If you’re planning a family trip to Orlando, you may already be aware of how much it has to offer. Located in Central Florida, Orlando is famous for sunshine and theme parks, most notably Walt Disney World, which opened its gates in 1971. Disney World was the catalyst that sparked Orlando’s booming tourist trade, with now over a dozen theme parks to visit and even more attractions.

We’ve put together a guide for parents to help you discover some of the best family activities in Orlando. Although we would always recommend visiting a theme park, we have also tried to include a variety of other activities that can be enjoyed by all the family, including grown-ups!

Discovery Cove

With picture-perfect tropical lagoons and inviting white-sand beaches, Discovery Cove offers a beachside vibe with a difference; that difference being the chance to swim with dolphins! Your group can have a once-in-a-lifetime experience thanks to their animal care experts, who teach you about the bottlenose dolphin’s habits, behaviours, and how they communicate and build relationships. Once you’ve learnt all about your new friends, you’ll each get the opportunity for one-on-one contact with them and top it all off with a dorsal fin tow. It is worth noting that only children over the age of six can swim with the dolphins.

Tickets for Discovery Cove are available to book with us at Debbie's Villas. Prices differ per season, so please call or email us for full information and prices.

The Cirque Magique

What’s better than dinner? Dinner and a show! Unique and interactive, The Cirque Magique gives you the chance to get up close with clowns, acrobats, jugglers, and more. Dinner is a delicious burger or hotdog, with a scrumptious dessert included. Performances are three times a week, so we recommend checking out their website for dates and bookings of Orlando’s only circus-themed dinner show!

The Wheel at ICON Park

Formally known as the Orlando Eye and featuring 30 pods, this 400ft observation wheel is a fantastic way to see Orlando from a unique viewpoint. Situated in ICON Park, which is an entertainment complex in itself, The Wheel is one of our favourite parts, an excellent experience for the whole family to enjoy! Don’t worry if any of you aren’t too keen on heights, as the pods are very stable and are fitted with air con, as well as speakers that play relaxing music throughout the ride.

Orlando Tree Trek

Set high in the trees of a natural pine forest is a rope climbing course for all abilities. This place is an excellent opportunity to test yourself, get active and try something new. Highlights include leaping into hanging nets, balancing on skateboards suspended high in the air and soaring around on the giant zip line. Please note that only children aged twelve and over can use the zip line. However, the kids course is perfect for the younger ones, while there is something to suit everyone with courses at different heights for varying ability levels. You get a training session included and the park is open rain or shine, so nothing can spoil your day out!

WILD Florida Airboats & Gator Park

A trip to Florida wouldn't be complete without a closer look at some of its most exciting residents - alligators! Choose either a 30-minute or an hour’s airboat tour around the Everglades and spot not only alligators, but even more of Florida's natural wildlife from a unique perspective. If you love animals, you’ll be pleased to know that access to their wildlife park is included with every ticket, featuring a petting zoo and over 200 native and exotic animals. Their animal care team are there to educate visitors and answer questions, as well as explain what it's like to work with all the interesting creatures, from Guy the sloth to Snowflake and Blizzard, the albino gators!

Kennedy Space Center

Experience space travel at a real-life space station! The visitor complex at Kennedy Space Center has hundreds of attractions. Some of our favourites include Meet an Astronaut, the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame and the training simulator. For an additional cost, you can try their Astronaut Training Experience, which allows you to learn more about how they train and what it’s really like to live on Mars. With so much to do, the whole family will be entertained, as there are things to see and learn about for people of all ages. Take away the hassle of queuing and pre-book tickets for here and many other attractions on our website.

The Florida Mall

We love taking holiday gifts back to our loved ones, and what better way to spend a day than with some retail therapy? The Florida Mall contains over 250 stores and includes fast food chains and a dining pavilion. Keep your pre-teens and teenagers happy with free WiFi; they can also shop for their much-loved worldwide brands, from Adidas to Zara, or discover new and exciting names to show off to their friends back home. For the younger ones, there is an interactive play park, the Crayola Experience and a Disney Store.

We hope this article has left you feeling inspired for your next family holiday! Staying with us is the perfect way to start planning the holiday of a lifetime! Why not take a look at our Orlando holiday villas to rent to find somewhere that best suits your family for your Florida adventure?