Best For: The
outdoorsy, nature-loving family who prefers creature comforts over sleeping
bags.
Stay: Amelia Island Plantation spans the entire south end
of the island before merging into a state park. Its stunning 3½-mile stretch of
dune-studded beach and hundreds of acres of maritime forest and marshland give
the resort an unspoiled, natural feel.
Play:
Start the day paddling through the salt marsh on a kayak from Walker’s Landing. At
low tide you can walk around on mud flats and see dolphins, manatees and crabs
(don’t worry; it’s too salty for alligators!). Next, hop on a bike or a Segway
from Amelia’s Wheels to
explore the seven miles of tree-canopied trails. Don’t miss the Sunken Forest with
wooden overlooks for fabulous views of the Atlantic over the treetops. End the
day on the meandering boardwalks at Drummond Point Park, the
best place to see herons and egrets as the sun sets over the endless expanse of
marshland.
Go Natural:
Head to the Nature Center for
children’s programs like shark-tooth hunts and crabbing with the center’s
“master naturalist” Christina Nelson. Meet Rex, the red-bellied turtle, in the
indoor zoo. Rent fishing rods from Amelia Angler to
catch redfish and seatrout right offshore, or head to the private Aury Island, where
you can go marsh fishing and the little ones can have fun on the play- ground
while you wait for a bite.
Eat: Sip
sweet tea and nibble on chocolate crunch cake by the lake at Marche Burette Market
& Deli. In the evening, try the grouper in
sauvignon-blanc sauce at the Verandah
restaurant, or for some- thing more casual, go for the “best burger on the
island,” served with fried green beans, at the Falcon’s Nest. On
Friday nights in summer, locals gather at the Boardwalk Bash,
home to $1 beers and live music. For more information, please visit: ameliaisland.com.
Best For: The
families who really enjoy that perfect mix of natural and urban beach
surroundings.
Stay:
Mangroves border the Naples Grande Beach Resort,
where you’ll find some 23 acres of green and raised wooden walkways winding
their way to the shore. (An open-air shuttle whisks you down to the beach.)
Bungalows with split floor plans set in a Zen garden are ideal for families.
Play: An
hour’s drive from the Everglades, Naples is a jumping-off point for trips into Florida’s
most famous swamp. Everglades Excursions, with its air-conditioned
van (translation: no crabby kids on a hot summer day), transports guests from
Naples to the wetlands. Fly across the river of grass pro- pelled by wind on an
airboat as you search for gators; wrap the half-day tour with a visit to
Everglades City, the gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands. Back in town catch
one of the Naples Players Youth Theatre’s summer productions—Annie, 101
Dalmatians and Cats—at the Sugden Theater.
Eat: The
no-frills, laid-back Mel’s Diner
serves chili-cheese fries, beer-battered onion rings and comfort food like
buttermilk-fried chicken. If the kids want to watch boats, Pinchers Crab Shack on the Gordon River has
great viewing, along with plenty of blue, king, snow and stone crabs. For more
information, please visit: paradisecoast.com.
Best For:
Laid-back, water-loving families who would much rather sleep on the beach if
they could.
Stay: A
steel-drum band on the eighth-floor pool deck of the new Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach will
have you thinking you’re in the Bahamas. Tots have their own gated (and shaded)
play area with a pool and water toys. Upstairs you’ll find what one guest
dubbed “hotel rooms on steroids.” The huge spaces have full kitchens, so kids
can snack—or heck, make their own breakfast—while parents sip their morning joe
on balconies overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
Play: A
day in Clearwater goes like this: beach, pool, frosty drink, beach, seafood,
sleep, repeat. For- get worrying if your kid is too loud—this place is crawling
with pint-size people. They’re in the tidal pools on the beach and tied to
body-boards in the surf. They’re digging holes and making racetracks with
plastic shovels. The only thing calm about this place is the water—except when
a faux pirate ship fires its cannons.
Cheesy, But Kids Love It: Come
sunset, the action continues on the new winding Beach Walk that
leads to Pier 60,
home of Disney-like pirates (“Ahoy, mates!”), glass blowers (“Ooh, ah”) and
also hair braiding stations (“Can we? Please?”).
Eat:
Anything with the word “Frenchy’s” in the name is a good bet. And the family-owned
restaurants boast colorful decks with railings supported by fish-shaped wooden
cutouts. (Try the colossal Buffalo grouper sandwich—it’s worth every bite.) If
the wait’s too long at all four locations, head to Cooter’s for the clam chowder. Save your resort wear for
the Island Way Grill and
its macadamia-nut-crusted mahi and mussels in spicy coconut-milk. Nightlife
here consists of early bedtime— ’cause tomorrow you’ve got to do it all again.
