Between the world class amusement parks, the miles and miles of gorgeous white sand beaches, the lushness of the Everglades, the relaxed vibes of the Keys, the nightlife of Miami and the unmistakable beauty in the Florida Panhandle you can bet that if you can’t find what you’re looking for in Florida, you’re simply not trying hard enough.

While heading to one area in Florida can be a fun trip, no real Florida vacation is complete without taking at least 1 road trip. While you can drive from down south in Miami up through Orlando and over to Pensacola in under 10 hours, even while passing through some of Florida’s largest cities, the best road trips in Florida take only a few hours at best from the major cities.

That said, while you can rent everything from a scooter to a Lamborghini while in Florida, if you truly want to get away from the crowds, you can also rent a camper in Orlando and take your time visiting some of Florida’s hidden gems.

Best Road Trips Around Miami, Florida

While Miami has a ton to offer from beautiful beaches to amazing nightlife (including latin salsa dancing, Cuban inspired dishes and more famous people showing up around town than any city outside California), sometimes you need a few days to relax.

There are 2 quick day trips that come to mind when based in Miami. The Florida Keys and the Florida Everglades. Each can be done in a day but both deserve to be part of the best road trips in Florida.

Road Trip to the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys is one of Florida’s most chill destinations with some of the longest bridges in the country linking dozens of small sandy islands known as keys. Heading out to the Keys for the day (as they’re affectionately known) is a popular Florida day trip from Miami and even Fort Lauderdale.

Heading south, and less than an hour away from Miami, is the first (and often final) stop, the largest key/island in the archipelago, Key Largo. In Key Largo you can go scuba diving or take a snorkel tour at the first underwater park in the United States, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which comprises part of the Florida Reef, the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. You can also rent kayaks and check out the park at your own pace or pretend you’re Bogart and Hepburn and take the African Queen Canal Cruise.

If you choose to continue your 2 hour, 100 mile drive down the Florida Keys you will encounter many cute parks and small towns, more bridges than you’ll ever see again and then, finally, Key West. Key West is the southernmost city in the contiguous United States and is only 95 miles from Cuba. You’ll find plenty of relaxed vibes, great diving, Cuban inspired cuisine and homes from Hemingway to Truman as well as a rum distillery and plenty of places selling the ubiquitous key-lime pies (so named after the archipelago). There are also dozens of Bed and Breakfasts in Key West as well as several campgrounds if you decide to stay overnight.

Road Trip to the Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades are home to everything from Alligators to panthers and are a great juxtaposition to about all things Miami. Featuring thrilling airboat tour rides in the swamps to awesome mile long boardwalks high over the varying terrain, the Everglades are unlike just about anywhere else you’ll find and make a great day long road trip.

Since Miami and Fort Lauderdale are just on the outskirts of the Everglades National Park, they’re a popular starting point for an Everglades excursion. Some people find that Key Largo can also make a great entryway to the Florida Everglades so if you’re straight off the heels of your Florida Keys road trip, Key Largo could be a great stopping point for the night.

While you can drive over to any number of Everglades airboat tour operators that provide tours aboard fast moving airboats (they are a ton of fun), we suggest that either before or after your tour you head to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center before entering the Everglades National Park proper and continuing your journey south to the Flamingo Visitor Center. There you can take a ranger lead tour of the Everglades and you can also stop by the many boardwalks and hiking trails like we’ve done numerous times on your drive back up to Miami. The Anhinga Trail is often rated as the best of these and shouldn’t be missed.

Best Road Trips around Orlando, Florida

While theme parks and outlet malls dominate the landscape around Orlando and Kissimmee, after a few days of dealing with the crowds you’ll want to escape to someplace quieter and with fewer lines. Since Orlando is fairly central, you can literally go in any direction for a Florida road trip to see different scenery.

Our recommendations for day long road trips from Orlando includes a trip to Daytona Beach as well as Cape Canaveral and St. Augustine. So whether you’re feeling nostalgic, space crazy or just need a day at the beach this section has you covered.

Road Trip to Cape Canaveral

NASA and space rockets. For some people that’s all I need to say to have them asking where and when can they go there. For the rest of us, NASA’s Cape Canaveral center has been launching rockets into space for over 70 years now and includes some historic launches including the first rocket into space as well as the launch of the first US astronaut into space.

Less than an hour away due east from central Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center and adjacent to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are worth a visit if you’re interested in seeing some actual rockets that have actually been into outer space. It’s also a great place to bring any kids (young or 99+) to live their goal of becoming an astronaut. As well as the NASA visitor site, there is a lovely lighthouse in Cape Canaveral that you can hike to.

Road Trip to Daytona Beach

After hours spent in lineups and days spent dropping money like it’s on fire, you deserve some beach time. One of the most famous beaches within a hour of Orlando happens to be Daytona Beach. Yes, that Daytona Beach.

Just as famous for it’s Daytona 500 NASCAR raceway as it is for it’s yearly Spring Break college party status, Daytona Beach can get a little busy and even a little rowdy a few times each year. Outside of those days though, it’s actually a nice beach town and a good way to get some fresh air and sunshine.

Located just an hours drive northeast of Orlando via Highway 4, Daytona Beach is an easy recommendation for most people. It can also be a great destination if you happen to be a spring breaker or love NASCAR, just make sure you time your trip to coincide with either of those timeframes and if you’re not, do yourself a favor and avoid heading there then.

Road Trip to St. Augustine

While not as cool as a space center and not as fun as a day at the beach for some, the city of St. Augustine still has loads of appeal. St. Augustine is just north of Daytona Beach and is a hefty 2.5 hour drive northeast of Orlando. While it is actually closer to Jacksonville (40 miles vs 100 miles), chances are better you’re coming from Orlando anyway.

Known as America’s oldest city, St. Augustine’s original fort was built in 1672 by the Spanish to protect the city from water raids. Castillo de San Marcos is a huge fort and houses tons of old artifacts and often has historical re-enactments. The crowning glory of the old castle is the daily firing of the cannonballs where they use authentic canons to recreate what it was like back in the day. You can also walk along the solid castle walls and capture a glimpse of a bygone era.

St. Augustine proper is a lovely city complete with charming cobblestone roads, quaint restaurants and cafes as well as numerous historical landmarks around town.

Best Road Trips Around Tampa Florida

If you find yourself in Tampa Florida and are looking for a road trip you have some great options. Go northeast for an hour and you’ll find yourself in Orlando, home to some of the largest and best theme parks in the world including Disney World and Universal Studios (including our families favorite place, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter).

Northwest of Tampa you have Crystal River, home of manatees and mermaids while southwest will get you to idyllic St. Petersburg and due south where you’ll find the gorgeous sand beaches near Sarasota.

Road Trip to Crystal River

Dreaming of sea sponges, mermaids and manatees? This little road trip has all three, a little nature and some beautiful coastline as well.

Heading west of Tampa will bring you to Clearwater and its surrounding areas. Once you hit the coast you can enjoy the charms of Dunedin and Palm Harbor however if you continue north on highway 19 you’ll eventually hit Tarpon Springs. It’s famous for its Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks where you can walk among the boats and check out the mountains of sea sponges that litter the docks.

After you check out the sponges, it’s time to get back in the vehicle and continue following US-19 highway north until you get to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, home of the world famous Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaid Show. This classic old school Florida mermaid show has been running for over 70 years! Sitting in the submerged 400 plus seating amphitheater is a true throwback to Florida’s roots and the underwater mermaid show is worth every penny. There’s also over 500 acres of state park to explore here coupled with options like snorkeling, canoeing or kayaking in the crystal clear waters or even hitting up the local waterpark, Buccaneer Bay.

After some time here, we can continue working our way north until we hit the quiet calmness of Crystal River. Situated around Kings Bay and spring fed by a cluster of 50+ springs, the clear water around Crystal River stays at a constant 72°F or 22°C temperature year round.

This inviting water attracts the West Indian Manatee (also known as the North American manatee or sea cow) which happens to be the largest surviving member of the manatee family. Home to some of the largest year round collections of wild manatees in the US, you’re sure to see some along one of the many paths around the city or at the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk in the winter months when you will see more manatees in the water (around 300 from November to March) however there are still approximately 60 that reside in the waters around Crystal River year round.

If you’re there in the warmer months you can elect to take a guided tour or rent a kayak or boat to go search them out yourself but please remember that manatees are a protected species so please keep your distance. The return trip back to Tampa should take around 1.5 hours (80 miles) so plan your day wisely to include at least 1 ice cream stop.

Road trip to St. Petersburg

If you’re craving a quieter city than the busyness of Tampa with a nod to the arts, St. Petersburg might be your ticket to happiness. Set along the coast around a half hour southwest of Tampa, the city boasts 10 museums (including the Salvador Dalí Museum) plus loads of beautiful parks and beaches. It also houses the Mahaffey Theater, home of the Florida Orchestra.

Road trip to Sarasota

Due south of both St. Petersburg and Tampa, Sarasota is home to some of the nicest sand beaches in the world. Siesta Beach in particular has topped best beach in the USA several times and is often included in the top 25 beaches of the world lists so it’s no surprise we included it here.

So, when only 60 miles or 60 minutes of travel time is what’s separating you from one of the nicest beaches in the world, where do you go? That’s right Sarasota. The sand at Siesta Beach is nearly 100% quartz-crystal sand and is so pure it never gets hot. Considering Florida can get quite warm in the summer, that and clear water are a great combo.

Best Road Trips Around Pensacola Florida

Whether you’re there for the beaches or the water, you’ll love the areas around Pensacola Florida. As the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola is actually only a few hours from New Orleans, is minutes from Alabama and is considered a nice place to visit by every one that goes there.

However, if we head east of Pensacola, we not only have some of the nicest water in Florida but also one of the largest populations of bottle-nose dolphins in the world.

Road Trip to Destin

While Miami Beach has the beautiful people, Sarasota the fine sand and Daytona Beach the wild parties, everyone who’s been there knows Destin has some of the nicest water in Florida. Known as the Emerald coast, this region of Florida has good reason to boast about it’s gorgeous waters.

Only an hour from Pensacola lies Destin Florida. Known for its clear emerald waters, Destin is unique for it’s sunken beach nicknamed Crab Island. People flock to this protected stretch of water that averages only a few feet deep and even set up floating shops, restaurants and playgrounds. The water is so calm here you can rent a pontoon boat for the day and drop anchor or, if you’re feeling really party like, rent a floating Tiki Bar complete with your own personal bartender and captain.

