup optional
- Drive on your own
- About 2.5 hours (tour listing)
- Who it suits
- A Gulf beach day
- Why we picked it
- White sand on the Gulf, rated 4.6 from 113 reviews.
Silver Springs in manatee season
€79 per person8 hours 5.0 (17)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Drive on your own
- No official time
- Who it suits
- Winter wildlife
- Why we picked it
- The top rating here, 5.0 from 17 reviews.
€151 per person11 hours 4.6 (106)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Drive on your own
- About 1.5 hours
- Who it suits
- Swimming with manatees
- Why we picked it
- The only trip where you swim, rated 4.6 from 106 reviews.
Daytona Beach with resort access
€106 per person9 hours 4.8 (25)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Drive on your own
- No official time
- Who it suits
- An Atlantic beach day
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated beach trip, 4.8 from 25 reviews.
Kennedy Space Center and an airboat ride
€201 per person10 hours 4.5 (91)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Drive on your own
- About 1 hour; parking $15
- Who it suits
- Two highlights in one day
- Why we picked it
- Space and gators in one trip, rated 4.5 from 91 reviews.
Ultimate Kennedy Space Center day
€213 per person11 hours 4.7 (25)
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Drive on your own
- About 1 hour; parking $15
- Who it suits
- A guided, longer space day
- Why we picked it
- Everything included, rated 4.7 from 25 reviews.
- Small groups: St. Augustine with hotel pickup (up to 10 people); Silver Springs in manatee season (up to 14 people); Crystal River manatee snorkel (up to 13 people); Daytona Beach with resort access (up to 13 people).
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are “from” prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Good towns near Orlando for a day trip
St. Augustine is the classic town trip from Orlando. It is 124 miles away, about two hours by car, its tourism office says.
Cocoa Beach is a small beach town near Kennedy Space Center. The Space Coast tourism office puts it about 45 minutes east of Orlando.
Daytona Beach is on the Atlantic, with a boardwalk and a pier. We found no official drive time, so we only list the tour, which takes 9 hours in all.
What is 1 hour away from Orlando?
Kennedy Space Center, Blue Spring and Busch Gardens Tampa are each about an hour from Orlando. LEGOLAND Florida and Cocoa Beach are closer, about 45 minutes away.
For a half day, pick something close, like an airboat ride or Blue Spring. The table lists every trip on this page by drive time. Times are each source’s estimate, and traffic can add more.
| Trip | Time from Orlando | Source |
|---|---|---|
| LEGOLAND Florida | 45 minutes from the theme parks | LEGOLAND Florida |
| Cocoa Beach | About 45 minutes, on SR 528 (toll) | Visit Space Coast |
| Kennedy Space Center | About 1 hour from International Drive | Visit Orlando |
| Blue Spring State Park | About 1 hour | Visit Orlando |
| Busch Gardens Tampa | About 1 hour, on I-4 | Busch Gardens |
| Crystal River | About 1.5 hours | Visit Orlando |
| St. Augustine | About 2 hours (124 miles) | St. Augustine tourism office |
| Miami | About 3.5 hours by Brightline train | Visit Orlando |
What to do within 2 hours of Orlando
Within two hours you reach Crystal River and St. Augustine. Crystal River is about 90 minutes away, Visit Orlando says.
At Crystal River you can swim with manatees, mainly from mid-November to March. In St. Augustine you walk old streets and see the stone fort, the Castillo de San Marcos.
Clearwater Beach is farther. The tour listing says the drive takes about 2.5 hours each way.
The best day trips in Florida, ranked by how easy they are from Orlando
We rank each trip by drive time, from closest to farthest. Each row puts our tour next to going on your own. All the tours have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
| Trip | Tour from Orlando | Tour length | On your own |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa Beach | No tour on this page | – | About 45 minutes each way, on a toll road |
| Kennedy Space Center | From €79, pickup optional | 10 hours | About 1 hour each way; parking $15; ticket from €74 |
| Blue Spring (manatees in winter) | River cruise from €24, you drive there | 1 hour | About 1 hour each way; $6 per car |
| Busch Gardens Tampa | No tour on this page | – | About 1 hour each way, or the free park shuttle |
| Crystal River (swim with manatees) | From €151, pickup included | 11 hours | About 1.5 hours each way |
| St. Augustine | From €89, pickup included | 12 hours | About 2 hours each way |
| Clearwater Beach | From €89, pickup optional | 12 hours | About 2.5 hours each way (tour listing) |
| Daytona Beach | From €106, pickup included | 9 hours | No official drive time found |
| Silver Springs | From €79, pickup included | 8 hours | No official drive time found |
Kennedy Space Center and the airboat tour
Kennedy Space Center is the big day trip east of Orlando. It is about an hour from International Drive, Visit Orlando says. There is no public transport there.
