Florida Vacation With Toddlers
So you have a toddler and you want to go on Florida Vacation. But is that possible? And if it is, how do you make it work? Well, now if you are anything like my wife and I, then you want to do tons of activities while minding the child. This blog post will give you some tips on how we handle our vacation with our daughter. You might think that traveling with a toddler is one of the most difficult things to do. But it doesn’t have to be. Below are some tips on Florida vacation with Toddlers
This article is a sort of guide that I have come up with after having made the Florida Family vacaya this year myself. They were very young then and wanted to go back. I did not know how to start planning for my toddlers, but now I know how. Vacationing with toddlers is a challenge that most parents face. These tips will help you plan and enjoy your vacation.
Florida Vacation With Toddlers
For most, the family vacation is a cherished time of year. A yearly getaway filled with fun and excitement, where everyone is refreshed and strengthened for another year.
Best Florida Vacations With Toddlers
9 Best Florida Vacations With Toddlers
In addition to its dreamy beaches, the Sunshine State is packed with historical and cultural attractions that make for plenty an educational family vacation (we’re looking at you, St. Augustine and Little Havana). But when you’re traveling with a toddler on vacation, simple entertainment is priority number one. Keep toddler vacations focused squarely on active fun with a good balance of beach and pool time, fun natural playgrounds and comfortable family resorts where you can prioritize nap time when needed. Follow our lead to the best Florida vacations with toddlers.
1. Vero Beach
With the perfect mix of natural beauty and attractions just made for inducing toddler fun, Vero Beach, along Florida’s storied Treasure Coast, is full of family appeal. Put the joy in your toddler’s stay from the start by checking in at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, where Goofy and the gang make appearances at the regularly scheduled character breakfasts (with Mickey Mouse pancakes!) and you can celebrate sunset with a bonfire and S’mores. A visit to the outdoor playground and kids discovery center at the Environmental Learning Centeris a must, and if your little one can be coaxed into a life jacket, they might even enjoy a short kayak trip out into the Indian River Lagoon. The esteemed Vero Beach Museum of Art is well worth a visit, too, thanks to special hands-on exhibits that put toddlers in touch with their blooming creativity.
Recommended Hotel: Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
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2. West Palm Beach/Palm Beach
West Palm Beach is at its most pedestrian and family-friendly on and around Clematis Street, where sweet treats in whimsical surrounds beckon kids and adults alike at the iconic dessert spot, Sloan’s Ice Cream. With a great kids’ club, beach and a family pool fronting the ocean, The Breakers Palm Beach is an ideal base for a family stay to remember. Take your littles to Manatee Lagoon one day for the chance to spot surfacing sea cows. And a trip to the Palm Beach Zoo is always a crowd-pleaser, too, with the chance for kids to feed flamingoes and get up close to exotic animals like koalas.
Recommended Hotel: The Breakers Palm Beach
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3. Anna Maria Island
With no chain shops and restaurants and an appealing retro Florida vibe, there’s just so much to love about a family vacation to this cheerful island north of Sarasota on the state’s Gulf Coast. The Creme Brûlée French toast at the cute little island restaurant Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe is as much of a guaranteed toddler-pleaser as you can guarantee at that age. Next up, hit the Rod and Reel Pier to toss out a line with your little one and scout for dolphins. Then rent a surrey bike from Beach Bums for a fun pedal around the island. Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club is a super comfortable base of family operations, with suites with full gourmet kitchens, separate living and sleeping spaces and pleasant marina views.
Recommended Hotel: Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club
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4. Tampa
With the beaches of St. Pete and Clearwater within about 30 minutes of its international airport and tons of urban appeal for families, Tampa is a great place for a Florida vacation with toddlers, mixing beach time with cool city attractions. A stroll along the city’s Riverwalk is a good way to get the lay of the land downtown. Close by, you can head out on a dolphin cruise and admire the Florida-centric exhibits at the wonderful Florida Aquarium, or release some of the toddler energy with the fabulous interactive exhibits at the Glazer Children’s Museum. The perfect base for it all is the Tampa Marriott Water Street, within walking distance of most of downtown’s highlights and with spacious rooms with balconies overlooking the river.
Recommended Hotel: Tampa Marriott Water Street
5. Cocoa Beach
Nesting sea turtles, wildlife drives to spot alligators and manatees at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and rocket launches from nearby Cape Canaveral all add up to make Cocoa Beach a top contender for a Florida family vacation with toddlers. When you’re not building sand castles on the beach with your toddler, there are several oceanfront parks and playgrounds for a picnic or burning off some energy. For a comfortable family hotel close to everything, stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach and be sure to show your kiddos the onsite Shark Pit Bar & Grill’s amazing aquarium, filled with reef sharks and colorful tropical fish. The Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral is another good option.
Recommended Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach
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6. Orlando
Orlando, of course, is the most obvious family vacation destination in Florida, with all that the theme parks offer. But for toddlers, you can really have just as much fun basing in downtown Orlando at a central hotel like the Marriott Orlando Downtown or in the pretty suburb of Winter Park (check out The Alfond Inn for a boutique family stay) and exploring all of the city’s great park’s and playgrounds. Start at Lake Eola Parkin downtown Orlando, where you can take your toddler out on a pedal boat shaped like a giant swan, feed the resident real swans and play at the waterside playground. The weekly farmer’s market in Winter Park, held every Saturday at the old train depot, is a fun place to push the stroller among flower and food vendors. Then surprise your kid by hopping aboard the SunRail commuter train for the quick ride along the rails to downtown Orlando.
