23 Things to do in FLORIDA with kids (Fun, Cool and Lively)
With a society of more than 20 million humans, Florida is regarded as the third-largest state in the union.
Of this population, more than 3 million are children, and each contributes significantly to the development of the US.
Have you ever considered family-friendly activities in Florida that are kid-focused and will advance your children’s education, exposure, creative thinking, and personal enrichment?
Do not worry!
Florida is an excellent place for families since it offers all the amenities for an enjoyable vacation filled with learning, rest, and fun, not to mention beautiful beaches and natural parks.
This article will provide information on various exciting, fun, and family-friendly activities your children can participate in and their locations if you live in Florida or intend to visit the state.
And by the way, you may also want to check out the best Fun Things to do in Florida.
Things to do with kids in Jacksonville, Florida
1. Visit the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
The St. Johns River runs beside Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, which opened its doors in May 1914.
It has expanded from its modest beginnings in Springfield and is considered one of the city’s top attractions, with over one million annual visitors.
It covers roughly 122 acres and has around 2,000 animals and 1,000 different plant species.
If you take your kids to the garden, they’ll love well-liked attractions like the Range of the Jaguar, the Land of the Tiger, which opened in 2014; the Plains of East Africa, which features animals from the African savanna; the Australian Outback; the African Forest, which showcases animals native to the state.
The zoo is one of seven in the country with an animal health committee, which contributes to providing top-notch animal care.
As a result, the garden is the perfect location for kids to unwind.
Also, the zoo glorifies itself by letting visitors like you and your kids learn about different species and ecology efforts through academic experiences.
Address: 370 Zoo Parkway Jacksonville, FL 32218
2. Explore the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
Do you want to take your kids on tour around Florida’s largest Museum of fine arts?
So stop worrying!
Your best bet is the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.
The largest fine arts Museum in North America was founded in 1958 when civic leader and art enthusiast Ninah Cummer contributed her art collection.
More than 5,000 works of art have since been added to the original 60 pieces from Mrs. Cummer’s estate, and the historic gardens, which are situated next to the St. Johns River, are a focal point of beauty that your children may appreciate.
The Museum is made up of a renowned educational facility called Art Connections, which has a variety of collective educational installations and offers programs to underprivileged kids.
Do you know what’s very cool?
Children under the age of five enter the garden free of charge!
Address: 829 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32204, USA
3. Explore the Little Talbot Island State Park
If your children like exploring outdoors, ensure they don’t miss this state park!
The Park offers a variety of activities, such as surfing, swimming, birding, wildlife viewing, hiking, canoeing, camping, fishing, rubbish control, hide-and-seek games, and so on.
Swimming is only permitted in the areas accessible from the north beach parking lot, and it is advised to use caution at all times because there are no lifeguards on duty there.
It is not permitted near the southern end of the beach due to frightening incidents.
In addition to bobcats, marsh rabbits, river otters, and various native and migratory species, the western section of the island is home to salt marshes, dunes, and maritime woodlands.
The Park also features a group tent and a campground with all the amenities.
You must ensure that your youngsters explore this magnificent Park independently and find serenity there.
Address:12157 Heckscher Drive Jacksonville, FL 32226
4. Take a trip to the Museum of Science & History
Local history and broad science are included in this private, charitable Museum established in 1941.
Your children will undoubtedly find learning new topics more straightforward thanks to the experiences offered at the Museum, such as living in the 1960s and learning about energy consumption.
The Museum provides a variety of family-friendly activities, including exhibits, movies, planetarium shows, 65 acres of untamed nature, animals at the Lichterman Nature Center, and two globally renowned historic buildings, the Mallory-Neely House and the Magevney House.
It also has joint exhibitions, including Atlantic Tails, JEA PowerPlay, and Currents of Time, that have won awards.
The Museum’s most frequent exhibits include Health Science, Health in Motion, and the Florida Naturalist’s Center, which holds species indigenous to Northeast Florida.
Address: 1025 Museum Circle Jacksonville, FL 32207
Also see our article on Zoos in Florida.