Road Trip to St. Andrew State Park

No trip to Destin would be complete without also taking a drive out to St. Andrew State Park on the steps of Panama City. Located another hour past Destin and 2 hours (110 miles) from Pensacola proper lies one of the most visited parks in all of Florida. What makes St. Andrew State Park unique is that it houses St. Andrew’s Bay which in turn houses the largest population of bottle-nose dolphins in the world.

While you are pretty much guaranteed to spot a dolphin here on your own, one of the best ways to see them up close is to take the ferry boat to the popular Shell Island. There are no amenities on Shell Island but it makes a great day to get away from it all and to see pods of dolphins first hand.

The Best Road Trips in Florida

Whether you’re visiting busy Orlando, hectic Tampa or decadent Miami, the truth is that Florida truly has something for everyone. If you’re stuck in a large center and looking to get away from the crowds, there’s always a nice road trip you can take to clear your head and either get back to nature or somewhere different enough to make your trip memorable. Beautiful beaches, old forts, swamps, rockets and dolphins are only some of the things you can see and experience while you’re in Florida.

Let us know if we missed your favorite Floridian road trip and we’ll try to include it on our next Florida post. Safe travels.

Looking for some fun Destin activities?

If you love beautiful beaches and great water activities, it’s good to know that Destin is one of Florida’s not so hidden treasures.

Situated around the halfway point between Florida’s theme park mecca of Orlando and Louisiana’s very popular city of New Orleans, Destin is a Florida Gulf Coast playground with miles of white sand beaches and calm ocean currents.

The water activities in particular around Destin are what typically draw in the visitors and why Destin and it’s neighbor city of Fort Walton are known in the Florida Panhandle as places not to be missed.

Things to do in Destin Florida

So, whether you’re in Florida for a day or for a week, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Destin with or without kids, here’s a list of some of the best activities Destin and the surrounding areas have to offer.

Crab Island

One of the biggest draws to the region is the ever popular Crab Island which isn’t an actual island but a large submerged sandbar situated between Destin and Fort Walton in the entrance to Choctawatchee Bay.

With water depths ranging from 2 to 4 feet, gorgeous sand beneath and zero waves, Crab Island is a great place to hang out for the day. Check out our post on things to do in Crab Island if you want to find out more about it. Crab Island is one of the most fun things to do while in Destin Fl!

Take a Cruise in Destin Florida

No matter your tastes, Destin has some amazing day and night cruises. Whether you want to party like a local, capture the wind and go sailing, search for friendly dolphins or just cruise the beautiful blue green waters off the coast, there’s a Destin cruise perfect for you. Not sure which one to choose? Here’s some of the more popular Destin area cruises.

Destin Dolphin Tours on a Boat

With several well known dolphin pods surrounding the waters around Destin, going on a dolphin cruise in Destin practically guarantees some dolphin time. As well as dolphin spotting, several Destin dolphin excursions include fishing and a lunch. Kids will especially enjoy a Destin Dolphin tour.

Dolphin Tours on a Jet Ski

Don’t like crowds? Crave a little more speed or want to be closer to nature? Then take a guided Jet Ski tour and get up close to nature. There are a few options for guided dolphin jet ski tours out of Destin and Fort Walton that will have you smiling ear to ear as you zip across the water. If the call of nature includes zooming around at 30 miles an hour then this is the cruise style for you.

Destin Sailing Tour

Whether you’re jumping on a small single sail boat or hopping on a huge catamaran, the outcome will be the same. At Destin that means the wind at your back and no sounds save the waves slapping your bow. With miles of gorgeous coastline and calm seas all around, going sailing on the Emerald Coast is a guaranteed good day.

Sunset Cruises around Destin Florida

Love sunsets? Who doesn’t. Due to the angle of the coast in this area, Destin has some amazing sunsets that can only be truly enjoyed while on a boat. Whether you’re looking to be inspired by nature’s beauty or just want that perfect pic to send back to your loved ones, going on a sunset cruise in Destin is a surefire way to end the night on a high note. Coupled with some dolphin sightings and maybe a drink or two, going on a sunset cruise is a great couple or family activity for everyone.

Destin Tiki Cruises

Enjoy partying while the sun sets on one of Destin’s infamous Tiki Cruises.

Sure, you can jump on a pontoon boat (great for families) or get on one of the larger party barges (great for dancers), but Miami has nothing on a Destin Tiki party boat. This one definitely isn’t for the family and a few last the night so choose your party boat wisely. These floating Tiki Huts come complete with a bartender and how hard you party just depends on who you take with you. A tiki cruise is one of the most unique Destin Florida attractions you’ll find!

Go Jet Skiing

Hate dolphins, yeah, who doesn’t. (Just kidding.) Love speed, freedom and the open sea? Well, if you’ve never done it then it’s time to get on a Jet Ski. With some great options around Destin and Fort Walton, renting a Jet Ski is a great way to get away from it all and leave your troubles behind.

Rent a Stand Up Paddleboard

Prefer a quieter existence to the roar of the Jet Ski but still want some alone time? Then renting a paddleboard is where it’s at. We love ours and use them every chance we get. You can rent a stand up paddleboard in Destin by the hour, day or even the week. Not much beats a slow paddle with the chance to see dolphins or even giant rays beneath you while you check out Crab Island or the miles of coastline.

Rent a Kayak in Destin

Love everything about stand up paddleboards but hate standing? Then maybe renting a kayak in Destin is more your thing. We love them both but when we really want to put on the miles or don’t want to risk getting wet we take out our kayaks. Destin is a great place to rent a kayak and is an easy way to get yourself out on the water if you want to save a little bit of money.

Go Fishing in Destin Florida

Whether you love deep sea fishing or just catching a few small ones for an impromptu fish fry on the beach, Destin has you covered. With options ranging from renting a small fishing boat to chartering a large captained vessel, the options are huge. With one of largest fish chartering fleets on the east coast, You can see a few Destin fishing options here on Tripadvisor.

Rent a Pontoon Boat

Want to do all the above? Then maybe a pontoon boat rental is the thing for you. With captained and self guided rentals available, you can rent a pontoon for the day and get a chance to do it all. It’s one of the best things to do in Destin Florida with kids, for sure.

Start by some early morning dolphin spotting followed by a little fishing for that tasty beachside fish fry then follow it up with a few hours hanging with the locals at Crab Island before stopping at one of the several delicious restaurants that permeate the entire Destin area. Then get back on the boat for a little more dolphin sightings as you wait for sunset. It really doesn’t get much better than that.

Want the best of both worlds? You can rent both a pontoon boat and a jet ski.

Banana Boat

While many head to Florida to visit the popular theme parks surrounding Orlando and others head down to Miami for the nightlife, far away from the hubbub of Disney or the wizarding world of Harry Potter you can find an area ripe for entertainment. That’s right. I’m talking about Banana Boat rides. Nobody does them better than the crews around Destin. Haven’t tried it? I dare you to grab a few friends and tell your driver to hit it.

Parasailing in Destin

Far below the clouds but high above the crowds, you’ll find me. That’s right, due to the calm waters of the bay, parasailing is a popular activity in Destin. Whether you brave the skies alone or with a friend, there’s several outfitters in the area who can tow you up for a view of the area that only the birds know.

Destin Beaches

Love beaches? We sure do and we’ve walked on some of the best in the world.

Hitting the beach is definitely one of the best family things to do in Destin, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s a free thing to do in Destin as well!

Destin has some great beaches and even more importantly, has some great sand. If you love to make sandcastles but want a little tutelage, then maybe think about taking some sand castle lessons while you’re in Destin. The best part is they come to you!

Destin Harbor Boardwalk

After a long day on the water, stretching your feet is a great activity. so make sure you check out the Destin Harbor Boardwalk. With dozens of restaurants, including some of the freshest seafood in the country as well as shops, hotels and attractions you’ll almost be sad you stayed on the water so long.

Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park

Penguins, dolphins, alligators and more can be found at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park located on the nearby beach in Fort Walton which happens to be just a few minutes drive from the Destin Harbor. Dancing dolphins, inquisitive sea lions, sharks, rays and even pelicans can be found at one of the Panhandle’s first aquariums and wildlife education centers.

Big Kahuna’s Waterpark

Waterslides, tube runs, mini golf and more can be found at the Big Kahuna’s Waterpark during the summer months. If your kids (or your adrenaline seeking friends) need a little more excitement than a day at the beach can bring, then hitting the local Destin waterpark might raise their spirits.

Other things to do in Destin Florida

While there are plenty of things to do in Destin Florida, the most important thing to remember is to have fun and be safe.

Let us know in the comments below if we missed any of your favorite things to do in Destin Florida!

Want to have some more Florida fun? Check out our posts on the  best beaches in the Florida Key, and family fun at LEGOLAND Florida 

Looking for the most fun things to do at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida?

ICON Park is a big place, complete with an aquarium, wax museum, a truly cool observation wheel, and plenty of shops and restaurants.

In a hurry? See ICON Park’s prices and more now.

What is there to do at ICON Park?

We always adore our family vacations in Orlando. It’s such a great place to kick back and have fun, with affordable accommodation, plenty of fun family things to do, gorgeous weather, and great food.

When we’re not visiting the huge attractions like Universal Orlando (see our Wizarding World of Harry Potter tips here, along with our guide of the best Wizarding World of Harry Potter souvenirs), or LEGOLAND Florida, we carve out time for some of the other fun attractions in Florida.

ICON Park (formerly ICON Orlando 360) is a vast 20 acres open-air park. There are dozens of fun attractions and activities at ICON Park, but we’ve picked 10 favorites to share.

Ride The Wheel at ICON Park

Have you ever heard of the London Eye? It’s a famous London landmark Ferris wheel with a great view of the city of London, and a must do on every list of the best things to do with kids in London.

Wheel at ICON Park is Orlando’s version of the London Eye. It was built in 2015, it’s an iconic observation wheel that takes visitors to see a stunning view of Orlando. The Wheel is one of the most iconic things to do at ICON Park.

How long does it take to ride The Wheel?

The ride on The Wheel takes about 20 minutes.

Is The Wheel worth it?

The Wheel takes visitors 400 feet in the air, with a gorgeous view at the top. From the top of the observation wheel, you can see Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, and nearby lakes and nature reserves. This alone is well worth the price of admission in our opinion! The land around the theme parks in Orlando is incredibly flat, and great views are pretty hard to come by!

