37 Fun Things to Do in Florida with Kids (Updated) – 2024
Florida is the second name for child-friendly fun; from intriguing galleries to stunning beaches to amusement parks to nature reserves, the Golden State offers all the accouterments of a family vacation full of education, engagement, and, naturally, fun!
Below is a selection of the 37 most enjoyable things to do in Florida with kids, ranging from the conventional to the less obvious but still gorgeous!
Best activities for children in Florida
1. Walt Disney World
A trip to Florida with children would be incomplete without a stopover at Disneyland.
Why visit?
Disney World, without a doubt, is one of the finest amusement parks on the planet for children, is just where fairy tales literally happen.
The 28000-acre park has four main amusement parks, a campground facility, and two water resorts, among several other attractions—which is a great deal of fun!
Enjoy thrilling rides, get autographs from Animated characters, dine at fine dining restaurants, and lodge at a Disney guest house a week won’t be enough to discover all the excitement on the store here!
2. Universal Studios Orlando
Traveling to Universal Studios in Orlando is among the finest things to do while in Florida with children, regardless of whether you’re 6 or 60.
Why visit?
Toys will enjoy receiving a unique backstage view of the creativity that goes into producing pictures, with famous classics honored through exciting locations and attractions like the Despicable Me Minions Chaos, the Dr. Seuss rollercoaster, and E.T. Expedition.
Experience the acting performances, attractions, and eateries (there’s also a genuine Hogsmeade featuring Butterbeer and Honeydukes!)
there is a plethora of things to explore at this massive tourist attraction!
3. Kennedy Space Center
Go to the Kennedy Space Center for a wonderful adventure that mixes teaching and enjoyment. Toddlers may discover about the space industry and human voyage into the sky.
Why visit?
The Kennedy Space Center’s various features are wonderful stimuli for getting your children fascinated in everything related to space.
Don’t hesitate to try out the shuttle program simulation game; you’ll feel just as captain Jerry Ross as well as the remainder of the crew did aboard NASA’s legendary Hercules.
Visitors can even witness a shuttle mission, learn what it takes to become an astronomer, and buy mementos.
4. Legoland
Theme parks are a nearly failsafe method for keeping youngsters engaged, so you can be sure that a wonderful day welcomes you at LEGOLAND!
Why visit?
LEGOLAND is among the greatest destinations in Florida for taking children; it is a blend of adventure activities, swimming in the ocean, and hands-on fun that caters to a wide range of child inclinations.
The specialized parts are popular with children of all ages, and the whole clan will be impressed by the numerous attractions and monuments constructed completely of Lego pieces.
Just at Ford Test Centre, kids may even obtain their individual permits!
5. Biscayne National Park
Whether you’re thinking about where to travel in Southern Florida with children, Biscayne Nature Reserve should be on the list.
Why visit?
This park, located only minutes from Miami Beach, contains and preserves beautiful corals and green bushes.
Kids may interact with Mother Nature while paddling, kayaking, and stand-up rowing through the marshes, enjoying a supervised boat trip, diving and water sports via the corals, and discovering footpaths.
In the wintertime, the area hosts an extended animal vacation, while in the springtime, get prepared for the Family Fun Festival, where family-friendly fun reigns supreme!
6. Everglades National Park
Another favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts, the Everglades is the biggest temperate area in the country.
Why visit?
Thousands of species, along with many threatened and endangered species, consider this wildlife reserve residence.
Environment enthusiasts will be in awe of the spectacular natural surroundings, while adventurers will enjoy canoeing through the canals, searching for jaguars, and hiking the famed Anhinga Path.
Children may enjoy breathtaking views from Shark Valley’s viewing platform, tour the Nato Hercules rocket station, and bicycle, climb, and tent throughout the area.
7. Naval Aviation Museum
If you’re looking for a cheap bonding experience, consider visiting the nation’s biggest military exhibition.
Why visit?
In reality, this institution is not just affordable; it is also complimentary!
Tots may gain hands-on airplane knowledge by seeing the interiors of several planes and the fighter plane, as well as a thorough backstage insight at all matters nautical by examining the 170-plus exhibits.