Things to do with kids in Miami, Florida
1. Visit the Zoo Miami
Taking your children to the zoo is one of the most family-friendly things you can do at any period of the year, but the one in Miami is a bit different from the others they’ve undoubtedly been to.
Zoo Miami is the only equatorial zoo in the US and houses animals you cannot find in these areas of the nation, such as hippos, gorillas, vipers, etc.
It has an area of 750 acres and boasts more than 3,000 species.
You can take your kids on the monorail to get around, and in the summer, there is a splash area where they can cool down.
At Zoo Miami, which spans almost 750 acres and has 4 kilometers of pathways, more than 2,500 animals from about 400 species live there!
If you take your kids to Zoo Miami, where they can see tigers in Asia, koalas in Australia, and crocodiles in the Florida Everglades, they will experience the globe with you.
Hire a safari bike for your kids so they can enjoy a stress-free trip to the zoo.
Address: 12400 SW 152nd St, Miami, FL 33177, United States
2. Take a trip to Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science — Downtown
The Miami Science Museum is a science Museum, planetarium, and aquarium located in Miami, Florida, in the United States.
It is also sometimes regarded as the Miami Science Museum and Space Transit Planetarium.
In 1960, it first set up shop across from Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Coconut Grove.
The Museum moved to Museum Park in the downtown area, close to the Perez Art Museum Miami, in 2017 after leaving its Coconut Grove location in 2015.
In addition to other exhibits, the Museum has an aquarium, a planetarium, a solar system, feathers to the stars, a river of grass, a sunspot, and the ultimate die-hards.
The staff at the Museum is kind and accommodating, ready to offer guidance on the best route across the complex and assistance with mobility concerns.
However, there are numerous steps to be aware of, and the elevators may become crowded.
The Museum’s entry prices vary depending on the weekday or day of your visit, and it is open every day.
Address: 1101 Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL 33132
3. Have fun at Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures — Downtown
Another one that replies to the question ‘Where to go with kids this weekend?’ is provided here.
Bring extra clothing and towels if you ever take your kids to the Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures because you’re in for a splashy time!
With daily, 45-minute public touring speedboat excursions and private rentals on the Thriller Speedboats, Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures has entertained residents and tourists for over 14 years.
A speedboat tour of Miami is a unique experience; you only need to sit back, unwind, and enjoy the city’s stunning views while the captain takes you and your kids on an exciting speedboat ride.
Children under three years old, those with significant medical issues, and pregnant women are prohibited from participating due to safety concerns.
The Thriller Miami Speedboat costs $45.00 per adult (ages 12+) and $35 per child (ages 3–11).
Address: 401 biscayne blvd. #T5880, Miami, FL 33132, United States
4. Hang out at the South Pointe Park — South Pointe
South Pointe Park, one of Miami’s most beloved attractions, provides kids and adults with a nostalgic day of classic entertainment!
Established on October 25, 1985, it was the sixteenth public Park in Miami Beach and cost $3.6 million to construct in 1984.
The initial amenities included a theater, two wooden observation towers, picnic pavilions, exercise facilities, and a 522-foot walkway over Miami Beach.
During the planning stages, the city authorities were concerned that it would become a shelter for wanderers; as a result, they designed the Park to be the site of regular festivals and other events.
South Pointe Park was eventually included in a broader plan in the 1980s to restore the city’s neglected South Pointe neighborhood.
The Park’s amenities include:
It features colorful rescue towers, and rentals for beach umbrellas and chairs are available.
The South Pointe Cafe sells juice, hot coffee, chips, ice cream, granola bars, and other refreshments next to the children’s splash pad.
Pets are not permitted on the beach.
Address: 1701 Meridian Avenue, Suite 401, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Also see our article on Aquariums in Florida.
Things to do with kids in Tampa, Florida
1. Visit the Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the perfect family adventure, with more than 12,000 animals, world-class events, and live entertainment.
Cobra’s Curse, the Park’s newest attraction, restores family fun with this rare spin coaster.
