{"id":316947,"date":"2026-06-23T15:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T15:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/316947\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T15:30:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T15:30:16","slug":"central-florida-family-adventures-that-go-beyond-the-theme-parks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/316947\/","title":{"rendered":"Central Florida Family Adventures That Go Beyond the Theme Parks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Live More Floridays! Springs, Safari & Glamping: Central Florida Family Adventures Worth the Trip<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tBy Cookie Su\u00e1rez | Publisher of Macaroni KID Buckhead – Midtown – Brookhaven, Ga.\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tJune 23, 2026\n\t\t<\/p>\n

When families think of Central Florida, theme parks usually come first, and we love those too. But Florida has a way of surprising you \u2014 and on our recent family getaway, we found a different kind of magic waiting just beyond the expected: Crystal-clear springs, small-town charm, glamping under the stars, airboat rides, wildlife encounters and plenty of kid-approved fun beyond the parks.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for things to do in Central Florida with kids \u2014 especially if your family enjoys a mix of adventure, nature and downtime \u2014 these stops in Mount Dora and Kissimmee are worth adding to your Florida travel plans.<\/p>\n

This article is sponsored by VISIT FLORIDA. The author was provided a complimentary stay and attraction tickets to facilitate this review.<\/p>\n

Small-Town Charm in Mount Dora<\/p>\n

Our first stop was Florida’s Lakeside Escape, in Lake County<\/a>. We stayed at Florida\u2019s most historic hotel, Lakeside Inn<\/a>, centered in the heart of Mount Dora. It\u2019s a charming small town with brick-lined streets full of boutiques and restaurants serving delicious meals to satisfy any palate. When you need relief from the sunshine, you can visit an art or history museum, tour the streets by carriage or take a sunset boat tour around Lake Dora and the Dora Canal. Fun fact: Mount Dora\u2019s carriages are electric and horseless. Save room for ice cream and cold drinks along the way.<\/p>\n

Family-friendly restaurants we liked:<\/p>\n

The Yardery: They offer tasty burgers, fish tacos, salads and sides. In the yard, you can play ping-pong or foosball, or play on the tire swing while you wait for your meal.\u00a0Wave Asian Bistro & Sushi: Try their creative Asian-fusion dishes, including sushi presented as burgers, pizzas, burritos, doughnuts and more!\u00a0PizzAmor\u00e9: Because who doesn\u2019t love good pizza and pasta? Their pizza and spinach artichoke dip were worth the drive.\u00a0Mystic Ice Cream: So many yummy homemade flavors for the kids, and they offer \u201cadult\u201d ice cream flavors too!\u00a0\"FamilySnorkeling, Canoeing & Wildlife at Alexander Springs<\/p>\n

On day two, we took a quick 40-minute drive north of Mount Dora to play at Alexander Springs Recreation Park<\/a>. It has a rich history and is known for having one of the best swimming holes in the Ocala National Forest. We snorkeled in the 72-degree, crystal-clear turquoise spring. Swimming with the fish and turtles was fun, and it was also fascinating to learn that this spring discharges up to 70 million gallons of fresh water every day!<\/p>\n

We rented a three-person canoe and paddled through Alexander Run, and it did not disappoint. The water was lined with lush vegetation, and we spotted countless turtles and over a dozen alligators just lounging on logs like they owned the place. It’s a serious birdwatcher’s spot too \u2014 anhingas, herons, wild turkeys \u2014 so keep your camera handy. We even paddled through a little rain, serenaded by frogs and songbirds the whole way. Not a bad afternoon.<\/p>\n

That’s the Florida Feeling \u2014 that perfect mix of laid-back and completely alive that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.<\/p>\n

\"Alligator\"FamilyFree Family Fun on the Downtown Clermont Art Walk<\/p>\n

On day three, we strolled through Historic Downtown Clermont<\/a> and enjoyed a waterfront lunch at Salt Shack and dessert from Oliver\u2019s Crepes at Montrose Street Market. Don\u2019t miss the free Clermont Art Walk to view stunning murals and interactive photo spots. You\u2019ll find this colorful gem between Osceola Street and Montrose Street.<\/p>\n