The Blue Angels performance, among the gallery’s main features, is a demonstration of acrobatic stunts that will inspire astonishment and screams of delight!
To watch an aerospace movie, visit the permanent broad range cinema.
8. Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
The Key West Conservatory’s splendor is astounding, with dozens of species of insects, hundreds of exotic birds (including penguins!), and clusters of magnificent flowers living in their natural environment.
Why visit?
Attending the Learning Center isn’t only entertaining and also educational; children’s minds are guided through the entire transformation process of caterpillars, involving understanding how they feed, reproduce, and travel.
The Wings of Creativity art museum is a nice, calm location to wander; Sam Trophia’s sculpture is on exhibit and is a beautiful pleasure, brilliantly capturing humanity’s greatest myriad colors.
9. St. Augustine Alligator Farm
If amusement parks, galleries, and nature reserves have been checked off your checklist of things to do in Orlando with children, consider an off-the-beaten-path attraction that’s as exciting as it is educational.
Why visit?
St. Augustine exists as the only place on the planet where all living vertebrate subspecies cohabit.
Toddlers may observe the snakes swimming and eating in their wetland, enjoy relic hunting, and discover about snakes and unusual animals.
During the summertime, the ranch hosts a school with just the perfect combination of study and fun, when kids get a crash course in all topics of reptilian.
10. Kelly Park
Kelly Park, a paradise of thermal baths and flawless waterways, is one of the top places in Florida for all-day vacations.
Why visit?
With picnic spots, a playroom for toddlers, a tent, and a concessions stand, parents and children may spend literally the whole day here.
You may also hire a raft and tour the fountains, swim, dive, or engage in ocean battles.
Tent overnight for a completely original adventure; the facility is an extremely popular choice among families who wish to spend a couple of days enjoying Kelly Park’s wonders.
11. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Absolutely, Weeki Wachee Springs Nature Reserve is as entertaining as its title implies!
Why visit?
Weeki Wachee is well-known across the nation for its very distinctive fairy performances and aquatic theaters, and it also serves as one of the greatest sites to show off Old Florida to the kids, with a plethora of child-friendly activities!
This nature reserve is not only stunning, but also offers canoeing, diving, and sunbathing in pristine waters that remain at a wonderful 70 °.
Buccaneer Beach, the on-site theme park with adventure activities and winding falls, is particularly appealing to children.
12. Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Ichetucknee Springs Recreation Area in Georgia is among the most appealing destinations with activities for children to be doing. It’s a terrific area for limitless rafting down cold, crystal waters and kilometers of marshes and covered plantations.
Why visit?
Experience uninterrupted paddling, wading, and snorkeling in the eight main beautiful waterfalls on-site, as well as animal observation and trekking via the various paths at Ichetucknee.
Stretch out a mat beneath the thick pine and birch trees & try your hand at catching the resort’s abundant wild turkeys, raccoons, tortoises, and grebes.
13. Pier 60 Sunset Celebration
Seaside vacations with children are a necessity in Florida, especially at Clearwater Beach, which is home to one of the country’s most pristine beaches.
Why visit?
It features a five-mile beautiful beachfront and a plethora of marine and land-based sports, and there appears to be no shortage of fun around!
Every afternoon, Clearwater provides free weekly entertainment at Pier 60.
The neighborhood is pedestrian-friendly, as well as the masses are worthwhile because when you observe the colorful atmosphere that lights up as the sun goes down, with street musicians and performers at each and every intersection.
There are also numerous stores and eateries to visit.
14. Bok Tower Gardens
Traveling in Florida is enjoyable, but it may be exhausting!
Why visit?
Visit the picturesque Lake Wales’ Bok Tower Fields for a peaceful evening.
Bok Tower Gardens, one among Florida’s most renowned attractions, is famed for its 205-foot ringing clocktower as well as the magnificent percussion ensemble with Sixty rings.
