Florida with Kids – A Dream Vacation for the Whole Family
Maybe you thought about spending time in Florida with laid-back sunbathing, a stroll through historic towns, and finishing with a top-notch restaurant… but remember! Traveling with kids is the art of balancing a bit of what you want with a lot of what they demand (but you can enjoy it too ????).
Here are 10 top attractions that we think are the best for a family outing in Florida:
- The four theme parks of Disney World
- The theme parks of Universal
- The water theme parks in Orlando
- Bush Gardens in Tampa
- Spaceships at Cape Canaveral
- Dreamy beaches on the Gold Coast
- Airboat ride in the Everglades and alligator spotting
- Marine life at Miami's Seaquarium
- Tropical birds at Jungle Island Zoological Park
- Flamingo Gardens in Davie
Click here for all the info on car rental in Florida + helpful tips and significant discounts…
Click here for trip planning in Florida and professional advice…
Florida with Kids
The state of Florida is the embodiment of all family vacation fantasies. Florida is entirely devoted to the children's fantasy world. The kingdom of Disney World in Orlando was just the opener for the family vacation world. In the four theme parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios, there is unforgettable entertainment and fun for the whole family.
Throughout Florida, there are tons of additional theme parks like Universal Studios and Busch Gardens, but also natural attractions in the Everglades National Park, massive resorts for vacationing with pools, giant water parks, and even spaceships at Cape Canaveral.
Click here for 6 amazing resorts for a family getaway at Disney World…
Click here for 10 great hotels near Disney and Universal parks in Lake Buena Vista…
Click here for a list of 8 vacation hotels in Miami Beach…
What to do with kids in Florida?
1. The Four Themed Parks of Disney World
There aren't many places in America that can match Disney World when it comes to the perfect vacation experience for both kids and adults. In the resort's four themed parks, Walt Disney built a complete vacation experience that allows the whole family to dive into a world of fantasy.
Click here for a list of 10 vacation resorts in Disney World…
Click here for a combo ticket to three Disney World parks, including 24/7 travel agency support…
This is the perfect place to spend time with the kids at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Park, some of the world's largest and most famous theme parks. Around them, you'll find countless water parks, resort hotels where you can have breakfast with Mickey Mouse and Pluto, entertainment venues, and restaurants that are part of the experience—a ton of fun and enjoyment in the ultimate American adventure.
The Disney World resort encompasses four themed parks:
2. Universal's Theme Parks
Universal Orlando Resort is a massive entertainment venue a bit north of Disney World Resort. It's the second most popular vacation and holiday spot in Florida after its longtime rival to the south. The resort has two famous theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The parks feature rides and tons of memorabilia related to the giant production company. The resort also has accommodations, a large and popular themed water park, and its own small downtown for evening fun.
Tickets for Universal Orlando Resort's Theme Parks
Click here to purchase two-day tickets for both theme parks…
Click here to purchase the Universal Explorer Ticket (both theme parks + Volcano Bay water park)…
6. Themed Water Parks in Orlando
An integral part of Disney and Universal's theme parks in Orlando, including their themed water parks. These are massive parks reminiscent of the theme parks but with slides and pools.
- Aquatica Water Park is located at the northern end of SeaWorld. The water park isn't huge, but it's considered one of the most attractive and best in all of Orlando. Aquatica, together with Discovery Cove, is regarded as the preferred wet fun in Orlando, even more so than Disney World and Universal water parks. The park features water slides of all levels and speeds, a wave pool, a wet play area for little kids, lazy rivers, and more. Click here to purchase your Aquatica park fast track ticket…
- Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is the largest and central water park at the Disney World resort. It resembles Disney's themed parks, with its centerpiece being the huge pool – Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool. Just north of it lies Shark Reef, a saltwater diving experience where you can view a variety of marine life. Surrounding the pool is Mayday Mountain – an artificial mountain with water attractions and slides.
- Blizzard Beach is the second water park of the Disney World Resort, located near Disney's Hollywood Studios, in the direction of Animal Kingdom. The park is built around the large pool, Melt-Away Bay. Around the pool is what is called Mount Gushmore, with slopes leading down to the pool.
- Universal's Volcano Bay Water Park at Universal Resort sits at the southern edge of the massive complex, right next to the I-4 highway. The park is built around Krakatau Mountain, the park's undeniable symbol (a volcano in Indonesia). The park opened in 2017 as a competitor to the popular parks of the Disney World Resort. It features four sections filled with slides of varying speeds, lazy rivers, different pools, kids' areas, places to eat and drink, and spots to relax.
4. Busch Gardens in Tampa
Busch Gardens amusement park by SeaWorld in Tampa is a massive theme park with some of the fastest and scariest roller coasters in the USA. Additionally, the place is also a zoo, so you can see exotic animals among the amusement rides. The park is located in the northern part of Tampa and is one of the tourist anchors of the western city, near some of Florida's best vacation beaches.
The park features several roller coasters, two of which rise up to 60 meters above the ground. The zoo, integrated throughout the park among the various attractions, has over 200 types of animals, and of course, among all the experiences, there are souvenir stalls, restaurants, and many kiosks.
Click here for entry tickets and skip-the-line tickets at Busch Gardens…
5. Spaceships at Cape Canaveral
The Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral now functions as a sort of themed amusement park, with space as its theme. The Visitor Complex of the Space Center is located within the military base, surrounded by restricted areas that are an integral part of the American space industry, but the Visitor Complex definitely meets expectations.