\"Downtown
Glamping at Lake Louisa State Park<\/p>\n

We embarked on our evening adventure: glamping at Lake Louisa State Park<\/a>! We reserved one of their Luxury CareFree Camping spots. What a treat to drive up and have everything set up for a night under the stars in a 200-square-foot bell tent with air conditioning! Bring easy food items to grill on the campfire. My daughter relaxed with her book, and we all tried to master the wooden pegboard game.<\/p>\n

\"Family
\"Family<\/p>\n

The following morning, we rented bikes and rode to Lake Louisa Beach. It was an easy ride, but there’s little shade along the way. Remember to wear sunscreen and hydrate! Watch out for tortoises or deer crossing the roads. They also offer fishing, horseback riding, paddling, hiking and more!\u00a0<\/p>\n

A Family-Friendly Villa Stay in Kissimmee<\/p>\n

Just south of Orlando\u2019s world-famous theme parks is Kissimmee. We stayed at the Magic Village Views<\/a> luxury villa, a beautiful, fully furnished condo. There’s a clubhouse and amenities including a pool, cabanas, fitness center, children\u2019s playroom, tennis court and more! It was the perfect home away from home, with a central location to access all the iconic theme parks, dining and entertainment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dinner Shows, Airboats & Water Park Fun in Kissimmee<\/p>\n

Our next adventure included an evening at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament<\/a> Orlando Castle. This is a unique dining experience with a live show featuring knights, horses and tournament entertainment. The show is impressive, and the four-course feast is an 11th-century, hands-on experience with no utensils!<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

The next day, we drove less than one hour from our condo to check out Wild Florida Adventure Park<\/a>. The airboat tour was breezy, exhilarating and fun as it glided through the waterways over the marshes and sawgrass.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The drive-thru safari was slower paced, and you could observe a variety of animals like giraffes, camels and more relaxing and roaming freely in their spacious habitats. The gators in the park were fun to watch because they were more active than the ones we saw out in the wild.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Airboat
\"Drive-thru<\/p>\n

Our last day at Island H2O Water Park<\/a> was a great way to cool off after all the wildlife encounters. There were so many thrilling water slides. Floating in the lazy river and relaxing in the cabana was my favorite part!<\/p>\n

\"Fun
\"Family
\"Girl<\/p>\n

Florida isn’t just a destination \u2014 it’s a state of mind. Whether you’re snorkeling springs, glamping under the stars, or floating a lazy river, there’s always more of that Floridays feeling waiting for you. Start planning your family’s next Florida adventure \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n

Build Your Central Florida Family Itinerary<\/p>\n

Not sure where to start? One of Central Florida\u2019s biggest advantages is how easy it is to build a family trip around one main experience, then add nearby stops to round out the itinerary.<\/p>\n

Here are a few Central Florida vacation ideas to build from:<\/p>\n

Lakeside Inn and small-town exploring \u2014 Mount DoraAlexander Springs Recreation Area \u2014 Ocala National Forest\/Lake CountyDowntown Clermont Art Walk \u2014 ClermontLake Louisa State Park glamping and outdoor adventures \u2014 ClermontVilla-style family stays near the parks \u2014 KissimmeeMedieval Times Dinner & Tournament \u2014 KissimmeeWild Florida Adventure Park \u2014 KenansvilleIsland H2O Water Park \u2014 Kissimmee<\/p>\n

Once you know what kind of trip your family is dreaming about \u2014 springs, wildlife, glamping, small towns, theme parks, water parks or a little of everything \u2014 VisitFlorida.com<\/a> can help you find places to stay, nearby attractions and family-friendly things to do in the same area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Live More Floridays! Springs, Safari & Glamping: Central Florida Family Adventures Worth the Trip By Cookie Su\u00e1rez |…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316948,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[6504,7071,131726,684,6079,15404,28,30,29,46360,20571,2469,131724,110,65827,131725,106,131723],"class_list":["post-316947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-calendar","tag-children","tag-clifton-montclair","tag-events","tag-families","tag-family-fun","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-kids-activities","tag-nj","tag-parks","tag-resource-guides","tag-sports","tag-summer-camps","tag-theatre-camps","tag-things-to-do","tag-weekly-newsletter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316947"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316947\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}