Cheese travel
Cheese in Florida
Florida is not cheese country, but the Gulf Coast south of Tampa has two good stops. CoolToday Park, the Atlanta Braves' spring training ground near Venice, throws a free Grilled Cheese Festival in November. Inland from Sarasota, Dakin Dairy Farms makes cheese curds and runs farm tours that follow the milk from the parlor into the plant.
Coming Up
- 21 Nov 2026 Grilled Cheese Festival, From 11am, free entry
Festivals
See all worldwideCheese Tours
See all worldwideSarasota, Bradenton and Venice
The Grilled Cheese Festival at CoolToday Park reached its sixth year in 2026, with grilled cheese food trucks, a craft beer garden and live music, and no entry fee. Dakin Dairy Farms in Myakka City is a working dairy that has been farming since 1973. Its tour covers the barns, the milking parlor and the bottling and cheesemaking plant, and its farm market sells four flavours of cheese curds alongside milk and ice cream.
Orlando
La Femme du Fromage, at East End Market in Audubon Park, is a cheese shop and caterer. Its upstairs room hosts private tastings, wine and cheese classes and chef's table dinners by appointment, and cheese boards are sold by pre-order.
Winter Park Dairy, Florida's first licensed raw milk cheesemaker, does not offer tours or farm sales.
When to Go
November to April, when the heat eases. The Grilled Cheese Festival is on a Saturday in late November (21 November in 2026), and Dakin's market is open Monday to Saturday all year, apart from holiday closures.
A Suggested Route
Fly into Tampa or Sarasota. Spend a morning on the Dakin farm tour and lunch at its café, the Moofe, then drive south to Venice. If you are there in late November, go to the festival on the Saturday. From Orlando, book a tasting at La Femme du Fromage before heading to the coast.
Getting Around
You need a car. Dakin Dairy is on Betts Road in rural Manatee County, and CoolToday Park is on West Villages Parkway, south of the Venice town centre.
Other Places for Cheese
| Name | Town | What you can do | When open | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Femme du Fromage | Orlando (East End Market) | Cheese and charcuterie boards by pre-order; private tastings, cheese board building and wine and cheese classes upstairs | By appointment; call (407) 571-9947 | lafemmedufromage.com |
Where to Stay in Florida
We may earn a commission when you book through this map, at no extra cost to you.
Questions People Ask
Is there a cheese festival in Florida?
Yes. The Grilled Cheese Festival at CoolToday Park near Venice is free and held on a Saturday in late November. In 2026 it is on 21 November from 11am.
Can you tour a dairy farm in Florida?
Yes. Dakin Dairy Farms in Myakka City runs public tours of 45 minutes to an hour, booked online, that cover the barns, the milking parlor and the plant where milk is bottled and cheese is made.