If you’re concerned about social distancing, you can even take the ride all by yourself, or reserve a private ride with friends and family. 

The Wheel is an absolute must see, but there are plenty of other things to see and do in ICON Park.

Madame Tussauds Orlando

I’ve always been a fan of a great wax museum. The artistry of the wax figures is definitely impressive, and even a little bit creepy (in a good way, if that makes any sense).

The days of wax museums playing a stuffy, dust-covered homage to your parent’s favorite movie stars and politicians are long gone. These days, Madame Tussauds has Justice League heroes, Aquaman, plus all the familiar favorites. A lot of the attractions here are interactive, bringing the fun factor way up.

SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium

SEA LIFE Orlando has over 5,000 species, including sharks, octopi, and penguins.

Orlando StarFlyer

If there’s an adventure lover in your group, make sure you stop by the Orlando StarFlyer. At 450 feet tall, this is the world’s tallest swing ride.

Pearl Express Train

Every theme park needs a theme park train, and ICON Park has a great one. The Pearl Express Train is perfect for all ages, and departs in front of The Wheelhouse. It’s also a fantastic way to rest your feet for a few minutes while you enjoy the sights.

7D Dark Ride Adventure

This is an absolute blast. The 7D Dark Ride Adventure is a shooting game in a whopping seven dimensions, including wind, movement and sound.

Have Family Fun at Arcade City

Our family loves arcades, so Arcade City is a must see for us. It’s always fun to compete for prizes (our youngest has the best luck!), and arcades are a ton of fun! When you buy an ICON Park Play Pass, you get a $5 Play Card to Arcade City in addition to admission to 7 other ICON Park attractions.

Shopping till you drop

There’s a pretty good variety of shopping, with casual mementos at the Wheelhouse Gift Shop and 360 gifts.

If sweet treats are more your thing, be sure to check out the Sugar Factory. Flip Flop Shops and Calenoi Sunglasses can take care of your warm weather summer gear needs.

Take in the entertainment

There’s plenty of entertainment to keep you busy, with everything from free light shows at night, to country music, to nightly flamenco shows at Tapa Toro.

Grab a great meal, or a tasty snack

There’s definitely an international flair to the restaurants at ICON Park.  One of the best (we think) is iCafe de Paris, which serves up delicious French crepes.

If Mexican is your thing, check out Uncle Julio’s Mexican Restaurant, or Tapa Toro for Spanish cuisine.

Lovers of Japanese food can get their sushi or ramen at Mikado Japanese Restaurant.

If you’re looking for something more casual, check out the options at the The Wheelhouse Market Food Hall below The Wheel at ICON Park.

Is ICON Park free?

Admission to ICON Park is always free, but some attractions, like The Wheel, charge admission prices.

Parking at ICON Park is also free!

If you want to visit ICON Park on a budget, it’s a fantastic place to enjoy the nightly light shows, dancing fountains, and people watch on the central green without spending money.

ICON Park Orlando tickets

The best place to buy ICON Park tickets is directly on the ICON Park website here.

ICON Park discounts

The easiest way to save is to book online on the ICON Park website here.

You can save $2 off The Wheel admission price when you book online, and there are also discounts for Florida residents. There are also attraction combo packs to help save money.

There are also several days every year where admission to The Wheel is free for active and retired military.

Hotels near ICON Park Orlando

ICON Park has a fantastic location near Disneyworld and Universal Orlando. Because of this, it’s easy to find hotels or an Airbnb.

Looking for a great deal on your next Airbnb? Click here to get a $35 USD credit!

Looking for some fun in other parts of Florida? Check out our guide to Destin Florida, and the best things to do in Crab Island Florida near Destin.

Have you visited ICON Park ? What are your favorite things to do in ICON Orlando?

Wondering what there is to do on Crab Island?

Here’s everything you’ll need to know, including great dining, attraction, tours, and events.

We always have so much fun when we visit Florida! It’s a beautiful spot for sun and sand, as well as visits to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter World at Universal Orlando, LEGOLAND, and the stunning beaches of the Florida Keys.

Crab Island is the perfect place to catch some of that famous Florida sunshine and fun!

What to do on Crab Island in Destin Florida

Crab Island is an underwater sandbar near Destin, Florida, near the Marler Bridge, at the entrance of Choctawhatchee Bay.

Crab Island is a popular place for both tourists and locals enjoying the sun.

Is Crab Island busy?

Originally a quiet escape used to anchor boats, Crab Island has become more and more popular with each year. Today, Crab Island is usually full of people catching rays, wading through the clear water, and enjoying the social scene.

At its busiest, you can see hundreds or even thousands of boats on Crab Island on a warm summer day.

When is Crab Island open, and when should I visit?

Because Florida’s Crab Island isn’t an official state park, it doesn’t have posted opening and closing hours. That said, most people visit during the day to enjoy a day in the sun.

Most of the floating restaurants and vendors are only open from March or April to October.

The water at high tide is exceptionally clear and enjoyable, though you can visit at low tide as well.

How do I get to Crab Island?

Crab Island is just two minutes from the harbor at Destin, Florida.

There’s no land access to Crab Island, so you’ll have to get there over water.

Important! Because the currents can be strong, and there’s a lot of boat traffic, please don’t attempt to swim to Crab Island for safety reasons.

The best way to get to Crab Island is probably by pontoon boat or jet ski rental.

Most visitors rent a boat, or take their own. If you’re an inexperienced boater, it’s best to anchor on the outside of the sandbar, as currents and wind can make you bump into other boats if you’re too close.

Pontoon (party boats) are a great choice if you’re a large group, or if you’d like to stay for the day. In fact, pontoon boats are hugely popular here, earning Destin the nickname of “Pontoon Capital of the World”.

The easiest way to visit is to check out boat rentals to visit Crab Island in Destin, Florida.

It’s easiest to rent a boat or other watercraft either out of Destin Harbor, or Calhoun Avenue.

You can even hire a boat with a boat captain to take you out to the island.

You can also take a shuttle boat out to Crab Island from Destin Harbor. It’s a 32′ glass bottom boat that stays on the island for 2.5 or 3 hours. Adult tickets start at $40, and all trips are round trip.

As of 2020, taxi boats were no longer allowed to take people to Crab Island and drop them off.

Crab Island is also accessible by jet ski, kayak or paddle board.

Where did Crab Island get its name?

Today, Crab Island is an elongated sandbar. It wasn’t always that shape.

The island was created in the 1960s by the Army Corps of Engineers by dredging the Destin Pass. The extra material was dumped where Crab Island stands today.

Over the years drifting sands and hurricanes buried most of the island in sea water, covering up the original shape of the land: which was shaped like a crab.

Today, the island may no longer be shaped like a crab, but it definitely has thousands of the tiny little sea creatures on the sandbar floor.

What should I take to Crab Island?

You’ll be spending most of your time on Crab Island outdoors, so it’s a great idea to bring outdoor gear.

Sunscreen is a must, and definitely bring a swimsuit and towel if you plan to get into that crystal clear water.

There are plenty of food options, but if you don’t want to eat out, bring a cooler filled with drinks and something to eat.

How deep is the water at Crab Island?

Crab Island is actually an underwater sandbar. The water depth ranges from two to ten feet deep. In most parts it’s one to four feet deep.

Are there restaurants on Crab Island?

Because Crab Island is underwater, there aren’t fixed restaurants. Instead, you’ll find food vendors lined up on the island.

Vendors offer typical American casual food, with burgers, fries, ice cream, hot boiled peanuts, soft drinks, and sandwiches being hugely popular.

If you’re looking for snacks or supplies, there are mini stores that sell beach equipment like towels and sunscreen, as well as chips and pop.

You can’t buy alcohol at Crab Island, but you can bring your own.

Some vendors accept credit cards, but many are cash only, so be sure to bring some cash!

Activities on Crab Island

Because Crab Island is water based, most activities are built around fun and sun.

You can rent large water trampolines or even an inflatable slide if you’re there with a group.

Because large inflatables are becoming more and more restricted on Crab Island as of 2020, you may see fewer (or none) of them available for rent.

Kayaks and paddleboards are available for rent as well, and are a fantastic way to enjoy the clear water of the sandbar.

If you’re feeling a bit more like a motorized thrill, you can even rent a jet ski.

Snorkeling is also popular on the island. You can bring your own snorkel, rent a snorkel kit at the Destin harbor, or rent a snorkel, fins and mask from one of the rental places on the sandbar. You’ll need to be aware of boats if you’re snorkeling here, as the island can be crowded on summer weekends.

You’ll see a lot of parasailers out on Crab Island. Most rides don’t take more than half an hour, and it’s a unique way to get a different perspective on the local scene.

Sports on Crab Island, Florida

Water volleyball nets are set up all over Crab Island. It’s easy to paddle up and ask to join in a game, or you can even rent your own water volleyball net yourself.

If volleyball isn’t your thing, there’s also water basketball and smash ball.

Dolphin watching is a lot of fun in these waters. Dolphins and other marine life are commonly seen at Crab Island, though you may have better luck on a day when the island isn’t overly busy.

Looking for more fun stuff to do? Check out Destiny Water Adventures website for boat and jet ski rentals, plus great ideas for tours and activities.

In years past, there was a Crab Island Waterpark set up at the island. These days, there’s a tour that takes you to Crab Island, stopping at inflatables along the way.

Note: Because large inflatables won’t be allowed to anchor overnight on Crab Island as of 2020, you may see fewer of the large waterparks going forward.

There are plenty of other tours out to Crab Island, ranging from an adventure tour with plenty of water activities included, to the simple shuttle run, which just includes a visit to the island.

Every year, there’s an annual kickoff party in May. There’s a DJ, with plenty of partying and dancing.

Throughout the year, musical acts perform most Saturdays at noon.

Have you been to Crab Island in Destin, Florida? Tell us what you thought in the comments below!

We’re pretty picky souvenir buyers. We’ll only buy souvenirs that we truly love, that we think are worth the money (meaning that we think they’re good quality and we enjoy them).

Universal Orlando is a fantastic place to shop for Harry Potter merchandise, because the park carries items you just can’t find anywhere else, there’s a fantastic selection, and the quality there tends to be better than online stores.

