7 Reasons To Visit Florida in February

In 2016 I made my first trip to Florida in February and fell in love with both the idea of a winter getaway and the state itself. Before I moved to New England I lived in Virginia and winter getaways weren’t necessary because it was never as cold as it is in New England. Cold? Sure. But never -30 degree like it was this past weekend. 

I chose Florida because I wanted to go to Wizarding World of Harry Potter since it opened in 2010. After the addition of Hogsmeade in 2014, I just had to go. Major Potter nerd here. We decided to go for 1 day, not thinking it through entirely we chose a Saturday. *Face – Palm* I still had a great time but I felt like I had to go back because I just didn’t get to spend enough time at Universal Studios/Wizarding World. 

Fast forward to 2017 and I found myself looking for another winter getaway after I lost my beloved Golden Retriever, Toby, to a brain tumor. I wanted something fun that would lift my spirits. What better way to have fun then go back to Universal Studios? This time I went for an entire week and stayed on property. More on our 2017 trip, our Universal favorites, a guide to Wizarding World and the perks to staying on property to come in the next few weeks so stay tuned! 

I was thinking of going back to Florida this year in February but schedules didn’t allow it! Hopefully I’ll get back to Florida NEXT February.

1.Perfect Weather -This time of year in Florida the weather is absolutely perfect! The days are usually in the low to mid 70’s and the lows are only in the 50’s. When you are coming from anywhere North of the Mason Dixon line those kinds of temperatures feel freakin’ tropical. I also had full sun both trips. 

2. Not as crowded – If you are interested this is one of the best times of year to visit Universal Studios and Disney. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still really crowded but compared to the summer season it is amazingly quiet and we even went on a Saturday!

3. Historic St. Augustine – I only got to spend a day here but I can’t wait to go back. St. Augustine is the second oldest city in the U.S., and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture. I loved it because it’s really dog friendly and I can’t wait to take the boys here!

4. National Parks – Florida is actually home to 3 National Parks – Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas. These get a little more crowded in the winter months but they are still pretty reasonable. Dry Tortugas is accessible only by boat (or seaplane) and is 100 square miles consisting of 7 small islands. Biscayne National Park is also only accessible by boat and encompasses coral reefs, islands and shoreline mangrove forest in the northern Florida Keys. 

5. Wildlife – Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It also provides an important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther. I’ve never been but I can’t wait to go! Florida is also home to alligators, flamingos, pelicans, dolphins and great white sharks. You can even kayak with manatees or go on an airboat tour to see alligators. For a list of airboat tours click here. 

6. Beaches, Beaches & more Beaches – Nothing screams winter getaway more than a nice warm beach! But I am aware that everyone else has the same idea for a winter getaway. Florida beaches are a bit more crowded at this time of year but don’t let that stop you. Water temps in the Keys remain the same for most of the year, with highs ranging from 75 to 90 degrees and lows from 65 to 80 degrees.  Sounds amazing. February water temps tend to be warmest in Miami Beach where they hold steady at 75 degrees this time of year. 

7. Spring Training – Although Spring Training only begins at the end of February loyal fans flock to Florida to see their favorite teams play preseason. Last year about 1.5 million people headed south to see their teams duke it out before the season even started. We are, of course, Red Sox fans. We haven’t been able to make it to Spring Training yet but it’s definitely on our list.  The first Spring Training game of 2019 will be Friday, Feb 22 when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Philadelphia Phillies. Games are generally played until the end of March. 

As you can see Florida has a ton to offer! I whole-heartedly recommend Florida for your next winter getaway if you are looking for somewhere warm to escape those long northern winters.