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Old 01-14-2010, 12:43 PM
 
26 posts, read 90,724 times
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Bringing the family down for WDW late May, but will spend a week after that exploring Florida. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip with our 5 kids, who range from age 5 to 19. I'm looking mostly at the central/northern half of the state for touring (hubby and I visited the Keys last November). We love beaches but also new experiences. What to see and experience and what to not worry about seeing??
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Old 01-14-2010, 02:27 PM
 
4,423 posts, read 7,369,132 times
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Everything in the Disney area is pretty much make-believe and very expensive. For a nice afternoon try going to Winter Park for lunch.
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Old 01-14-2010, 03:14 PM
 
Location: SARASOTA, FLORIDA
11,486 posts, read 15,310,171 times
Reputation: 4894
If you have time you have to go see Anna Maria Island, Siesta Keys area. Find a dolphin cruise if you have time. Kids would love that for sure.

Before the last bad cold snap wiped out millions of orange trees the Citrus Tower north of Orlando was a must see. It is still there but most of the groves are gone.

Also, Cape Canaveral if you have time.

It all depends on how much time you will have. Tons of free or low things to do around central Florida.

Enjoy WDW, it is a fantastic place to be. Your kids will never forget it.

Take plenty of film!
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Old 01-14-2010, 06:09 PM
 
Location: North Florida
5 posts, read 21,867 times
Reputation: 13
St. Augustine is very interesting and quaint. Beach is close, buggy rides around the town, historic stuff and a great fort. Seafood restaurants are local and the food is fresh. There and chain hotel/motel places and lots of B&Bs. There are winerys and chocolate makers - a great place to explore and you can do a lot of it on foot. Oh, yeah, there is the Alligator Farm - really more of a zoo, but lots of alligators. There are two great outlet malls - and the World Golf Village with an IMAX. Wow, I'm starting to sound like the Chamber of Commerce and I don't even live there! Its not a big city. I think its a comfortable place for families.
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:00 AM
 
110 posts, read 550,257 times
Reputation: 174
There are so many options

Besides Orlando, where you are already going

2 others that come to mind
1. Cape Canaveral. The space center is a sight to behold with all the history there. Check out the launch schedule for when you are going to be there. It is a once in a lifetime experience
2. St Augustine. Between the fort and other historic sights, it is quaint and a nice place to visit
3. Any beach on either coast. Clearwater on the Gulf and Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic are close to Orlando
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:40 AM
 
Location: Palm Island and North Port
7,511 posts, read 22,925,572 times
Reputation: 2879
Many of these are in SW FL but not all. Here's a list I put together of must see things:

Animal Kingdom

Arcadia Historic District

Arcadia Rodeo

Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Aviary & Zoo of Naples

Babcock Wilderness Adventures

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

Big "M" Casino Boat

Big Cat Rescue

Big Cypress Gallery

Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum

Broadway Palm Dinner Theater

Busch Gardens

Butterfly World

Cabbage Key

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

Cars & Music of Yesterday Museum

Collier County Museum

Cypress Gardens

Disney

Disney-MGM Studios

Edison-Ford Winter Estates

Epcot Center

Everglades Day Safari

Everglades Wonder Gardens

Fisherman's Village

Flamingo Island Flea Market

Fleamasters Fleamarket

Fish Cove Adventure Golf

Florida Everblades Ice Hockey

Florida Firecats Arena Football

Florida Flame Basketball

Florida Railroad Museum

Florida Sports Park-Swamp Buggy Races

Fort Myers Miracle Baseball

Gamble Mansion

Gatorland

GWIZ

Historic Boca Grande

Historic Spanish Point

Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida

Imaginarium Museum

Islands of Adventure

Kennedy Space Center

Key West Express

Kidstar Fun Park, Port Charlotte

Lion Country Safari

Lowry Park Zoo

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Marineland

Miami Seaquarium

MOSI-Museum of Science and Industry

Mote Marine

Naples Botanical Garden

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Orange Blossom Balloon Rides

Ostego Bay Marine Science Center

Punta Gorda Trolley Tour

Ringling Museum

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum

Sarasota Children's Garden

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Sarasota Red Sox

Sea World

Seminole Gaming Palace

Silver Springs

Solomon’s Castle

South Florida & Bishop Planetarium

South Florida Museum

Sunken Gardens

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

The Shell Factory & Nature Park

Universal Studios

Warm Mineral Springs
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Old 01-15-2010, 11:24 AM
 
Location: SARASOTA, FLORIDA
11,486 posts, read 15,310,171 times
Reputation: 4894
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFLGal View Post
Many of these are in SW FL but not all. Here's a list I put together of must see things:

Animal Kingdom

Arcadia Historic District

Arcadia Rodeo

Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Aviary & Zoo of Naples

Babcock Wilderness Adventures

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

Big "M" Casino Boat

Big Cat Rescue

Big Cypress Gallery

Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum

Broadway Palm Dinner Theater

Busch Gardens

Butterfly World

Cabbage Key

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

Cars & Music of Yesterday Museum

Collier County Museum

Cypress Gardens

Disney

Disney-MGM Studios

Edison-Ford Winter Estates

Epcot Center

Everglades Day Safari

Everglades Wonder Gardens

Fisherman's Village

Flamingo Island Flea Market

Fleamasters Fleamarket

Fish Cove Adventure Golf

Florida Everblades Ice Hockey

Florida Firecats Arena Football

Florida Flame Basketball

Florida Railroad Museum

Florida Sports Park-Swamp Buggy Races

Fort Myers Miracle Baseball

Gamble Mansion

Gatorland

GWIZ

Historic Boca Grande

Historic Spanish Point

Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida

Imaginarium Museum

Islands of Adventure

Kennedy Space Center

Key West Express

Kidstar Fun Park, Port Charlotte

Lion Country Safari

Lowry Park Zoo

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Marineland

Miami Seaquarium

MOSI-Museum of Science and Industry

Mote Marine

Naples Botanical Garden

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Orange Blossom Balloon Rides

Ostego Bay Marine Science Center

Punta Gorda Trolley Tour

Ringling Museum

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum

Sarasota Children's Garden

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Sarasota Red Sox

Sea World

Seminole Gaming Palace

Silver Springs

Solomon’s Castle

South Florida & Bishop Planetarium

South Florida Museum

Sunken Gardens

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

The Shell Factory & Nature Park

Universal Studios

Warm Mineral Springs

Holy smokes SoFlGla, now that is a nice list.

And some think Florida is a flat boring place.

Now you even have me wanting to come down for a quick trip.
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:10 PM
 
Location: Orlando
8,176 posts, read 18,539,736 times
Reputation: 49864
If anyone is into NASCAR, take a trip up to Daytona USA. Take a tour of the track. It's pretty cool.

Kennedy Space Center is worth a trip..check the shuttle launch dates.
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
807 posts, read 3,187,699 times
Reputation: 707
Sailing the Gulf out from Destin Harbor

who's chasing who?

I agree that Daytona is fun...
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Old 01-16-2010, 07:14 AM
 
3,769 posts, read 8,802,427 times
Reputation: 3773
My top 3 with kids would be:
Cape Canaveral (check launch dates - you have to get clearance well in advance and have entry tixs)
Destin beaches (even a day is well worth these amazing beaches - check out Sandestin)
St. Augustine (do a historical trolley tour)
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