In this post, we mention stores at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Orlando instead of Universal Hollywood, because, Universal Orlando is larger, and there’s more selection. Even so, we saw most (if not all) of these items at the smaller Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hollywood, California, too.

Every time we visit Universal Orlando, we come home with something new and interesting. My personal favorites are usually snacks from Honeydukes, but the kids really love the wands from Universal.

Looking for a great deal on tickets to Universal Orlando? Click here to save $53 on Universal 2-Day Park-to-Park Tickets with ONE Extra Day FREE with Undercover Tourist.

If you’re looking for some more help, check out our helpful article on Wizarding World of Harry Potter tips and hacks that can save you time, hassle and money!

Harry Potter souvenirs

Ready to get some great Harry Potter gear? What’s stopping you? Put on your driving gloves, book a rental car in Orlando, and make your way to what we think is the world’s best place to buy Harry Potter Souvenirs: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando.

Here are our picks for the best Harry Potter souvenirs at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Orlando.

Where to buy Harry Potter souvenirs at Universal Orlando

There are plenty of stores in where you can pick up Harry Potter World merchandise at Universal Orlando. Some are incredibly specialized (like Gringotts, where Muggles can exchange their Muggle currency for Gringotts Bank Notes) others carry a wide range of goodies (like Honeydukes or Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes).

Here’s a quick list of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter stores.

• Gringotts Money Exchange
• Honeydukes
• Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes
• Sugarplum’s Sweet Shops
• Scribbulus
• Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods
• Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions
• Borgin and Burkes
• Ollivanders (Hogsmeade)
• Shutterbutton’s
• Globus Mundi
• Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment
• Wands by Gregorovitch (Diagon Alley)
• Owl Post
• Quality Quidditch Supplies
• Magical Menagerie
• Dervish and Banges
• Wand carts
• Butterbeer carts

It’s one thing to know where you can buy stuff, but what are the really good Harry Potter Souvenirs? Here are our top picks.

Wands

Whether you’re a fan of Dumbledore’s ornate Elder wand, Hermione’s delicately carved wand, or Harry’s simpler wand, there’s a wand for you here.

Buying an interactive wand at Universal Orlando is almost a must to get a full, immersive experience at Harry Potter World. The interactive wands help wizards and witches cast spells at special shop windows throughout both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. 

Interactive wands cost around $50 USD. For us, they were were worth every penny, as they made our kids feel they weren’t mere muggles, and helped them feel like a true wizard and witch in training!

What’s really great is that you only need to buy an interactive wand once, and you can use it the next time you visit. We’ve used the same wands at both Universal Orlando and Universal Hollywood.

You can buy a wand at Ollivanders, Wands by Gregorovitch, or at a wand cart. Wands by Gregorovitch is in Diagon Alley only, but you can visit an Ollivanders’ branch in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Wand carts are scattered throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

If you want the full experience of having the wand choose you, stop by
Ollivanders wand show. There’s often a line, but the wand show only lasts five minutes, and Ollivander personally selects one person from the crowd to demonstrate a wand selection ceremony. The show’s free, but you’ll have to pay for your wand.

Want to save time buying a wand? It’s usually quieter at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley than Ollivanders in Hogsmeade.

When our kids got their wands, it was an especially busy time, so we stopped by one of the wand carts. The carts have a good selection, but don’t carry every wand. Since the wand chooses the wizard, Dumbledore’s wand chose our daughter, and Sirius Black’s wand chose our son, and they were both ecstatic with their wands.

Amazon also has a good selection of wands. 

See prices and more for Noble Collection Harry Potter wands. 

Robes

Whether you’re Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, any Potterhead worth their weight in Floo Powder would love to get their hands on a house robe.

Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions in Diagon Alley has the best selection of robes.

There’s a nice weight to the robes, and they’re made of good quality fabric here, too. They feel like real robes, rather than a costume.

Madam Malkin’s isn’t just about robes: you can also pick up Hermione’s Yule ball gown, and full uniforms for Hogwarts students, with ties, scarves, and sweaters and more.

Robes definitely aren’t cheap here: plan on spending over $100 USD.

You can also pick up some good quality Harry Potter robes on Amazon if you’re not quite willing to pay the price at Universal, or you can’t find your favorite size or style.

See Harry Potter Wizard Robes by Cinereplicas prices and more.

Harry Potter candy and confections!

One of my favorite things in the world is to walk into Honeydukes and browse through the isles of candy and sweet confections. It’s definitely my personal favorite Harry Potter candy store.

We always pick up a few goodies at Honeydukes. One of our top picks are Fizzing Whizbees, which are tasty milk chocolate treats with fruit flavored popping candy inside. I didn’t count exactly, but there must be 20 candies in each box, making it perfect for sharing.

The chocolate frogs are also great, and in a cute box, but they’re harder to share as there’s only one frog in a box.

Sugarplum’s Sweetshop is a great favorite of ours as well. Our kids loved the inventive Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans. Watch out, though, they come with vomit and booger flavors. You can also pick up goodies like Cauldron Cakes and Exploding BonBons.

Weasleys Wizard Wheeze jokes and novelty items

Our favorite shop in Diagon Alley was Weasleys Wizard Wheezes novelty joke shop run by the Weasley twins Fred and George.

You’ll find fantastic jokes and magical stuff like Pigmy Puffs, U-No-Poo pills and Puking Pastilles.

Butterbeer

Unfortunately, you can’t bring home butterbeer from Universal Orlando. Actually, that’s probably a good thing. I love the cold butterbeer so much that I’d probably have it a few times a week at home, which is definitely not good for the waistline.

While you can’t bring butterbeer home, you can do the next best thing: buy a refillable Harry Potter mug to take home. You won’t get a discount on your butterbeer refill, but they will refill it for the same price as a regular butterbeer.

If you purchase a souvenir butterbeer mug, we were told it CAN’T be used for discounted soda refills at all the same locations as refillable cups.

It’ll cost you around $15.99 + tax for a souvenir butterbeer mug, which includes one butterbeer of your choice.

If you can’t get a butterbeer mug you like at Universal, there are a few on Amazon as well.

See Wizarding World of Harry Potter Butterbeer Mugs on Amazon.

Harry Potter Stationary

Owl’s post is the place for all Harry Potter stationary. You can buy stationary, quills and ink, and then send a postcard from the Hogsmeade Post Office that’s stamped with a Owl Post postmark.

Gringotts Money Exchange

When you’re at Universal, stop by Gringotts Money Exchange to trade U.S. currency for Gringotts bank notes ($10 or $20 denominations). You can use your Gringotts currency for purchases at Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, as well as a few other locations.

At the end of the day, you can keep unused Gringotts currency as a souvenir (or exchange it back for U.S. currency, if you prefer).

You can also pick up some nice looking Harry Potter Gringotts coins online as well.

See details and prices for this Harry Potter Gringotts Bank Coin Collection.

Magical items

Dervish and Banges is a great place to pick up magical items. There’s a lot in here, with fun magical items like Golden Snitches, and brooms like the Nimbus Two Thousand.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter t-shirts, caps and more

If you’re looking for standard souvenirs like t-shirts and postcards, a quick place to grab them is Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods in Hogsmeade. Filch’s Emporium is more like a regular gift shop with merchandise like clothing and more.

Dark arts merchandise

If you’re a wizard or witch with a dark side, you’ll find that there’s something for you at Universal Orlando. Just visit Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley where you can dabble in dark arts merchandise.

Photos at Shutterbuttons

If you’re looking for some Harry Potter themed photo keepsakes, then stopping by Shutterbuttons is a must. In the shop, you’re guided through 12 scenes where your photo is taken in costumes. You can purchase a DVD photo album in a collectible Shutterbuttons’ tin.

Looking for Harry Potter souvenirs online?

We really like this affordable Harry Potter themed jewelry on Amazon.

See prices and more for Harry Potter costume jewelry. 

See more for Harry Potter Deathly Hallows I Solemnly Swear 5 Pack Ankle Socks.

See prices now for this Harry Potter Gryffindor Quidditch  T-Shirt.

Quick tips for shopping at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando

Use the gift concierge service

Both Universal Orlando Parks (Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley) have a pickup service, so you don’t have to tote your purchases around all day.

Just buy your souvenirs and pick them up at the end of the day. If you’re staying at an on-site hotel, you can even arrange to have your purchases sent directly to your room.

Shop when everyone else is at the rides

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter can be an incredibly busy place. If you want to browse the shops for keepsakes when it’s quieter, consider going first thing in the morning.

Most people head straight for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (my favorite) or the Escape from Gringotts rides first thing in the morning when the lines are shorter. If shopping is a priority for you, then consider heading to the shops first thing when the parks are quieter, and anyone who is there is heading to the rides.

Quick tips for Universal Orlando in general

Universal Orlando is a big, busy place, so your Harry Potter keepsakes shopping will go much more smoothly if you follow a couple of helpful tips.

Consider staying at an on-site hotel

Not only will you save money on parking, and time driving, but Universal Orlando hotels have great perks like shuttles and early access.

On our last trip, we chose to hire a car in Orlando, and parked in the Universal parking lot, but plan is to save some time and hassle and stay in a Universal hotel on our next visit.

Get a two day Park to Park Pass

if you want to access all of the shows, rides, restaurants, and attractions at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter you’ll need to visit both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split between the two Universal Florida parks (Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios). Hogsmeade is in Universal Islands of Adventure, and Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios. Both Hogsmeade and Diagon Ally have unique shops, rides and experiences, so you’ll want to go to both. You’ll also need a Park to Park pass to ride the Hogwarts Express!

You could visit both parks in one day, but you’d miss a lot, and you’d definitely be exhausted! On our last trip, we spent two days almost exclusively checking out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and we still didn’t see and do everything in both areas!

Looking for some more help? Check out our Universal Orlando tips.

If you’re booking a flight down to Orlando, be sure to do a quick comparison to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Compare flight prices on Skyscanner here.

Looking for some more fun things to do in Florida? Here’ some inspiration for the best Florida road trip.

What are your favorite Wizarding World of Harry Potter souvenirs? Let us know your tips in the comments below.

Earlier this year, we had a chance to team up with LEGOLAND Florida and checked out their amusement park and waterpark as a family. We’ve been huge LEGO fans for years, and we have the bins of LEGO pieces in our living room to prove it, so we were thrilled to visit!

