Florida

Traveling is going to look very different this year for most families, as we’re still navigating during the Coronavirus pandemic. Many people are staying in the U.S. this year, and when they are traveling, they’re taking additional safety precautions such as wearing facial coverings.

Miami is one destination you might be considering, and if so, there are certain things to keep in mind if you are traveling as a family. Here is everything you need to know about navigating Miami with kids: what to do, how to get around, where to eat and where to stay.

Miami with Kids

Getting Around in Miami

If you’re driving to Miami, then you’ll use your car to get around. If not, you might want to rent a car, which makes getting around simpler than getting a taxi with kids. If you’re staying at a resort with a lot of onsite dining and entertainment options, you only need to think about how to get from the airport to the resort, and probably won’t need a rental car, unless you are planning a day trip out of the city.

A taxi from the airport to many areas of the city will cost around $50 each way. If you’re staying in an area like Miami Beach, you will be able to walk to restaurants and other attractions without having to pay for a rental car or an Uber.

There are trolleys that run in Miami, but with kids, this might not be the most reliable option because they tend to run late. It is a fun thing to do with kids though – just plan in some extra time.

There’s also the Metrorail that will take you to Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and South Miami for around $5 round trip.

Where to Stay in Miami

The area of Miami that most people think of first is Miami Beach, as well as South Beach. The beaches are beautiful and there are wonderful family-friendly resorts in this area like Loews Miami Beach. With that being said, you should also be aware that this area can get raucous and has a party vibe.

If you want the beach, but you want to be in a quieter area, you might think about heading to Key Biscayne.

A fabulous family-friendly hotel that’s in a more residential area is the Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables. Coral Gables has beautiful old homes, and the hotel itself is stunning architecturally. It also has one of the largest pools in the country.

If you want to splurge, there’s the Fisher Island Hotel & Resort which is located on a private island in Biscayne Bay. The hotel has plenty of amenities include multiple outdoor pools, 18 tennis courts, and a nine-hole golf course. The rooms and suites are spacious and work well for families, and you can get a cottage with a kitchenette, which always comes in handy when traveling with kids.

If you want an urban environment, stay in downtown Miami. The Miami Kimpton EPIC is a good option, and most rooms have double beds. There are junior suites with pull-out sofa beds, too.

Where to Eat in Miami

If you can deal with sugar overload, for a fun restaurant think about the Sugar Factory on Ocean Drive. It’s a massive 3,000 square feet restaurant with a patio overlooking South Beach located inside the Hotel Victor, with an adjacent sweets store, as the name suggests.

The menu is extremely kid-friendly, and the focus is on the crazy drinks and deserts.

The Wharf is a venue on the Miami River and you’ll find different food pop-ups from local chefs. You can have a scenic lunch during the day, and in the evenings there’s often music and even dancing. Children can go to the Wharf until sundown on the weekends.

Joe’s Stone Crab is an icon in Miami since 1913. It’s very family-friendly and the seafood is wonderful and fresh because the owners of the restaurant have their own fisheries.

What to Do in Miami with kids

You won’t be bored in Miami, that’s certain. There are beaches, of course, but there’s more to the city than that if you’re traveling with kids.

If you rent a car, there are a number of Florida road trips you can take from Miami. A popular day trip is going to the Everglades. If you opt for that, you can take an airboat tour in Everglades National Park.

Other things to do with kids in Miami include:

• • For a cultural experience and delicious food, go to Little Havana. You can get authentic Cuban fare and stop for ice cream with flavors like coconut flan.
  • The Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach is popular for families. You can walk down the pedestrian street, and there’s a farmer’s market on the weekends.
  • The Seaquarium is located on Virginia Key and there is a 300,000-gallon tropical reef, as well as a pirate playground, sea turtles, sea lions, and flamingos.
  • The Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventure leaves from Downtown. You can take a boat ride of a 55-foot catamaran that goes at speeds up to 50 MPH. You might see South Beach, the Cape Florida Lighthouse, and Fisher Island, depending on the specific tour you take.
  • Key Biscayne is quiet and beautiful. Crandon Park is a must-do with kids. This two-mile beach has calm water, you can rent a cabana, and there’s a beach playground. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is also on Key Biscayne, and you can climb to the top of the Cape Florida Lighthouse.
  • Coconut Grove features the CocoWalk outdoor shopping center, and there’s Peacock Park.
  • The Venetian Pool is in Coral Gables and it’s the most luxurious public pool you might ever see. It’s also the only pool on the National Register of Historic Places. It features Mediterranean architecture, a water cave, and a waterfall.
  • Also in Coral Gables is Matheson Hammock Park. The beach has no waves because it’s a human-made atoll pool, so it’s a good option even for young children. There’s a snack bar, and a restaurant made in coral at the park. There are also nature trails.

