10 Biggest Tourist Traps in Florida (And Where To Go Instead)

Learning to budget a vacation and avoid expensive tourist traps properly is one of the simplest ways to save money on travel. Yet, those vacation bills can add up if you plan to travel to Florida to escape the cold this winter.

Many of the state's most popular attractions charge premium prices for experiences you can find elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. In many cases, a state park, public beach or local neighborhood delivers the same scenery, wildlife or food with fewer lines and lower prices.

To keep you on budget, here are 10 of the worst and most expensive tourist traps in Florida and where you should go instead to save some cash and avoid big crowds.

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Typhoon Lagoon is a Disney water park, and like all things Disney, it comes with a hefty price tag. Visitors can expect to pay $74 per adult and $68 per child (ages three through nine) to spend the day in the park.

That's just for a standard one-day ticket, and add-ons can push your total much higher. Getaway Glen umbrella rentals run $49 to $109 depending on the season, and Beachcomber Shack cabanas start at $225 per day. Winter visitors should also check the calendar before booking. Disney typically closes one of its two water parks for seasonal refurbishment after September, which can limit your options when you're trying to escape the cold.

At Wekiwa Springs State Park, just minutes from downtown Orlando, visitors can swim, snorkel, or simply relax among natural beauty. Instead of spending hundreds taking a whole family to a water park, you'll pay just $6 per vehicle (limit eight people).

The spring stays a refreshing 72 degrees year-round, and the swimming area averages about 4 feet deep, making it a good fit for families. Beyond the spring, the 7,000-acre park offers canoe and kayak rentals on the Wekiva River, hiking and biking trails, and picnic pavilions. 

Keep in mind the park now requires day-use reservations, so book online ahead of your visit, especially on weekends and holidays.

There's plenty to do at Discovery Cove, from swimming with dolphins to snorkeling among beautiful tropical fish and then kicking back on beautiful beaches.

Unfortunately, a day at the resort can get quite pricey, starting at $159 per person without any promotions or deals. You'll have to pay extra to swim with the dolphins, and it's a pretty crowded attraction, making it hard to sit back and relax.

The park uses date-based pricing, so summer, holidays and weekends typically cost more than quieter weekdays. While admission covers meals, snacks, snorkel gear and towels, extras such as professional photo packages and private cabanas can add hundreds more to your day.

Crystal River tends to run cheaper and offers guests the opportunity to swim with manatees (from $70), explore beautiful lakes and rivers, fish, enjoy incredible food, and more.

It's a great option that can be just as fun for those trying to conserve cash on vacation.

The best time to visit is manatee season, which runs Nov. 15 through March 31, when hundreds of manatees move into the area's warm springs to escape cooler Gulf waters. Three Sisters Springs, which stays 72 degrees year-round, is the star attraction and can be reached in the water only by boat, kayak or paddleboard, so a guided tour is the easiest option. 

If you'd rather stay dry, a boardwalk around the springs offers views for a separate admission fee. Just keep your distance, since touching or harassing manatees is illegal.

Many people who visit Miami head straight for South Beach. This beach has a reputation for attracting revelers of all sorts, and with that popularity come big crowds and hefty prices.

The city has also grown stricter about managing those crowds. After years of rowdy spring breaks, Miami Beach now treats March as a high-impact period, with security checkpoints at some beach entrances on the busiest weekends and flat garage parking rates of $40 to $100 in the Art Deco District. 

Even outside spring break, parking fees and drinks at the most touristy spots can quickly eat into your vacation budget.

In North Beach, a Miami Beach neighborhood, visitors can enjoy stunning architecture and beautiful, relaxing beaches without running into big crowds or paying $20 for one cocktail.

The neighborhood runs from 60th Street north to the town of Surfside and is known for its Miami Modern, or MiMo, architecture rather than South Beach's Art Deco. The nine-block North Beach Oceanside Park offers shaded picnic areas with grills, dog runs, and a lifeguarded beach backed by dunes. 

The paved Beachwalk connects the area to Mid-Beach and South Beach, and restaurants around the historic Normandy Fountain serve Argentine, Colombian, Peruvian and Italian dishes.

