🌴 Florida with Kids - Our 7-Day Family Adventure

23 hours ago
7 min read

✈️ Planning the Trip

We had been talking about Florida for a while, which is why I decided to book the flights for Nath’s birthday. Since my cousin - Alice’s godmother - wanted to join us, she and her partner booked tickets too. We only had seven nights but were determined to see as much as possible.

I kept my options open when booking flights, checking Tampa, Orlando and Miami. In the end, Tampa offered the best deal. We flew from Gatwick, leaving our car with Purple Parking for just over £50 for the week - which I thought was a great price.

At the airport, we met Ema and Matus - our travel companions for the trip. Our flight with British Airways was just after lunchtime. One thing worth mentioning is that BA will check in your hand luggage free of charge, which is incredibly helpful when travelling with children 👶

We managed to grab food at Pizza Express before boarding, and I even popped into Boots to stock up on sunscreen and deodorant, knowing they are more expensive in the US.

The nine-hour flight went really well ✈️ We had booked seats with a bassinet, so Nicolas managed two naps. Alice came prepared with plenty of DIY activities to keep her entertained. She didn’t sleep at all, but she handled the journey brilliantly.

🚗 Arrival, Car Hire & First Night

Once we arrived, we made our way to collect the hire car. The rental was off-site, so we had to take a shuttle, and honestly, finding the right one felt like a mission.

I had booked through Wisecars, which subcontracted to Sonic, and they provide cars for multiple companies. The process felt never-ending. By this point, Alice was completely exhausted and fell asleep within seconds in Nicolas’s pushchair 😴

One thing to be aware of is that even if you book a car for a very good price, you will need to add insurance and toll packages later, which can be surprisingly expensive. We brought our own car seats, and I would definitely recommend doing the same, as the ones provided by rental companies are not great.

When we finally got the car, we drove to Wyndham Hotel near Disney Springs in Orlando. It was straight to bed for us, as we had an exciting day ahead at Magic Kingdom.

🏰 Disney Day - What to Expect

Before getting into the day itself, timing is everything when it comes to Disney.

We visited just after Easter, on a Friday, and I would honestly say the park was not busy at all. I’ve also visited right after the summer holidays and had a very similar experience. In my opinion, the best time to visit is right after bank holidays during weekdays. Another thing I noticed is that queue times are often shorter than what the app shows, at least for the rides we went on.

We started the day with breakfast at the hotel, which cost $25 per person. It was a buffet and included Mickey waffles, which made it completely worth it for me 🧇

Although the hotel offers complimentary transport, we decided to drive for convenience with the kids and paid $60 for premium parking. From there, you can either take the monorail or the boat to the park. We chose the boat, and I would highly recommend it. It’s much more relaxed and enjoyable, especially with little ones.

I would also strongly suggest downloading the Disney app in advance. It makes a huge difference when planning your day, managing bookings, and keeping track of timings.

👶 Visiting Disney with Kids

One thing I didn’t expect to be so useful was the Baby Care Centre. It was surprisingly quiet and incredibly well maintained. There’s a small kitchen where you can warm baby food, highchairs for feeding, and spotless changing areas cleaned after every use. It really made the day much easier.

We decided to split up from Ema and Matus so they could enjoy some of the bigger rides while we focused on the children. Of course, this was after taking what felt like hundreds of photos by the castle 📸

👑 Dining at the Castle

One of the highlights of the day was our booking at Cinderella’s Royal Table inside the castle.

If you want to experience this, you need to book as soon as reservations open, which is 60 days in advance. It’s extremely popular.

At first, I was unsure whether it would be worth the £160 price tag (including tips), but it truly was. You start by meeting Cinderella, then move upstairs for your meal. The experience is magical from start to finish.

The food was lovely. I had lamb chops, Nath chose chicken, and the children had chicken strips and macaroni cheese. Nicolas actually loved the pasta, which surprised me, and Alice ate everything, even getting a second portion. When Nath didn’t enjoy his meal, the staff kindly brought him an alternative off-menu dish, which was such a nice touch.

The desserts were beautiful, and I would definitely recommend the “Clock Strikes Twelve” 🍰

During the meal, four princesses visited our table for photos and a little chat, which Alice absolutely loved. We also received keepsakes like wishing stars and magic wands, and I really liked that adults received them too.

