Florida's Best Destinations To Spend Your Honeymoon, According To Research

Couples looking to honeymoon in Florida are often drawn to tropical beaches, the state's relative affordability compared with popular tropical escapes such as Hawaii, and its ever-present sunshine. A gorgeous beach with everlasting views of blue and palm trees swaying in the background is the perfect setting for romance, and warm days provide the kind of weather that lovers could use when they do leave the bedroom. These may be the Sunshine State's biggest draws, but some couples want more than a Florida beach town that could pass for the Caribbean. 

Studies into honeymooning habits done by Fortune Business Insights have found that while many couples choose beach destinations for their honeymoons, many others choose destinations for reasons like adventure or their urban attractions. This is no shock as all couples are not the same. Some couples like bonding over scuba diving, others want culture, and some just want to enjoy an adventure-filled destination for their honeymoon. We reviewed highly recommended honeymoon destinations across Florida and found options that appeal to a wide range of interests.

From sugar-white sands and gorgeous emerald waters to otherworldly golden sunsets, Clearwater Beach delivers the aesthetics necessary to set the mood for a perfect romance. It's no wonder the destination snagged sixth position on Tripadvisor's 2025 Traveler's Choice Awards Best of the Best Beach in the USA and appears on many of USA Today's "best beach" lists. Amid this ambiance, honeymooners will find some of the world's best resorts and fun activities — all walkable on the beach.

This accessibility was the main reason one traveler on Reddit recommended the destination and its resorts for honeymoons: "Clearwater Beach. Sand Pearl is a luxury hotel right on the beach, the Hilton is also right on the beach, Hyatt, Wyndham are all near Pier 60. All are walkable to restaurants, shops and the marina." After a morning on the beach, honeymooners can walk to one of Clearwater's intimate restaurants. For white tablecloths and old-school elegance, Bob Heilman's Beachcomber offers seafood classics such as surf and turf and lobster tails. Caretta on the Gulf, inside The Sandpearl Resort, also offers a romantic setting.

After lunch, Clearwater Beach's attractions can be as relaxing or adrenaline-pumping as desired. Couples seeking relaxation can hop on a dolphin-watching cruise or book a couples massage in a spa. Those looking to get their hearts pumping can try one of the many water sports spots in the area. Nighttime brings the four-hour Sunsets at Pier 60 festival, a giddying celebration with fire eaters, live music, and dancing  — every night and all for free! Evening cruises with DJs and dinner can also be booked.

History-loving couples will feel the history oozing from St. Augustine with every step down the city's romantic-looking cobblestone streets. As the U.S.'s oldest continuously inhabited area founded by Europeans, St. Augustine still has picturesque reminders of its Spanish past. The many treasures waiting to be discovered unveil a tapestry woven by Native American, European, and African American cultures. The historic city is also home to 42 miles of beaches, making it easy to spend some days soaking in the sun.

Honeymooners will want to find a romantic base in the quaint Cedar House Inn, where romance packages include a picnic basket for two or a horse-drawn carriage ride, wine, and roses. Bayfront Marin House has a honeymoon suite that takes up the entire second floor and overlooks the ocean. Ocean Sands Inn has its own beach that couples can book for a wedding. After settling in, head to historic Aviles Street for old-world buildings, notable architecture, and museums.The street has evolved to become St. Augustine's Arts District, so galleries, along with shopping for artisan jewelry, are also popular.

The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is an imposing 17th-century fort built by the Spanish to defend the area. And the small Accord Civil Rights Museum and Freedom Trail preserves memories from the fight for African American equality. Here is how one visitor on Reddit described the destination when recommending it as a honeymoon destination: "St. Augustine is what comes to mind. It's definitely not a big city but there is a ton of history ... There are so many tours you can do (the castle, ghost tours, whiskey tours)."

America's only private island also happens to have an adults-only resort perfect for romance. The island's only resort, Little Palm Island Resort and Spa, encourages unplugging from the outside world, but in return, couples will find everything needed for an exclusive escape. The resort sets a tone of exclusivity even before arrival. Instead of mass flights, the only way to get to Little Palm Island is by a seaplane charter or the resort's exclusive, private boat. Yacht owners can also sail into the island's marina easily.

Once on the island, the resort will seem like it was designed for romance. No televisions or phones in the bungalows inspire a connection void of everyday distractions. Four-poster beds and lovely views of the ocean set the mood for romance, day or night. An optional welcome gift — complete with roses, champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries — can also be booked. After settling in, SpaTerre, the resort's spa, offers a couples-focused experience, including couples massages and treatments such as a love bath and Heart Opening Meditation.

