Florida in January is my favorite time of the year – cool mornings, manatee viewing and did I mention it’s sweater weather?! As someone who loves cold weather, I’ve often told myself that I live in the wrong state, but when December and January come around the corner, and the first cold breeze touches my cheek, I realize that it’s not so bad in Florida (except during summer).
If you’re looking to travel to Florida or you’re a local looking for something to do during the month of January, then you’ve come to the right place!
Listed below you’ll find a list of 15 unique activities perfect for the cold weather. Most of these are seasonal and won’t be around the next few months.
15 Unique Activities
There are many things you can do in Florida right now, but there are some activities you’ll only get to do in January. Below you’ll find a list of these activities along with a few you can do the next couple of months.
Go Orange Picking
Someone once told me the best time to get oranges was in February, and while they weren’t wrong, it’s definitely not the only time.
January is a great time to pick oranges, but it does depend on the variety. Are you picking Navel, Honeywell, Valencia?
See the Manatees
It is Manatee season! While it did start in November, January is peak month because they seek warmer waters during colder winter months.
There are many state parks, where you can see these gentle giants, but the best spot is Blue Spring State Park.
A few other places to see Manatees are:
- Silver Springs State Park
- Crystal River/Three Sisters Springs
- Apollo Beach Manatee Viewing Center
Attend the Florida Manatee Festival
January is also the perfect and only time to go to the Florida Manatee Festival! This festival features vendors, food, entertainment and manatee tours and happens every years in downtown Crystal River.
This year, the Festival is January 18th and 19th, 2025, and the cost is $10 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.
Kayaking with the Wildlife
You can kayak at anytime in Florida, but kayaking during the colder months is always nice! Not only are you not dealing with the hot weather, but you may be able to see wildlife in January, especially the migrating birds.
Watch the Bird Migration
Speaking of bird migration, this is also the best month to see the birds migration due to it being the middle of the winter migration period. Like the manatees, the birds are seeking warmer weather. Many of them come from the north to the south to escape the harsh winter conditions.
Go Strawberry Picking
I usually leave this for February since that is peak month for picking strawberries, but if you’re looking to pick fruit, there are a few farms that have them ready for picking!
Have Fun at the Gasparilla Pirate Festival
If you’re into pirates and love dressing up as a pirate, then this festival is for you! Every year, pirates invade the city of Tampa, which is how the parade starts. From performances to brunch, Gasparilla is Tampa’s signature event.
This event will be on January 25, 2025 and ticket costs vary on activity and seats. There is also a Children’s Gasparilla that occurs January 18th this year.
Hiking State Parks
Another activity that can be done year-round is hiking the state parks, but if you’re like me and can’t stand being in the hot weather during summer months, then this is the perfect time to go hiking!
State Parks to visit:
- Ocala National Forest
- Wekiwa Springs State Park
- Myakka River State Park
- Big Shoals State Park
- Torrey State Park
Go to the Central Florida Scottish Highland Games
If you love the Scottish culture and history, then you’ll love the Florida Scottish Highland Games. You’ll get to experience traditional Scottish dance, art, athletics, music and food!
This takes place in Winter Springs on January 18th – 19th, 2025.
See the last of the Christmas lights
Some places still have Christmas lights up well into the middle of January. So if you’re not over the holidays, you can check these places out for lights.
- Many of the downtown areas still have their lights and decorations up. Downtown Winter Garden has its lights/decorations up as of 1/11. Downtown Winter Park usually has their lights up until mid-January.
- St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights – This continues nightly until January 26th.
Checkout the Lantern Festival
There are plenty of Lantern Festivals around Florida and while most end in December, there are some that end in March. With dozens of large, constructed lantern displays, this is something you don’t want to miss out on!
A few to check out:
- Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, Florida. This runs nightly until January 19th, 2025.
- Luminosa at Jungle Island in Miami. This runs until March 2025. If you use code: THEGLOBALWANDERESS10 when purchasing tickets, you’ll get 10% off. You can get your tickets through the Fever website.
Visit Showcase of Citrus
You can visit the Showcase of Citrus any time of year, but January is a good time if you’re looking to pick oranges, lemons or limes. The harvest season typically runs November – May. However, different varieties ripen at different times throughout the season. visit their Facebook page or give them a call to find out what variety of Citrus they have to pick.
Take a Scenic River Cruise Tour
Scenic River Cruises are enjoyable year-round, but there is something uniquely beautiful about a river cruise in Florida’s colder weather. Not only are the skies a bit gloomy from the cold, but most of the trees are bare of leaves reminding me of cold months in Europe or a scene from an Edgar Allen Poe Poem.
Get a Hot Drink
This is the best time to get a hot drink. Whether it be coffee, tea, hot cocoa, we have many great places in Florida to get a hot drink.
Go Whale Watching
This one may be a bit harder to do since this isn’t a guaranteed viewing, but if you find yourself in St. Augustine or Jacksonville head to the coast to see the endangered right whales.
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