Florida For Families

This family-oriented self-drive holiday takes you around the Florida state to enjoy the theme parks and the endless sandy beaches! Explore nature in the Everglades and have island fun in Key West!

Drive to Florida on an unforgettable tour designed for families - from Orlando to Tampa and Fort Myers, sail from Fort Myers to Florida’s Keys and experience the unique Key West and then drive up the Atlantic coast. Experience exciting rides and shows, visits with storybook characters, parades, and fireworks in Orlando. Visit Bush Gardens Amusement park in Tampa and discover the cities of Key West, Fort Lauderdale and Cocoa as well as the spectacular beaches of Sarasota, Fort Myers and Sanibel, West Palm Beach and Cocoa Beach. You can tailor-make this trip to suit your needs and extend your road trip and head up towards Daytona Beach and Saint Augustine for a couple of extra days.

Day 1-5: Welcome to Orlando.
Arrive at Orlando International Airport (MCO), pick your car up and head to your hotel. Welcome to the Theme Park capital of the world! Enjoy an evening at Downtown Disney, with over 170 shopping, dining and entertainment facilities, everyone will find something fun to do. You will have five nights to enjoy the magic of Orlando.

For the next five days you can choose your itinerary from the numerous attractions this city has to offer. Most travellers, especially those with children, know about its largest parks – Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom; Universal Orlando’s Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure; and several SeaWorld’s SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando and Discovery Cove. Make the most of your stay by pre-buying your tickets with us.

Day 6-7: Tampa - Sarasota.
Today, after departing Orlando, you will head toward Sarasota via Tampa to visit Busch Gardens Amusement Park. This family adventure park offers an array of fascinating attractions based on exotic encounters with the African continent. A unique blend of thrilling rides, one of the country’s premier zoos featuring more than 2,700 animals, live shows, restaurants and shops await you. Continue to Sarasota, here you will enjoy a two-night stay on the Gulf of Mexico. The many tiny islands that surround Sarasota offer a variety of spectacular views. Venture to Lido, Siesta, or Longboat Keys and experience the subtle differences among them for yourself.

Sarasota is home to some of the most spectacular sandy beaches on the Gulf Coast. While it maintains its charm as a sleepy beach town, it boasts great family-oriented attractions. All sorts of water related activities are offered beach-side; canoeing, kayaking, paddle boating, jet skiing and snorkelling are just but a few of them. Visit the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. This 20-acre waterfront property is comprised of the Cà d’Zan, a 20^th century Venetian Gothic mansion, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, two circus museums and a theatre. Or, stop by Mote Marine Aquarium for a first-hand view of the indigenous sea life.

Day 8-10: Fort-Myers
This morning, consider a visit to Sarasota Jungle Garden. This is a former banana plantation that was redesigned as a botanic and zoological garden. With over 70 exotic and native animals, and a variety of tropical plants and flowers from around the world, there is a lot to see and do. Among the favourite attractions is the flamingo lagoon, the butterfly museum and the children’s farm.

Continue to Fort Myers for a three-night stay. Fort Myers and the surrounding islands boast some of Florida’s most natural and lovely beaches. They are a haven for birds, wildlife and the sea turtles that come here to nest. Enjoy the fabulous beaches or get intimate with the back bays and aquatic preserves that surround Fort Myers by taking a guided kayak tour which is sure to please everyone. Visit the historic winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

You may choose to visit Key West for the day with the Key West Ferry. Once there you can visit the Key West Aquarium to pet a shark or feed a turtle. Take a photo in front of the buoy marking the southernmost point in the United States. Choose your preferred date and we’ll organise this unforgettable daytrip for you.

While in Fort Myers, consider a stop at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. It is located on the neighbouring barrier island of Sanibel. The refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. Also available in this area is the Sanibel and Captiva Islands Dolphin Watch. Explore the wildlife in and around this picturesque area, which is home to birds, dolphins, manatees, otters and other local wildlife.

Day 11-12: Fort Lauderdale
Enjoy the last morning in the Fort Myers area and head east to Fort Lauderdale after lunch for a two-night stay. Fort Lauderdale, known as the “Venice of America” because of the intricate canal system. The arts and entertainment district of Fort Lauderdale runs along the Riverfront and Las Olas Boulevard. Here you will find quaint shops, cafes and galleries. While there, visit Miami for a day, a city rich with a multi-ethnic culture which is reflected in the cuisine and architecture.

Day 13: West Palm Beach, Kennedy Space Centre, Cocoa Beach
Depart Fort Lauderdale and drive north towards West Palm Beach. Located along Florida’s Atlantic Ocean coast, West Palm Beach offers visitors year-round excitement within easy reach of smooth-sand beaches and some of the nation’s most enticing waterways. Exquisite shops, fine dining, Broadway-quality shows, a world-renowned art museum and more -- this is what awaits the fortunate visitor to West Palm Beach.
After a brief stop, continue on to Kennedy Space Centre. It is the site of the American Space Program and NASA headquarters where all Apollo moon missions were launched, and all Space Shuttles lift off. At the Visitor Centre, experience interactive simulators, live shows and close encounters with massive rockets. Meet a real member of NASA’s Astronaut Corps in the Astronaut Encounter. Make sure to see one of the IMAX space films on gigantic five-story screens.
Continue on to Cocoa Beach for a two-night stay. Cocoa Beach, along Florida's Space Coast, makes for an out-of-this-world family vacation. You can ride some waves, check out Cocoa Beach's world-famous pier, marvel at Ron Jon's, the world's largest surf shop, and hike through nature preserves.

Another option is to drive up north towards Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach has been depicted in countless movies; it is the only beach where cars are allowed to drive on the sand. It is also known as the home of the Daytona Speedway, one of the most well-known and largest car-race tracks in the US.

Day 14: Orlando
Depending on your flight schedule you may choose to explore some more of the historic and charming Cocoa city this morning before departing to Orlando. Continue to Orlando International Airport (MCO).

Good to know: The above holiday is based on a family of four sharing a room and includes an Intermediate Car for the duration. The Total cost of the Holiday is £3996.