Family Favorite Travel Destination–Orlando

Like most families, Orlando is a favorite vacation destination of ours. There are so many things to keep the kiddos entertained and the nostalgia of the theme parks is second to none! In total, we have gone to Orlando four times as a family. As the kids get older, the things they enjoy most about the parks may change, but the sentiment is always the same: They always have a great time on these vacations!

We took a trip to Orlando in June of 2021 and although it was a short trip, we packed in a ton in just a few days. We arrived later in the evening and it was raining, which is expected this time of the year. So, we just stopped for a quick dinner at a chain restaurant before heading to our hotel.

Since this was a short trip, we had to select the theme parks and activities we were most interested in doing again. So, we chose Epcot and Aquatica (Sea World’s water park). We had been to both before, but wanted to go again because we knew we had missed out on a ton in previous trips to these parks. We also made an impromptu visit to the local Ripley’s Believe It or Not which is always a fun time.

Let’s explore why these are great options for a quick 2-3 day trip to Orlando.

Epcot. This is probably my favorite Disney park! I love that most of the attractions have some element of education. I always learn something new about a country or a culture each time I visit. There is so much to do and see here! As you walk through the World Showcase, you really do feel as if you are visiting that country. And, as a foodie, I love to try food from all the countries. Surprisingly, my favorite items this time were from Germany: the grapefruit beer and brat. But, everything we tried was really tasty! The kids also liked visiting the store in Japan because it featured lots of Japanese snacks they wanted to try. As a family, our favorite ride at Disney is Soarin’ which is another reason we had to go to Epcot during our short stay.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not. This was not originally in our plans during our visit. However, it was raining when we had some extra time to explore and we needed to find something indoor to do. We passed by this on International Drive and decided to stop in. Our family had a great time here and we are glad we stopped by. This was actually smaller than some of the others we had been to, but we still had a great time. If you are in the area and looking for something indoors to do to pass the time, this is a great option.

Aquatica. Water parks are always on the agenda when we visit Orlando! We had been to Aquatica before, but it was really crowded and we did not get to experience as much of the park as we wished. We got there early so we could be one of the first in the park and were able to find a great spot in the shade close to the wave pool. If you have not been here before and you love water parks, I highly recommend you try this one out! The tube slides are excellent and the lazy rivers are the best I have been on! We had a great time here and will definitely be back!

A short video of our trip can be found here.

Stay tuned for more family friendly travel ideas and tips!