Great Outdoors – Exploring Florida With the Family

Year round hot sunshine, amazing theme parks and beautiful beaches — these are just three of the reasons why Florida has become America’s top holiday state. Combine these attractions with tropical islands, state parks and some out-of-this-world historical points of interest and you just about have every child’s dream destination.

Relaxing on the beach in Florida is always on the menu but the fun of this state comes with packing as much sightseeing into a holiday as possible.

Outdoors lifestyle

Getting outside to enjoy the parks and beaches is a part of everyday life in Florida thanks to the superb weather. This state is home to the Caribbean-like soft sands and sparkling waters of Fort De Soto Park or those lively city beaches found along the Miami coastline. Key Largo is less than two hours by boat from Miami and you can choose the always fun glass-bottom boat option to reach this island, which is sure to delight. This state is also home to some of the world’s best parks including The Everglades, which is the place to spot crocodiles and alligators on an airboat tour.

Exhilarating rides

Orlando is of course the theme park capital of the world and home to the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal studios and the ever popular SeaWorld. If you’re based in this city then you also have the charming Downtown Disney waterfront area with its restaurant-lined boardwalk where you can watch the jugglers and other entertainers perform. A quick trip east from the city will take you to the Kennedy Space Center where you can experience a simulated shuttle launch and view the largest rocket ever flown. Head southwest from Orlando and you’ll be able to visit the city of Tampa or St. Pete’s with its fabulous Clearwater beaches.

Old World Florida

Visitors have been holidaying in this state since the 1920s and you can find plenty of historic attractions throughout the cities. Miami’s Ocean Drive is one of the most colourful districts and is full of art deco buildings, some of these dating back nearly 100 years. St. Augustine in the northeast has been named the ‘ancient city’ due to historic buildings such as the Castillo de San Marcos, which is the oldest fort in the US and dates back to 1672. For some natural history head to the Florida Caverns State park where you can explore a labyrinth of underground caves and caverns dating back thousands of years.

If you’re one of the thousands of families head to the airport to catch flights to Florida this year then you’re in for the holiday of a lifetime. You can count on the weather and there’s no shortage of attractions and activities no matter how long you to intend to visit.

Image by sapienssolutions, used under Creative Commons licence