Just the thought of a family holiday in Florida makes me feel excited and it’s something that is very much on the horizon for us in the near future, maybe one of those Orlando resorts? That’s why this list of things to do in Florida has been planned for a while now.

I’m desperate to step off a long haul flight, with my Florida travel guide all mapped out, just waiting to make some of the most magical holiday memories for our family. Travelling as a family is about many things for me, but one I’m really passionate about is taking holidays together that truly embrace the magic of childhood. I don’t think it’s any secret at all that a number of Florida attractions are perfect for kids.

cinderella castle at walt disney world florida

Visiting Orlando in Florida is probably every child’s dream. It was my dream growing up, and I’m sure that when my children realise a city exists where the roads connect some of the most amazing theme parks in the world, I think it will quickly become their dream too. My kids will love planning the best Florida places to visit with me, and they may decide to live here forever. It was only for their sake that I did a few random kinds of research and found a few residential recommendations (you can check this post here) that impressed me. Then again, maybe that’s for the future, but for now, I’m happy to show them around.

The trick to a great family holiday is variety and making sure there are enough Disney Princesses to keep the girls happy along side a list of activities that we can all enjoy together. Orlando offers families the chance to experience amazing theme parks, beautiful scenery, gorgeous beaches and fun filled family days out on a particulary big scale and we’ve picked out our favourite to help you with you Florida holiday itinerary.

Things to do in Florida

Arrive in Orlando

So, it’s day one, and you’ve arrived in Orlando and collected your hire car. Chances are you want to find your villa and get unpacked. Everyone will be raring to get started, but it’s also nice to take a day to get used to your new surroundings and recover from your jet lag. It’s nice to basque in the feeling that a fun family holiday filled with great Florida destinations lies ahead for you all and settle into the vacation vibe slowly.

view of highway and buildings in Orlando Florida

Once you’ve all recharged your batteries from travelling to Florida, my first suggestion would be to head to International Drive, Orlando to soak up the atmosphere and survey the many restaurants and attractions the area has to offer. Pick your favourite spot for dinner and watch the magic of Orlando unfold before your very eyes. It’s one of those places in Florida that gives you a real taster of what’s to come.

Day 2 – Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Orlando

Once everyone has enjoyed a good night’s sleep it’s definitely time to head to your first theme park, Walt Disney World. We know our first stop would be the Magic Kingdom, as this is where you will find the most Disney Princesses.

It’s home to Cinderella’s Castle and other spectacular Florida tourist attractions like The Little Mermaid’s Under The Sea and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin which are a must see for young Disney fans. We are already big fans of the live Disney shows, and would definitely recommend staying at the park until the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade to end your perfect family day out in Florida with a bang.

Minnie Mouse and goofey in walt disney world Parade

Day 3 – Universal Orlando Resort

Daddy would insist that we added a visit to Universal Orlando Resort to the Florida road trip, so our first stop here would be to visit Universal Studios. There’s so much to see here including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the working sets of Shrek, Transformer’s and alike. There’s also Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone to keep the younger ones happy, which is home to some of the best stars from children’s TV and film entertainment including E.T, Barney and of course Wood Woodpecker himself!

Day 4 – Universal’s Volcano Bay

By day 4, it’s going to be time to cool down a little so why not head to the newest water park in Orlando, Universal’s Volcano Bay? This water park promises thrills, spills and relaxation for everyone for an awesome family day out and one of the most exciting places to go in Florida right now.

Volcano Bay Universal Studios Resort

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Day 5 – Airboat Ride

Successful family holiday’s are all about variety, and taking a family friendly airboat ride will show you a different side to Orlando and Florida. If you want to see alligators in the Everglades, an airboat ride is a perfect way to do just that. An airboat ride is an exciting and adventurous way to spend a day with kids in Florida. You will have such fun gliding through beautiful natural swamps of South Florida surrounded by wildlife.

group taking an airboat ride florida

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Day 6 – Go To The Beach

It’s time to take a drive out of Orlando to one of the best family beaches in Florida, of which there are many to discover. Cocoa Beach is the most accessible and will provide the family with a good dose of sun, sea and sand to make any Florida holiday complete. If you want to travel a little further afield then Fort Lauderdale is one of the other places in Florida worth considering.

view of Beach at Fort Lauderdale Florida from above

Day 7 – Walt Disney World – Animal Kingdom

Seeing as Disney has 6 theme parks to offer, it’s time to head back to explore some more of the ‘Land of the Mouse’. Next on our list of best places to visit in Florida would be the Animal Kingdom. We are huge fans of animals so our first stop would be to take a Kilimanjaro Safari in the African savannah followed more Disney animal magic and encounters around the park.