While it’s not as big as the Universal or Disney parks in Orlando, there’s still a lot to see and do in LEGOLAND. It can be a bit confusing and overwheming, honestly, so we spent our time at the park looking for helpful tips and tricks to help when you visit LEGOLAND Florida. You’ll find everything in here, including the best rides and attractions, how to save money, where to stay, and where to eat in the park.

Read on for our…

LEGOLAND Florida Tips and Secrets

• How to Save Money

• What to Bring

• LEGOLAND Tips and Tricks You Need to Know

• Best things to do at LEGOLAND Florida

• Attractions we didn’t love as much

• Where to stay near LEGOLAND Florida

• Where to eat at LEGOLAND Florida

• LEGOLAND Water Park tips

• How to get to LEGOLAND Florida

How to Save Money

First, let’s get you the best deal we can for LEGOLAND. Generally, you’ll save money buying tickets online, rather than at the gate. Plus, you’ll avoid having to wait at the gate to buy tickets!

Undercover Tourist

If you’re looking for a great deal on park tickets, check out Undercover Tourist first, which offers a significant discount over gate admission. They also don’t charge sneaky delivery fees or extra taxes like some sites. Delivery is instant, as these are electronic tickets sent to you by email.

For example, when we looked, the Undercover Tourist price for adult 1 day park and waterpass admission was $95.91. At the gate, the price was $113.99.

See prices for a single day ticket.

See all discount LEGOLAND tickets on Undercover Tourist.

Living Social

You never know when a good deal will pop up for LEGOLAND on Groupon or Living Social, so be sure to check before you go!

See deals here.

What to Bring

It’s pretty easy to spend the whole day at LEGOLAND, so pack accordingly.

• Camera. We took most of our photos with our smartphone, but you may want to bring a waterproof camera for the waterpark.
• Sunscreen. We like water resistant spray sunscreen.
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Jacket, if it’s cool
• Comfortable shoes. The park is a lot smaller than Universal or Disney, but there’s still a lot of walking.
• You can’t bring coolers, food and beverages into the park. However, there are exceptions for infants and if you have special medical needs. Bottled water is allowed. Alcohol is not allowed.
• An emergency poncho (great for The Quest for CHI water ride, trust us). Get a pack at Amazon.

LEGOLAND Tips and Tricks You Need to Know

LEGOLAND Florida is not open every day during the low season, so check hours and dates before you go.

If you adore LEGO, look at getting a two day pass, as it’s only about $10 more than going one day on the Undercover Tourist site. See 2 day pass pricing on Undercover Tourist.

Bring minfigures to trade. All LEGO employee wear minifigures on their name tags, and they’re happy to trade. Just don’t bring your rares though since most of fairly standard issue. There’s also a minifigures ambassador with hundreds of minifigures who’ll trade, if you can find them!

If it rains, indoor activities like LEGO Mindstorms, building a minifigure, the Imagination Zone and the LEGO NINJAGO ride will keep the kids busy.

There’s a lot of walking, so if you have young children consider bringing a stroller. You can rent strollers, but they’re first come, first serve with no reservations. Looking for a great stroller – check out this list of the top travel strollers for a good pick.

There’s no free WiFi in the park, unlike at larger parks like Universal Orlando.

What age is best for kids at LEGOLAND Florida? The LEGOLAND best age for kids is probably under 12. Our son was 11 turning 12, and while he still enjoyed himself, I think he would have loved LEGOLAND even more when he was a little younger. That said, we saw plenty of teens and older adults having fun!

Wait times vary a lot, depending on weather, peak season, and even time of day. Almost all the rides had a sign at the front listing the current wait time, and we found them pretty accurate. If you have limited time or you’re visiting during peak days like Christmas, you can buy a Premium Play Band that offers front of the line access. You can buy it when you arrive on the day of your visit.

Is there a LEGOLAND Florida app? Nope. Unlike Universal or Disney, the LEGOLAND Florida Park doesn’t have an official app yet. We looked through the app store, and there are a few unofficial apps, but they got horrible reviews, so we decided to forgo the app. You really don’t need one, as the park is not overwhelmingly big, and we found the wait times and lines much more manageable than the larger Orlando Parks.

Best things to do at LEGOLAND Florida

There’s a lot of fun to be had at LEGOLAND, but these were our favorite rides and attractions.

Build your own LEGO character at the Minifigure Market

This was one of our kids absolute favorites of our LEGOLAND Florida secrets. Well, it’s not really a secret, it’s more of a don’t miss! At the minifigure market, the kids can build their own customized LEGO character.

It costs $9.99 to build a set of 3 mini figures, which includes 3 heads, 3 torsos, 3 legs, 3 headgears and 3 accessories, plus a handy holder to bring them home.

LEGO NINJAGO The Ride 

Make sure you try the Lego Ninjago ride!

It’s one of LEGOLAND’s newer rides, and a lot of fun! Lines were long when we passed it when we first entered the park, so we waited until the end to try it. Such a mistake! We only had time for one ride as it was closing on the way out, but we wish we’d gone on it several times. The good news is there wasn’t a single person in line in front of us so we just walked directly on.

To play, you put on 3D glasses, and practice your ninja moves while the computer records your movements.

The Quest for CHI

This ride was an absolute blast! It’s an interactive boat ride with water cannons, where you shoot bystanders and other boats with water guns. When we were there in March mid-week, the wait was only about five minutes.

You will get soaked! If you want your clothes to stay dry, LEGOLAND does sell ponchos for around $5.99 at different places around the park. If you want to save a few bucks, grab a poncho at a dollar store on the way or order one directly from Amazon before you go.

The Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty

Full disclosure here: this about about as cheesy as they come. That said, we all had a lot of fun watching this live water show at the site of the old Cypress Gardens. As it’s set on the water, you’ll see lots of acrobatic water skiing with plenty of live LEGO action. We especially loved Miranda, the head of the Imperial Navy.

Just a note, though, if you’re in the front few rows you’ll likely get wet but the crew definitely gets the crowd going.

Imagination Zone

The Imagination Zone was one of our kids’ favorites. There’s a lot to do here, including free play with a huge number of LEGOs. The kids loved the Flight Zone and Wheels Zone where you pick up parts to make your own flying or racing machine.

In the Imagination Zone, the kids can also build skyscrapers, virtually build water creatures, or even take a LEGO Mindstorms course. You have to sign up to take the course since it fills up every day so we decided to skip it to our son’s displeasure.

Flying school

This looks like an upside down roller coaster, and gives you the feeling of flying through the air.

It’s especially lots of fun for the older kids (and us too). Our eleven year old son had a blast here, but our eight year old didn’t want to ride. The minimum rider height is 44 inches, and kids below 52 inches tall need to be accompanied by a responsible rider of this height or taller.

Dragon Coaster

We all tried the Dragon Coaster, and honestly had fun. It’s a smaller coaster, so don’t expect terrifying thrills and drops. There was only a 15 min wait when we went in March.

Attractions we didn’t love as much

In the LEGO Driving school, the kids go through driving instruction, and then drive around a track in a LEGO-themed mini car. This was really cute, but the driving portion only lasted about five minutes, and the line up took about half an hour.

Did you know there are LEGOLAND locations all over the world? You can visit LEGOLAND in Florida, California, Denmark, Dubai, Malaysia, England, Germany and more! There are also LEGOLAND Discovery Centers all across North America. See all LEGOLAND Discovery Center locations here.

Miniland USA is a large outside area dedicated to LEGO displays, most of them USA-based. It’s a pretty impressive display that takes up a good chunk of the park, with detailed recreations of scenes in LEGO miniature, like Daytona Speedway, Las Vegas, and the White House. While it’s cute and shows a lot of imagination and creativity, many of the scenes are fading and showing a little wear.

LEGOLAND Joust is ride where kids sit on the back of LEGO-themed horses that pretend to joust. It’s honestly an adorable ride, but our kids, at eight and eleven, were just too big to fully enjoy it. Little kids should love it.

Where to stay near LEGOLAND Florida

VRBO

When we travel, we often stay at an VRBO, because it gives us a full kitchen and more room to run around. Since we were spending two days visiting the Universal Studios The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (check out our post on it here), we picked an Airbnb closer to Universal, and we drove out to LEGOLAND for the day.

See VRBO listings.

LEGOLAND Hotels

There’s a cute, new LEGOLAND hotel right outside the LEGOLAND front gates! This is our top pick if you’re visiting LEGOLAND in Florida.

That said, you have two options for staying at LEGOLAND: the LEGOLAND® Florida Resort and the LEGOLAND® Beach Retreat. Because we were based in Orlando, we didn’t get a chance to stay here during our visit, but they would have been our first choices for a hotel near LEGOLAND.

The bonus is that people staying at one of the LEGOLAND resorts get early access to LEGOLAND Park! That’s right. Hit the park before anyone else and then sneak out during the afternoon rush for a quick dip in the pool (or a nap) and then enjoy the park again until it closes.

The LEGOLAND® Florida Hotel

The Legoland Florida Resort is within walking distance of Legoland Florida Theme Park. Rooms are LEGO themed, and there are plenty of fun surprises for the kids!

More than two million LEGO bricks make up over 2,000 LEGO models throughout the hotel.

See prices and availability now.

The LEGOLAND® Beach Retreat

The LEGOLAND Beach Retreat is about half a mile from the park itself. It has 83 themed bungalows, each with its own whimsical LEGO décor inside and out. There’s a pool, a kid’s outside play area, and lots of fun activities for the kids.

Click to see prices and reviews

Holiday Inn Winter Haven

The Holiday Inn Winter Haven

This is a good family choice, with good reviews and a pool. It’s only about a nine minute drive to LEGOLAND Florida, and walking distance of Winter Haven Amtrak Station.

See prices and reviews.

Where to eat at LEGOLAND Florida

There are plenty of places to eat at LEGOLAND. You probably won’t find five star dining here, and prices are generally on the expensive shade of reasonable (as are all theme parks), but we found the food to be decent.

Granny’s Apple Fries

We heard great things about Granny’s Apple Fries, so we tried them for our first snack. Honestly, they were good, but I don’t think they were as good as their reputation. The apples were a little sour for our taste.

They come with whipped cream, which is a huge plus. The combo with a drink was the best deal we saw, at $2 more.

Fun Town Pizza and Pasta Buffet

FunTown Pizza and Pasta Buffet is a great alternative if you’re a big eater or absolutely starving. It’s all you can eat and drink. Prices are $9.99 for children plus tax, and $15.99 for adults plus tax and they include beverages.

