What are some of your bucket list places to go in 2025? If you are anything like us, Disney World is probably somewhere on that list. However, there are some amazing places to visit out there and one Florida destination just made National Geographic’s “Best of the World 2025” list. 

Magic Kingdom

When many people think of Florida as a vacation destination, the theme parks may be one of the first things to pop in their head, but Florida has so much more to offer, and you may want to add a stop on your next Disney World vacation. 

National Geographic recently released a list of the 25 best places in the world to travel in 2025, and there is a Florida destination on the list! Believe it or not, none of the Orlando theme parks are the Florida destination that made it into National Geographic’s “Best of the World 2025.”

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Other locations on the list include Bangkok, Kanazawa, Los Angeles, Suru Valley, Abu Dhabi, and Brasov, but there is also a destination in Florida that you may want to check out. The Ocala National Forest made the list as a place to go to “escape to one of Florida’s last wild places.”

©National Geographic | Photo by Nick Conzone

Ocala National Forest is located north of Orlando and only a bit over 2 hours away from Disney World. According to National Geographic, the forest is the southernmost national forest in the continental United States, and you can spot manatees, black bears, and rare plants amidst the forest’s 387,000 acres. 

©Forest Service

The national forest is home to four different springs and more than 600 lakes, rivers, and waterways. At the Ocala National Forest, you can swim, fish, snorkel, canoe, hike, bike, and admire the beauty of nature. You can even take more time to explore the area and camp in the campground or stay in a rental cabin. 

©Forest Service

So, next time you are headed to Florida, you can check off a must-see destination and then celebrate by making a trip to Disney World. That sounds like a win-win to us! Make sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news!

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Have you been to the Ocala National Forest or would you like to go? Let us know in the comments!