For more information, please visit: visitclearwaterflorida.com.
Best For:
Families who can’t resist the Disney attraction but also like to explore new
territory too.
Stay: Make
a splash at the new Key West-themed CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort.
Fourteen water slides, a zero-entry play pool and a water-soaked jungle gym
indulge all age groups. And at the family-friendly ChampionsGate nearby, float down a lazy river past shooting
water cannons, while dad plays 36 holes. An infinity pool, water slide and
tower round out the alfresco fun.
Play:
Orlando’s latest attraction, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at
Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure, brings to life the popular
children’s series with sets and thrill rides designed to immerse guests in the
quirky universe created by the Harry Potter books as well as the films. Even
the line for the attraction is fun as it winds though a replica of Hogwarts
Castle. For those who prefer the marquee Disney experience, Magic Kingdom reintroduces its
popular Main Street Electrical
Parade. While the nearly half a million lights follow
Tinker Bell as she sprinkles pixie dust down Main Street.
Eat:
Islands of Adventure’s Confisco Grille offers a character breakfast on Thursdays and
Sundays; similar dinners take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Royal Pacific Hotel’s Islands Dining Room. Just
outside the theme parks, the Dessert Lady specializes in satisfying your sweet tooth—the
peanut-butter pie is not to be missed!
Best For: The
real adventure-seeking families that are willing to forget the stock-car
stereotypes.
Stay: The
sunflower-yellow Shores Resort & Spa is
on a quiet stretch of A1A. (Contrary to expect- ations, the thunderous stutter
of chopper exhaust was not the weekend’s sound- track.) Guest rooms are
cheerful and cozy, but chances are you’ll quickly migrate to the heated pool
(for little people) and full-service tiki bar (for big people). At sundown, the
s’mores kit from the mini bar truly inspires a kumbaya moment at the
poolside fire pit. The following morning, chocolate-chip silver-dollar pan-
cakes await at Azure, the hotel’s restaurant—score!
Play:
Cruise atop the khaki sand, and you’ll definitely notice boys excitedly
observing the parked Jeep Wranglers as if they were rhinoceroses in a wildlife
preserve. Over at the Trike Shop on Beach Street, the sparkling chrome hogs
inspire a brand of gawking typically reserved for sugar-dusted confections and
action figures. In Daytona, there’s nothing new about driving on the beach
(tradition dating back to the early 20th century) and motorcycles (ever heard
of Bike Week?). Through little eyes, however, they’re eye-bugging,
jaw-dropping, do-it-again-Daddy forms of entertainment.
Shop: Nicole’s Beach Street Mall is a
colossal treasure-trove of antiques and whatchamacallits. As boys sit on the
floor playing with boxcars and firetrucks, moms discover vintage Gucci handbags
for less than a tank of gas.
Eat:
Decked out in a Skittles color palette, Lighthouse Landing
(386.761.9271) is a 40-year-old fish camp in Ponce Inlet, 15 minutes south of
Daytona. The restaurant serves a stellar, hoagie-size soft- shell-crab sandwich
and gator bites the size of doorknobs. Sit at a picnic table on a dry dock boat
with a Blue Moon draft (big people) and lemonade (little people), and watch as
pelicans dive into the inlet and come up with small silverfish. Do it again,
Daddy. For more info, please visit: daytonabeach.com.
Best For:
Cultural travelers. Every trip to the Oldest City reveals something new. Devote
a weekend to exploring the prolific art scene, and discover some unexpected
treasures.
Sleep: A
stay at a B&B is a must. Cloaked in the shade of towering pecan and oak
trees, the Old Powder House Inn whisks you back to another era. Sit on the
porch of this turn-of-the-century Victorian (where gunpowder was once stored),
sip a cocktail and listen to the click-clack of horse hooves as they pass on
the brick streets.
Eat:
Fulfill two necessities in life, art and food, at one location: Zhanras Art
& Eats, across the Bridge of Lions on Anastasia Island. Start with the
lobster-and-corn fritters, and then move on to the étouffée with shrimp; don’t
leave without purchasing a piece of art for your collection. On some evenings,
watch artists work on-site while you dine.