Miami might not be the first place you think of for a vacation with your kids, but it can actually make a great option. There’s natural beauty, culture, energy, and fantastic food.

Photo Credit: All photos used via Flickr’s Creative Commons Licensing. (1) Kobra Mural by Arthur T. LaBar; (2) Miami Trolley by Phillip Pessar; (3) Loews Miami by Bob B. Brown; (4) Joe’s Stone Crab by Wally Gobetz; (5) Green Iguana in Coral Gables by Judy Gallagher

When we talk about Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, we are drawn to the city of Orlando in Florida, and when we talk of Florida, the Everglades or its vast swamplands. When talking about swamplands, we think about those fast airboats to go around. If you’re looking for a tourist attraction that combines both extraordinary adventure and hair-raising legend, look no further than Boggy Creek.

Where Is Boggy Creek Located?

Although commonly tagged as an Orlando attraction, it is actually located in the neighboring city of Kissimmee, Florida. Nevertheless, it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in this part of the state. The inviting weather, the vast expanse of greenery and water combined and the festive mood of the place make Boggy Creek Airboat Rides a place tourists do not miss out visiting when they reach the state of Florida.

What Are The Activities in Boggy Creek?

There is actually a lot to do at Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures. They have different tour sets of activities for any part of the day, including day, sunset, night or private. The place is complete with amenities and a landscape that gives an authentic feel of the Florida landscape. The park also has restaurants and bars where you can have your fill of the mouthwatering barbecue and chug on your favorite beer, wine or soda while you await the activities that you have for the day.

Airboat Rides

No trip to Boggy Creek park is complete without experiencing an airboat ride and getting front seat view of the authentic Florida landscape and natural outdoors. You are guaranteed a safe ride through the guidance of US Coast Guard Certified Master Captains. The park’s fleet of airboat provides many tours for visitors day and night, as they continuously dock and set out again with certified and friendly captains who will guide you and provide you useful information about the area. To keep up with the hype of the tour, you’ll need to bring with you a Boggy Creek airboat attraction guide. This way, you’ll always be in the know of the places that can be visited, areas that can be passed through, the location of restrooms and concession stands and the different wildlife in the area. The airboat captains would be more than willing to show you the beauty of nature and the spots where you get to alligators, turtles, birds and flora and fauna native to the Everglades.

A plus to the airboat ride experience is being able to drive one yourself! Availing of the VIP package tour allows you to experience driving the airboat with the certified and experienced airboat captains. Just a short moment’s training on the controls and getting the feel of driving, the captain will let you take control of the boat and let it fly over the water. 

Native American Village

Get to know and be in touch with history and the original settlers of North America. Tourists can get to visit an authentic Native American home with genuine artifacts and hand-made creations. You’ll also get to observe some of the daily activities of Native Americans and develop a sense of respect and appreciation for their unique culture, heritage and contribution to society. Tourists will be amazed and appreciate the primitive way of living and demonstrations of how native tools such as spears, blowpipes, and bows are used and how “man’s first cooking technique” is shown. Learning history and culture don’t have to be all books and pictures. You can get the first-hand experience of these lessons at Boggy Creek.

Photo Swamp Shack

Want an Instagrammable souvenir from your Boggy Creek tour? Visit the Swamp Shack to try putting on the “Old Florida Outdoor Wear”, ranging from camo to overall. You’ll be the talk of your circle of friends as you give them a glimpse of old Florida through your photos. Share your selfie to show you appreciate what the old folks of Florida wore. Just pose with your old outfit around the shack and say cheese.

The Legend of Boggy Creek – Fouke Monster

Although it shares the same name with the film, it should not be confused with the urban legend from Fouke, Arkansas. The Boggy Creek theme park in Orlando, Florida doesn’t have anything to do with the Arkansas monster. For the uninformed, The Boggy Creek or Fouke monster is Arkansas’ version of the Sasquatch legend.  

