We could have gone to Disney World. We could have gone to Sea World. We could have gone to Universal Studios or Discovery Cove. Instead we went spent our only full day in Orlando at the Science Center, where admission was free because we showed our membership card for the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Maybe I'm a cheapskate depriving my children of fun, but my kids had a wonderful day at the hands-on museum. They watched baby alligators eat their lunch, raced soap box cars and learned about velocity, and built houses with blocks on an earthquake "shake table" and tested their engineering in an 8.0 tremor.
Here are 7 more things to do in Orlando with kids--beyond going to spendy amusement parks.
1) Pedal across a lake. Hop, skip, and jump along the mile-long path circling Lake Eola Park. You'll enjoy sweeping views of Orlando's skyline and colorful flower beds. You can also rent swan-shaped paddle boats ($15 per half hour), and feed the ducks. If you're hungry, Relax Grill right on the lake serves juicy burgers and blackened mahimahi. Info: click here.
2) Stop to smell the roses. Three miles of paved scenic walkways wind through Harry P. Leu Gardens' 50 acres of Southern styled gardens including one of America's largest Camellia collections, a formal rose garden, and a butterfly garden where it's fun for kids to look for winged insects. $7 adults, free kids. Info: leugardens.org.
3) Bite into a big sandwich. An Orlando institution since 1967, Beefy King is known for its roast beef and pastrami sandwiches. The meat is seasoned and heated over a steam vent, which moistens it and brings out its natural juices. Also, try the tater tots, onion rings, and thick milkshakes. Info: beefyking.com.
4) Get eye-to-eye with a gator. Thousands of alligators and crocodiles lurk in the 70 acres of swampy land making up Gatorland. Catch the crowd-pleasing show, Gator Jumparoo featuring the giant "lizards" jumping out of the water to snatch hunks meat from a trainer's hand. Also, feast on smoked gator ribs, watch gators wrestle, and amble along a boardwalk passing through the gator-filled swamp. adults $22.99, kids $14.99. Info: gatorland.com.
5) Hug a tree. Fifteen minutes north of town in Big Tree Park, you can take a walk and visit Florida's oldest resident, "the Senator." Approximately 3,500 years old and 18 feet tall, it is one of America's oldest bald cypress trees. Stroll along the boardwalk or bring along lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic tables. Free. Info: click here.
6) Cool off with an ice cream cone. Savor creamy, rich soft serve at Goff's Drive-in, an institution in Orlando's Parramore neighborhood since 1948. Info: click here.
7) Ride a merry-go-round. A retro amusement park in nearby Kissimmee, Old Town is the place to sip an old-fashioned root beer, go for a spin on the tea cups, ride the antique carousel and the wooden Ferris wheel, and step into the general store where you'll find collections of memorabilia from Coca-Cola and John Deere. Hundreds of motorcyclists rally through the streets on Thursday nights, and on Saturday nights the park comes to life with a vintage car parade. Live music every night at 7:30 p.m. Admission free. Info: old-town.com.
Know of any other fun things to do with kids in Orlando?
Here are 7 more things to do in Orlando with kids--beyond going to spendy amusement parks.
1) Pedal across a lake. Hop, skip, and jump along the mile-long path circling Lake Eola Park. You'll enjoy sweeping views of Orlando's skyline and colorful flower beds. You can also rent swan-shaped paddle boats ($15 per half hour), and feed the ducks. If you're hungry, Relax Grill right on the lake serves juicy burgers and blackened mahimahi. Info: click here.
2) Stop to smell the roses. Three miles of paved scenic walkways wind through Harry P. Leu Gardens' 50 acres of Southern styled gardens including one of America's largest Camellia collections, a formal rose garden, and a butterfly garden where it's fun for kids to look for winged insects. $7 adults, free kids. Info: leugardens.org.
3) Bite into a big sandwich. An Orlando institution since 1967, Beefy King is known for its roast beef and pastrami sandwiches. The meat is seasoned and heated over a steam vent, which moistens it and brings out its natural juices. Also, try the tater tots, onion rings, and thick milkshakes. Info: beefyking.com.
4) Get eye-to-eye with a gator. Thousands of alligators and crocodiles lurk in the 70 acres of swampy land making up Gatorland. Catch the crowd-pleasing show, Gator Jumparoo featuring the giant "lizards" jumping out of the water to snatch hunks meat from a trainer's hand. Also, feast on smoked gator ribs, watch gators wrestle, and amble along a boardwalk passing through the gator-filled swamp. adults $22.99, kids $14.99. Info: gatorland.com.
5) Hug a tree. Fifteen minutes north of town in Big Tree Park, you can take a walk and visit Florida's oldest resident, "the Senator." Approximately 3,500 years old and 18 feet tall, it is one of America's oldest bald cypress trees. Stroll along the boardwalk or bring along lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic tables. Free. Info: click here.
6) Cool off with an ice cream cone. Savor creamy, rich soft serve at Goff's Drive-in, an institution in Orlando's Parramore neighborhood since 1948. Info: click here.
7) Ride a merry-go-round. A retro amusement park in nearby Kissimmee, Old Town is the place to sip an old-fashioned root beer, go for a spin on the tea cups, ride the antique carousel and the wooden Ferris wheel, and step into the general store where you'll find collections of memorabilia from Coca-Cola and John Deere. Hundreds of motorcyclists rally through the streets on Thursday nights, and on Saturday nights the park comes to life with a vintage car parade. Live music every night at 7:30 p.m. Admission free. Info: old-town.com.
Know of any other fun things to do with kids in Orlando?
7 comments:
Thanks for these tips, its good to know there are so many things to see and do in Orlando, and many of them are free.
I love this post, Orlando isn't just about Disney! Thanks!
Florida is very beautiful and attractive place to visit. I really love to go there especially with family because of its beaches and places attract me to visit again and again. Top places like the Disney World is something I always look forward to every time I visit. Good to know that there are so much to do aside from Disney.
This is true... Florida is not just about Disney. That is something so amazing about this place because it has a lot to give and to offer when it comes to fun and relaxation. I just love this place and it is one of my favorite.
Wonderful learn, I simply passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he really bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch! Anyway, in my language, there are not much good supply like this.
I havent any word to appreciate this post.....Really i am impressed from this post....the person who create this post it was a great human..thanks for shared this with us.
Daniel, yea I can see what you probably did there. I really appreciated that part, however hehe I am not that harsh like my dad with these things. He at all times tells me crazy stories again in the day and calls me a loser. I guess it's time I move out of my dad and mom' basement LOL. Aaanyways, what about you? what does your dad think xD" Anyway, in my language, there are usually not a lot good source like this.
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