When blooms like bluebells, Cinnamon Susan, and camellias are at their peak, the park is a blaze of brilliance, joining guests on their discovery of the farm’s various walks, stunning lawns, swan-filled lakes, and also many devoted relaxing spaces.
15. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Tourists to John Pennekamp are in for a real spectacle, as the spectacular swimming locations and sightseeing are typically regarded as among the finest in the state of Florida.
Why visit?
Visiting the underwater reserve, swimming all around corals, and spending quality time viewing and studying the numerous bright shallows of species and different undersea plants and animals that flourish in the garden are all options for youngsters.
Furthermore, John Pennekamp is the nation’s foremost underwater reserve, in addition to being home to the sole live coral reef in the whole of the U.S.
16. Giraffe Ranch, Dade City
Visit the Giraffe Ranch along with your children if you want to engage with stunning rare animals.
Why visit?
It has a wide range of activities for the entire family to enjoy, such as segway excursions, camel rides, and fully-guided automobile excursions where you can see creatures such as elephants, rhinoceros, cheetahs, gazelles, antelope, warthogs, and other exotic species.
To explore the property from the luxury of your car, take the Animal Drive-Thru Adventure Trip.
When traveling with newborns or small kids, is among the greatest possibilities.
When visiting with older children aged Sixteen and up, We suggest the Segway Adventure Excursion.
Use a cutting-edge segway to experience attractions such as up-close and personal wildlife watching, giraffe petting, and much more.
17. Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach
The Museum of Arts and Sciences, sometimes known as the MOAS, is an excellent choice for a pleasant and instructive outing with the family.
Why visit?
It is among the state’s major museums, with over 33000 objects on exhibit.
It has extra activities and a variety of seasonal and annual exhibitions on technology, culture, and artwork.
You may also refuel by eating at the café and browsing for gifts at the souvenir shop.
Explore MOAS during their Family Research Evening, when you can spend time connecting with the children by engaging in creative crafts and completing science experiments.
18. Naples Botanical Gardens, Naples
This 170-acre arboretum is great for both you and your kids of any age looking for a natural vacation.
Why visit?
It was first inaugurated in the early 1990s, with a minimum of six separate native habitats, approximately a thousand different kinds of plants, and various habitats.
There are various child-friendly activities available here, such as visiting gardening courses, producing environment-themed handicrafts and painting, enjoying musical performances occasionally, and engaging in appropriate instructional activities.
Recharge your batteries in the Fogg Restaurant, which is located on-site.
Peach Chicken Salad, Guacamole Breakfast, Roasted Salmon Pita bread, and other delectable foods are available.
There are also appetizing alternatives for your children, such as mac and cheese, chicken tenders, and jelly and peanut butter wraps.
19. Manatee Observation and Education Center, Fort Pierce
Expect to be astounded when you and your children explore this one-of-a-kind environmental arts center.
Why visit?
Wynwood Canvas is a collection of vibrant street paintings produced by painters from all over the planet.
Take photos against a backdrop of stunning street art artworks, unique paintings, one-of-a-kind artworks, and other intriguing artwork.
It also has supervised walks that allow you to discover about the exhibitions, a gift store that allows you to buy numerous mementos to remember your trip, and artisan presentations on events for an even more enjoyable experience.
20. Avalon State Park, Fort Pierce
This beachfront Florida state park is a very popular visit due to its beautiful unspoiled beaches and an abundance of fun-filled activities.
Why visit?
It has approximately 10 kilometers of sandy shoreline, picnic shelters for eating your dinners, modern restroom amenities, an open parking area, bathing facilities, and picturesque wildlife paths for a pleasant hike.
Enjoy making multiple recollections with your children by burying them on sandy beaches, assisting them in building gigantic mud pies, splashing in iced water, or tossing a ball across.
Spend more quality time alongside your older children by enjoying swimming, boating, trekking, kayaking, and canoeing.
21. Blue Spring State Park, Orange City
Take the whole family on the ideal adventure travel by visiting Blue Spring Nature Reserve.
Why visit?
It provides infinite opportunities both on the ground and in the beautiful ocean.
