It’s 2025, and that means a new year for your vacation plans.
To make things simpler, Travel + Leisure released this year’s list of the top 50 best places to travel — and two popular spots in the Sunshine State managed to find their way onto the ranking.
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“Our staff vetted nearly 120 qualified contenders, debating the merits of not only what’s new, but what feels like right now,” the study reads. “To make it on our list requires more than just a hotly anticipated opening or two. These are places that feel of the moment, whether that’s because they offer unparalleled access to the outdoors, a cultural immersion you can’t find anywhere else, a pulse-quickening hit of excitement, or the sort of blissful luxury only a true five-star property can deliver.”
The list included domestic hotspots like Detroit and Sacramento, as well as foreign vistas in cities like Rome and Luxor.
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But the two Florida locales noted in the study were included for reasons all their own.
First up is a place that tourists flock to in Central Florida: Universal Orlando.
The famed theme park was noteworthy thanks to its upcoming Epic Universe expansion, which is set to open in May 2025.
“It’s been almost 25 years since a major theme park from Disney or Universal has opened in the United States, but that changes in 2025.
Universal Orlando Resort’s massive expansion will add Universal Epic Universe, a state-of-the-art park with five new lands featuring classic monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein, Nintendo franchises like Mario, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and more innovative new experiences, from immersive dining to cutting-edge roller coasters.
Epic Universe is slated to open in May 2025, with Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, joining the theme park resort’s top-tier Signature Collection of on-property stays. But first, in early 2025, two more — Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort — will join the portfolio of Universal’s eight existing properties.
‘Universal Epic Universe marks a huge transformational moment for Universal Orlando Resort, and it will change everything about our destination,’ Karen Irwin, president and COO of Universal Orlando Resort, said in a statement shared with T+L. ‘This will be the exciting culmination of our amazing growth over the past 30-plus years and will transform Universal Orlando into a weeklong vacation destination filled with the most thrilling experiences imaginable.’”
Elizabeth Rhodes with Travel + Leisure's "The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025"
Meanwhile, the second Florida pick can be found much farther southwest along the Gulf Coast.
Sanibel Island was picked thanks to its local resorts, “beloved” foodie hotspots, and seashell-laden beaches, per Travel + Leisure’s list.
“It’s been two years since this island, along with places including Captiva and Fort Myers, were devastated by Hurricane Ian.
Since then — and in spite of Hurricane Milton in 2024 — this Gulf Coast destination has made a remarkable comeback. Restaurants, shops, and attractions have reopened with new facades and shiny new interiors; hotels like Sanibel Island Beach Resort are welcoming guests, and others, like the condo rentals at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, are reopening in phases.
Beloved spots such as Cheeburger Cheeburger, Doc Ford’s, and Tutti Pazzi are back online alongside new developments, like the island’s first sushi bar at Shima’s Japanese Steakhouse.
Nature, too, is thriving. The beaches, known for their abundance of seashells and sand dollars, are once again filled with treasures. Sea turtles are nesting. And wildlife, including bobcats, dolphins, green herons, roseate spoonbills, and anhingas, are flourishing in the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.”
Jennifer Salerno Yong with Travel + Lesiure's "The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025"
For more Florida-based rankings, be sure to check out ClickOrlando’s “Florida Ranked” page here.
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