We’re heading to Florida as a family from April 6 to 19, 2025, with our two daughters, aged 5 and almost 8. I’ve been working on our itinerary for a while now and would love to get your thoughts and/or recommendations on this road trip. Just to let you know, we’re traveling with our kids and have tried to adapt the activities so everyone can enjoy themselves. Thanks so much for your help!
Day 1 - Sunday, April 6: Miami
- Arrival in Miami at 8:55 PM local time
- Pick up the rental car and night in Miami Beach
Day 2 - Monday, April 7: Miami Beach
- Rent bikes and ride around Miami Beach in the morning
- Beach at South Beach in the afternoon
- Night in Miami Beach
Day 3 - Tuesday, April 8: Miami - Marathon (2.5-hour drive)
- Stroll through the Wynwood neighborhood in the morning
- Walk around Little Havana or downtown, or hit the beach in the afternoon, depending on the kids
- Drive to Marathon for the night
Day 4 - Wednesday, April 9: Day trip to Key West (2-hour round trip from Marathon)
- Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
- Stroll through Old Town in the late afternoon and sunset at Mallory Square
- Night in Marathon
Day 5 - Thursday, April 10: Marathon - Florida City (1.75-hour drive)
- Bahia Honda State Park
- If we’re up for it: Turtle Hospital or kayaking
- Night in Florida City
Day 6 - Friday, April 11: Everglades - Fort Myers Beach
- Start with the Anhinga Trail, then an airboat tour in the area—but where? Any recommendations?
- Morning: Shark Valley? Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve? I’d love your input here. My youngest is too small to handle biking in Shark Valley on her own (unless there are cargo bikes available?). On foot, it seems tricky, and the shuttles don’t really appeal to us. Is it better to skip Shark Valley and focus on Loop Road? Is the day too ambitious with the drive back to Fort Myers Beach? I wanted to avoid Naples because I’d prefer to stay two nights in each place to avoid changing hotels every day. But if it’s too tight, we’ll do one night in Naples and one in Fort Myers Beach.
- Night in Fort Myers Beach
Day 7 - Saturday, April 12: Sanibel Island
- Day on the island with bike rentals to reach J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, then beach time (Bowman’s Beach?)
- Night in Fort Myers Beach
Day 8 - Sunday, April 13: Fort Myers Beach - Crystal River (3.5-hour drive)
- Beach at Siesta Key, then drive to Crystal River
- If time and energy allow, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park upon arrival
- Night in Crystal River
Day 9 - Monday, April 14: Crystal River
- Weeki Wachee Springs for kayaking to see manatees if we’re lucky, plus the mermaid show (mostly for the kids )
Any other spots for manatees or kayaking? I know it’s not the best month to see them, but you never know!
Anything else to do or see in this area?
- Night in Crystal River
Day 10 - Tuesday, April 15: Crystal River - Orlando (1.75-hour drive)
- A bit of a transition day—maybe Disney Springs and/or an outlet mall
- Night in Orlando
Day 11 - Wednesday, April 16: Disney World
- Day at Animal Kingdom
- Night in Orlando
Day 12 - Thursday, April 17: Disney World
- Day at Magic Kingdom
- Night in Orlando
Day 13 - Friday, April 18: Cape Canaveral
- Visit to the Kennedy Space Center
- Night in Orlando
Day 14 - Saturday, April 19: Return
- Flight departs Orlando at 1:05 PM
It was tough making choices for the Orlando parks. As a huge Harry Potter fan, I was leaning toward Universal, but the girls have never been to Disney in Paris and are huge Disney fans, so skipping Magic Kingdom seemed tricky.
And that’s my long post! Thanks so much for reading and for your invaluable help.
Consider whether you really need the car on Day 3 since you won’t need it before then.
In April, swimming in Miami might not be a sure thing—just hitting the beach. But on the Gulf of Mexico side, no problem.