Firehouse Ice cream

We were pretty much sold at ice cream. This is a great place for sundaes, floats and coffee.

Panini Grill

Looking for something healthy? We ate at Panini Grill for our main meal, and it was pretty good, especially for amusement park food. I’d give it a solid C+.

Our meal at Panini Grill ended up costing $45 for two adults and two kids. The $10 adult panini meal has an option of roast beef, ham and white cheddar, chicken Florentine, and the vegetarian panzanella. Drinks are extra. For kids, the $6.99 kids panini meal includes a drink, fruit and chips. Kids’ choices are ham and cheese, or ham only, or cheese only. There are free fountain drink refills so it’s a good place to quench your thirst. The Panini Grill is in the Imagination Zone.

There are also plenty of other food options at LEGOLAND Floride, including the Fried Chicken Restaurant, Castle Burger, Sunshine Sweets and more!

LEGOLAND water park

We were pretty tired after an almost full day of rides and attractions at LEGOLAND, so we almost skipped the water park. However, we decided to buckle up and spend an hour and a half here, and I’m glad we did. It’s a fun place to hang out.

We started by building a LEGO raft on the lazy river. The water was just a little too cool for us in March, but once we were in we had a blast. We ended up going around the lazy river three times.

After that, it was on to the wave park and water slides. Charles and Cole had a blast taking the tubes down the Twin Chasers tube slide and careening down the giant dual Splash Out slides while Jordan and I enjoyed the wave park.

Locker rental at the LEGOLAND waterpark

We didn’t want to wander around all day at the main park in our swimsuits, so I was happy to find out that you can rent lockers inside the LEGOLAND waterpark. We used them to stash our clothes and valuables while we were having fun in the water.

It’s $7 for a small, but the small truly tiny. It would work for a single person, or two people without much gear. A large is $10, and this was plenty big enough for clothes and shoes for the four of us. It costs $13 for a jumbo, which would work for a larger group.

You pay using an automated system, where you pay with credit card at the automated kiosk. You’re then given a code and locker number to match.

This part is a bit tricky. To end the rental, there’s a RED END RENTAL Button at the bottom of the locker keypad. The problem is that it’s virtually impossible for an adult to see, as it’s tucked away under the keypad. Luckily, our eight year old daughter pointed it out to us.

How to get to LEGOLAND Florida

Driving to LEGOLAND Florida

LEGOLAND Florida is approximately 45 minutes away from Disney World, an hour from Universal and around an hour from the Orlando Airport. It’s address is 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven, FL 3388.

Parking at LEGOLAND Florida

Parking at LEGOLAND Florida costs $15 online and $17 on site. Most of the parking stalls are only a few minutes walk from the front gate and there are plenty of stalls with shade. Parking opens 30 minutes before the gates open and there are handicapped parking spots right outside the front gate.

LEGOLAND Florida Shuttle Bus

If you don’t want to drive, there’s a shuttle to LEGOLAND Florida that picks people up at I-Drive 360, the massive entertainment complex at 8401 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819. Parking in the garage is FREE.  The LEGOLAND shuttle bus pick up area is outside the parking deck by the back entrance of the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye on the Universal Boulevard side.

The LEGOLAND Shuttle bus picks people up at 9 AM and drops them off after the park closes. You need to book the shuttle at least 24 hours beforehand and arrive 30 minutes before the shuttle leaves to be guaranteed a seat.

Final Thoughts on LEGOLAND Florida

All in all, we had a great day at the LEGOLAND Florida amusement and waterpark. Unlike the bigger parks, there’s definitely more room and shorter lines to deal with however, that said, it’s more geared for those under 12 or for people that are huge Lego fans. We had both so it was resounding good day for all of us.

Have you been to LEGOLAND Florida? Do you have any LEGOLAND secrets or tips to share? We’d love to hear them. Leave us a comment below!

You see, for the last two months of our South American trip, both of our kids devoured the entire series of Harry Potter books. Once done, we all started re-watching the movies together as a family since Charles and I are huge Harry Potter fans as well.

So, when we had the chance to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando on the way home, we were thrilled.

We had heard nothing but good things about the Harry Potter world, but honestly, the Universal Orlando Parks blew our expectations out of the water. Every detail was perfect and lovingly crafted. We truly felt like a family of muggles magically dropped into Harry Potter’s world.

Check prices for a three day Park-To-Park pass, with TWO extra days FREE here. 

Aside from having a fantastic time, the four of us learned a lot during our visit, so I wanted to share our tips for visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to make your visit easier, faster, and save you money.

Top Wizarding World of Harry Potter Tips

Get the Park to Park pass

To start off, in order to access everything both wizarding worlds offer, make sure you get the Park to Park pass.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split between the two Universal Florida parks, with Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. The parks both have unique shops, rides and experiences, so you’ll want to go to both. You’ll also need a Park to Park pass to ride the Hogwarts Express!

Check prices for a 3 day Park-To-Park pass, with TWO extra days FREE here.

Try to visit for at least two days

It is possible to visit both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley in one day, but you’ll likely be rushed, and you’ll miss a lot of the carefully crafted details. You’ll also miss everything else both parks have to offer.

If you can, take at least two days to visit, and don’t forget about the Park to Park passes. Even better, right now Universal has a fantastic special, where you get two extra days FREE if you buy a 3 day Park to Park pass. See all of the Universal Orlando’s deals here.

We’ve heard great things about buying passes in advance on Undercover Tourist. Unlike a lot of other sites, taxes are included up front (so no surprise fees at the end), AND shipping is free. Plus, you’ll save $42 over paying at the gate.

Save $53 on a three day Park-To-Park pass, with TWO DAYS FREE here. 

Get the Official Universal Orlando® Resort App

We grabbed the app the day before we went to help develop a game plan for the big day and to let everyone in the family mark the attractions they didn’t want to miss. Once there, we used the app constantly during our visit to figure out where we were and to help decide where to go to next.

Tip! If you don’t have a data plan, don’t worry, there’s free WiFi available throughout the park!

The app was so helpful for checking out wait times and show times, finding rides, and figuring out which restaurant we wanted to go using the interactive park map. You can even set up alerts for when ride wait times drop, save your parking information, and check out restaurant menus! Download the app on iTunes here. Get the app on Google Play here.

Stay at an onsite hotel

Many of the Universal Orlando hotels include Unlimited Express Passes and early park access to help you beat the morning rush. Since no car is needed, you’ll also save time and money by using the free shuttle service.

You can choose between

• Cabana Bay Beach Resort
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
• Leows Royal Pacific Resort
• Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel, or
• Leows Portofino Bay Hotel

Free Universal Express Unlimited is included, which is worth up to $89 per person, per day (not offered at at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort or Cabana Bay Beach Resort).

Check prices for hotels near Universal Studios Florida.

Important: Universal Express access is not valid on Fievel’s Playland, Pteranodon Flyers, Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides or Ko’okiri Body Plunge.

All on site hotels offer Early Park admission (one hour before regular opening hours) and complementary transportation to the Parks and CityWalk. There are some other great perks, including complimentary delivery of merchandise from the Resort to your hotel, appearances by Universal Orlando characters, and priority restaurant seating (for Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort).

You can also get Early Park admission if you buy a Universal Orlando vacation package through Universal Orlando, even if you don’t stay at a Park Hotel.

Did you know that there’s a Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan and California?

Interactive Wand Hacks and Tips

First, get the new interactive wands

They ring in at $47 USD per wand, but our eight and eleven year old spent hours casting spells in shop windows at Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. They were worth every penny, as they brought the shop displays to life, and really made our kids feel they weren’t mere muggles! They also used them at both parks each day we were there and you can bring them with you the next time you go to Universal Studios.

You’ll find the spell locations on the map included with your wand and will see the corresponding medallions with the nature of the spell on the ground. Don’t worry too hard about finding them, there are usually a few kids lined up trying to get them to work, as well as a special wizard helper showing you exactly how to make the perfect wrist movement.

Wand Tip! Since the camera sensor is small, stand just in front of the medallion. It seems that tight wrist movements work best and make sure you aim towards the four red dots.

There are a bunch of locations to master your wand skills in both Diagon Alley as well as Hogsmeade. One of the kids favorites was the wingardium leviosa spell to float a feather and make quiddich balls float in the air at Spintwitches Sporting Needs in Hogsmeade!

Buy the interactive wand at a cart

The most popular places to buy an interactive wand are at Ollivanders in Hogsmeade or at Wands by Gregorovitch in Diagon Alley. Both places can be very busy, especially Ollivanders, since it also has the special wand selection attraction.

If they’re busy, and they probably will be, pick up your wand at a cart instead of in the small and often busy wand shops. There are wand stands located throughout both Harry Potter Worlds with practically no one in line.

We picked our wands up at a cart in Hogsmeade at the Islands of Adventure, near Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. There was almost no wait at the stand, and they had the most popular wands on display. Since the wand chooses the wizard, Dumbledore’s wand chose our daughter, and Sirius Black’s wand chose our son. The stand attendant was patient and helpful, and our kids got their wands much more quickly than if we’d gone to Ollivanders.

If you want to buy your wand at one of the shops, it’s usually quieter at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley than Ollivanders in Hogsmeade. The Diagon Alley Ollivanders is also bigger, with a larger selection of wands, and you’ll get the experience of having the shopkeeper help you choose your wand.

Secret Locations! The special map that comes in your interactive wand’s box will guide you to wand spots in both worlds, however there are also a few secret spots hidden throughout the park. Here’s one to get you started: check out the storefront at Slug and Jigger’s Apothecary in Diagon Alley.

Here’s the next best thing to picking up your wand at Olivanders. These aren’t interactive wands, but they’re carefully boxed and get good reviews.

Harry Potter’s Wand

About the wand show at Ollivanders

You can also visit the wand show at Ollivanders in Hogsmeade to get help picking a wand. The show lasts about five minutes, and Ollivander himself will select one person from the crowd to demonstrate a wand selection ceremony. The show’s free, but you’ll have to pay for your wand.

It’s All About the Butter Beer

Make sure you try the butter beer

It’s non-alcoholic, and comes in three types: regular, hot, and frozen. I absolutely loved the regular butter beer, and I’m not a fan of sweet drinks, so I thought I wouldn’t like it. In fact, I now get butter beer cravings! I think it may be time for a trip back to get some!