The Boggy Creek theme park is something you should include in your bucket list of places to visit in Florida. This is a place where adventure, nature, history, and culture all get rolled into one amazing tour. This is an ideal tour destination whether you’re a solo tourist, touring with friends or touring with your family. There are many activities to do and enjoy and the food and drinks just as equally exciting. Orlando, Florida should definitely be included in your vacation map.

Photo Credit: All photos shared via Flickr’s Creative Commons Licensing. (1) Boggy Creek by Ronald Woan; (2) Boggy Creek by Ronald Woan; (3) Boggy Creek Airboat by Ronald Woan; (4) Boggy Creek Sign by Romana Klee; (5) Monster Mart by Romana Klee

With 1,350 miles (2,170 km) of coastline, Florida is a great destination for coastal road trips, with lots of beach stops along the way of course! But beaches aren’t the only draw of the Sunshine State – there’s more to Florida than that, including fascinating nature that ranges from swamplands and crystal clear springs to the tropical islands of the Florida Keys. Add to that the dozens of pristine beaches, historic lighthouses, quaint rural towns, canopy roads and national parks, and you’ll get to experience a completely different state than the Florida that is famous for the glitz and glamour of South Beach, or its many exciting theme parks.

To showcase the most scenic parts of Florida, I put together the three most epic road trips in the Sunshine State for you – covering beaches, unspoiled nature and wildlife, tropical islands, art and theme parks, and some of the most iconic Florida sights. In addition, you can find more Florida road trip ideas here.

1 The Real Florida: Wildlife and Nature

As much as Florida is about beaches and waterways, there’s another completely different side of the Sunshine State to uncover – a more untouched, rural, and authentic side. With wetlands and lush green forests, and several springs and stops along the rural coast, this trip is a nature lover’s dream.

It starts in Tallahassee, the state capital, with its canopy tree streets formed by moss-draped pines and live oaks, continuing on to Wakulla Springs, and then following the lonely Highway 98 to Crystal River, with plenty of wildlife stops along the way. The final stop would be in either Tampa or Orlando – depending on if you’d like to conclude the trip with a visit to Florida’s theme parks or if you would prefer exploring the cultural heritage of Tampa Bay.

Altogether, this Florida road trip spans just over 400 miles if you’re ending in Orlando, and around 375 miles if you finish in Tampa.

Life in this part of Florida is much simpler, and you couldn’t get any further away from the party scene of Miami. Many older people see the towns you get to experience on this trip as the ‘Real Florida’.

Plan a couple of days to explore Tallahassee (check out its most beautiful canopy roads here) before heading to Wakulla Springs, which is part of the longest underwater cave in the United States and has an abundance of wildlife.

If you are a true wildlife and bird lover, you should stop at St Marks National Wildlife Refuge next, which is a 68,000 acre nature reserve just half an hour south of Wakulla Springs. Bird watchers in particular will love this wildlife haven. Manatee Springs Park, where you can swim with manatees in the crystal clear waters of the spring, is a highlight for many, and from there you’ll drive through marshland and wetlands to Cedar Key, a cluster of islands off the mainland, which is an old-fashioned laid-back Florida vacation spot.

From there, head back inland through sleepy rural Florida to Silver Springs, which was one of the first touristy places in Florida. Tourists have been flocking here since 1878, mainly for the crystal clear waters and the exotic nature around the system of springs, which consists of a total of 150 springs! Then head back towards the coast and stop in Crystal River, the largest wintering grounds for manatees in all of Florida. The kitschy-est stop would be Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, where, in addition to wildlife (mainly reptiles & birds), you can watch the popular mermaid show.

Essential stops: Don’t miss the view over Tallahassee from the Florida State Capitol, the glass bottom boat tour and the river boat tour in Wakulla Springs (or enjoy the 9 miles of trails there, if you enjoy hiking) for wildlife (alligators, birds, turtles…) and the seven mile road to an 1829 lighthouse in St Marks Wildlife Refuge.

