Maximize Your Florida Trip for the Texas Tech Orange Bowl

Are you heading to Florida to watch Texas Tech battle it out in the Orange Bowl? If so, you might as well squeeze every drop out of the Sunshine State while you’re there.

For many Red Raiders, this may be a first-time visit to travel from Lubbock to Florida, and it would be a real shame to fly all that way just to see a football game—no matter how important that game is.

To help you plan smarter, let’s assume your base of operations is Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the site of the Orange Bowl. From there, you’ve got an impressive range of options, whether you’re into theme parks, beaches, nightlife, science, or straight-up tropical vibes.

Big-Ticket Theme Park Adventures

Let’s start with the heavy hitters. Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are both located in the Orlando area, which puts them about 3 hours and 40+ minutes from Miami Gardens under ideal conditions. That’s without factoring in Florida traffic, which can get intense fast—especially around holidays and weekends. These parks are absolutely worth it, but realistically, they’re best handled as a full-day trip or an overnight stay.

Nature, Wildlife, and Island Escapes

If nature is more your thing, you’re in luck. Everglades National Park is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes away, offering airboat rides, wildlife, and scenery you can’t find anywhere else in the country. Key Largo, the gateway to the Florida Keys, is roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes from the stadium. Want to go all the way in? Key West, the heart of the Keys experience, is about a 3.5-hour drive, and that’s a conservative estimate.

Science, Space, and Discovery

For science fans and history buffs, the Kennedy Space Center sits at the outer edge of a manageable trip, roughly 4 hours away. If you’ve ever wanted to see real rockets, space shuttles, and the birthplace of American space exploration, this one’s bucket-list worthy.

Beaches, Nightlife, and Culture Close to the Stadium

If partying—or at least relaxing with a cold drink—is on your agenda, South Beach and Fort Lauderdale are both about 30 minutes away. You’ll also find Bayside Marketplace and Downtown Miami around the half-hour mark, offering waterfront views, shopping, dining, and boat tours. Even closer is Wynwood Walls, about 25 minutes away, packed with street art, breweries, and a heavy dose of Miami “culture.”

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Florida rewards the adventurous. Plan ahead, pad your travel time, and don’t limit yourself to the stadium.

Happy vacation—and Go Tech!