Gatorland has all sorts of alligators and crocodiles, from adorable babies to 14-foot beasts. There's plenty to do at the park, from checking out an animal show to visiting the petting zoo.

However, Florida is full of gators, and you shouldn't need to pay Gatorland's admission price, which starts at $34.99 for adults, to see them.

Children ages 3 to 12 pay $24.99 at the gate, so a family of four can easily spend more than $100 before snacks. Extras add up quickly, too. Feeding the gators costs extra; the Greater Gator Package runs $41.99 per adult, and the Screamin' Gator Zip Line is $79.99 at regular price.

Visitors can check out alligators in their natural habitat by visiting the famed Everglades National Park.

While there is a fee to enter the park, it's $20 per person or $35 per carload. This is cheaper than your standard gator park (plus, there are fewer gimmicks to waste money on inside).

Your pass is good for seven consecutive days at any park entrance. At Shark Valley, you can bike or walk a flat, 15-mile paved loop or book a two-hour tram tour to a 45-foot observation tower with sweeping views of the River of Grass. 

International travelers should note that a $100 surcharge now applies to non-U.S. residents ages 16 and older.

Ripley's has three locations around Florida: Orlando, St. Augustine, and Panama City Beach.

While it may make for a fun excursion for those who enjoy odd tales and exhibits, tickets for standard admission are $27.99, and adding any extras can raise that price significantly.

The Orlando location on International Drive is built to look like it's sinking into a Florida sinkhole and houses about 600 artifacts across 16 themed galleries, including shrunken heads and a seven-legged sheep. 

It's a self-guided walk-through, so there's little to do once you've seen the exhibits. Combo tickets that add the neighboring Mirror Maze cost more.

Tickets for the Orlando Science Center are slightly cheaper, and as an interactive museum with numerous fascinating exhibits, labs, and workshops. It can provide a more hands-on experience.

The prices for adults are $29.99, and for children are $22.99. If your children are under two years old, admission is free to experience what the museum has to offer. 

The museum spreads across four floors and includes DinoDigs, KidsTown for young children and the Dr. Phillips CineDome with its 8,000-square-foot screen. 

Buying tickets online in advance saves $3 per person, and Bank of America cardholders can get in free the first weekend of each month through the Museums on Us program.

Siesta Key is a beautiful beach on Florida's Gulf Coast, located near Sarasota. This is the perfect gateway to the beach to put your feet in the salty water, and there's plenty to do in nearby Siesta Key Village. 

But the island's reputation tends to bring large crowds, and with the crowds come price hikes for food, shops, and more.

Its soft white sand, made of nearly pure quartz, is a big part of that fame. The popular Sunday drum circle, held about an hour before sunset, can draw hundreds of people, and the main parking lot fills quickly during peak season.

You'll likely find fewer crowds at Venice Beach, just south of Sarasota.

Visitors can enjoy a beautiful shoreline, concessions, volleyball courts, and free parking. There's pretty much everything you need for an ideal, relaxing beach day.

Venice calls itself the Shark Tooth Capital of the World, and beachcombers regularly find fossilized teeth in the sand, especially at low tide or after storms. 

You can rent or buy a sifter known as a Venice snow shovel at Papa's Bait Shop on the nearby Venice Fishing Pier, which stretches more than 700 feet into the Gulf and is free to access. Historic downtown Venice is a short walk away, with 1920s Mediterranean-style buildings, local restaurants, and boutiques.

There's no place like Medieval Times, with its knight battles, feasts, and competitive fun.

However, the price of admission for the Orlando location is nearly $76.95 for adults (and $46.95 for kids), and that's before you add extras like a souvenir or a beer. 

The ticket includes a four-course meal and a two-hour tournament, but tax and gratuity aren't included, and upgrades cost extra. Drinks beyond the included rounds of select beverages are also extra. 

Note that the Orlando castle is actually in Kissimmee, so factor in drive time if you're staying elsewhere in the area. Guests are seated in one of six color-coded sections, each cheering for its own knight.

At Orlando Shakespeare Theater, you can likely see a show for about half the price, and with a stacked lineup of plays and performances. There's a little something for everyone at the theater.