Definitely visit the Manatee Springs State Park where you can swim with manatees and take a glass bottom boat tour in Silver Springs. If you’re an art lover, don’t miss the Appleton Museum Of Art near Silver Springs. Between January and March you can snorkel with up to 200 manatees in Crystal River. More manatees and other wildlife can be seen in Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park just south of Crystal River.

Detour: Drive about two hours west of Wakulla Springs to St George Island with nine miles of unspoiled sandy beaches. A big part of the island is a designated state park with miles of hiking trails. You can also cycle the entire length of the island. You can also take a detour between St Marks and Manatee Springs Park through the coastal area of Big Bend through small, sleepy coastal villages.

2 The Florida Keys: Tropical Paradise

The Florida Keys, an archipelago of over 1,700 islands, is probably the most spectacular road trip in Florida. Highway 1, also known as the ‘Overseas Highway’ down here, runs 113 miles from mainland Florida all the way down to Key West, the southernmost point of the continental U.S., and only 90 miles north of Cuba! The views over the ocean (the Atlantic to the left, the Gulf Of Mexico to the right) are magnificent, with the color of the water constantly changing from one shade of blue to another. Driving the road itself is a memorable experience too, making you feel like you’re floating above the water, and the Seven Mile Bridge in the Lower Keys is an architectural masterpiece.

If you start in Miami, the entire drive is about 164 miles long, taking about 3.5 hours at a leisurely driving pace.

Essential stops: If you want an extravagant adventure along the way, splurge and stay at the underwater hotel in Key Largo, Jules Undersea Lodge, which is only accessible via scuba diving! It’s a little pricey ($800 per night for two people), but an absolutely unique experience.

The Bahia Honda State Park, about three quarters of the way along the Oversea Highway on the way to Key West, is one of the most pristine beaches in the Keys. Pack your bikini and your snorkeling equipment!

Don’t miss the Better Than Sex dessert restaurant in Key West (926 Simonton St) – the decadent sweet treats here are out of this world! And of course eat as much key lime pie as you can handle. Use this Miami New Times list of Ten Best Key Lime Pies In The Keys as a guide.

Detour: If you have a time for a detour, add the Everglades National Park to your itinerary. The turnoff to the National Park is just outside of Homestead (35 miles south of Miami / 127 miles north of Key West). The Everglades, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are one of the most magnificent places in Florida to spot wildlife – you are likely to see alligators, herons, cormorants, garfish, bass, turtles, deer, stilts, bitterns, limpkins, purple gallinules, roseate spoonbills, ibis, wood stork, Everglades kites, and if you are truly lucky, a Florida Panther.

3 Beach Hopping From Jacksonville To Miami

Going all the way from Jacksonville near the border with Georgia in the north to Miami in the south (or vice versa), Highway A1A is not only one of the most scenic road trips in Florida, but in the entire nation. The road follows the Atlantic, always as close to the water as possible. If you start in Jacksonville, your first stop will be St Augustine, the oldest town in the U.S., which is well worth a stop not only for its historic significance but also for its beautiful beach. From here, make sure to follow the A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway all the way down to Flagler Beach and be prepared to pull over frequently to take pictures. Your next stop will be Daytona Beach, where you can buy a beach day pass for only $5, where the boardwalk and arcades make for a fun day on the coast. From there, head to Cape Canaveral to get closer to NASA than you can anywhere else on the planet, or take a detour to Orlando (see ‘Detour’ below). The island of Palm Beach is another gorgeous beach stop on the way south, as is the lesser known (and less crowded) Delray Beach. In Fort Lauderdale, you can choose between art and culture or beach life, and driving down Miami’s Ocean Drive couldn’t be a better way to end your trip. Make sure to add a couple of nights in Miami – this city has so much to see! (See ‘Don’t Miss’).

Don’t miss: The historic sites in St Augustine, the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, and right next to the Kennedy Space Center you find one of the most scenic beaches along the entire Eastern seaboard: shell-strewn Playalinda in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Vero Beach, just a short drive south of Cape Canaveral, has been getting a lot of praise and makes for a lovely additional stop – the Vero Beach Museum of Art alone is worth a look.

Delray Beach is a small town which is experiencing a revival at the moment, with a booming art scene and growing restaurant & bar scene – in addition to miles and miles of beaches.