Dining areas ooze romance, but the truly attentive partner can book a private table lit by tiki torch on the beach for a memory that will last a lifetime. Little Palm Resort left an impression on every visitor in our research. This guest summed up the experience perfectly on Tripadvisor: "While the experience overall is not inexpensive, I felt like they went above and beyond in every part of the visit to make you feel special. I won't ruin the surprises if you are going for a honeymoon or anniversary but let's just say that you will love all the ways they remember and celebrate your special occasion. I kept being blown away."

For couples who live for underwater explorations, Key Largo in the Florida Keys is one of the best places in Florida to get close to a tropical coral reef. This is thanks to Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the U.S.'s first underwater state park. The park spans 70 square nautical miles and is filled with reefs ideal for exploration. While it can be explored by a glass-bottom boat, boat trips to scuba dive are extremely popular. The area also offers the most stunning snorkeling in Florida.

Certified divers wanting to bond over picturesque underwater worlds can rent gear and book either a morning or afternoon dive through the park's dive center. The dive center, which is a PADI Five Star Gold Palm center, also allows beginners wanting to start a new scuba diving tradition to take lessons and see the reef on the same day. Divers can expect to see one of the famous Christ of the Abyss statues and about nine reef areas filled with colorful fish, nurse sharks, and lobster. There are also many wrecks, including the popular Spiegel Grove Wreck, which has formed into an artificial reef.

Couples can also spend a day enjoying each other on one of Key Largo's beautiful beaches or enjoy wildlife sighting cruises. For an unforgettable experience, book a cruise aboard the African Queen, the steamboat from the 1951 film of the same name, and channel Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn while gliding. Key Largo came highly recommended for honeymoons on Reddit: " For diving, snorkeling and kayaking John Pennekamp in the Keys. Nice resorts around depending on your budget. Some nice reefs to dive- molasses reef is a nice dive."

Known as the Emerald Coast, the Panhandle hides quiet beach towns dotting powdery sands and emerald waters. Navarre Beach is one such gem and the best place for couples wanting a quiet, laid-back destination to explore while falling in love. Start the day off with an early morning yoga session on the beach courtesy of Navarre Beach Yoga Studio. It may not be possible to hold hands while stretching. Breathing in the same salty air as stress melts away and waves roll in is still a romantic way to start the day.

Continue the serenity at the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, where visitors are invited to help with the rescue efforts. Working side by side, altruistic couples get the chance to learn about turtles while helping a member of the rescue team in their work. The center also offers a lighthearted art activity in which a tortoise paints a canvas while following participants for treats. Couples can also shop for coastal-inspired souvenirs, clothing, and much more.

Navarre Beach is home to better-known chains like Best Western, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn, but like many other beach towns, the holiday rentals offer more spacious accommodations with personality and facilities a hotel room cannot match. One couple who recently honeymooned in the town shared this on Reddit: "Check out Navarre Beach. It's in the Panhandle between Destin and Pensacola. White sand, emerald water, way quieter than Destin. We spent 2 nights there and are planning to go back. It's a lovely place to unwind after the bustle of a wedding."

Miami is the best of all worlds for couples seeking a honeymoon with a little bit of everything. Some of the most gorgeous beaches, including Hollywood's favorite, South Beach, call the destination home. And the city is known for coming alive at night. Sprinkle in amazing Latino culture and food, and an always-happening arts scene, and couples who choose to honeymoon in the city may find themselves going into overdrive trying to do it all. To avoid burnout, it helps to choose a home base.

Couples who want to be close to a busy beach can stay in South Beach, where the white sands and turquoise water are always hopping- day or night- and the ambiance is more energetic than laid-back. Those seeking a quieter base to retreat to at the end of the day may want to book a hotel in the Miami Beach area. Those looking for an upscale middle ground may want to consider resorts near Bal Harbour, where beaches are calmer, and luxury shopping and fine dining are close at hand. For those wanting to be closer to nightlife and museums, Brickell's posh hotels with their rooftop bars or Downtown Miami are good choices.

No matter where you choose to stay, daytime will be exciting. Soak in Latino culture in Little Havana, where cigar shops, games of domino, Cuban art, and delicious Cuban and Latino delicacies are everywhere. Historic Overtown is where streets are painted in colorful African American scenes, Jazz and comedy shows (in the historic Lyric Theater), and mouthwatering soul food reigns supreme. Miami is a major nightlife destination, making evenings lively across much of the city.

