7 Weekend Getaways in Florida With Kids
As Floridians, we go on staycations in our state every chance we get because there’s so many great weekend getaways in Florida with kids to experience.
We look for destinations within a couple hours driving distance, and Florida getaways for families that have plenty of kid-friendly accommodations.
This list will give you getaway ideas and best destinations for families from South to North Florida, and all of the details in between.
Weekend Getaways in South Florida With Kids
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is filled with adventure for weekend getaways in South Florida with kids.
Here are a few things I recommend doing with kids when visiting:
Things to do:
This fun museum is interactive and has tons of exhibits for little kids to play and learn.
Flamingo gardens has tons of nature and animals that you can get up close to
While not in Fort Lauderdale, it’s just a short drive north to Coconut Creek, (west of Pompano Beach) where you can see thousands of butterflies flying around you, landing on you, and view some fun exhibits. This is definitely a unique experience in Broward County.
Fort Lauderdale, and all of South Florida can get super hot and humid. Check out my list of places to cool off.
This is a fun, beachside and artsy area with restaurants, shops, and a playground. You can walk around, grab ice-cream, sit on the beach or on the lawn area with climbing and jumping equipment, or dine at one of the restaurants. I’ve eaten at Aruba’s and it was very good and a fun atmosphere.
While there are a lot of beaches to choose from in Fort Lauderdale, I recommend Oleta River State Park because it has shallow and calm waters.
The Palm Beaches
Palm Beach County is located north of Fort Lauderdale and is a popular weekend getaway with kids. While there’s so much to admire about all of the cities in Palm Beach County, like Boca Raton and Delray, two locations I recommend are Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens.
Jupiter
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Museum
This gorgeous town on the northern side of Palm Beach County, known for its beach culture, parks and recreation facilities, natural areas, and great restaurants. It’s also nearby Palm Beach Gardens, which is another great family town in Palm Beach County.
- The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is a historical landmark in Jupiter that you’ll want to see. The entire park is a beautiful discovery, especially the natural area overlooking the clear blue water.
You can climb up the lighthouse for a tour and see the spectacular view from the top, or you can overlook it from the boardwalk. Children must be a minimum of 48″ tall to climb the lighthouse. We haven’t been up to the top yet because my kids aren’t tall enough but we can’t wait to do it.
The natural area is great place for a family hike, and there is a small playground for children. Another fun activity is paddle boarding this area, which you can book with Jupiter Outdoor Center.
Things to do:
One of the most fun experiences with kids in Palm Beach County!
The weather is hot, so if you aren’t doing a beach day or staying at the hotel pool, I’m sure you’ll find this list useful!
If you plan on spending some time here with kids, check out the full list of 50 things to do in Palm Beach County.
Places to eat:
There are a lot of great restaurants in Jupiter, and I’ve put them all in one place. Here are activities and places to eat: 40 things to do in Jupiter with kids,
Finding kid-friendly places to eat is crucial for us, since our kids are so young, so I’ve made a list of 18 Fun Family Restaurants in Palm Beach County
Places to stay:
- We have stayed at Jupiter Waterfront Inn and the Marriott on Singer Island. Both were great! Here’s the breakdown on both:
If your priority is budget, then I recommend the Jupiter one. The Marriott’s location is further from attractions outside of the resort, but it has more to do at the resort than the Jupiter stay.
- If you want to spend most of your time at a resort, check out Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort- the Best Family Resort in Palm Beach.
- A unique place to stay in Palm Beach County is Timberline Glamping at Jonathon Dickinson State Park. Our experience here was so cool!
our glamping tent
St. Petersburg
Not far from Tampa, is the fun waterside city of St. Petersburg, or as we call it, St. Pete.
We came here on a whim and absolutely fell in love with it. We appreciated a lot of great places to eat.
This area is very lively, and much larger than we ever imagined. With tons of restaurants, shops, and things to see and do, this Florida getaway is one you probably want to see if you’re looking for a slower pace, (as in, not a ton of touristy museums and landmarks that you will feel bad for missing out on.)
This gives you more reason to relax, and really just enjoy being on vacation without too much structure.
What I recommend for families in St. Pete:
Downtown St. Pete
The pier has a little bit of everything, and is definitely the place to be for outdoor fun. There is a playground, splash pad, beach, museum, restaurants, live music and entertainment, and even a roller rink. Saturday mornings markets last all day and there is seriously so much to see at these!
Glazer Family playground
St. Pete Pier
- Sunken Gardens (Botanical Gardens)
The botanical gardens is a beautiful and bright place to stroll through if you’re wanting to be outside in nature, see plenty of tropical plants, flamingos, and a butterfly garden!
