Trip Overview
Fort Lauderdale → Orlando → Clearwater → St. Petersburg
📅 March 4–14, 2026
About this trip
We spent 11 days in Florida on a family road trip from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Madeira Beach. This post shares our route, hotels, favorite beaches, Universal Islands of Adventure day, and practical travel tips from the trip. And most importantly — we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.
March 4 — Arrival
We landed at Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport.
After landing we took the free shuttle to the rental car companies and picked up our car from Sixt.
Our first hotel was
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Ft. Lauderdale Plantation.
The hotel felt a bit tired and old. Old rooms and a pool that clearly needed cleaning.
But after a long travel day we still jumped into the pool and relaxed.
March 5 — Ocean stop
We decided that this trip must include Universal Studios in Orlando.
On the way we stopped at Jensen Beach.
It turned out to be a perfect stop between Fort Lauderdale and Orlando:
- wide beach
- free parking
- beautiful Atlantic Ocean
And this was where I saw a snake at the beach for the first time.
Luckily, people nearby warned us.
March 6 — Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando
After breakfast we took an Uber and in five minutes we were at Universal. Out of the three Universal parks, we chose Islands of Adventure.
We bought the tickets in advance and used the Universal app to track ride wait times.
First ride of the day:
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
We waited about 60 minutes, the longest line of the day.
Later we split into two groups — thrill rides and calmer attractions.
With my youngest daughter, I did:
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- The Cat in the Hat
- High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
Meanwhile Ievgen and Aleksandra did:
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Together we also did:
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
And of course a few water rides.
It was a long but amazing day.
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March 7 — Clearwater Beach
We drove to the Gulf Coast and stopped at Clearwater Beach.
Our first hotel booking didn’t work out — the room smelled like smoke.
So we immediately booked another hotel:
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Clearwater.
Clean room, heated pool and the best breakfast of the trip.
March 8 — Sand Key Park, Clearwater
We spent the day at Sand Key Park.
Parking — $6 for the whole day.
Temperature:
Water ~ 22°C Air ~ 29–30°C
Perfect beach weather.
March 9 — Madeira Beach
We moved to
Holiday Inn Express & Suites St. Petersburg – Madeira Beach
I emailed them in advance about our anniversary and they upgraded us to a suite with a marina view.
A really nice surprise.
We also visited Florida Botanical Gardens.
There we saw two alligators — one small and one about 1.5–2 meters long.
The big one was trying to catch a blue heron and was hiding among the water lilies.
March 10 — Treasure Island Beach and Pier 60 Sunset
This quickly became our favorite beach of the trip.
Wide beach, soft white sand, and an easy entry into the water.
All beaches we visited in Florida had:
- free restrooms
- drinking water stations
- outdoor showers
In the evening we went to Pier 60 in Clearwater to watch the sunset.
Street musicians, magicians, and performers created a great atmosphere.
Dinner at Salt Cracker Fish Camp with fresh grouper from the Gulf.
March 11 — Anniversary & Dolphins
We celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on the Gulf Coast.
And the ocean gave us a very special moment — dolphins swimming very close to the shore.
They were only about 10 meters away from us and came back several times during the day.
Sunset at St. Pete Beach.
Anniversary dinner at Middle Grounds Grill.
The Mango Nut-Crusted Grouper was absolutely amazing.
March 12–13 — Unexpected extra days
Our return flight with Flair Airlines was cancelled due to a technical aircraft inspection.
Instead of flying home we suddenly had two extra days in Florida.
We explored:
- Las Olas Boulevard
- Anne Kolb Nature Center
- Hollywood North Beach Park
Mangrove forests, birds, crabs, and beautiful nature.
March 14 — Back home
We flew back to Toronto.
And landed… in snow ❄️
After 11 sunny days in Florida.
It was a wonderful trip and a perfect way to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.
Florida, we will see you again!
Florida Road Trip FAQ
How many days do you need for a Florida road trip?
If you want to combine Orlando, Gulf Coast beaches, and Fort Lauderdale, I think 10 to 14 days works best. Our trip was 11 days, and it felt like a good balance between driving, sightseeing, and relaxed beach time.
Is Clearwater or Madeira Beach better for families?
Both are good, but they feel a little different.
Clearwater Beach is more lively and popular. Madeira Beach felt calmer for us and was a great base for exploring the area.
If you want a quieter stay with easy access to different beaches, I would choose Madeira Beach.
Is Universal Islands of Adventure worth visiting with kids?
Yes, especially if your family likes a mix of thrill rides and more relaxed attractions.
We split into two groups during the day, and that worked really well. Some of us did bigger rides like VelociCoaster and The Incredible Hulk Coaster, while I stayed with my youngest daughter for calmer rides like The Cat in the Hat and High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride.
What is the best beach near Clearwater?
For us, Treasure Island Beach was the best beach of the trip.
It had:
- wide beach
- soft white sand
- easy entry into the water
We also really liked Sand Key Park, especially because parking was easy and affordable.
How much does a Florida road trip cost?
The total cost depends a lot on:
- flights
- hotel choices
- car rental
- theme park tickets
- restaurants
Florida can be done in very different budgets, but Universal tickets, hotels, and rental car costs will usually be the biggest parts of the trip budget.
Is Treasure Island Beach worth visiting?
Yes. It was actually our favorite beach of the whole trip.
It felt spacious, beautiful, and comfortable for a long beach day. If you are staying around St. Petersburg or Madeira Beach, I think it is definitely worth adding.
What was the best hotel on this trip?
Our favorite stay was Holiday Inn Express & Suites St. Petersburg – Madeira Beach.
They upgraded us to a suite with a marina view, which made our anniversary even more special. We also really liked Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Clearwater because it was clean, had a heated pool, and had the best breakfast of the trip.
What was the most memorable part of the trip?
There were several, but one of the most special moments was seeing dolphins swimming very close to the shore on our anniversary.
They were only about 10 meters away from us, and it felt unforgettable.
What would I do differently next time?
Next time, I would probably spend:
- a little more time on the Gulf Coast
- less time changing hotels
- maybe add one more slow day with no driving
That part of Florida was beautiful, and it deserves time without rushing.
Written, Translated, and Revised by Aleksandra Tsygankova