The nonprofit professional theater, founded in 1989, stages classic, contemporary and children's plays at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Loch Haven Park. It sits just minutes from the Mills 50 and Ivanhoe Village dining districts, making it easy to pair a show with dinner. 

Each May, the center also hosts shows during the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, where individual tickets run up to $15.

Ocean Drive is the spot to see and be seen in Miami. It's lively and packed, with tourists looking to eat, drink, and party.

Unfortunately, you'll most likely have to shell out a whole lot of cash to do any of that.

Many sidewalk restaurants automatically add an 18% to 20% service charge to the bill, and some diners end up tipping twice without realizing it. Oversized signature cocktails can cost $18 or more, and sidewalk promoters often steer visitors toward the priciest items. 

Miami Beach has cracked down on aggressive hawking by restaurant staff, but it's still smart to check menu prices before you sit down.

Perhaps lesser known than Ocean Drive, quieter but just as fun, is Sunset Harbour. This trendy spot is known for its unique shops, delightful restaurants, and stunning views.

Located on the Biscayne Bay side of South Beach, the neighborhood centers on Purdy Avenue and Sunset Harbour Drive and covers only about eight to 10 walkable blocks. Instead of chain stores, you'll find independent boutiques, fitness studios and restaurants such as Pubbelly Sushi, Lucali and Barceloneta. 

You can also rent a kayak or paddleboard on Sunset Harbour Drive and head out on the bay at sunset. Keep in mind that street and lot parking are paid.

For many visiting Miami, scoring top-notch Cuban food is part of the itinerary.

This Miami staple has been around for five decades and tends to attract many hungry tourists.  But the prices can get expensive. 

Opened in 1971 on Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Versailles is known for its mirrored, French-inspired dining room and its ventanita, a walk-up window serving Cuban coffee and pastries. 

It has long been a gathering spot for Miami's Cuban exile community and a regular stop for politicians and celebrities, which helps explain the crowds. Expect waits during peak hours, and reservations are recommended for brunch, lunch and dinner.

For excellent and authentic Cuban eats, experts claim Rio Cristal is the place to go.

With a cheap menu featuring all your classic Cuban dishes, from the empanadas down to the flan. Rio Cristal is a local favorite that will help you stretch your restaurant budget.

The family-run restaurant has been serving Miami diners since 1974. Its signature dish is the Rio Cristal steak, a palomilla steak buried under a mound of thin fries, and many regulars finish with homemade flan and a cafecito. You'll find it at 9872 SW 40th St. in Westchester, well away from the tourist crowds of Little Havana.

Many Key West tourists head right to Duval Street, and while there's undoubtedly a reason for that, any high-traffic tourist area will come with gimmicks and overpriced goods and services.

The street runs a little more than a mile and gets especially crowded when a cruise ship docks near Mallory Square. Events such as Hemingway Days and the 10-day Fantasy Fest in October draw even bigger crowds. 

Some bars and restaurants add an automatic gratuity to the bill, so check before you tip, and many popular spots switch to adults-only around 9 p.m., which can limit evening options for families.

Visitors can get a taste of Caribbean cooking and culture in historic Bahama Village, which stretches about 12 blocks and includes a market with many restaurants, bars, and shops.

Settled by Bahamian immigrants in the 19th century, the neighborhood begins at a colorful arch over Petronia Street near Duval Street and is best explored on foot. 

Blue Heaven, set in a historic building where Ernest Hemingway once refereed boxing matches, is known for its towering Key lime pie, while Santiago's Bodega serves shareable tapas. Bahama Village is also a residential neighborhood, so be respectful of private property as you explore.

Unfortunately, some top Florida destinations, such as Disney World or Universal Studios, offer unique experiences that are difficult to replicate or replace with cheaper alternatives.

However, using one of the top travel credit cards to get your plane tickets can help you plan your trip and save money. Avoiding these tourist traps can also help keep you on budget.

If you can't skip a big-ticket attraction, look for ways to trim the cost, such as buying tickets online in advance or visiting on weekdays and during the off-season. Pairing one splurge with free or low-cost stops like state parks and public beaches can also help balance your budget.