This immersive art experience, funky art gallery and cafe is located in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District. It’s about 3.5 miles west of the beach and formerly called Fairgrounds of St. Pete, for reference.
This “museum” is designed for all ages and kids and features things like captivating neon lights, unusual art pieces, and an overall fun atmosphere.
Many of the playful exhibits are derivate of Florida’s stories and history, and It’s definitely a pictureqsue spot for photos.
While I’m personally not brave enough to attempt a museum visit often with little kids, It would be a disservice if I didn’t mention the Dali Museum (fine art) and the Holocaust Museum.
Where to stay:
Hands down the best family resort is TradeWinds Island Resort!
They have two resorts that are on the same private beach and share 40 acres of property. If you book one, you have access to the amenities at the other.
We stayed at the Island Grand Resort which had so many kid activities, and we walked over to the sister resort, Rumfish Grill for even more activities. The sunsets were so beautiful and we had the best time!
Tampa
Tampa is home to many attractions on the west coast of Florida, and there is no shortage of things to do for families here.
Things to do:
Zoo Tampa at Lowry park is one of the best zoos! Zoos can take the entire day to explore so plan accordingly.
The Florida aquarium is similar to many major city aquariums in that it is filled with fun things to see, play, and interact with- in addition to a lot of tanks and aquariums.
This one is a rescue hospital, so it’s more about education than entertainment. It’s still a wonderful place to see marine animals, especially dolphins!
Busch Gardens is a super-fun, action-packed theme park with tons of entertainment, rollercoasters, and shows.
You’ll want to check out the Tampa Bay City Pass if you plan to do several attractions. The pass gives you access to certain attractions for a cheaper price than paying for admission at each place separately.
Weekend Getaways in Central Florida With Kids
Some of the best things to do in Central Florida with kids are Orlando attractions and the fresh water springs.
Are there alligators in the springs? Yes. Any body of water in Florida is likely to have alligators and you should always be aware.
While the water is clear enough to see through and around you, and they don’t usually bother humans in the springs, It’s important to note that you may see one.
The park staff does gator surveillance and removes them from the swimming holes if one is found.
Orlando
The biggest attraction in Orlando is Disney World, and while that’s probably enough reason to visit Orlando, there are so many other sites to see.
Swim with dolphins! This is more than an aquarium because you get to interact with the animals.
Try chocolates from around the world!
This is considered Downtown Disney, and it’s free to go! It is a Disney property, but it’s not a theme park. It’s packed with things to do, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
Where to stay:
Winter Park: If you can stay here, I highly recommend it. It’s charming, somewhat upscale with elegant homes and has a cute downtown area with unique shops, restaurants, and museums.
Gaylord Palms is another great place to stay is This upscale resort and waterpark is very family-friendly and has tons of activities.
Silver Glen
Silver Glen Springs is a beautiful and popular natural spring that is great for kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and floating. The water is clear blue and gorgeous! You can walk around the trail of St. George Lake.
Alexander Springs
Tucked away in the Ocala National Forest is Alexander Springs. This is one of the best places for families to visit because it is relatively shallow, gradient slow, slope eases swimmers into the stunning water.
Popular activities include swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, and canoeing. This is also a great spot for hiking and camping.
Weeki Wachee Springs
A perfect getaway for families is Week Wachee Springs-the spring famous for having mermaids. The mermaid show is a world-famous attraction since 1947! You can even have a meet and greet with a mermaid.
Although swimming is not permitted in certain parts, you can swim at a designated area called Buccaneer Bay. Kayaking and canoeing are absolutely stunning experiences in the crystal clear water and are fully permitted.
Buccaneer Bay looks and feels like a beach, but with the softest white sand. It has two water slides to cruise right into the spring with a big splash.
- Cannonball sliders must be 48 inches or taller.
- Pirate’s Revenge sliders must be 42 inches or taller.
Lil’ Mates Caribbean Cove Is here too, a water play area and wading pool especially for children 6 years and younger.
Other things to love about Weeki Wachi is certified lifeguards stationed throughout the area, a seasonal restaurant, concessions, and inner tube rentals to float on a natural river that flows around the swimming area.
While choosing a Florida spring can be
Weekend Getaways in North Florida With Kids
Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach is a beachside town, known for surfing, on the east coast of Florida, and I’ll share the perfect itinerary to make it easy to get the most out of the time you have.
Places to Eat:
we loved the delicious Pub Americana, where they serve award-winning burgers and hand-crafted drinks and food.
Village Bier Garten is also a fantastic and family-friendly choice with indoor/outdoor seating. They have a beautiful beer garden patio with live music and picnic tables.
You will also find a unique coffee shop, donut shop, French bakery, and ice-cream shop!
