Iguanas, Ice-Creams and Islands

“Snake! Watch out!”

Our son's warning comes just in time.

I hear a rustle and spot a Black Racer snake less than a metre from my feet. We all jump backwards, while the children are beside themselves with excitement.

I like wildlife. I really do.

But personally, I prefer the iguanas.

We're in the Florida Keys, a string of islands stretching around 120 miles off the southern tip of Florida, and it doesn't take long to realise that wildlife is everywhere.

The sea is clear and shallow, and on walks along the shoreline we spot crabs, snappers and starfish. Iguanas meander around as though they own the place.

It's a world away from the hectic pace of Miami, where our Florida adventure began.

Miami: Cuban coffee and giant ice creams

Just a few days earlier, we'd woken up jet-lagged at 4am in metropolitan Miami and somehow dragged ourselves out for breakfast at a 24-hour diner in Wynwood.

We were surrounded by groups of partygoers who were only just beginning to think about going to bed.

We, meanwhile, were very much ready for bed ourselves.

But there is no time for sleeping. We have a city to explore.

One of the easiest ways to get around Miami with children is on the free trolley buses that run through different parts of the city. We hop on and off as we explore, saving our legs for the more important things.

Like ice cream.

In Little Havana, we stop for excellent Cuban coffee at La Colada while the children discover the enormous ice creams at Azucar.

Little Havana is one of our favourite parts of Miami. There is colour everywhere — from the buildings and street art to the old-fashioned signs and murals. We watch people playing dominoes in the park and soak up the distinctly Cuban atmosphere.

It feels like we've left the United States without actually leaving Miami.

A museum where children can do almost everything

The Miami Children's Museum is another big hit.

It's the sort of museum where children are encouraged to touch, explore and get involved rather than being told not to touch anything.

They can operate diggers at a mini construction site, climb into a fire engine, explore different currencies in a bank and discover all sorts of other jobs and professions.

We also join a science workshop where the children create luminous, volcanic-like explosions.

They're thrilled.

We're exhausted.

After our early start and busy morning, an afternoon beside the rooftop pool sounds like the perfect plan.

Cats, dogs and a trip to space

Before visiting the Science Museum, we stop at Ferré Park, right next door.

The children immediately gravitate towards the colourful cat and dog sculptures dotted around the park. The permanent exhibition features 26 cats and 26 dogs, each created by local artists to celebrate the special role that pets play in our lives.

It turns out to be the perfect way to entertain the children before heading inside.

The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is wonderfully interactive, with plenty to keep younger visitors interested. The planetarium is particularly fascinating, transporting us from Miami to somewhere rather further away.

By the end of the day, we're ready for a much slower pace.

Fortunately, the Florida Keys are waiting.

Welcome to the Florida Keys

As we drive south towards Key Largo, the pace changes almost immediately.

The landscape becomes more relaxed and tropical, and we find ourselves slowing down to match it.

After the energy of Miami, this is exactly what we need.

We spend our days exploring the coastline, swimming and looking for wildlife. The water is beautifully clear and shallow, making it particularly enjoyable with children.

And then there are the iguanas.

Lots of them.

They seem to be everywhere — basking in the sunshine, wandering across paths and generally going about their business.

Our children are fascinated.

I keep an eye out for snakes.

Tarpon, pelicans and a very memorable lunch

We drive to Islamorada, around 30 minutes south of Key Largo, and stop for lunch at Robbie's Marina.

Robbie's is famous for its tarpon feeding, and naturally the children want to have a go.

They're handed buckets containing small fish and head towards the enormous tarpon.

It doesn't take long before the pelicans realise what's happening.

Suddenly, we're dealing with two groups of hungry creatures competing for lunch.

The children shriek with laughter as the pelicans try to steal the fish straight from their hands.

It's chaotic, noisy and completely brilliant.

And it's another reminder that travelling with children often means finding the experiences that are just a little bit ridiculous.

From the Keys to the Everglades

Eventually, we leave the Keys and head north.

We stop at Everglades Alligator Farm to break up the drive from Key Largo towards Deerfield Beach, a small coastal town north of Miami.

The stop turns out to be a highlight.

We climb aboard an airboat and set off across the Everglades.

The children absolutely love it.

We race across the water, spray flies everywhere and, inevitably, get soaked.

“This was the best ever!” they announce afterwards.

I suspect the parents might have enjoyed it almost as much.

Back on dry land, we get a much closer look at the alligators, from tiny babies to impressively large adults. We learn about their behaviour during a show and feeding session, and the children are completely captivated.

At this point, Florida is starting to feel like one enormous wildlife adventure.

Orlando: from alligators to rollercoasters

Our road trip eventually takes us to Orlando, where the focus shifts from nature and wildlife to some of Florida's most famous family attractions.

We visit SeaWorld, which gives us another opportunity to get up close to the marine world, as well as enjoying the rides and attractions.

Then there's LEGOLAND Florida, which is a very different kind of theme-park experience and a particular hit with the children.

After days of beaches, wildlife and road trips, it's fun to let the children take centre stage for a while.

And then we discover something a little different.

A tropical island — in the middle of Orlando

We visit Discovery Cove, and it turns out to be one of the most memorable days of the entire trip.

Discovery Cove isn't really like a traditional theme park. Instead, it feels more like an upmarket all-inclusive tropical resort.

And after all the driving and sightseeing, it is exactly what we need.

We snorkel through the Grand Reef, surrounded by colourful fish.

Then our son starts frantically waving at me underwater.

He points behind me.

Sharks.

A few of them are only about a metre away.

Fortunately, there's a pane of glass between us and these rather intimidating creatures.

I'm relieved.

The children are thrilled.

Flamingos, waterfalls and a lazy river

There is so much more to Discovery Cove than the reef.

The children adore the long lazy river, which winds through a cave, past an aviary and through waterfalls. We spend time simply floating around the lagoon, surrounded by tropical scenery, and for a while it genuinely feels as though we've arrived on a tropical island.

The great thing is that it really is all-inclusive for the day.

Wetsuits, snorkelling equipment, meals, drinks, snacks and even suncream are all provided.

After several busy days, the lack of logistics is bliss.

But my personal highlight comes when a group of flamingos strolls along the beach.

Flamingos. On a beach. In Orlando.

It's undoubtedly a man-made experience, but it's incredibly well done and becomes one of our favourite days of the entire trip.

The perfect Florida family road trip?

Looking back, what makes this trip work so well is the variety.

Miami gives us city life, Cuban culture, museums and enormous ice creams.

The Florida Keys slow everything down, with warm seas, beautiful beaches and wildlife around almost every corner.

The Everglades bring us alligators and airboats.

And Orlando brings the big family attractions — from SeaWorld and LEGOLAND to the rather more tranquil experience of Discovery Cove.

And then there are the unexpected moments.

A snake appearing beside my feet.

Pelicans stealing fish from the children's hands.

Sharks swimming just metres away.

Flamingos strolling down a beach.

These are the things that turn a family holiday into a story we keep telling long after we've unpacked the suitcases.

And if our children are anything to go by, the official highlights of Florida are quite simple:

Ice cream. Iguanas. Airboats. Sharks. Rollercoasters. And absolutely anything involving water.