With the exception of this winter’s unseasonably cold weather, Florida is the perfect place to enjoy family fun in the wintertime. One way to ensure a healthy active lifestyle along with solid family bonding is to plan fun exciting activities to do together. You can plan activities in winter all around the state without the crowds of summer. Budget doesn’t have to be a factor, because Florida boasts activities in every price range starting at everyone’s favorite amount – FREE! Regardless of what activities you choose to do – the time you spend with your family is always PRICELESS!
Here are the tops picks for South Florida Family Fun in Winter:
Ford Lauderdale
Families will enjoy lots of free or nearly free activities like boogie boarding on the beach, building sandcastles, and canoeing along the intracoastal waterway. Downtown, kids of all ages can enjoy the Museum of Discovery and Science. There is easy access to watersports of all kinds for the family thrill-seekers while the Everglades is a must see – especially Everglades Alligator Farm. Xtreme Indoor Karting features 120 video games choices and boasts the fastest indoor carting available in the United States.
Captiva and Sanibel
Pristine beaches and calm turquoise Gulf waters await families in Sanibel and Captiva. Enjoy shelling, swimming, watersports, and more in this family friendly resort area. Book a cruise tour of the area or rent a boat to try your hand at fishing.
Miami
If your family loves the beach, they will enjoy spending time in Miami Beach for swimming, sunning, volleyball, and sand castle fun. Off the beach, visit downtown Miami and explore the Miami Science Museum with its Smithsonian Expeditions and planetarium, take in a dolphin show at the Seaquarium, or experience the beauty of a garden tour at the Vizcaya Museum in the moonlight. For the family art lovers, the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami is not to miss. Everyone in the family will delight in the mystery and legend of Coral Castle, built of megalithic stones, purportedly by one man. Head back into animal adventures at Jungle Island amid exotic birds, monkeys, wildlife, and tropical flora.
Marathon
Marathon is another family friendly destination with tons of activities for the everyone to enjoy. Family members can swim and snorkel, bike the region, visit wildlife up close at the Crane Museum and Nature Center, and go fishing in boats along the pristine flats.
Key West
To ensure your winter fun includes swimming and sunning, Key West is the ultimate family fun destination. The Key West Aquarium is brimming with tropical fish, sharks, giant sea turtles, and all the aquatic natives of the region. The Sand and Sea Nature Center offers jet-skiing, snorkeling, and hiking opportunities for the whole family. An eco-tour to the nearby Dry Tortugas makes for an exciting family adventure.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
If your family is into camping or you’d like to try it, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo promises a great camping location. While there your family can enjoy canoeing, paddle boarding, and kayaking, as well as scuba diving and snorkeling. You can even enjoy a tour via glass bottom boat to the Everglades National Park or the National Marine Sanctuary.
If you are looking for a long getaway or even a family vacation, there are lots of things to do outside of the South Florida area. Take a few days and explore St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S.; visit with the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs; head over to Catty Shack Ranch and see the majestic big cats in the wild. These are just a number of the amazing family fun activities you can enjoy in wintertime in Florida, so get out there an explore!