The state of Florida, in the USA, is a really popular holiday destination for the British. It’s easy to see why with year-round sunshine, inexpensive places to eat, great shopping and loads of fun attractions on offer. What also makes it an appealing place to visit is the fact that we (almost) speak the same language and the hotels, roads, hospitals and laws are all as good as ours, if not better. In fact the only thing you need to worry about is that you have a really good travel insurance that covers America. That’s simply because while the doctor and hospital care is really good, it is also very expensive if you find you need treatment.
Mention Florida and most people will think of Disney World. Flights go directly into Orlando and this is where you’ll find more family-friendly things to do than you’ve ever imagined. As well as four Disney theme parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, there are two water parks and Downtown Disney, an area with restaurants, shops and bars. Universal have their offering too, which has two theme parks – Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, plus CityWalk for their restaurants and bars. Don’t forget SeaWorld and Lego Land are here too, then there are many smaller attractions like Ripley’s Believe it or Not, The Blue Man Group show, amazing crazy golf courses, more water parks – the list just goes on and on. You need a plan before you go to make sure you pack in what you most want to see, otherwise you can get overwhelmed.
The ticket prices for all these attractions can add up fast, especially when there’s a family to buy for. There are some things that are free though, so you don’t need to dig deep every day you’re there. On Saturday night Kissimmee Old Town has a car show where classic American vehicles are lined up by their owners in all their glory. You can spend hours looking at them all. Parking can be a bit of a problem as it’s really popular, so get there early. The Old Town has places to eat, drink and shop plus a few rides which you pay individually for, but you only have to spend money if you want, otherwise you can wander around for free.
Downtown Kissimmee, sometimes called Main Street, is right next to Lake Tohopekaliga which is a huge area of water with footpaths around the edge. The town is a piece of the past which has been restored and you can find a monument to all the states of America there too. Walk around the lake and you can see all kinds of wildlife, and if it’s not too hot, why not take a picnic as well.