The top-rated roller coasters, more than 50 rides and attractions, live stage performances, and beautiful dining experiences are all part of Busch Gardens’ attractions.
Busch Gardens has received the title ‘World’s Most Beautiful Amusement Park‘ each year since 1990.
There’s always a good reason for you and your kids to go to the garden, from seasonal fireworks displays and beer-themed events to holiday festivities and more.
Some of Virginia’s top roller coasters and fun rides may be found at Busch Gardens, whether your child enjoys coasters or you’re looking for family-friendly attractions.
Address: 10165 N McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612
2. Take a trip to Horse Power for Kids and Animal Sanctuary
Are you looking for inexpensive family entertainment?
Then the best place to think about is Horse Power for Kids and the Animal Sanctuary!
Many farm animals and colorful species call this fantastic animal sanctuary home.
While the kids enjoy pony rides, train rides, and even petting the farm animals, all you need to do is relax and take in farm life.
The kids may develop their empathy and understand the value of caring for animals in this way.
Babies 12 months old or younger are admitted free of charge, while everyone else must pay $14 to enter the sanctuary.
No reservations are necessary to visit during office hours, except those for birthday parties, corporate events, weddings, horseback riding (for children aged 7 to 15), and field trips.
Address: 8005 Racetrack Rd. Tampa, FL 33635
3. Explore the Glazer Children’s Museum
The Glazer Children’s Museum is a must-see for planning a vacation with your kids.
It is a non-profit children’s Museum in the Waterfront Arts District of downtown Tampa, Florida, next to Curtis Hixon Park and the Tampa Museum of Art.
The Museum has a 53,000-square-foot space dedicated to it.
Interactive displays are featured across several themed areas, and regularly visited exhibitions are added to the permanent collection.
Numerous educational opportunities are available at the Museum, where families can engage in activities.
The 53,000-square-foot Museum is home to several exhibitions, some of which are touring and others that are permanent.
However, some shows and special events are also suitable for adults.
The Glazer Children’s Museum encourages kids to play with a purpose in an interactive learning atmosphere, even if learning is frequently formal and playing is for enjoyment.
Address: 110 W Gasparilla Plz, Tampa, FL 33602
4. Have fun at the Tampa Riverwalk
Are you looking for a pleasant environment for fun with your kids and family?
Then worry less!
One of your surest destinations is this beautiful and enticing Riverwalk, a public space allowing you to have a great time with your family!
The playful activities you can do with your kids at this fascination are visiting the kids’ Museum and their performing Arts.
Apart from its beautiful environment, another thing that fascinates people, both residents and visitors, to this place is its festivals and societal events.
You can also explore the Museum independently or join a guided tour!
This could be a fantastic and ideal location for you and your kids
So what are you waiting for?
Address: 201 N Franklin St Suite 2900 Tampa, Florida 33602
Also see our article on Castles in Florida.
Things to do with kids in Orlando, Florida
1. Visit the Sea Life Orlando Aquarium
Taking your kids to the aquarium, loaded with aquatic life, is one of the top things you can do in Orlando.
You may get up close and personal with rare and rescued marine animals, including spectacular sharks, colorful clownfish, and curious sea turtles.
Also, you can decide to attend the diving shows where the divers get up close and personal with these fantastic animals, or you can see them being fed.
Make sure to participate in Tuesday’s Toddler Time if you are traveling with young children and get ready to find it challenging to separate your kids from events like story time and sing-alongs.
Children and others who are still young may see the habitats and the creatures especially living inside them, thanks to the pop-up bubbles.
Purchase your tickets right away to have a unique ocean experience!
Address: 8449 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819
2. Take a trip to Madame Tussauds
Have you been looking for a Museum where you can see your favorite film and television characters with your kids and family?
Then bother less!
Madame Tussauds is an exceptional tourist attraction that displays images of famous and historical television and film personalities.
You and your kids will have the opportunity to stay beside the wax figures of your favorite celebrities, musicians, athletes, sports heroes, and so on!
Your favorite superheroes, such as The Flash, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Superman, Batman, or Aquaman, may even stand next to you.