Vero Beach has the most charming downtown and an elegant beach that beckons to more sophisticated couples. Filled with upscale galleries, eateries, museums, theaters, and golf courses, the destination is perfect for honeymoons that feel more elegant. Visitors in our research consistently used words like lovely and sophisticated to describe the area."Vero Beach. Costa d'Este hotel is lovely," says one visitor on Reddit. "There are lots of nice shops, restaurants, coffee shops and parks walking distance from the hotel. Free bikes, too."

Downtown, distinct galleries within a short three-block area make gallery hopping from one creative destination to another easy. Gallery 14 is the destination for more than fine art. Jewelry, sculpture, and even glass art can be admired and bought on a visit. The Florida Highwaymen Landscape Gallery offers a chance to own works by one of the historic artists. The Artist Guild Gallery of Vero Beach majors in pieces by local artists. Riverside Theater is Vero Beach's answer to a Broadway theater, with a strong lineup of professional shows, musicals, and lectures. For the 2025-2026 season, the theater is showing "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder," which has won a Tony award. While the town has many private golf clubs, visitors can book tee times at public courses such as Sandridge Golf Course or Plantation Vista.

There is also shopping, museums, nightlife, and lots of restaurants. But those looking for peace will find the beaches around town perfect for a quiet tropical escape. Couples looking for romance will find it in the gorgeous Costa d'Este Beach Resort and Spa, where wedding facilities make getting married and honeymooning in the same place easy.

Like the other intentionally designed towns along Highway 30A, Seaside is a walkable escape with cute shops, restaurants, and biking trails that couples will find easy to explore. Art-loving couples will especially enjoy the town. Like its pretty pastel-hued homes, Seaside is a treasure trove of bright attractions and artsy venues that will infuse color and creativity into a honeymoon. A good start is the Vincent Scully mural on the purple wall at 25 Central Square. Right across from the mural, both Coleman Beach Pavilion and W. Ruskin Beach Pavilion are easy walks after a morning enjoying the sun.

Scully is often credited as the father of New Urbanism thanks to his influence on the movement that transformed this section of Florida into walkable towns. From his mural, the Good Morning Truman mural (the movie was filmed in Seaside) at 2236 E. County Highway is an easy walk. Also nearby are the colorful sea life murals at the Kids + baby by The Seaside Style shop at 55 Central Square. Artsy couples will also find plenty of galleries, along with creative jewelry and home goods, at Fusion Art Glass and Fine Jewelry

After a day of fun, dinner at Bud & Alley's serves up fresh seafood, farm-to-table selections, and sunset views from its ocean-side setting. And with its chic Parisienne decor and award-winning French menu, Renaissance French Restaurant is the perfect setting for romance. Seaside got top marks as a honeymoon destination from this visitor on Reddit: "Seaside, Florida is by far the #1 honeymoon destination in my opinion. You can rent out an entire beach house for yourself... There is a bunch of shopping, tons of great restaurants, and a cool art district."

Genuine beach bums know that perfect beaches don't come easily. The sand has to be so soft that every step feels like walking on powder. While walking, it must not get too hot. Scorching sand on a beach, no matter how pretty, kills the experience. And the water — the ocean must be one of those pretty tropical colors and have calm waters for swimming. Siesta Key in Florida got all this right, making it the destination for couples seeking the softest, prettiest Florida beach to honeymoon on. Here's how it was described on Reddit: "Siesta key is beautiful ... It's got calm, beautiful water and cute restaurants all through the town."

Ranked as having the best beach in the U.S. for 2025, the barrier island in the Gulf Coast of Southwest Florida has its geographical location to thank for its perfection. Over time, runoff from the Appalachian Mountains deposited fine sand that's 99% quartz on the beaches (the softest and whitest in the world). Being so white, it absorbs less heat, making it fairly cool to the feet. And its waters stay calm, thanks to it being on the gentler Gulf Coast. While honeymooning, the beach will be the best thing to do.

The popular Siesta Beach is the award-winning shoreline on the island and has picnic tables and volleyball courts for couples seeking the quintessential beach day. Crescent Beach is quieter and perfect for romantic strolls or snorkeling (at Point of Rocks, where there is well-formed coral). And Turtle Beach is good for boating and fishing. There's also parasailing, kayaking, biking, and live music on the beach. For a romantic evening, a sunset cruise or dinner in a seaside restaurant is the way to go.

We dug into Reddit and other travel boards where couples were actively looking for honeymoon recommendations in Florida. From these resources, we came up with a list of the most recommended or highly reviewed destinations. We then reviewed tourism board websites, attraction websites and hotel and restaurant websites in each destination to assess what they offer honeymooners. Finally, we chose destinations that would appeal to couples with different interests.