I think Days 4 and 5 look pretty packed. Is Key West really worth it? You could spend a day in Marathon for kid-friendly activities and then head back to Florida City (the kids will probably be asleep in the car by then). That way, you’re right there to visit the Everglades.
I chose to leave our luggage at the hotel and pick it up after the visit since the spots in the ‘Glades are pretty isolated...
We did the airboat at the Gator Farm. No issues, it was great. (Quick stop at "Robert Is Here" on the way!) It’s a big operation with about twenty people. There are more intimate ones along Route 41 toward Naples, but I don’t have any addresses to recommend.
Naples isn’t a must-see, really. There are other nice beaches nearby, and it helps keep hotel costs down.
But with kids, the Ringling Museum in Sarasota is an absolute must—make sure to include it in your itinerary!
I don’t get why you’re heading back up to Crystal River for Weeki Wachee. Crystal River is mainly for diving and seeing manatees (not sure if that’s doable with young kids—we didn’t have that to consider), but otherwise, it’s not that interesting.
We kayaked at Weeki Wachee twice (great spot) and saw manatees both times (especially near the end). I don’t know if the season matters since the water at Weeki Wachee stays at 24°C year-round. Do they "migrate"?...
The Mermaid show and the park (heads-up: kayak and park tickets are separate, no combo deals) are delightfully kitschy but super fun, even for adults. If you want to do both activities, book the first kayak departure—plan for a solid 3 hours (pack a picnic, it’s allowed) so you can enjoy the park afterward (and the *wonderful* mermaid show!!!).
Orlando? Well, it’s Orlando! No matter which park you pick, it’ll be great. Animal Kingdom has something for everyone, no matter their age. We also did SeaWorld twice—it’s a bit dated, but it’s nice and manageable in size.
For me, the must-do with kids is Discovery Cove, but it’ll cost you!
A day trip to Cape Canaveral is pretty much your only option, and it means you don’t have to switch hotels.
I’ll admit I was hesitant about Key West, but since it’s described everywhere as a must-see, I added it to the plan. I’ve read countless times that going to the Keys without making it all the way to Key West is pointless.
For Crystal River, I messed up—I confused Weeki Wachee with Three Sisters Springs, which is in that area. So, is it better to kayak with manatees at Weeki Wachee or Three Sisters Springs? We don’t actually want to swim with them; kayaking will be plenty. Either way, we’ll stop at Weeki Wachee for the mermaid show . We’ll add it on D-8 instead of Ellie Schiller Park.
So, is there any reason to go all the way to Crystal River? Is there anything else to see or do in that area besides Three Sisters Springs? Or maybe just one night there?
My name is Vanessa. I took a 10-day road trip in Florida with my husband and my oldest daughter, who was under 7 at the time.
Since then, I’ve become a Travel Planner—I create custom travel itineraries based on your preferences so you can enjoy an experience off the beaten path.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if my expertise interests you or if I can help with planning.
I reworked some parts of the itinerary based on your feedback, and here's what it looks like now:
Day 7 – Saturday, 04/12: Sanibel Island – Sarasota (2-hour drive)
Daytime: Sanibel Island
Night in Sarasota
Day 8 – Sunday, 04/13: Sarasota – Clearwater (1.5-hour drive)
- Morning: Ringling Museum
- Late morning: Swim at Siesta Key, then drive to Clearwater
- Night in Clearwater
Day 9 – Monday, 04/14: Clearwater – Weeki Wachee Springs – Clearwater (2-hour round trip)
- Daytime: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
- Night in Clearwater
Day 10 – Tuesday, 04/15: Clearwater – Orlando (2.25-hour drive)
- Morning: Dolphin boat cruise or Honeymoon Island State Park
- Late morning: Drive + Disney Springs
- Night in Orlando
I removed the nights in Crystal River, assuming we can also see manatees at Weeki Wachee and don’t have to go all the way to Three Sisters Springs. What do you think?
