Fun in the Sunshine State!
If you think that Florida is just for children or that all there is to do is theme parks then you are very much mistaken!
We did everything!!! Theme parks, beaches, culture, nature, adventure and much more!
Our first day was spent in one of the Disney waterparks, Typhoon Lagoon, which was brilliant! Loved splashing around in all the different pools, running for the wave pool when the siren sounded and the experience of swimming in a tank filled with sharks and other marine life! That was a surreal one!
We stayed on International Drive for the majority of our stay but did a couple of nights in a Disney Hotel too, which I'd highly recommend! We stayed in the All Stars Resort and found this to be an ideal base for making the most of our time in Disney. On International Drive we stayed in a basic motel but I have previously stayed in a villa and can see the appeal of both.
Nothing can describe the moment that you walk into The Magic Kingdom and see the Castle in front of you! It gives you goosebumps!! We had a good couple of days exploring the different Disney parks including special late and early opening that are only available to those staying on site. Experienced some of the best restaurants that I've ever had the pleasure of dining in whilst in the Disney complex, a particular favourite was the Liberty Tree Inn where we had the most amazing mashed potato I've EVER tasted!! And the desserts were huge!!! Having my 36 year old husband asking if we could queue for the characters autographs was probably my favourite thing about the entire holiday, it's hard not to get into the spirit of becoming a child again yourself when surrounded by everything that you've grown up watching. The parades are a particuar highlight as they just make you smile...... the music, the characters, the floats. It's just so unreal being part of something so spectacular.
Another of my favourite places is SeaWorld. The experience of being so close to such amazing creatures is hard to beat! But saying that, my favourite show in SeaWorld was a dog/cat/parrot and all number of other rescue animals that have been rehomed by Disney and are now happily performing for the crowds! It's the sweetest show and you shouldn't miss it! A word of warning... my husband wanted to sit right at the front for the Killer Whale show and, as I knew what would happen, I agreed..... luckily I'd got a waterproof poncho on, he was not so lucky! That'll teach him! We also did a package called 'All Day Dining' which meant that we paid a fee upfront but could eat and drink in the restaurants in the park as much as we wanted. It certainly beat carrying a warm water bottle round all day! You could just go and get a fresh drink when you wanted and snack as when, rather than planning meals etc. There was so much choice, including fresh fruit and ice cream as well as main courses and desserts.
The beaches are always a real draw with Florida and it was the same for us. Daytona is fantastic with it's huge stretch of sand, motorbike's and 50's style diners or head to Clearwater for a laid back beach location with a real chilled out vibe. It's around a 2 hour drive from Orlando to both coasts, but it's so worth the drive.
I would return to Florida tomorrow as there is still so much for us to explore.... and the old favourites!