A Family-Friendly Florida Vacation
Florida has long held the title of "Most Kid Friendly Vacation
Destination" due to an abundance of theme parks and miles of
sandy beaches. Ranging from the large theme parks around Orlando
to nature oriented kid programs in the Everglades, there is so
much to see and do that your kids will love! On your next
Florida vacation, give your kids a little something out of the
ordinary and experience all that the Sunshine State has to offer!
Water Parks
A great way to beat the Florida heat is to spend a day at one of
the state's many water parks. Adventure Island, located in
Tampa, is a mid-sized park that caters to kids of any age.
Parents and young children will enjoy the pool and beach area,
Paradise Lagoon, where guests can relax and stay cool in the
water. North of Tampa in Weeki Wachee, visitors will find
Buccaneer Bay, the only spring-fed water park in Florida. With
water rides, mermaid shows, animal shows, riverboat rides, and
scuba experiences, it's sure to delight. Families will love Wild
Waters in Ocala due to its natural feel with giant oaks shading
the entire park. There is a kid's cove for the little ones, a
wave pool, and plenty of huge slides for older children and
adults. Disney has two parks in Lake Buena Vista that offer
totally different experiences but with the same kind of
excitement. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are both known for
having the newest and most exciting rides and cater to
preschoolers, young children, teenagers, and adults with lazy
rivers, looming slides, and surfing rides. Florida's oldest
water park, Wet 'n Wild, located in Orlando has plenty of rides,
new and old, including an area where the young and young at
heart can go tubing, knee boarding, or wakeboarding. There are
also plenty of slides and pools for toddlers and small children.
There is also Rapids Water Park in West Palm Beach, Shipwreck
Island in Panama City, Adventure Island in Jacksonville Beach,
and so many more! The opportunities to beat the heat at one of
Florida's water parks are endless and can be found just about
anywhere.
Orlando Theme Parks
An article about hot kid spots in Florida could not be written
without mentioning the Orlando theme parks. It all started with
Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. This charming park
starts with a walk down Main Street USA with shops, restaurants,
and street performances. This park is perfect for all ages with
rides and shows catering to every age group. Younger children
will love Mickey, Minnie, and all the other characters while an
older crowd will enjoy the rides and roller coasters. Walt
Disney World's Epcot Center takes a trip through different
nations with rides, performances, and hands-on activities.
Disney MGM Studios is a backstage pass to see how and where
Disney/MGM movies are made. Hold on to your seat for the Tower
of Terror, watch the voyage of The Little Mermaid, and ride with
Aerosmith on the Rock 'n Roller Coaster. The younger crowd will
love Disney's Animal Kingdom with safari rides, animal shows,
and Disney characters to share the day. Universal Studios
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and
Universal Studios Islands of Adventure cover all the bases with
rides, shows, good eats, performances, and great characters
while letting their visitors "experience the movies". Enjoy the
roller coasters at Islands of Adventure while Universal Studios
takes you behind the scenes. Get lucky on JAWS, watch Indiana
Jones save the day, and experience Earthquake-The Big One.
SeaWorld Adventure Park will thrill the kids with tanks,
aquarium, and exhibits about sea life and thrill the older crowd
with rides and roller coasters. The Waterfront is SeaWorld's own
seaside community with restaurants, entertainment, and shops.
Enjoy Orlando: it is what children's dreams are made of.
Kid-Centered Activities
Aside from water parks and Disney-centered Orlando, Florida has
many other attractions that children of all ages will enjoy. For
older kids and teenagers, make at stop in Tampa for Busch
Gardens Tampa Bay. This park is full of wild roller coasters,
exciting water rides, and shows. The draw for younger children,
however, is the zoo-like experience with their exotic animals.
Enjoy safaris and exciting train rides to see the gorillas,
gators, giraffes, tropical birds, and beasts. The Kennedy Space
Center is a way for kids and adults to have fun while learning
about the past, present, and future of space exploration.
Children of all ages will enjoy meeting astronauts, touring
space shuttles, watching films in the IMAX theatre, and being
able to touch a piece of the planet Mars. Head to Crystal River
and Homosassa between November and March to swim with the
manatees and learn about these prehistoric creatures. If the
family is looking for a laid back activity, look no farther than
the Ichetucknee. This north Florida river is powered by a
natural spring to give the perfect inner tube ride, complete
with one of the best scenic views around. The Everglades are
full of wildlife in its natural habitat. Shark Valley is a
15-mile bike loop that takes you past, not sharks, but
alligators, big and small. Kids will love seeing the gators up
close and, not to worry, they will not bother you as long as you
do not try to feed them! Looking for other adventures? Sail with
pirates in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, look for scallops in
the Gulf of Mexico in Keaton Beach, Panama City Beach, or
Steinhatchee, or swim with sea creatures at the Theatre of the
Sea in Islamorada of the Florida Keys.
On your next trip to Florida, experience all that the state has
to offer its smallest visitors. With the world's most popular
theme parks, the nations most watermarks, plenty of natural
habitats to explore and learn about, and great family-friendly
vacation rentals,
Florida lacks nothing for kids looking to have fun.
About the author:
Caroline Brame writes travel articles for RentalsExpress.com.
For more information on Florida travel, as well as, other
vacation destinations, please visit
http://www.RentalsExpress.com.
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