Three of our trips drive you there and back: the classic trip from €79, the airboat combo from €201 and the ultimate day from €213. The combo adds a 30-minute airboat ride on the St. Johns River.
Entry ends 1 hour before closing. The last bus tour leaves 2.5 hours before closing, Kennedy Space Center says.
Swimming with manatees: where and when
You can swim with manatees at Crystal River, about 90 minutes from Orlando. The season runs from 15 November to 31 March, the US Fish and Wildlife Service says. Outside it, you may see none.
Blue Spring, about an hour north, is for watching only. Swimming with manatees is not allowed there. The spring run is closed to all water use from 15 November to 15 March.
Our Silver Springs trip runs in manatee season and picks you up in Orlando.
St. Augustine and the beach days (Cocoa Beach, Daytona)
St. Augustine is about two hours each way, so a tour with pickup saves you the drive. There is no Amtrak or Greyhound stop in town, its tourism office says.
To go on your own, read our St. Augustine to Orlando guide.
Cocoa Beach is the closest beach on our list, about 45 minutes east on SR 528, a toll road. It sits near Kennedy Space Center, so you can pair the two.
For that drive, read our Cocoa Beach to Orlando guide.
Daytona Beach has a boardwalk and a pier on the Atlantic. Our pick is a 9-hour small-group day with hotel pickup.
Busch Gardens Tampa and other longer trips
Busch Gardens Tampa is about an hour from Orlando on I-4, Busch Gardens’ site says. Its Orlando shuttle is free with any Busch Gardens ticket.
You must reserve a seat, and there are four pickup stops in Orlando. The shuttle leaves the park 30 minutes after closing. A no-show costs $10.
For Tampa on your own, read our Tampa to Orlando guide.
Clearwater Beach is a longer day, about 2.5 hours each way by tour bus. Our pick drops you at Pier 60.
How to get from Orlando to Miami
Miami is not a day trip. The Brightline train takes about 3.5 hours each way, Visit Orlando says, so plan a weekend.
Brightline leaves from its station next to Terminal C at Orlando International Airport. Fares change by date. Visit Orlando listed SMART fares from $54 in August 2026.
For the full trip, read our Orlando to Miami guide.
Tour or your own car: how to choose
Take a tour if the trip is long or you don’t want to drive. St. Augustine, Crystal River and Clearwater each mean 3 to 5 hours at the wheel in one day.
Drive if you want your own pace. Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach are about an hour or less away. With a car you can stay until closing.
Tours with pickup run 8 to 12 hours. All eight tours here have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Before you book a day trip
Start early
The tours run 8 to 12 hours, so most leave in the morning. The Clearwater bus leaves at 8 a.m. from its meeting point.
Book ahead
Book the St. Augustine tour at least 2 days ahead. Book the space-and-airboat tour at least 7 days ahead.
What costs extra
Most tours don’t include food or tips. If you drive to Kennedy Space Center, parking costs $15 per car.
Manatee season
Manatees gather from mid-November to March. Outside that time, pick a beach or the space center.
If your plans change
All eight tours have free cancellation up to 24 hours before. If the company cancels for bad weather, you get your money back, GetYourGuide’s terms say.
Questions people ask about day trips from Orlando
What are some good towns to visit near Orlando for a day trip?
What is about 1 hour away from Orlando?
What can I do within 2 hours of Orlando?
What is a good day trip in Florida?
How do I get from Orlando to Miami?
More day trips from Orlando
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every Orlando tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (23), facts checked on 25 October 2026
- Visit Orlando: Orlando day trips
- Visit Orlando: where to see manatees
- Visit Orlando: Brightline FAQs
- St. Augustine tourism office: ways to get to St. Augustine
- Visit Space Coast: Cocoa Beach
- Busch Gardens Tampa: Orlando shuttle
- Busch Gardens Tampa: directions
- LEGOLAND Florida: directions and parking
- Kennedy Space Center: travel information and parking
- Kennedy Space Center: hours of operation
- US Fish and Wildlife Service: Crystal River refuge
- Florida State Parks: Blue Spring experiences and amenities
- Florida State Parks: manatees at Blue Spring
- Orlando International Airport: Brightline trains
- GetYourGuide: general terms and conditions
- GetYourGuide: Kennedy Space Center trip with transport
- GetYourGuide: St. Augustine day trip with hotel pickup
- GetYourGuide: Clearwater Beach day trip
- GetYourGuide: Silver Springs manatee season day trip
- GetYourGuide: manatee snorkel tour with lunch and pickup
- GetYourGuide: Daytona Beach day trip
- GetYourGuide: Kennedy Space Center with airboat ride
- GetYourGuide: Ultimate Kennedy Space Center day trip
Written by the Things to Do in Orlando editorial team.