Where to stay:
The Westgate Resort is probably the most kid-friendly resort in Cocoa Beach. There is a tiki-style themed resort, amazing pool with a splash pad and lazy river with bamboo half-circles that spray out water. There is also a free shuttle service that takes you right to the Cocoa Beach Pier, which I’ll explain later.
Here are my must-do recommendations:
About a 15 minute drive west of the pier, is Cocoa Village, a charming, historical storybook village with boutique shops and restaurants. This area is very cute and family-friendly.
Things to do: children’s playground, splash pad, catch a concert at the outdoor amphitheater. Bonus: It’s pet-friendly!
All of Cocoa Village can be best travelled on foot, or even by renting electric scooters.
We love going to Cocoa Village with kids and walking along the cobblestone streets.
Within Cocoa Village is Riverfront Park is the waterfront lawn used for recreation, picnics, and rocket launch views!
Whether you are visiting during a community event or just enjoying a weekend, there is a lot to see.
Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier
The historic pier is an 800 ft. long boardwalk with restaurants, shops, bars, and live music. This is a big attraction in Cocoa for those passing by to get to the beach, or just coming to the pier itself. The parking lot gets busy fast, so I suggest arriving early. Being a surf town, you can also enjoy access to surf lessons from the pier. This is the pier I was talking about that has a shuttle to and from Westgate Resort.
Dinosaur Store Museum
If you have a Dino-loving child like me, you don’t want to skip this museum while visiting Cocoa Beach.
The museum has so many dinosaur exhibits with giant Dino displays, fossils, facts, a cave, gems and even an entire floor for ancient cultures, such as Egyptian and Asian history upstairs.
On the first floor, kids can play in the adventure area where there are arcade games and even wild animals to see. The gift shop is also really cool.
Kennedy Space Center
The Kennedy Space Center is FULL of attractions and exhibits. It actually feels like a little space theme park.
See the rockets and space shuttles that are used by NASA and get in on some fun exhibits like space astronaut training simulators, shuttle launch ride, planet play for children 2-12 years old, and SO much more.
You can spend the entire day here, or get a lot done in a couple hours.
Golf N’ Gator
We came here because my son loves reptiles, and we heard that you could hold a baby alligator! We fed the alligators hot dogs! and got to take a photo.
This is also a fun place for mini golf, gem mining, arcade fun, and go-karts.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine is the perfect family getaway in Florida. It’s also the oldest city in the United States, therefore giving it a significant amount of rich history to be explored. The historic district has tons of pubs, shops, restaurants, museums, and historic landmarks along the cobblestone streets.
When to visit:
Anytime of the year is great to visit St. Augustine, as the city is always alive for year-round tourism. But if you can swing it, I suggest going during the Nights of Lights (Mid November through January.)
The Nights of Lights is when the historic district turns into a winter wonderland with millions of holiday lights illuminating the old trees and beautiful architecture. It is really a wonderful thing to see during a magical time of the year.
Where to stay:
If you want to be where all the action is, stay in the historic district. St. George Street is the place to be.
Pro tip: Avoid driving downtown. It’s very hard to find parking on the weekend or during the Night of Lights. Aside from booking a hotel downtown where you can walk your way around, the trolleys are a great option. (The trolleys also take you around to see the lights during that season)
If you are not staying that close and need to drive closer to downtown, you can find cheap parking at the Fort or at Flagler College for downtown parking.
what to do:
1. Hiking and nature:
- Anastasia State Park
- Fort Matanzas
- Washington Oaks
2. Beaches:
- Vilano Beach
- St Augustine Beach
3. Family Attractions:
- The Alligator Farm is a zoological park with way more than just gators. See all kinds of animals, exhibits, ziplining and special animal encounters. There is a kids zone overlooking the birds of Africa, where kids of all ages can have fun on the playground, climbing wall, and other play structures while the parents sit and relax for a bit.
4. History:
- The Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine is a must-see part of history where Ponce De Leon discovered the healing waters that magically maintain your youthful appearance. It’s a really beautiful and scenic place to visit, and you’ll be happy for the chance to drink from the fountain of youth.
- Flagler College and the Lightner Museum both have gorgeous architecture and are right near each other.
- St. Augustine has historical Forts with different stories significant to the first colony. Castillo de San Marcos: The Castillo de San Marcos is probably the most iconic of the forts. The waterfront fort is a beauty, and can be easily fit into your itinerary since it’s downtown.
- Spanish military hospital museum
- Churches
I hope you found this list of 7 weekend getaways in Florida with kids to be helpful and inspiring! What other fun spots are there to visit in Florida? I’d love to hear your experience!
