Planning the Ultimate Family Vacation to Kissimmee, Florida

I am so excited to be planning the ultimate family vacation to Kissimmee, Florida. Located at the heart of Central Florida, Kissimmee is 25 minutes from Orlando International Airport (MCO), minutes from world-famous theme parks and attractions, and nestled in carefully preserved outdoor spaces so visitors can reconnect with nature, Kissimmee has been a place I’ve been looking to take the kids for a while.

With months of school strikes, and the craziness of the holidays, planning our trip to Kissimmee, FL, has been a great escape. I knew there was a lot to do in Kissimmee, but as I dove deeper into the trip planning process, I was pleasantly surprised that Kissimmee is more than just the theme parks it’s so famous for. (although they are an important part). The more research I did, and the more reviews I read, it became abundantly clear that the hardest part of this vacation will be trying to choose the best itinerary so that we can do as much as possible while visiting Kissimmee.

So without further ado, here are some of the top things we are planning on doing while visiting Kissimmee Florida.

THINGS TO DO IN A KISSIMMEE FLORIDA : PLANNING THE ULTIMATE FAMILY VACATION
TOP 10 LIST

1. GATORLAND

One of the places we are really looking forward to visiting is Gatorland. Gatorland is in the heart of Kissimmee, and is home to alligators and crocs of all sizes. From babies, also known as grunts, to the 14-foot monsters, they have the largest collection of gators around. But, Gatorland is more than just a gator park! They have a free-flight aviary, petting zoo, one-of-a-kind animal shows, thrilling Screamin’ Gator Zip Line and new Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure. Honestly, we are really looking forward to a day full of Gators!

2. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITORS CENTER

Now the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center isn’t exactly in Kissimmee, it’s about 1.5 hours west of, however it’s an attraction we simply do not want to miss. Who doesn’t love space, and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is ALL about Space. Located on NASA’S Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida, the center features exhibits and displays, IMAX movies and a lot more. From time to time they will even have meet and greets withs Astronauts, special events like start gazing nights, and we strong recommend signing up for their news letter to find out when the next launch will be taking place. We are REALLY hoping one happens during our visit.

3. OLD TOWN KISSIMMEE

Old Town is more than your average shopping complex. This blast from the past features tree-lined brick streets, 70 unique shops and restaurants, and family friendly attractions and entertainment (which is free).

Old Town’s iconic ferris wheel is a top attraction and something we are very much looking to enjoy while visiting Old Town. The views of Orlando and Kissimmee views are supposed to be amazing from this ferris wheel. We’re looking forward to checking out muscle and classic cars and trucks throughout Old Town. NOTE: Friday Nite Muscle Car Cruise and Saturday Nite Classic Car Cruise are not to be missed. We’ll certainly take our boys to see the cars one of these nights.

4. UNIVERSAL ORLANDO

Universal Orlando really wasn’t on our radar, but the more I would talk to my family and friends, the more I would hear about how great the park was. My kids love a lot of what Universal Orland has to offer, therefore Universal Orlando has become front and centre when it comes to planning our trip to Kissimmee!

With Minion Land officially opened, a brand new collection of adventures inspired by the Minion franchise, and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure a newer addition to the already amazing Harry Potter experience at Universal Orlando. This park and attraction is a top thing for us to do while we are on our vacation. Having boys 7 & 9, they fit most of the rides and a lot of the attractions and rides are relevant to their current interests. I’ve never been to the park before, and I am really looking forward to experiencing the park on my own.

Right now, Universal Orlando is offering 2 days free when you purchase a 2 day ticket with Undercover Tourist. Now that’s a deal we can really appreciate during our vacation!

5. MANATEE CLEAR KAYAK ADVENTURE

As mentioned earlier, Kissimmee has many parks and attractions, but there is also an abundance of outdoor activities, and clear bottom Kayak tours and Manatee watching is one of those unique activities that you really can only experience in Kissimmee, Florida. In my research, Silver Springs seems to offer these incredible experience, and we are certainly adding this to the list of things to do!
Manatee season runs from November 15th to March 31st, and the clear kayaks offer the perfect vantage point to see these gentle giants up close and personal.

6. DISNEY WORLD

Disney World is iconically Florida, and everyone knows it’s one of those rights of passage at some point in your life. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Disney World in Florida a few times as a child, and once as an adult. I’ve never had the chance to bring my kids to Disney World. We have been to Disneyland in California and LOVED IT. You can Read my 10 Tips For Visiting Disneyland with Toddler and Preschoolers Here.
That said, Disney World is not a budget park. Park day passes are expensive, and work on a sliding scale in terms of pricing. There are 4 parks + their water parks, and navigating it all can be overwhelming. My suggestion is do a little research. Learn how the Genie+ works and all the virtual lines.

We plan on visiting Disney World for at least 1 day on our trip. We made the family choice that 1 day was just perfect. I’m a Disney fan, through and through, so visiting just 1 park made a lot of sense. We are really looking forward to checking out Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land which are both located in the Hollywood Studios Park at Disney World.

NEW TO DISNEY: Epcot as they recently opened Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana.

Guests can explore a beautifully landscaped walking trail with fun and surprises around each turn as they engage with water in magical ways like Moana did with the ocean – from a simple greeting to a high five or even a crashing wave of fun. This lush and tropical path is the first Disney Parks experience to immerse guests into a world inspired by the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “Moana.”

Did you know that Undercover Tourist offers refundable Disney World Tickets. Learn More.

7. KISSIMMEE SWAMP TOURS

The airboat swamp tours has been top of my list. Where else in the world can you do such a ting and see gators in their natural habitat? Well maybe in a few places, but certainly it’s not common for us here in Montreal. Kissimmee Swamp tours offers 60 or 90 minute through untouched headwaters of the Florida everglades. These guys are legit too. They really are off the beaten path in the middle of nature. Away from the crowds, the cities and the traffic. They are about an hour away from Kissimmee, but it seems to be a relatively straight forward drive.
I can’t wait to do this activity while we are there!

8. ORLANDO AUTO MUSEUM

The Orlando Auto Museum, located within Dezerland Park boasts one of the world’s most captivating collections of cars, housing over 2,000 vehicles. This is the ultimate automotive enthusiasts destination, but you don’t need to be a car person to enjoy this experience. I immediately was surprised that they had a Bat mobile, the Ghostbuster car the Dick Tracy Car, Back to the Future Car and so much more. We are definitely adding this to our list of things to do while we are in Florida!

9. ORLANDO MAGIC BASKETBALL GAME

The Orlando Magic Team plays in Orlando which is only 30 min away from Kissimmee, and when doing my research, there were tickets available for $18 a person! My kids love live sports, and basketball is really entertaining as it move so fast. This could be a really great activity if you want to do dinner and a game in Orlando. We’ll certainly be adding an Orlando Magic game to our list.

10. BEER SPA!

This activity is certainly a more adults only activity with the very first Beer Spa in Florida. Located right in heart of the theme parks area in Kissimmee, they offer private spa rooms with soaking thermal tubs featuring their signature Beer Treatment. Each room includes an infrared sauna, a hay lounge, a private bathroom, and your very own beer tap! Complimentary self-serve beer is included with your reservation.