Florida is always a top destination for families, but where is the best destination in Florida for family vacations? We asked, and Visit Florida answered with 10 top places to take your kids any time of year.
All-round best destination in Florida for families, St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg: best destination in Florida for kids of all ages
St. Petersburg, glimmering between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, draws a young, hip crowd with unique boutiques, ice cream parlors, kid-friendly breweries and museums.
The world-renowned Salvador Dali Museum offers story times, tours and workshops for kids. Or for an artisanal culinary experience, check out Locale Market where the food hall is a shopping and dining immersion experience with a mix of prepared foods, restaurants, bakeries, a coffee bar and beyond.
Of course, there are also the white-sand beaches for fun in the sun and water. And for a family-friendly history, head to Fort De Soto Park’s North Beach, with its wide tidal pool begging to be splashed in. Kids will enjoy running from the lagoon to the Gulf and spotting seashells of every color and size.
Key West, Florida
The Florida Keys: for lazy days and island vibes
A chain of subtropical islands known for their natural beauty, The Florida Keys shimmer with aquamarine water, mesmerizing sunsets and a vast array of wildlife.
Stretching from Key Largo down to Key West and easily accessible by car, boat or plane, the Keys have great appeal for families who want to get away from it all, but also enjoy some of the exciting experiences on offer.
Kids can get a taste of Keys history and culture with visits to the Ernest Hemingway House and Museum, the Harry S. Truman Little White House or the Eco-Discovery Center. Although, finding sunken treasure on a dive at The Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum or a trip to Ripley’s Believe It or Not will delight them just as much.
And if you’re looking for diving and snorkeling on the only living coral reef in the U.S., prefer close encounters with dolphins and turtles, or are keen to explore historic forts, you’ll find it all in the Florida Keys.
Mix beach dazzle with authentic neighborhoods in Miami
Miami: the best destination in Florida for children’s museums
Miami is well known for its glittering nightlife and busy beaches, yet it’s also a culturally enriching experience for adults and kids alike.
Museums in the area explore everything from the marvels of space and tech to the wonders of our planet, all catering to curious young minds. You should try the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science for hands-on learning and the Miami Children’s Museum is the one for artistic immersion. And it might be a city but wildlife experiences are bountiful in and around Miami. So go looking for anything from birds to crocodiles and dolphins, you won’t be disappointed.
Sunset over South Walton
South Walton: for 26-miles for sugar-white beaches
South Walton, in Northwest Florida, boasts 26 miles of sugar-white sand beaches, turquoise water and 16 acclaimed beachside neighborhoods, each with its own personality and style.
Also in South Walton, luxury accommodations, challenging golf, eclectic shops, unique art galleries and award-winning dining are all parts of the area’s distinctive character. You’ll find outdoor activities aplenty within the four state parks, a state forest, 15 rare coastal dune lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.
Plus, the first Underwater Museum of Art in the U.S. opened in the Gulf waters less than a mile off South Walton’s beaches, where it rests on the sea floor about 55 feet below the surface and is made up of sculptures created by local and nationally recognized artists. Visitors can SCUBA dive to view the museum, or snorkel to check it out from a comfortable depth above the installations.
Gleaming Fort Lauderdale beaches
Fort Lauderdale: the best destination in Florida for navigable waterways
Fort Lauderdale, known as the Venice of America, has 165-plus miles of navigable waterways, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Everglades. Best news? Visitors can hop on and off water taxis that travel through some of these canals, and the Intracoastal Waterway, to visit top attractions, hotels, restaurants and shopping areas.
Kids of all ages will enjoy the Museum of Discovery & Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale and Young At Art Children’s Museum is a great choice for younger children. However, the animal-lover and budding environmentalist isn’t forgotten here either, as a visit to the Everglades, Butterfly World and Flamingo Gardens will quickly prove.
Doing the Disney dance of joy in Orlando
Orlando: the best destination in Florida for theme parks
The world’s theme park capital keeps every extravagant promise it makes — and then some. Magical for younger kids, end-to-end excitement for teens and fantastic for multi-generational family vacations, Orlando is the #1 destination in the United States.
Seven of Orlando’s theme parks are among the top 10 visited amusement parks in the country, hosting millions of visitors each year. And it’s here that families will find iconic theme parks like Disney, Universal and SeaWorld, plus a variety of water parks, dining and nightlife.
Beyond the theme parks, families with budding astronauts will love the Space Coast. There, you’ll find the Kennedy Space Center, while nearby Cocoa Beach offers relaxing and breezy ocean time.