Diving in a beautiful spring is possible, as are other sports like water sports, swimming, paddling, and rafting.
Biking, animal viewing, and picnics are all options on the property.
It offers a campsite that allows you to hire a cottage or set up a tent, as well as a beach with volleyball courts where you can play and play with your kids.
It also provides guided steamboat cruise trips, instructional environmental activities, and leasing of aquatic athletic apparel.
22. Boca Raton Children’s Museum, Boca Raton
Your kids will be unaware that they are discovering something new while having fun at the Boca Raton Science museum, which was created in the late 1970s.
Why visit?
Your children regardless of age bracket will enjoy exploring a multisensory area, a child-sized supermarket, a fishing boat, and a lot more.
Children can also perform their personal comedy sketches and engage in learning programs such as art courses, participatory seminars, and awareness projects.
It has a cozy atmosphere with rock climbing sections for your kids to practice their speed, tiny model trains, outside play spaces to use when the climate is nice, and a children’s playground.
It also has a number of special exhibitions year-round, so check out its webpage ahead of your schedule.
23. Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater
This stunning aquarium, which debuted in 1971 as the Clearwater Aquatic Museum Of science, is a well-loved destination.
Why visit?
It is a non-profit company devoted to state schooling, investigation, preservation, rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing wounded and sick ocean animals.
This bay is among the most visited tourist attractions in Clearwater, with at least 800000 visitors each year.
It also housed Winter, a world-famous dolphin porpoise who appeared in the films Dolphin Tale as well as its successor.
Discover about and observe aquatic species up close, including whales, manta rays, marine turtles, predators, North American rivers foxes, and others.
Participate in activities such as escorted sailboats or paddle trips, engaging with diverse sea species, and creating bespoke meals for marine mammals.
24. Wynwood Walls, Miami
Get Ready to be astounded when you and your children explore this one-of-a-kind open art gallery.
Why visit?
Wynwood Walls is a collection of vibrant street artworks produced by artisans from all over the globe.
Snap photographs against a backdrop of stunning graffiti-style paintings, unique paintings, one-of-a-kind artworks, as well as other intriguing creations.
It also has supervised walks that allow you to discover additional information about the exhibitions, a souvenir store that allow you to buy unique gifts to remember your trip, and artistic presentations on the opportunity for a more enjoyable experience.
25. Dry Tortugas National Park, Key West
The Dry Tortugas National Park stretches over approximately 65000 hectares and is both a nature reserve and a national landmark.
Why visit?
The majestic Fort Jefferson, an incomplete seaside stronghold and among the biggest brickwork constructions in the province, serves as its showpiece.
It is composed of a minimum of 20 million blocks, ancient antiques, and other items.
Arrive by ferry or glider and visit the old fort and take lots of photos to preserve the memories.
Recreational activities such as water sports, swimming, backpacking, seawater angling, paddling, sightseeing, sailing, picnics, and stargazing may also help you have new experiences with your kids.
26. J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island
Break away from the tall towers and bustling roads by visiting this nature reserve with your family.
Why visit?
This popular holiday destination was founded in the mid-1970s and is dedicated to the renowned American animator Jay Norwood Darling.
It’s indeed a haven for thousands of migrating birds, wildcats, reptiles, marsh bunnies, foxes, and water foxes and encompasses around 5500 acres.
Experience nature’s splendor by biking across picturesque vistas, hiking across tropical gardens, bird watching, and practicing your wildlife photography abilities.
Visit their website prior to going so you don’t miss out on attending one of their famous Bird Fest.
Witness hundreds of pigeons of various sorts flying across the skies.
27. Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon
There are various interesting activities to engage in with children in the state of Florida, like embarking on a nature excursion at Rainbow Springs Nature Preserve.
Why visit?
It covers around 1200 acres and has approximately 15 separate ecological groups.
Spend precious time with your children while enjoying a nice lunch surrounded by stunning scenery, spending the night on a pleasant family vacation, hiking along beautiful paths, and teaching them how and where to fish.