These waxworks are carefully and beautifully arranged in sectional groups.
Even if you only have an hour to spare, it must be on your list of things to do today with your kids.
Address: 8387 International Dr, Orlando
3. Hang out at Kelly Park
Nearly all Apopka, Florida, residents are familiar with and regularly visit Kelly Park, one of the most peaceful and lovely natural springs there.
Visitors like you and your kids can cool down in the pool of cool water at the end of the rock run.
You may use a tube or a floating device to float down the rocky spring stream.
In the Park’s Rock Springs Run, which you can see if the light is right, water flows from a hole at the bottom and provides a watering space from the unjust subtropical climate.
As you can go camping, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, or just unwinding on a float trip, it is one of the best locations to have family fun with your kids.
Another well-liked activity there is tubing.
However, if you and your kids are residents of Florida, you will only pay $18 for the ticket, while those from outside Florida must pay $23.
Address: Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712
Also see our article on Tubing in Florida.
Things to do with kids in St. Petersburg, Florida
1. Play games at the Great Explorations Children’s Museum.
Great Explorations Children’s Museum has provided services to families in the Tampa Bay region since 1987.
The 23,000-square-foot attraction has various games and exhibits made exclusively for kids ten and older.
It includes a nationally recognized preschool, camps and afterschool programming, field excursions, community outreach activities, and exhibitions to inspire learning through creativity, play, and exploration.
The displays were organized inside into sizable rooms, with separate rooms dedicated to sight, sound, and touch exhibits.
Children were invited to negotiate the fun house-like course in this 90-foot (27-meter)-long, fully blacked-out tunnel.
The original Museum also featured a tiny territory that housed reduced reproductions of several of the Museum’s well-known activities in a corridor of the St. Petersburg landing space.
Address: 1925 4th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33704
2. Explore the Island Boat Adventures
Island Boat Adventures is the best location for a fun-filled day in the sun with your kids!
It is based in St. Petersburg along the Sunshine Skyway and offers Egmont Island cruises.
In addition to animal viewing and sightseeing, you and your kids also have the option to go snorkeling!
Island Boat Adventures is the best place to celebrate any occasion, including your child’s birthday!
On your family vacation, you will see many different types of natural animals, including beautiful big-nosed dolphins.
It’s phenomenal to see these great brutes in their natural habitat!
Ticket prices include $59.00 for adults 13 and up and $49.00 for children 4–12.
Do you know the best part?
There is no charge for infants or children three years or younger!
So, what are you waiting for?
Address: 6800 Sunshine Skyway Lane, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
3. Take a trip to Fort De Soto Park
Located near Palma Del Mar in St. Petersburg, Fort De Soto Park provides an exciting experience.
Fort De Soto Park spans 1,136 acres across five interconnected islands and is home to various plants and animals in diverse habitats, playground equipment, a dog park, and nature paths.
The Park features include a dog park, campgrounds, playgrounds, a multipurpose walk, 15 picnic shelters, two fishing piers, swim areas, and more.
You will find yourself thrilled by the richness of natural attractiveness as far as the eye can see at Fort De Soto, whether relaxing on the beach or kayaking close to the water’s edge.
The Park offers the most extensive range of systems everywhere, although the complexity of the environment takes time to become evident.
These islands are habitation to beach plants, mangroves, marshes, palm hammocks, hardwoods, and various native species.
Each of these species is essential to maintaining and safeguarding the natural world.
Annual Park gathering averages more than 2.7 million visitors.
Address: Palma Del Mar St. Petersburg, FL
4. Visit the Boyd Hill Nature Park
A top attraction in St. Petersburg for outdoor enthusiasts is Boyd Hill Nature Park.
The nature park provides playgrounds, walkways, picnic spots, guided tours, and animal access.
A group of researchers has determined that this attraction is suitable for children, free or inexpensive, and an excellent place to take a date.
With its five unique ecosystems in the state’s most populated area, the Park is one of its least known but most unique natural environments.