In the main building, there's an almost museum-like exhibit of the American space program. At the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame onsite, there's an intimate introduction to the astronauts and the space missions starting from the 1960s.
Adjacent to the building is the Rocket Garden. In the garden, there's a row of rockets arranged by era, and you can see the technological advancements in the industry. You can also see the Space Shuttle Atlantis in the complex, complete with all the dents and soot it collected on its journeys.
Click here to purchase tickets to Kennedy Space Center…
6. Dreamy Beaches on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast of Florida, from Miami to West Palm Beach, includes dozens of cities and towns that enjoy Florida's perfect weather and the stunning beaches of the barrier islands along the shore. The Gold Coast offers countless attractions and vacation spots along with visits to major cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Palm Beach. Along the beaches are countless resorts for various levels of vacations. You can combine a stay at the oceanfront or resort pool with visits to the many attractions in Miami and northward toward Palm Beach.
7. Airboat Ride in the Everglades and Gator Sighting
The Everglades National Park is Florida's vast and famous nature reserve. The park is located south of Miami, covering an enormous area that spans the entire southern tip of the state. It is a massive region of swamps and unique wildlife, teeming with alligators swimming in thousands of ponds, marshes, and wetlands. Almost all park areas are inaccessible to humans, and in terms of size, it is the third-largest park in the entire USA.
The only road in the reserve is the Main Park Road, which reaches Flamingo, a huge research and camping site at the state's edge. From Flamingo, you can embark on motorboat cruises across the swamps and lakes and observe the magnificent nature of Florida.
Click here for a half-day Everglades tour (departing from Miami)…
8. Marine animals at the Miami Seaquarium
The Miami Seaquarium is the largest aquarium in Miami. It is located on Virginia Key island, south of Miami Beach. It's a fun place for the whole family, showcasing all the major marine animals of Florida. The complex has several aquariums where you can watch dolphin and whale shows, as well as seal and sea lion displays and performances.
Click here to purchase online tickets for the Seaquarium…
9. Tropical Birds at Jungle Island Zoological Park
The well-established Jungle Island Zoological Park is located on the route between Downtown Miami and South Beach in Miami Beach, on the small Watson Island. The park showcases the zoological abundance of Florida with a focus on birds. It's famed for its massive parrot exhibit, as well as the iconic flamingo pond. It originally started as a parrot display park named Parrot Jungle but over the years has acquired more tropical birds and other animals for display.
10. Flamingo Gardens in Davie
Flamingo Gardens is a famous botanical and zoological park located north of Miami. The park is situated in the city of Davie, west of Fort Lauderdale. It opened in 1927 as a green retreat for residents of the new cities built along the coastline north of Miami. Besides the garden, holiday homes were also opened as part of the complex.
In a large and well-planned complex, there's a splendid representation of Florida nature, including tropical trees and swamp vegetation along with the state's famous birds, especially flocks of flamingos. In the large park, there are paths where you can drive golf carts and wander among the animals and plants.
Address: S Flamingo Rd. 3750, Davie
Click here to purchase online tickets for Flamingo Gardens…
5 Tips from Guy for Traveling with Kids in Florida
Florida is one of the most popular destinations in the world for a family vacation. The endless and unforgettable options in Florida for a trip with the kids are truly epic. Besides the city of Orlando, which is entirely dedicated to the fantasy world of Disney and the action world of Universal Studios, and is considered the number 1 destination for children and families worldwide, there are endless options throughout Florida for recreation, attractions, amusement parks, vibrant cities, and all the fun of the Sunshine State.
Florida is a perfect vacation destination with massive resorts on white soft sandy beaches, lively and fascinating cities, loads of American (and Spanish) history, endless alligators, and stunning scenery (just kidding… there's no scenery, it's all flat, and there isn't a single hill on the horizon). Although prices in Florida have risen in recent years, the entire state is still the leading destination for family vacations.
When planning travel itineraries with kids, there are a few basic rules you should definitely follow:
- Flight and landing comfort – The flight to Miami is tough even for adults without kids. It's 12 hours in the air to New York and another connection (unless stopping in Europe) which isn’t a picnic, so finding ways to keep the kids entertained and surviving the flight, including sleep, is essential. After the flight there's jet lag too, so it's important to land softly for a shortened tour day with plenty of bed time at the hotel or resort. The first day of the vacation should be empty, maybe just going out to eat.
- Hotel location – The family vacation in Florida should be fun, and the location of the hotel or resort is an important part of the daily routine. If you're heading to Orlando for the Disney World parks, it's worth finding a place to stay near the theme parks. A central location of the hotel also allows for a quick nap midday without wasting too much time on travel.
- Don't Overload – Maybe you thought you could cover both Magic Kingdom and Epcot in one day… well, think again. When traveling with kids, whether they're big or small, it's super important to plan a very relaxed itinerary and not try to gobble up Disney World in one bite – one park per day.
- A Child's Schedule – When touring Florida with kids, it's good to have a very clear daily plan (with lots of breaks for rest and fun), but also plenty of wiggle room within that plan. It's best to start the day with a main, heavier attraction and then keep the rest of the day light, with lots of fresh air, food options, and plenty of rest stops, especially if it's hot and humid.
- Don't improvise your travel itinerary – Traveling abroad is like swimming in unknown territory, and even if it's not your first time in Italy, surprises are always around. Make sure the main attraction of the day is open and operating, because arriving at closed gates can be quite frustrating for parents, and it really tests the patience of kids. Know exactly where you're going, and more importantly, where you'll eat and rest afterward!!
