I just have to say that I am very lucky to have grown up in Orlando. The theme parks are amazing, nothing else quite compares. The Sea World here was smaller then the Denver Zoo. We saw one show, a few animals and then played in the kids area.
I do think that it is probably worth waiting until the kids are older to bring them to these places as tourists.
Jake seemed incredibly mesmerized. Gavin I think enjoyed the bus ride to the park more then the park itself.
When I ask him, he says the best part was the fish that nibbled on his fingers and because he had patience they all snacked on his digits
We had big plans to bring them into the city after the park but once we got back to our tiny house, our new neighbors (in the other tiny house) had a fire going in the shared patio.
Susie and Jesse are from Ohio visiting their Marine son who is a drill sargent here. They are super sweet and the kids kept them occupied until bedtime.
The kids are so darn sneaky though. In two seconds Jake pushed a chair up to the counter and sat himself in his favorite spot…with the water on…in his pajamas and I found Gavin in the bathroom with the door shut sneaking a chocolate pudding!
I think the best part about this vacation so far, is living with weak internet service, no TV and in a small space forcing us to just interact non stop, entertain each other and have fun.
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Travel with your family
More from the Americas
Plan for roughly half the driving you think you can do. Kids need movement breaks every 1.5 to 2 hours. The best stops are not the ones on the itinerary but the ones you find by pulling over. Pack snacks that avoid crumbs. And accept that the trip will go differently than planned and that is usually better.
Audiobooks and podcasts for kids work better than screens for longer stretches. Window games. Music everyone can agree on. Letting older kids navigate. And giving them meaningful jobs rather than just asking them to sit quietly for hours.
A car trash bag. A cooler for drinks and snacks. A first aid kit. One bag per person that lives accessible in the car. Entertainment that works without wifi. A physical map as backup. And less than you think you need of everything else.
Four to five hours of actual driving is comfortable for most families with young children. More than that and the last hour tends to make everyone miserable. Factor in stops and add at least 50 percent to driving times.
The national parks are extraordinary and widely underused by families. Zoos in major cities. Interactive children’s museums. Sea World, Legoland, and similar theme parks for dedicated days. And the unexpected stops that were not planned that end up being everyone’s favorite memory.
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