Art lovers will enjoy Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard which is lined with diverse restaurants, three museums, ten international art galleries, and shopaholics will appreciate the 65 retail options! Nearby Hollywood Beach is fantastic for a lazy beach town, if you want to enjoy the ocean and skip the city.

Don’t leave Miami without visiting Little Havana, the Wynwood Art District, the Art Deco District in South Beach and of course the iconic Miami Beach!

Detour: If you’re a theme park fan, take a detour to Orlando from Daytona Beach before heading back to the coast to Cape Canaveral. It’s only a short drive inland, and in Orlando you can unleash your inner child at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Legoland, Epcot Center, or the brand new water park, Volcano Bay.

Photo credit: All photos used under Flickr’s Creative Commons license. (1) Florida sunset by Sergio Monsalve; (2) Florida alligator by hex1848; (3) Crystal River by Bill Froberg; (4) Key West by Roman Boed; (5) Everglades by Mike Mahaffle; (6) Miami Art Deco by simplethrill.

Everybody talks about the nightlife in Miami, Disneyworld in Orlando, the natural beauty of the Keys. What about Florida’s gulf coast though? That’s a side of the sunshine state that falls mainly under the radar, despite offering just as many exciting adventures as Florida’s Atlantic coastline has. And Gulf County Florida isn’t just a summer destination: the prime season here is September through March. So if you’re thinking about taking a trip to Florida, why not consider the Gulf Coast?

4 things that make Gulf County Florida awesome:

244 miles of coastline

I bet you didn’t know that Gulf County has 244 miles of glorious coastline along the Florida panhandle. What’s different from other parts of Florida’s coast? Gulf County has remained its nature – there, you don’t find an aggressive invasion of nature like in Miami for example, where barely any nature is left. Instead of man-made, artificial beaches, you can still experience true nature, tranquility and the unspoiled ocean. The stunningly beautiful Cape San Blas is home to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, which was named the best beach in America a few years ago.

Water of all kinds

One thing that makes Gulf County special is that it has access to several bodies of water: the Gulf of Mexico of course, the saltwater of St Joseph Bay, the Gulf County Canal, Apalachicola Bay and river basin, Indian Pass Lagoon, and the freshwater of Chipola River and the Dead Lakes. These waters are all connected and give nature lovers access to untouched nature and wildlife – bird watching, fishing, hiking the nature trails and ecotouring is possible in all of those places. If you are more adventurous, then you’ll like:

Adventure activities

No matter what water sports you’re into, you can enjoy it in Gulf County: boating, snorkeling, paddle-boarding, diving, kayaking.. you name it! And the best part? In Gulf County, you’re never further away than 15 minutes from any of those activities. How cool is that?! Another big plus: since all of the activities are nature based, they’re never the same. Take stand up paddling for example: one day you might see herons on the shore, the next day you go out on a stand up paddle board, you might see sea turtles!

Amazing wildlife

Not only is Gulf County Florida home to 40% of the sea turtle population of Florida’s Gulf Coast, but it is also a paradise for bird watchers, and if you’re lucky you can spot alligators, Florida panthers, tortoises, bobcats and eagles. You can even see rare Red Wolves (an endangered species) on St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a 12,300 acre undeveloped barrier island – wildlife lovers have to visit this unspoiled little island.

Things to do in Gulf County Florida

1) Stand-up paddling

I’ve only tried it on a river, and I am keen on trying it out in the open water. I think the Gulf Of Mexico would be perfect with calmer waters than the Atlantic, for example. Added bonus: the stunning surrounding scenery!

2) Snorkeling

I love snorkeling and I have gone on snorkeling trips all over the world – never in the U.S., however! This needs to be changed as soon as possible, and the clear waters of Gulf County Florida wouldn’t only allow me to marvel at colorful fish but also at sea turtles! The best!

3) Sailing

I’ve always wanted to go on a sailing trip, maybe even sail around the world – but of course I have to try it out first and see if I like it! Sailing into the sunset off the coast of Florida seems magical to me, and I could sail to the St. Vincent Island with its famous Wildlife Refuge.

Plan a vacation in Gulf County, Florida

If you’re looking to visit Gulf County Florida, it is super easy to plan your vacation – check out the Gulf County Adventure Guide to get an idea for all the activities you can do there!  With the personalized Gulf County Concierge Program you can even pick three adventures you have never tried!