Cycling, paddling, seeing informative displays at the park entrance, bathing in pristine lakes, kayaking, animal observing, geo-seeking, diving, as well as other adventures are also available to you and your children.
It also has ADA-accessible amenities, an auditorium at the campsite, a boat rental for non-motorized automobiles, and a cleaning center on-site along with several other top-class facilities.
28. Dinosaur WorldDalí
Christer Svensson produced and designed approximately 140 life-size prehistoric statues for Dinosaur World, a kid-friendly exhibition network of several open dinosaur amusement parks all around the nation.
Why visit?
Dinosaur World, with locations in Crop City, Texas, Rock City, Kentucky, and Glen Rose, Tx, is dedicated to multiple life-size dinosaur sculptures placed in settings that replicate the environmental condition when they lived, including luscious tropical rainforests, grassland plains, and peaceful lakes. The area features various shaded lunch spots in addition to kid’s playgrounds, and activities include a ‘Fossil Dig,’ where youngsters may dig for genuine relics at a mud table and then take their top four away. Other activities include the Dino Walk, the Dinosaur Gem Exploration, and interactive performances.
29. Fern Forest Nature Center
The Fern Woodland Wildlife Center is sprawling 300-acre preservation and urban backcountry camping with profoundly shadowed groves and lush tropical wilderness ecosystems that are host to a diverse range of wildlife and plants, with over thirty different varieties of fronds as well as other native plants.
Why visit?
The Fern Forest Wildlife Center, founded in 1980 in the ancient delta of Cypress Creek, preserves ecosystems that have nearly gone owing to urban sprawl. The facility may be visited on four simple excursions across a hardwood footbridge that goes through various ecosystems such as lush marshes and marshes, Cypress River, a birch forest, and a botanical garden.
30. Gold Coast Railroad Museum
The Gold Coast Railroad Institute is committed to researching and conserving the locomotive company’s heritage, as well as showcasing historic carriages and railways.
Why visit?
The station, which is placed close to the iconic Miami Zoo, was erected in the mid-1950s on the old Naval Air Station Richmond (NASR) and had seven kilometers of rails. It is now one of three Officially Recognized Railroad Museums in Texas. The exhibition has visualization tools, displays, documentaries, and relics, as well as approximately Thirty vintage trains, such as the Fl Eastern Coast’s ‘113’ locomotive and the Southern Pacific’s ‘Silver Crescent.’ Guests to the exhibition may travel back in time by riding on historic locomotives, narrow gauge railroad vehicles, and inside the locomotive’s cockpit.
31. History Miami
The Background The Miami Center, originally known as the Historical Society of Southeastern Florida, is committed to conveying the narrative of Southern Florida’s heritage.
Why visit?
The institution, established in the 1940s as the Historical Society of Southern Florida, is the biggest of its type in the state of Florida, with five permanent exhibits housing both permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as a Collections and Research Facility. The gallery has about 39000 objects ranging from ancient artifacts found through early twentieth century Afro-Cuban traditional art, as well as thousands of vintage pictures. The institution also houses the South Florida Folklife Department, the Learning Center, and the Downtown area Guides project, as well as other training materials that emphasize the significance of the past in today’s world.
32. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Hugh Taylor Birch National Forest, located on Eastern Dawn Avenue between both the Atlantic Ocean and the Azure Waters, provides a magnificent tropical paradise where visitors can enjoy a variety of recreational opportunities and local animal viewing.
Why visit?
Hugh Taylor Birch’s property, which he bequeathed to the people, is now home to a variety of animals, notably turtles, marshland rabbits, and the burrowing tortoise, in addition to over 250 bird species. A short-distance pristine lake is ideal for sunbathing, swimming, paddling, and animal observation, while trekking, biking, roller skating, and Bicycle Tours are all available. The park contains a beautiful small beachfront and various picnic places sprinkled across the property, as well as a group/youth campsite with clean caravan parks as well as modern restrooms. The Terramar Convention Center, situated within Hugh Taylor Birch’s Art Deco-style residence, contains fascinating exhibitions concerning Hugh Taylor Birch as well as the heritage of Fort Everglades, in addition to presentations of the resort’s fauna, habitat, and landscapes. On weekends and public holidays, the Visitor Center is accessible for free.