Boyd Hill is a shelter for even the most experienced birders and is a stop on the Great Florida Birding Path, preserved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
An environmental center is also present, with exhibits showing native Florida and the ripple effect.
The Park is accessible from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday and closed on Monday.
Address: 1101 Country Club Way South St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Also see our article on Skiing in Florida.
Things to do with kids in Hialeah, Florida
1. Hang out at the Amelia Earhart Park
This family-friendly Park is full of entertainment and amenities suitable for people of all ages, and it is one of the largest parks across 515 acres in Hialeah.
The magnificent Park, which houses five lakes, is divided into different segments and complexes based on the amenities, tranquil surroundings, ample greenery, and exciting recreational prospects that make this Park the best spot to spend the day with your kids.
There are several things to do at this Park, such as mountain biking, wakeboarding, soccer, and volleyball.
Amelia Earhart Park has many attractions, including bike trails, disc golf, a fishing pier, lakes, a picnic pavilion, a playground, a lit soccer field, a volleyball court, Wi-Fi, and a bark Park.
There are also watersports available for the whole family to enjoy.
Do you know the best part?
Entry is free during weekdays, but you must pay $7 if you visit on weekends or holidays.
Address: 401 A 65th St, Hialeah, FL
2. Explore the McDonald Water Park
McDonald’s Park serves as an outdoor community center and offers a range of activities.
Visitors and their families can stroll along the route or play tennis or basketball on the courts.
A water Park is also available occasionally, and there are party spaces, a lazy river, a wave pool, and a waterfall.
It is a perfect location for your kids’ birthdays or daytime gatherings, and the price is very reasonable.
Located in the Florida city of Hialeah, the Park is accessible seasonally from March to October and is 30 minutes by car from downtown Miami.
It has a lake, reservable pavilions, tennis courts, an aquatic center with wave pools, a lazy river, waterfalls, and rentals for private parties and swimming lessons for kids.
The Park is open from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday), and the ticket price is between 7 and 10 dollars.
Address: 7505 W 12 Ave, Hialeah, FL 33014, USA
3. Have fun at Amelia Earhart Mountain Bike Trails
Amelia Earhart Mountain Bike Tracks provide rough routes for mountain cyclists of all skill levels with defined tracks to ride on.
Along with passing through forests, the path leads visitors to a 90-acre lake.
There is a $7 fee for parking on the weekends, free of charge during the week.
Mountain bikers, hikers, and trail runners all use this path, designed for many uses.
You may set off the main road and onto a mile-long forest mountain bike trail with rugged trails and runs by mountain biking at Amelia Earhart Park.
Also, the mountain bike tracks cover a wide variety of abilities.
The more accessible routes include sand roads to follow and South Florida plants cherishing the environment, making for a more leisurely and pleasant ride; the path has parking, covered pavilions, playgrounds, bike rentals, and more.
Address: 401 E 65 Street Hialeah, FL 33013
4. Visit the Hialeah Park Race Track
One of Florida’s most refreshing and entertaining parks is Hialeah Park Race Track, often known as Hialeah Park.
The site of the Hialeah Park Race Track, a historic racetrack in Hialeah, Florida, spans 40 square blocks from East 22nd Street to East 32nd Street in the north and east and from Palm Avenue to East 4th Avenue in the east.
It was included on the American National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1979, and was given yet another listing in 1988.
At the Hialeah Station on Palm Avenue and East 21st Street, the Miami Metrorail provides access to the Hialeah Park Race Track.
Hialeah Park has 200 acres of historic buildings and a beautiful garden called ‘The World’s Most Beautiful Horse Race Course.’
It is legendary and majestic and on the National Register of Historic Places.
Do you know the best part?
The Park is wisely positioned 5 minutes from the Miami International Airport and 10 minutes from South Beach, Downtown Miami, Coral Gables, and Doral, making it accessible by all main roads.
Address: 100 E 32nd St, Hialeah, FL 33013
If you liked this article, you may also like to read about the best Bowling Alley, Ice Skating, and Apple Picking in Florida.
Looking beyond Florida? Check out our article on the best things to do in New York with Kids.