Clearwater isn’t particularly interesting. You might want to book a hotel directly in Weeki Wachee on Day 8 (there’s a Motel 6 right across the street and a Quality Inn not far away), and on Day 9, after your day’s activities, head to Orlando or stay at the same hotel in Weeki Wachee, which will likely be cheaper than in Orlando.
On the way after the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and depending on the time, don’t hesitate to take the coastal route with a little stop in Treasure Island, where there’s a touristy/commercial area with a nice pier and plenty of shops for tourists! And excellent takeout pizzas at Delosa’s Pizza!
For kayaking in Weeki Wachee, the two times I did it, we only saw manatees toward the end because the water is shallow upstream, and I think they don’t swim that far up the river. That said, even without seeing manatees (don’t promise the kids—it’s nature!), it’s still a fantastic experience. No effort required since you mostly just float with the current. You just have to steer the kayak, which isn’t as easy as it sounds!!!
Just a heads-up—Hurricanes Helene and Milton in late September and early October really messed up the Florida Gulf Coast...
It’ll be worth checking on repairs by next spring, but two months later, most of the beachside state parks are still closed: Caladesi Island, Honeymoon Island... plus beach access points (like Fort Island in Crystal River).
Treasure Island also took a lot of damage.
I pretty much agree with everything Causat said, except for Key West.
I think your idea of staying in Marathon and visiting Key West for the day is really good if you just want to explore the island.
If you're planning to go snorkeling around the Keys, I’d recommend doing it from Key Largo (cheaper, less crowded).
Crystal River really isn’t worth it if you’re not going on a manatee-watching tour.
In my opinion, with kids aged 5 and 8, head to Weeki Wachee Springs, take a tour of the mermaid park (as mentioned earlier, it’s kitschy but fun), and visit Homosassa Springs State Park to see manatees (it’s a park where they rehabilitate injured manatees, among other things):
Clearwater isn’t worth it... I’d prefer spending a night near Weeki Wachee for early kayaking.
Honestly, I wouldn’t take a 5-year-old biking at Shark Valley... There’s little risk, but alligators are still very present everywhere, even on the trail sometimes. From what I remember, they don’t have cargo bikes—just some pretty beat-up bikes... Unless things have changed.
You can see alligators on an airboat ride along the 41 or at Alligator Farm.
For Disney, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are good choices.
Epcot is a bit outdated...
Universal Studios—I’m afraid 5 might be a tough age for everything there...
Just a heads-up: generally speaking, the west coast was pretty damaged by this year’s hurricane... Check before visiting
Carnets de voyage :
Ouest : https://voyageforum.com/discussion/video-time-lapse-road-trip-dans-ouest-usa-novembre-2013-carnet-voyage-d6301659/
Floride : https://voyageforum.com/discussion/retour-voyage-en-floride-21-mai-9-juin-2016-d7536021/
I pretty much agree with everything Causat said, except for Key West.
I think your idea of staying in Marathon and visiting Key West for the day is great if you just want to explore the island
Thanks for correcting me!
Actually, part of my message was missing. I wanted to add that even when going to KW, the return trip could be made directly to Florida City.
That didn’t surprise me [;)] Yeah, why not. I think they want to take their time on the way back.
Everyone has their own way of traveling.
Personally, I like to hit the road early.
I would’ve gone all the way to Key Largo to enjoy John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park the next morning.
Carnets de voyage :
Ouest : https://voyageforum.com/discussion/video-time-lapse-road-trip-dans-ouest-usa-novembre-2013-carnet-voyage-d6301659/
Floride : https://voyageforum.com/discussion/retour-voyage-en-floride-21-mai-9-juin-2016-d7536021/
I contacted the tourist office. Treasure Island has reopened.