Regular butter beer tasted like a mix of cream soda and root beer, but less sweet than either, topped with a butterscotch flavored creamy topping that doesn’t melt into the drink. I found it both tasty and refreshing.

Our 11 year old, Cole, loved the new hot butter beer. The hot butter beer tasted a bit like white hot chocolate with the same butterscotch flavored topping as regular butter beer.

Charles tried the frozen butter beer, which we’d heard was the best. Surprisingly, it was our least favorite. We did drink it on a fairly cool day in Florida (it was about 20 Celsius /65 Fahrenheit at the time). We may have enjoyed it a lot more on a hot day in the summer.

You can also get butter beer ice cream in the park!

Share a butter beer

The butter beer portions are fairly large, so if you’re buying for a small child, consider sharing. Our eight year old couldn’t finish hers, but luckily I was able to help.

If the stands are busy, you can get butter beer with your meal at Three Broomsticks and the Leaky Cauldron. Even better, there’s a secret entrance at the back of Three Broomsticks that will let you get into the bar, which is part of the restaurant. This can save you a wait in the Three Broomsticks restaurant line. Just go down the alley on the side of the Three Broomsticks to find the entrance.

If you love butter beer as much as I do, and plan to make it your main beverage while you’re in the park, forgo buying your butter beer in a souvenir mug. You don’t get discounts on butter beer refills, and the souvenir mug is smaller than the disposable cups. As a note, you do get discounts on other beverages in the souvenir mug, so if you’re drinking other beverages it may be worth your while. Plus, you’ll get the mug as a souvenir.

Where to Eat

Eat at Three Broomsticks. We loved Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade so much that we ate there twice in two days. The food is British inspired, with treats like shepherd’s pie, kids mac and cheese, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and roasted potatoes. It was all absolutely delicious.

For supper, for a family of four we got two side baked potatoes, one salad, two corn on the cobs, a kids Mac and cheese, a roast chicken, two regular butter beers, two hot butter beers, and our total came to $65.18. We were absolutely stuffed, so next time, we’ll be sure to save some room for a pumpkin drink and the delicious looking sticky toffee bread pudding.

If you can, eat outside of the usual 11 to 1 pm lunch window. On our first visit to Three Broomsticks, there was a line way out the door. We only had to wait 20 minutes, but when we went at around 2 pm on our second day, we walked in with only a five minute wait.

Plan your meals ahead

If you’re a vegetarian, or if you have special dietary requirements, choose your restaurant wisely. We had three vegetarians in our group, and there were veggie options at every restaurant, but you may be limited in what you can eat in certain restaurants.

For example, at the Leaky Cauldron in Universal Studios, they only had soup and salad as a veggie option, so we decided to eat elsewhere. You can get menu information on the Universal Orlando App or the Universal Orlando website to plan ahead.

Use the Official Universal Orlando® Resort App (get it on iTunes here | Google Play) to check out menus in advance.

Shopping – Our Harry Potter World Tips

If you have time, quickly stop in all of the shops, since each shop has something unique. Each shop is beautifully Harry Potter themed, with everything from the Owl Post where you can buy stationary, quills and ink (and send a postcard from the Hogsmeade Post Office that’s stamped with a Owl Post postmark) to Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley where you can dabble in dark arts merchandise.

Our favorite shop in Diagon Alley was Weasleys Wizard Wheezes novelty joke shop run by the Weasley twins Fred and George. You’ll find fantastic jokes and magical stuff like Pigmy Puffs, U-No-Poo pills and Puking Pastilles.

Berties Bots Every Flavor Beans

Sugarplum’s Sweetshop was another favorite, with the inventive Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans (but watch out – they do come with vomit and booger flavors!), and fun treats like Cauldron cakes and Exploding BonBons.

In Hogsmeade, our favorite shop was Honeydukes sweets shop. It was one of my personal favorite places in all of Hogsmeade. We found wonderful treats like chocolate frogs and exploding bonbons.

Honeydukes Emporium Exploding Bon Bons

Dervish and Banges was another winner, with fun magical items like Golden Snitches, and brooms like the Nimbus Two Thousand.

If you’re short on time, skip Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods in Hogsmeade. Filch’s Emporium is more like a regular gift shop with merchandise like clothing.

Both Universal Orlando Parks have a pickup service, so you don’t have to tote your purchases around all day. Just buy your souvenirs and pick them up at the end of the day. If you’re staying at an on-site hotel, you can even arrange to have your purchases sent directly to your room.

Rides at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was our favorite of all the fantastic rides, shows, and experiences at Universal Orlando. I don’t want to spoil too much of the surprise, but the ride felt the most like the real world out of any theme park ride I’ve ever experienced. It honestly felt as if we were truly swooping through Harry Potter’s world on broomsticks. Even our little eight year old, who doesn’t love scary rides, thought this was one of the best rides in the park.

Because this ride is so popular, it can have longer wait times, but there are so many interesting things to see in the line as you wait that the time really flies! On the way in you’ll see the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room, moving paintings, the Gryffindor common room, and even Dumbledore’s office.

Escape from Gringotts

If you’re in Diagon Alley, ride Escape from Gringotts. It’s a fun, 3D ride with incredibly realistic looking animatronic goblins, lots of twists and turns, and fire-breathing dragons. You may even catch a peek at he who shall not be named, Lord Voldemort, himself! Even if you’re not a big fan of rides, it’s well worth your time to stand in the line for all of the incredible sights and sounds of Gringotts Bank on the way in.

Look up on your way into Escape from Gringotts

The dragon on top of Gringott’s breathes fire periodically. You can actually feel the heat from his flames so get your camera ready – you won’t want to miss it.

If you’re a fan of Hagrid (like I am), check out the Flight of the Hippogriff ride in Hogsmeade. You’ll see Hagrid’s hut while you’re in line.

Saving Time at Harry Potter World

Get there early

We are not morning people, so morning starts were the hardest part of our day, but we did find the crowds to be much lighter in the morning before noon. Try to be at the park at least half an hour before opening. It’s a fairly long hike from parking to the entrance, and it does take a few minutes to pass through the entrance, and then through the park to the Wizarding World of  Harry Potter as well.

Stay late

We found that the crowds really dropped off around 6 pm, in the three hours before closing, and stayed quieter until the park shut down. This, or early morning, is the perfect time to take in the busier rides and attractions at Harry Potters Wizarding World since most people have experienced and left this area of the park already.

Make sure you check closing times! Closing times for Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure were different when we visited.

Look at getting the VIP Experience

With a VIP experience, you can skip ALL of the lines plus get your very own personal Universal Orlando tour guide. You also get a continental breakfast, plus you can choose several other options.

That means you can get priority front-of-the-line access to all rides and attractions including all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions and experiences. Plus, you can get behind the scenes tours, complimentary valet parking and reserved seating at shows.

You can also get a private VIP experience, with just you and your party (which includes two full service meals), or a regular VIP experience. I didn’t know about the VIP experience option when we want, but it sounds amazing. I’d be especially tempted to get it if I was short on time!

See information on the VIP experience here.

Visit the other Universal Park attractions mid day

Harry Potter world is incredibly popular, and many of the shops and lines can get crowded early to mid afternoon. We used this time to check out the rest of Universal Orlando and Universal Islands of Adventure. Since the rest of the Parks are so huge, they feel much less busy during peak times compared to the Harry Potter areas.

Go during a quieter month

If you have the flexibility, try to avoid traditionally busy times like weekends, Christmas, Spring Break and summer holidays. Orlando Informer has a helpful Universal Crowd Calendar.

Get Express Passes if you’re visiting other areas of the park

An Express pass lets you skip the normal lines and jump in the express line. We loved having the Express Passes, as they saved us plenty of time in lines during the busier afternoon time and allowed us to experience nearly everything both parks had to offer.

Important! You can’t use Express Passes at Fievel’s Playland, Pteranodon Flyers, Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides or Ko’okiri Body Plunge, but we found they were a lifesaver for other rides in the Universal Parks.

To save time in lines, use the alerts in the Official Universal Orlando® Resort App to let you know when a wait time has dropped (get it on iTunes here | Google Play).

Use child swap

We used child swap on Escape from Gringotts, as our eight year old decided at the last moment that she didn’t want to go.

With a child swap, all the family stands in line together. At the last moment, one adult waits with the child when the other adult rides. When the first adult is done, the adults swap, and the adult who waited with the child goes to the front of the line. Just tell the greeter at the front of the line that you want to use child swap.

I loved that even the Escape from Gringotts child swap waiting room was perfectly and carefully Harry Potter themed, with clips from the Harry Potter movies that coincided with the attraction playing on a TV on the wall.

Take the single rider line

If you want to get onto the rides quicker, and don’t mind riding without the rest of your group, use the single rider line. This will save you a lot of time in queues, especially on the busier rides like Escape from Gringotts and The Hidden Journey.

Hogwarts Express Tips

Check to see if Hogwarts Express is running before you go

If the Hogwarts Express is up and running, go as early in your trip as you can, to make sure you don’t miss it. It was down a few times over the two days we visited, and we’ve heard other people say it was down for part of their visit too. You can see it’s status on the Universal Orlando app mentioned above.

Ride the Hogwarts Express both ways

It’s a real train that that you can ride from King’s Cross in London or Hogsmeade. The experience is different each direction, but you’ll be sure to see the beautiful scenery of the English countryside, Hagrid on a flying motorcycle, Mad Eye, Harry, Hermione and Ron, and the Weasley twins, and even a dementor or two. The ride is also a lovely way to rest your feet for 10 minutes.

There’s also a fun surprise at Platform 9 3/4. If you pay close attention while watching people ahead of you in line, they’ll appear to walk through a wall to get to the platform.

Other Harry Potter Orlando Tips

There’s free WiFi throughout the park. We found it fast and reliable, so turn off your data roaming to save money. Thanks, Universal!

Visit the Night Bus

The Night Bus and wizard driver Stan Shunpike are outside of the Wizarding Worlds Diagon Alley on your way back into the rest of Universal Islands of Adventure. Stopping by for a photo op is well worth a few minutes. The driver and his little friend, Dre Head the Shrunken Head, were a lot of fun to talk to.

Call the Ministry of Magic from the telephone booth

You’ll need to figure out how to use a rotary phone for this one! If you dial the numeric equivalent of M A G I C (it’s 62442), you can hear a special message from the Ministry of Magic.

Go to the shows!

