Family vacations in Florida give you year-round sunshine and theme parks, beaches, paradise islands and fun cities. We give you everything you need to plan your perfect Florida trip.
December temperatures in southern Florida are between 63°F and 70°F.
Orlando is the theme park capital of the world and home to Walt Disney World Florida.
There are 800 Florida Keys, stretching for 180 miles and connected by 42 bridges. Are you thinking road trip?
Everglades National Park covers more than 3,700 square miles, making it the largest sub-tropical wilderness in the US, and it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Florida’s Gulf Coast alone has 10 of the top 25 beaches in the US, including Pensacola Beach, Clearwater Beach, Siesta Key and Miami Beach.
Florida’s 1,300 mile coastline is the second-longest in the US, and it’s the only state with shores on both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.
Family-friendly Florida is packed with vacation accommodations, from all-inclusive hotels and theme-park resorts in Orlando to beachside estates on the Gulf Coast and luxury resorts on the waterfront in Miami. Kissimmee Florida is where to stay for Orlando theme parks, so you won’t be surprised to learn it’s known as the vacation rental capital of the world.
Orlando has more theme parks than any other US city, several of Florida’s largest designer outlet malls, as well as family resort hotels, kid-friendly restaurants, and world beating family attractions.
The sunny beaches and pretty beach towns on the Gulf of Mexico give you a very different vacation experience from Orlando. The main attractions here are watersports, seaside resorts, museums and art galleries, along with seafood restaurants and clear blue seas. So a stay in Orlando combined with a stay on the Gulf Coast makes a great all-round family vacation and works for kids from toddlers to teenagers.
Miami is a thrilling city to visit with kids and packed with icons, from Little Havana to South Beach. It’s big and bold, so not the choice for a simple, sand-between-your-toes trip. But teenagers love its energy, fantastic and fascinating places to eat, as well as amazing art galleries and museums, historic districts, not to mention the Art Deco buildings and Miami color scheme. On a two-base Florida family trip, visit Miami last or you’ll never drag kids away.
The mysterious and lovely Florida Keys are a good choice for easygoing outdoor adventure, world-class water activities and as close to the Caribbean as you get on US soil. Out of 800 Keys, not every one makes an ideal vacation base, so make a family friendly choice, and work a road trip to the others into your visit. After all, the Keys stretch for 180 miles and are connected by 42 bridges, including the iconic Seven Mile Bridge.
Pensacola sits in the far north west of Florida, it’s the most westerly city in the state and one of the beachiest in the US. However, you may be more surprised to learn that it was also the first European settlement in America. So a family holiday here means you can mix the stunning Gulf Islands National Seashore with more than 460 years of history. Although Pensacola doesn’t make you work hard for either.
Kids will get to live the dreams they’ve been having all childhood at Disney World. Pro tip: Cut down on wait times by booking ahead for rides and experiences, as the lines can seem endless.
If you don’t have an issue with the concept, Seaworld is one of the top Orlando attractions. The Dolphin Nursery is enchanting.
Orlando is packed with waterparks, but this one is exceptional. Expect to go more than once.
You can dip into the edges, explore by car or be guided by experts on boats and trains – it’s all spectacular, strange and unforgettable for youngsters.
About as close as you can get to everything marine, from penguins to dolphins via dozens of other sea creatures. The Seaquarium conservation center and the team are amazing with kids.
World-class collection of the artist’s work, awe-inspiring building and a great list of family activities and events with surreal themes – naturally.
Not in the same league as the Orlando offerings but very well done, lots of interesting things to see and do and very interactive.
A cageless environment with surprisingly big wildlife, considering. The zoo is very safe and well managed and regularly has the cutest babies in residence.
This award-winning art gallery and exhibition space has events year-round and the building alone is worth a visit.
You’ll get about as close to these prehistoric beasts as you want to, but the keepers aren’t so cautious, and alligator-wrestling is just one bold performance here.
Rent a car to travel around outside cities. Downtown Orlando and city-center Miami have excellent public transport. If you’re planning to stay in more than one area, domestic flights connect most of Florida’s cities. And you really can’t get about the Keys without driving.
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