They sent me this link about the reopening progress:
https://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/info/post-storm-faqs-hurricane-helene-milton
A huge thanks for taking the time to contact them and for all the info
I initially had Key Largo on the itinerary, but in the end, I think my 5-year-old daughter is too young for offshore snorkeling. I’m not sure if it’s even possible or if she’d be comfortable. I also thought about the glass-bottom boat, but I’m not sure if we’d really see anything interesting? I’d rather make a quick stop at Robbie’s to feed the tarpons on the way back. And if we really have too much time, we’ll plan a little stop at the Florida City outlet
We weren’t actually considering biking at Shark Valley. That’s why I think we’ll skip it and do the Loop Road by car instead, hoping we’ll see some animals! You mentioned the alligator farm, and I’d love your opinion on the place. I initially included it but removed it because I was worried it’d be too much. The whole American-style animal show thing—with animals in cages and tape on their snouts—puts us off a bit. Have you been there?
For Clearwater, the main appeal was spending 2 nights in the same place without having to change hotels all the time with the kids. We’re already staying 1 night in Florida City, 1 night in Fort Myers Beach, and 1 night in Sarasota, so I’d love to avoid another one-night stay. Initially, I wanted to prioritize 2 nights everywhere, but it’s complicated if we want to avoid too much driving. I’ll think about how to optimize it best. Thanks for all your great tips.
Snorkeling for a kid is pretty easy. They lend out pool noodles and masks on the boat. All you have to do is float around the coral reefs.
I did the alligator farm a long time ago. From what I remember, the real highlight was the airboat tour—the rest was just spectacle...
But you’ll find airboat tours no problem all along US-41...
You’ll see gators, don’t worry [;)]
Maybe even too many at times
Just make sure to warn the kids never to go near any body of water around the Everglades. Even though accidents are rare, the danger is real. I witnessed a fisherman’s attack a few years back. I think it’s in my travel journal, actually.
If I mentioned Clearwater, it’s because I really recommend doing the kayak trip at Weeki Wachee first thing in the morning. Otherwise, the river gets crowded, and it loses its charm. There’s a hotel right across from the kayak launch and the mermaid park.
After that, I get wanting to stay two nights in the same hotel... It’s a choice.
Carnets de voyage :
Ouest : https://voyageforum.com/discussion/video-time-lapse-road-trip-dans-ouest-usa-novembre-2013-carnet-voyage-d6301659/
Floride : https://voyageforum.com/discussion/retour-voyage-en-floride-21-mai-9-juin-2016-d7536021/
We’re already spending 1 night in Fort Myers Beach and 1 night in Sarasota, so I’d really like to avoid doing another one-night stay.
Why not just book a single hotel between the two, then? I-75 is easy to drive, and the distances won’t be an issue.
For example, in Port Charlotte you’ll find "mid-range" hotels (Days Inn, Country Inn, Comfort Inn) that are highly rated on TripAdvisor, plus plenty of options for slightly upscale places depending on your budget. It puts you within just under an hour’s drive (each way) to both spots—maybe more chill than switching hotels?
In the end, it’ll be 2 nights in Sarasota and 0 in Clearwater. This way, I keep my idea of staying 2 nights in the same place, and it lets us head up to Weeki Wachee to be closer to the park for an early kayak start. There’ll just be a bit of driving on Day 9, but you’ve got to make compromises. I’m just a little unsure about how interesting the dolphin boat cruise will be, but we’ll adjust if needed once we’re there.
Morning: Boat cruise to see dolphins in Clearwater
Afternoon: Honeymoon Island State Park (if open) or stroll around town
Drive and overnight in Weeki Wachee
I don’t know about the boat cruise. For the afternoon, Honeymoon Island is a good idea (if it’s reopened) and you could even go as far as Caladesi Island, but it’s only accessible by boat. It could be fun with the kids—it has a bit of an end-of-the-world vibe (I love it!)—but I’m not sure if you’ll get your money’s worth for just a short afternoon since you have to take the boat and it takes time.
On the other hand, Clearwater definitely doesn’t have an interesting downtown.
If you skip both, in the area you could head to Tarpon Springs, a little sponge-fishing village (more touristy than authentic, but still nice!). It’s partially reopened for now.