🎢 Parade, Rides & Evening

After lunch, we met back up with Ema and Matus and went to watch the parade. I would recommend standing closer to the start, as the main square near the castle gets very crowded and it can be harder for children to see.

We managed one more ride before heading back. Alice wanted to try the train. It might have been quicker, but it was very busy.

Nicolas was so exhausted that he fell asleep in his pushchair and didn’t wake up for hours. Alice, on the other hand, still had plenty of energy after her nap, so we took her to the pool at Wyndham Hotel, which was fantastic. It has a splash park, a waterfall and even a hot tub, which made it perfect for families.

🥞 Orlando Day Two

The next morning, we went for breakfast at iHop, which is always a must for me. It’s nothing fancy, but the pancakes and the memories make it special 🥞

After that, we went to Walmart for some shopping, which turned into a complete fail. Just so you know, Walmart does not accept any tap payments, as they promote their own system. Unfortunately, we didn’t have cash or a physical card with us, so we ended up leaving over $200 worth of shopping at the till.

Later, we had lunch at T-Rex Café in Disney Springs. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s such a fun and unique experience that I would still recommend it.

🚗 Miami Stop

After lunch, we got in the car and started our drive to Miami. It took just over four hours, which wasn’t the most enjoyable journey, but it felt worth it once we arrived.

We stayed at Hotel Riu Plaza Miami Beach. Breakfast was included and was good, although parking cost an additional $50 per day.

The next morning, we went to Ross outlet. The kids were a bit unsettled, so I ended up rushing through and throwing things into the trolley. I clearly shopped more than expected, as I even had to buy an additional suitcase to fit everything in 😅

We spent some time at the beach, although I have to say that while the promenade is lovely, the water isn’t the cleanest and there was quite a bit of seaweed.

Lunch at The Cheesecake Factory was a highlight. I always go when I’m in the US - the nachos and cheesecake are a must 🍰

🐊 Everglades Experience

On our way to Clearwater, we stopped at Everglades Safari Park, and it turned out to be such a great experience.

We took a 40-minute airboat ride, which was fast, fun and perfect in the morning when it’s a bit cooler for the kids. We saw alligators up close and even watched a reptile show.

It was really interesting to learn that the Everglades is the only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators live together. We also found out that alligators born in captivity cannot be released into the wild.

🏖️ Clearwater - The Highlight of the Trip

Clearwater was, without a doubt, my favourite part of the entire trip 💙 It has that perfect mix of stunning scenery and a laid-back, family-friendly vibe that just makes you slow down and actually enjoy the moment.

The beaches here are honestly beautiful - soft white sand, calm clear water, and the kind of sunsets that don’t even look real 🌅 It felt like such a contrast to the busier parts of Florida, and exactly what we needed after a few full-on days.

On the way from Miami, we made a quick stop to drop Ema and Matus off about an hour before reaching Clearwater, so they could head to Tampa for an ice hockey game 🏒 It was only around a 30-minute taxi ride for them from there, and it just made so much more sense - otherwise they would have been late if they had stayed in the car with us. They rejoined us the following day.

Once we arrived, everything just slowed down in the best way. My mornings started with coffee on the balcony, watching the sunrise in complete peace ☕ and then, just a minute’s walk away, we had the beach ready for sunset in the evenings. That balance felt so special.

We spent our days wandering down to Pier 60, where we spotted a stingray gliding through the water, and even dolphins swimming in the wild 🐬 Such a magical moment, and one of those memories you don’t forget.

What I loved most about Clearwater is that you don’t feel the need to constantly “do” something. There are playgrounds for kids, plenty of restaurants, and lots of little things to keep you busy, but it’s really about enjoying the beach, the ocean, and the slower pace.

We also visited the Clearwater Aquarium. It’s not the biggest or most modern aquarium I’ve been to, but what makes it special is its purpose. It’s a rescue and rehabilitation centre, helping injured dolphins, sea turtles and other marine life recover and, where possible, return to the wild - which made the visit feel much more meaningful.

Clearwater was the kind of place I could easily stay longer… and definitely somewhere I’d come back to again 💭