33. Indian Temple Mound & Museum
The Indian Temple Platform, also called as the Fort Walton Plateau, is a remarkable historical site near historic Fort Pensacola Island that retains a massive foundation mound erected around 950 Bce by the Mississippian Biloxi civilization.
Why visit?
The recognized National Monument Interest is among three remaining peninsula mound formations, among which are Lake Jackson Mounds and Letchworth Mounds backcountry campsites. The pyramid was erected by a stratified system and stood at the heart of religious, economic, and social activities of the period, serving as the foundation for the sanctuary and the chief’s home. The monument is still regarded as a holy cremation area today, and additional information about it may be found by touring the place and exploring the tales behind it all.
34. Jacksonville Hands On Children’s Museum
With a range of engaging and hands-on displays, the Hands-On Science museum is devoted to engaging kids of all ages to study via exploration and engagement.
Why visit?
Using role-playing, research, problem-solving, imaginative creation, questioning, and playtime, the family-friendly gallery encourages hands-on interactive education. A television and radio station department, a grocery shop, a fortress, an ambulance and wildfire rescue station, and many play spaces are among the interactive exhibits in the exhibition. The Hands-On Science museum also includes a large academic figure named ‘Stuffee’ who has squishy detachable internal parts and gives a fun and engaging way for pupils to study organ systems.
35. Pushin Water Kayak Charters
In Southern Florida, Pushin’ Waters Kayaking Services provides real kayak angling adventures.
Why visit?
The firm is privately controlled and run, and it employs top-of-the-line Hobie Fisherman Kayaks with Hobie Mirage Control pedaling devices for a hassle-free adventure. Coastal, saltwater fishing, backwater, sharks, bottom, and eco-fishing excursions are available, and all hardware is provided, including poles, spinners, synthetic baits, real hook, drinks, and ice, as well as digital files and films capturing the day. Additional tours hunt within and around Florida, Jacksonville, Pompano Shoreline, Sebastian, and West Palm Beach. whereas inshore kayaking fish excursions traverse huge labyrinths of mangrove-lined waterways.
36. Replay Amusement Museum
The Replay Amusement Museum in Tampa Beach is a one-of-a-kind, engaging site dedicated to entertainment games, with a remarkable selection of pinball machines, computer games, classic arcade games, and music boxes.
Why visit?
The collaborative and multiplayer gallery is a massive harking back game room and vintage gaming empire that transports tourists to a pre-digital era and residences over 98 amusement parks and ping pong games in their authentic closets, as well as computer games, stereos, and other attractions, as well as the nation’s biggest pinball machine. Visitors are invited to engage in a healthy and instructive setting for free.
37. The Dalí
The Dali also referred to as the Salvador Dali Gallery, is a world-famous art exhibition in St. Petersburg focused on the paintings of renowned painter Salvador Dali.
Why visit?
The museum displays an outstanding collection of Salvador Dali artworks, such as the classics The Hallucinogenic Barbarian warrior and The Exploration of America by Christopher Columbus, as well as approximately 1000 canvases and sketches, as well as over 1500 photos, paintings, and pieces of art.
The gallery also holds specific items linked to Dal’s life, as well as a collection with over 8000 books, periodicals, and audio recordings, as well as the contributed archive of Albert Field, a Nyc collector, and Dali curator. The Dal provides a number of training materials, seminars, and community engagement initiatives.
Conclusion
Florida is a favorite go-to location for travelers looking to escape drier climates, thanks to its sunshine, ocean, and beaches, as well as its year-round mild, pleasant climate. But it’s not only the lovely coastlines and nice summers that draw millions of visitors every season; the province also has monuments, excursions, and experiences to suit all interests.
This is a list of interesting and fascinating locations to visit and discover with your children in Florida, ranging from artistic and cultural expeditions to athletics and land-based sporting activities. We suggest contacting the venues and eateries in advance to confirm the exact hours of operation.
