Don’t Visit Florida in 2023! Here’s Why & Where to Visit Instead

Florida is a dangerous place to visit right now due to the extreme government. LGBTQIA+ children and parents are at risk of being separated and detained whether they are Florida residents or not. The best way for travelers to fight back is to simply choose not to vacation in Florida. There are many other options (some even better!) for all of the popular things that draw people to Florida.

Theme Parks

When you think of theme parks, Orlando probably pops into your mind. The city boasts two of the largest theme parks in the world with another located an hour and a half away in Tampa Bay, Florida. However, there are great, maybe even better, options around the world.

Disney World

Disney is one of the largest tourist attractions in all of Florida. Recently, Ron DeSantis has been attacking the corporation and attempting to take them down in Florida. It will never happen, and they will survive without your tourist dollars for a while. Disney has stellar parks around the world that you can visit instead of Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

• Disney Land California
• Disney Land Tokyo
• Disney Land Paris
• Disney Land Shanghai (not recommended)
• Disney Land Hong Kong (not recommended)

It’s a common belief that Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando is the best Disney destination in the world. While it is the biggest, Park Saver actually ranked Tokyo’s Disney Sea as the number one Disney park in the world! Tokyo has two connected Disney parks and a nearby Universal Studios park, making it a great option. China is currently under scrutiny for human rights violations against LGBTQ people, so visiting this country is not recommended at this time.

Universal Studios

Universal Studios Resort in Orlando is another biggie that many people love to visit and for good reason. However, it too has multiple other locations worldwide.

• Universal Studios Hollywood
• Universal Beijing Resort (not recommended)
• Universal Studios Japan
• Universal Studios Singapore

Many of the Universal Studios parks around the world have the same rides. The newer parks built outside of the US hand-picked visitors’ favorites from the US locations as well as added a few unique rides of their own. In fact, Universal Studios Singapore is the top-rated theme park in the world. Count me in!

Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens is much smaller than Disney or Universal but is one of my favorite theme parks in the US. The part zoo, part amusement park atmosphere offers so much. As an AZA-accredited zoo, it’s a great place to visit. But, if we’re avoiding Florida for a while, try visiting the Busch Gardens location in Williamsburg, Virginia. The park has thrill rides, zoo animals, events, and a children’s park just like the Florida destination. The only difference is that the Williamsburg Park is European-themed rather than African-themed.

Other US Theme Parks

If you cannot or do not want to visit a theme park abroad, there are many more options around the United States outside of the state of Florida.

• Cedar Point, Sandusky Ohio (a personal favorite!)
• Six Flags – 27 parks across the US, Canada, and Mexico
• Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park California
• King’s Island, Cincinnati Ohio

Other US states at the time of writing this article are not as severe as Florida but are still not welcoming for women or to those of various sexual or gender orientations. I would stick to blue states to travel to at this time for your safety. You can check an up-to-date equality map for LGBTQ here and for those who identify as women here.

Beautiful Beaches

I admit, Florida has stunning beaches such as Miami Beach and Daytona Beach. However, with the state’s lax environmental conservation laws, I fear they will quickly become, well, less than pristine. Florida isn’t the only place with beautiful beaches. Some of the top-rated beach locations in the world are:

• Saud Beach, Philippines
• Copacabana, Brazil
• Cape le Grand Park, Australia
• Malibu, California USA

All of these destinations are considered safe for those who identify as LGBTQIA+. If you are planning a trip to a different tropical location, check the US state map or the Equaldex index.

Note: Hawaii has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. However, I would also advise not visiting the state at this time. Locals are reaching out to let tourists know that the state is suffering due to unethical tourism and it is affecting the native people there the most. There are so many other tropical destinations to choose from!

Unique Wildlife

One of my favorite things about living in Florida was the abundant and unique wildlife. However, wildlife in Florida is suffering due to tourism and habitat loss (much of it for tourism!). I’ve visited many other US destinations that offer beautiful natural scenery and wildlife, so you can skip that Florida vacation. Try visiting

• Smoky Mountain National Park – Tennessee and North Carolina
• Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
• Olympic National Park – Washington state

National parks are the perfect place for wildlife watching because the animals are so well protected and abundant. If you were looking to snorkel, scuba dive, or fish in Key West, any of the other beautiful beach towns around the world will offer these activities as well.

As ethical travelers, we have a duty to try to do what’s right. Keeping our tourist dollars out of Florida is one of the best ways we can do that currently. In addition, staying away from the Sunshine State may keep you and your family safe if you fall on the LGBTQ spectrum. Stay safe out there travelers!

To read more on what’s going on in Florida, check out these sources

Doctors can deny care to LGBTQ
Anti-abortion laws
Don’t say gay law
Extreme drag and pride ban
Kidnapped trans Florida children