Scream machines
Roller Coasters R Us could be the motto of central Florida, and for many families, theme parks are Floridas biggest lure. If you have only a day for a park, consider in Tampa, which has a choice of half a dozen world-class thrill rides such as Kumba.
Most kids would love to spend days in Orlandos theme parks. Harry Potter fans will not want to miss the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, split between ; the two parks are connected by the Hogwarts Express. The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in Universal Studios Florida is billed as one of the most high-tech coasters in the world.
The biggest theme park, , Coastersaurus is a wooden coaster that curves and dips through a prehistoric jungle of animated and life-size dinosaurs made of LEGO blocks.
Be warned, however, that the lines for major rides at all the theme parks can be long. See individual entries for tips on cutting the line.
The high-speed thrill ride Kumba at Busch Gardens, Tampa
The great indoors
Family fun is weatherproof in Florida, even for children who do not usually enjoy museums. The in Jacksonville, Art Connections introduces kids to art by inviting them to walk through a painting, listen to a sculpture, or paint with a virtual paintbrush.
Miami, St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Tampa are among several cities with terrific museums designed specifically for younger kids. Others, including the in Jacksonville have separate museum wings filled with a variety of hands-on science activities geared to kids.
Visitors viewing sharks and other sea life at Shark Encounter, SeaWorld
Butterfly, bird, and flora gardens
Floridas tropical climate fosters fabulous exotic plants, and the states exceptional gardens allow kids to work off energy while their parents savor the scenery. Children will enjoy Miamis , south of Orlando, are beautiful year-round.
Visitors enjoying nature at Fairchild Tropical Garden
Something fishy
Floridas waters are filled with fantastic and colorful sea life. At Tampas , where visitors can look at the resident manatees and hundreds of fish.
Snorkelers at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Arresting architecture
Floridas architecture can help bring to life different phases of the states history for kids. Tallahassees ).
The Gilded Age brought lavish mansions such as Henry Flaglers 1902 Beaux Arts-style Whitehall, now the .
Traditional buildings on the extensive, picturesque grounds of Mission San Luis, Tallahassee
On the road
Pleasant day trips from a base can be more fun for families than long drives that try the patience of young kids, and smaller roads may often offer more accessible pleasures than the super-highways. The Everglades Parkway (I-75), also called Alligator Alley, is the expressway through the allows for more interesting stops along the way, and offers stunning views.
Head west on Route 40 from and the mysterious, mossy oaks that inspired Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings book The Yearling (1938).
To appreciate the variety of Floridas beaches, spend a day following Highway 789 from .
The Flagler Kenan Pavilion with Henry Flaglers personal Railcar No. 91 at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach
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Florida through the Year
Left Kids at Fort Walton Beachs annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, which pays tribute to a local pirate legend Right Participants showcasing their animals at the Florida State Fair, Tampa
Costumed participants at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival, Tampa
With its subtropical temperatures, southern Florida is most popular in the winter high season, from mid-December to mid-April, while northern Floridas beaches draw larger crowds in spring and summer. Avoid heading to the Panhandle or Daytona Beach in March, when colleges are on spring break and hordes of young people visit the beaches. Each season brings its own share of fun and festivals that add excitement to a visit anywhere in Florida.
Spring
Spring celebrations salute everything from shells and strawberries to tall ships and motorcycles, while sports go into high gear with baseball spring training and traditional Scottish Highland Games.
MARCH
The Bay Area Renaissance Festival in Tampa features armor-clad knights sword-fighting on horse-back. Another era of history comes to life as the 1668 Sack of St. Augustine