Day 8 – Legoland Florida

Lego is one of those timeless toys, and I think we’ve all played with it at some point. Legoland Florida will appeal to everyone in the family and promises for a fun day out for all so for us it’s one of the must see Florida tourist attractions. Legoland Florida features a fantastic water park, the new Ninjago World and special features like Knight’s Lights. Check the website for their special events as you might want to consider adding them to your Florida holiday planner.

model of the white house at legoland florida

Day 9 – SeaWorld Orlando

If you are going to Florida for a once in a lifetime holiday, then you have to add a visit to SeaWorld Orlando to your list of where to go in Florida. There’s so many memories to be made here with awesome rides, the chance to get up close to some amazing marine life, including okra’s and dolphins and nightly firework displays.

Seaworld Orland Sign

Make sure you buy a multi park ticket for SeaWorld, as this will give you unlimited access to Aquatica and Busch Gardens for a 2 week holiday in Orlando, giving you access to the best places to go in Florida. If you want to make your visit to SeaWorld even more memorable, you might want to consider a package which includes being able to swim with the dolphins. Wouldn’t that be a great way to celebrate a special occasion during your trip?

Day 10 – Walt Disney World – Epcot

I would definitely allow at least three days at Walt Disney World, and we’ve chosen Epcot as our final place to visit in Florida as it’s a great family day out. Here, you can literally travel the world, including visiting a traditional British village, in the world showcase.

If going to outer space is more your thing, don’t worry as this can be arranged at Mission: SPACE in the NASA style simulator. Want to visit Arendelle? No problem at all, just pop along to the Norway Pavillion and see Ana and Elsa an your travels. I know both my daughters would love this experience for sure.

epcot walt disney world

How does this Florida holiday itinerary sound to you? Perhaps you’d want to add a visit to the Kennedy Space Centre or Discovery Cove as well? When it comes to planning a trip to Orlando, why not speak to the experts, travelplanners, as they provide a range of holiday experiences for visitors to Orlando and will help you create the perfect family holiday itinerary. That’s got to make planning your things to do in Florida a lot easier, right?

Things To Do In Florida

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19 COMMENTS

  1. This looks so fun and exciting! I love planning out holidays like this, allows you to make the most of everything there is to do.

  2. This is a pretty awesome itinerary!! I think I’d love to add the Kennedy Space Centre in there too! And maybe a day of chilling out at the pool and a family BBQ to recharge! x

  3. Orlando is just the dream place to visit, isn’t it? There’s so much to see and do. One day I’ll make it there…one day!

  4. We are big Disney World fans here. We tend to stay in a Disney hotel as it is much easier for our family to stay onsite. I did an airboat ride a few years ago and that was fabulous.

    We do want to go back, my younger son is absolutely desperate to go, but he is disabled and we really need Disney to improve their toilet facilities so that we can. It is my mission!

  5. Wowzers, I think I and my family would explode with excitement if we set off on this itinerary! It looks incredible.

  6. Great plan for someone who wants to explore and enjoy a large selection of the amazing attractions Orlando has to offer. I’m a complete Disney girl so on the times we have went, I’ve stayed in a Disney hotel and I’d highly recommend it to anyone!

  7. My children would love to visit Disneyland Orlando but I’m terrified of flying , ive never been as the thought literally fills me with dread, we usually go to Devon on holiday, we are going to Kings Lynn, Norfolk this year in a lovely cottage, with outdoor pool adventure park and games room so they should be happy, this looks amazing, I do want to take them to disneyland Paris in the future xxx

  8. Oh this looks amazing!! It’s definately on our list but with four years between the boys it’s working out the best age range to go for us. All these would be on our list and we would ideally try and take three weeks to discover it so we can get some downtime in between parks.

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