They’re well worth seeing. You’ll find the Frog Choir and the Triwizard Spirit Rally shows in Hogsmeade, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard show and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees show in Diagon Alley. Check the Official Universal Orlando App for show performance schedules (get it on iTunes here | Google Play).

Don’t be afraid to dress up and have fun!

Deluxe Harry Potter Child’s Gryffindor Robe

We saw plenty of people in Hogwart’s robes and house scarves with interactive wands in their hands everywhere throughout the park. Adults seemed to be in on the fun as much as kids so don’t be afraid to embrace your inner wizard.

elope Harry Potter Gryffindor House Infinity Scarf

Indulge your inner dark wizard in Knockturn Alley

It’s perhaps a little lesser known that some of the other Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions, but Knockturn Alley is chock full of interesting things to see and do.

Create your own moving pictures at Shutterbuttons

We somehow missed this during our visit, but it sounds like a wonderful keepsake. In the shop, you’re guided through 12 scenes, and you can purchase a DVD photo album in a collectible Shutterbuttons’ tin.

If you have any questions, just ask the staff

I was amazed with how helpful the staff were, even if I was asking them something that was well out of their field of expertise. They also stayed in character throughout Harry Potters Wizarding World and didn’t let us muggles get into too much trouble. Top marks to Universal for their amazing staff, who were always friendly and welcoming!

Hidden Secret: If you’re patient, you can see Kreacher the House Elf peeking through the windows at 12 Grimmauld Place.

Pay for Prime Parking parking if you’re driving

We got prime parking both days we visited, and it was wonderful to have such a short walk to our car at the end of the day. We also managed to walk to the entrance a lot faster. Prime parking is an additional $10 a day at $30 (it’s $20 for regular parking).

Read and watch before you go

If you haven’t see a Harry Potter movie, or read the books in a while, consider catching up a bit before you go. There are so many little tidbits and in-the-know places and items throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that it makes it more fun if you know the backstory before you go. If you have time to catch up, there are lists of all of the movies and books at the end of this article.

That being said, you’ll still enjoy the park regardless. You just won’t be as amazed at all the little details Universal included while making it.

Saving Money on Tickets!

Before you buy your tickets, be sure to check out Universal’s deals and specials. They often have some fantastic deals, and offer special rates for Florida residents as well. Right now Universal has a fantastic special, where you get one extra day FREE if you buy a two day Park to Park pass.

Check prices for a 3 day Park-To-Park pass, with TWO extra days FREE here. 

See all Universal Orlando deals here.

If you’re looking to make panning simple, check out Orlando Vacation packages. Orlando Vacation has specials, discounts, and customized plans on hotels and theme park tickets. Call 1-800-641-4008 for planning assistance.

Is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on your bucket list? If you’ve been, do you have any Harry Potter Universal tips to share? Tell us in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you.

We were kindly hosted by Universal Orlando Resort during our trip, but they didn’t tell us what to write, and all opinions are all our own. They definitely didn’t encourage Micki’s current butter beer obsession, or get Charles to buy the kids their own wands, and they definitely didn’t force us to smile all day. Those came all by themselves.

A few years ago, we took a long road trip through Southern Florida.

We hit all of the attractions Southern Florida is known for: the Everglades, Miami beach, Disney World and even the gorgeous Florida Keys.

When we finally made it to Florida’s West Coast, we only had time to spend a few days in Sarasota, St. Pete, Clearwater and Tampa before we had to beeline back to the East Coast to fly out of Orlando.

Which is a huge shame because as we drove further and further north on Florida’s West Coast, we started to fall in love with the quieter beaches and the more relaxed way of life it offered.

So when Gulf County Florida (GCFL) approached us to introduce you to Gulf County, we  thought we’d love to share our wish list for visiting on our next trip.

Winter is just starting at our home base here in British Columbia, and I’m already craving a little sunshine and warmer weather.

While it may be winter in Florida, a Florida winter is definitely not the kind of winter we have here in Canada. In Gulf County Florida, there’s no snow, no cold, and only a relaxed way of life and warm weather.

Check out these Winter Fun Events and activities I’d love to try in Gulf County during the winter months of January to March.

Go for a bike ride and ice cream on Loggerhead Run Bike Trail at Cape San Blas

Cape San Blas is a 17-mile long barrier peninsula that curves around St. Joseph Bay, with surf and white sand beaches on the Gulf side and smooth, shallow water on the Bay side. We’ll stop to pick up seashells along the white sand beaches and check out some of the cool stores.

Take a sunset cruise from the Port St. Joe Marina

The beaches of Gulf County face west across the Gulf of Mexico, making for some beautiful sunsets.

Take a little time out to volunteer

I love the idea of being able to do a little bit to help keep Gulf Country beaches clean. So often, when we travel, I think about the impact our visits have on the local environment, so it’s rewarding to have a chance to give back. Walking along the beautiful beaches near Port St. Joe with the kiddos while helping to keep it clean doesn’t sound like too tough a slog :).

Wading or Kayaking in St Joseph Bay

The waters in St. Joseph Bay are exceptionally clear and clean, and filled with saltwater from the Gulf that makes a thriving habitat for many creatures and sea grasses. Around the top of Cape San Blas, the shoreline seagrass makes a great habitat for Clown Conchs, Periwinkles, Seahorses, Starfish and Fiddler, Horseshoe, Spider and Blue Crabs.

Visit the SaltAir Farmers’ Market

This sounds like a great way to enjoy some fresh air, grab a bite of delicious food and enjoy some live music at the same time. On the the first and third Saturdays of each month during the winter in Downtown Port St. Joe, the SaltAir Farmers’ Market offers fresh seasonal produce from local farmers, Gulf seafood, Tupelo Honey, cheeses and breads, plus handmade crafts, jewelry, art and pottery.

Visit the mysterious Dead Lakes near Wewahitchka

The name alone (Wewahitchka) is reason enough to go check out this area. The Dead Lakes are home to various wildlife like snakes, alligators, deer and turtles, as well as flora like magnolia, bald cypress, magnolia and the White Tupelo tree. Teaming up with a local guide for an eco-tour sounds like a fun experience.

Relax at the beach

GCFL is best known for its relaxed beaches, and I’d love to take some time to build a bonfire on the beach and stare up at the stars with the kids. Taking some time to fish off the pier, or just wandering over white sand dunes during your Florida holidays sounds wonderful too.

Want to learn more about Gulf County Florida?

To find out more, visit the Come visit GCFL website and sign up for the Golf country Florida newsletter, or visit GCFL on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

What adventure would you choose in Gulf County Florida?

After a few quiet days laying low and acclimatizing ourselves to the US, our wanderlust finally kicked back in. I hadn’t been to Florida since I was in my mid teens and really didn’t remember that much about it. One thing I do remember is that we didn’t go any farther south than St. Petersburg. This trip I was adamant about seeing the Florida Keys and going for a hike in the Everglades.

We managed to rent a car and headed south for a few days of exploration. The kids and Micki were excited to see some alligators and I was hoping to stumble on a panther. With only 30 to 50 left in the State I knew the odds were against me though. We ended up staying at the Ramada in Florida City. It was a nice enough hotel that backed onto a huge Outlet Center where Micki picked up some cheap things for the kids. Florida City was also the best place to venture into the Everglades and to see the Florida Keys.

We decided to see the Keys first since we knew we could “sweeten the deal” with the kids being good if we promised to go see Gators the next days. This actually worked out quite well. As we left Florida City and drove down the Overseas Highway to start our trek over the dozen of bridges connecting the Keys we saw some alligators in the fields off to the sides. They were only fleeting images really but just enough to tweak the curiosity of our little nature lovers.

To be honest, driving the Florida Keys with kids wasn’t the most exciting thing we did with them in Florida. After about the 4th or 5th bridge they started to lose interest in them quite rapidly. At least they enjoyed watching the people, boats, birds and the blue water on both sides of the highway. We also had an extended playtime at the beach park in Tavernier where they were able to spend a little energy and play in the water.

We also stopped many times along the way and enjoyed some ice cream or a little walk down one of the many piers and boardwalks that you find as you drive along. Cole and I really enjoyed one in particular. It was close to Caloosa Cove Resort and the tide was out so we got to walk down by the water and watch crabs and other strange tide pool organisms get chased down by cranes and other sea birds. We also saw a few lizards and had the longest race we’ve ever had against each other. Jordan had fallen asleep at that point and poor Micki drew the short straw on who got to stay with her.

One thing I never realized about The Keys is that they’re not as prestigious as I once believed. Most of the places along the route are run down and needing some love. The houses look like they need a fresh coat of paint and a little yard work. Sure there were some mansions off some of the side streets along the waterfront but what you generally see as you cruise along the highway are shacks and dilapidated homes. Maybe the years of hurricanes and constant storms have scared away the “middle class” and left only the truly rich and the brave fisherman.

Anyway, as we approached the ridiculously long 7 mile bridge, made famous in the movie True Lies, we started to realize that we probably wouldn’t make it all the way to Key West unless we stayed the night. It was taking a lot longer to drive down than we anticipated and we weren’t relishing the idea of pushing the kids too hard at that point. Had we thought farther ahead we wouldn’t have left all our stuff back at the hotel in Florida City. As it was, it was a Friday and the drive down was crazy bumper to bumper traffic for the most part and we didn’t think we would even be able to find a room on such short notice.

After crossing over we made it far as Big Pine Key before deciding we’ve seen enough and slowly made our way back to our hotel. Thankfully the traffic was still heading South so we made much better time going up. By the time we got back it was already dark out and we were all tired of being in the car for most of the day. I think we grabbed a quick snack and all of us were in bed early that night.

So there you go, we made it to within 40 miles of the farthest point South in Florida. Looking back it seems silly we didn’t drive the extra few miles making it to Key West however we also realize that with kids distances sometimes have a way of stretching longer. Those extra few miles would have taken us 3 hours longer by the time we drove down, looked around and taken a few pictures and then driven back up. I guess that’s the trade-off when you travel with a family. Luckily, experiencing and seeing something new and exciting through the eyes of your child is a priceless gift that often outweighs the extra work and occasional sacrifices of travelling with kids. I can say with honesty that we definitely felt that way the next morning when we checked out the Everglades.

Of course, there’s a few good stories that go with our time in the Everglades but I’ll save that for a separate post.

So on that note, happy travels everyone from one Barefoot Nomad to another!