Play: Grab
a spot on the First Friday Artwalk for an evening of art, cocktails and hors
d’oeuvres. Not to be missed are Frederick Hart’s cast-bronze sculptures at
Brilliance in Color and local goldsmith Joel Bagnal’s jewelry at Aviles
Gallery. The next day, visit the Lightner Museum in Henry Flager’s former Hotel
Alcazar. While Thomas Edison’s 1877 phonograph and a Tiffany stained-glass
window of St. Augustine are highlights, take the winding stairway to find
off-the-radar pieces like the 19th-century Balloon Back sofa from Burma and a
huge antique button collection.
Best For: A
rustic escape. Cedar
Key is a blend of fishing village and island,
attracting a varied group of visitors—anglers, seafood lovers and those who
come for the annual reunion of former Weeki Wachee mermaids.
Sleep: Guests
of the historic 1859 Island House, a
general-store-and-former-brothel-turned-B&B, tend to gravitate to the
second-floor balcony to chat or people-watch. Jimmy Buffett prefers Room 32.
Study the sepia-toned mural in the guest-only lounge, book an in-room massage
or toast happy hour at the tiny Neptune Bar.
Eat:
Resist the temptation to dig right in to the Island Restaurant’s hearts-of-palm
salad, said to have been invented here. Instead, wait for that silky
lime-sherbet/peanut-butter/vanilla-ice-cream dressing to melt among sugar
dates, cantaloupe and other seasonal fruits. Most restaurants serve Cedar Key’s
specialty—clams raised by some 200 local farmers—but Tony’s loads ’em into its
chowder, which has trumped New England recipes in its two-year romp as world
chowder champ.
Play:
Browse through the shops and art galleries along Second Street, or hit the Gulf
via fishing boat or sea kayak; at night check out bars and live bands along
Deck Street. islandhotel-cedarkey.com
Best For: Art
lovers. There’s no prettier place than the Ringling Museum of Art for a
festival, especially one where Mikhail Baryshnikov dances. Between shows—dance,
violin solos and drama—enjoy jazz and cocktails bayside, sushi at Treviso and
Rubens’ art in the museum.
Sleep:
right down the road at the Ritz-Carlton. Oct. 11-16.
Sleep:
Standing proudly on a barrier island on the Gulf, the grand pink lady, Don
CeSar, is the perfect marriage of Roaring Twenties romance and modern resort
elegance.
Eat: Dine
in at the Maritana Grille and Lobby Bar, which specializes in sous vide
cooking. Reserve a table near a wide-screen-size saltwater tank where lionfish
entertain you between courses. For breakfast, wander south a half-mile down
Pass-a-Grille Way to the historic Sea Horse. Simple diner fare goes well with
the outside ambience of gliding pelicans.
Indulge: The
hotel’s Spa Oceana’s three-hour Honeymooners package spoils with its hydrating
bath, full-body exfoliation, massage and facial. End your experience with lunch
on the private rooftop garden overlooking the Gulf and gradual curve of
shoreline that goes on forever.
Best For: The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
is the visitor center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It features exhibits and
displays, historic spacecraft and memorabilia, shows, two IMAX theaters, a range of bus tours of
the spaceport, and the Shuttle Launch
Experience, a simulated ride into space. It
also encompasses the separate Apollo/Saturn V Center and United States Astronaut
Hall of Fame. Just opened is Exploration
Tower featuring historic displays, high-tech interactive exhibits and
awe-inspiring views that will set visitors on the path of exploration and
adventure that first attracted Europeans to Florida some 500 years ago. www.explorationtower.com.
Sleep: Best Western Oceanfront Hotel & Suites, the closest Oceanfront Hotel to Port Canaveral, would like to
welcome you to Cocoa Beach. Located on a beautiful barrier Island between the
Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River Lagoon on Florida’s Space Coast, makes it
the perfect vacation spot. Cocoa Beach is known as a sleepy, little beach town,
but is also known as the East Coast Surfing Capital and hometown of surf
champion, Kelly Slater.
Eat: Voted No. 1 Coffee House by
Orlando Fox News 35 in Central Florida, Juice -N- Java Cafe is a local favorite for not only their coffee, but their
fantastic menu and wine bar with a list reflecting eclectic selections
from around the world
Indulge: You have to head to world-famous
Cocoa
Beach (voted one of ten BEST
BEACH TOWNS in Florida in 2013 by USA TODAY
and Dr. Beach) and work your way south along A1A and venture through our other
beach towns such as Satellite Beach, Indialantic, and Melbourne Beach. Blend in
with surfers, boogie boarders, joggers, fat tire beach cyclers, sun bathers,
sandcastle builders, waders, swimmers and just about any other group having fun
that you can imagine.
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