For Aiden’s eighth birthday I surprised him with a trip to Florida. We had so much fun and were busy non-stop. Here’s what we did with our eight magical days in Florida.
Day one: We woke up at 5:00 am and began our adventure. Traveling from Iowa to Florida via United Airlines. Once we landed we checked out our Amazing Airbnb and then rushed off to Medieval Times for a fun filled dinner. This utensil-free four course meal is served in a castle-like space with jousting, horsemanship and falconry! Once parked you will be able to check in and will be provided with a crown in a specific color to cheer on your knight! You will then enter a large room where drinks may be purchased as well as novelty items. A pre-show will occur and guest will be admitted based up their color. The waitresses/waiter will immediately greet you once seated and dinner will be served course by course. This shows not only fun for kids and saw a few sections of adult only patrons!
Day two: Disney World! This was Aiden’s first trip. My second to the Florida location! We were provided with a park hopper one day pass and enjoyed three of the four locations (Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom). By the end of the day we were exhausted! I would definitely recommend buying a fast pass for Disney and bringing a bag with snacks and water bottles or containers as you can refill them at the parks!
Day three: Cocoa Beach! Parking is so easy to obtain at Cocoa Beach and for the most part it’s free. If you are visiting the Cocoa Beach Pier a fee may occur at certain hours.
Day four: Tampa! We visited Busch Gardens / Clear Water Beach. I figured Busch Gardens would be an entire day trip. However, we started at 10:00 am and the park did not get busy until one. We were able to ride all the open rides and check out the attractions by 3:00 pm. I’d definitely recommend the all day dining deal. And it’s a must to check out the bird exhibit!
Pay once and enjoy delicious meals and exclusive benefits throughout the day with the purchase of the All-Day Dine Deal.
Adult (Ages 10+)$34.99
Child (Ages 3-9)$19.99
At the end of the day a few friends recommended that we take a quick drive to Clear Water. parking was not my cup of tea. And it’s recommended to come early or Uber around. Clear Water (Pier 60) seems like a fun town for adults and children. I’d love to come back sometime soon with a few adults! The water is definitely clear and the vibe of the town seems so fun!
Day five: Road trip to Key West! We checked out the Southern Most Point of the US, the smallest bar and ate on the pier! For the drive down we mad quick lunch pit stop to The Island Fish Co Restaurant and Tiki Bar. I loved being able to feed the fish as we ate. It was so fun and different from anything we’ve ever experienced before!
Day six: Ocean Day with Fury Key West! The Ultimate Adventure was so much fun we would highly recommend it! For six hours Fury escorted everyone for a fun filled day on the ocean snorkeling, jet skiing, parasailing and playing at the water park. Onto of this breakfast and lunch was provided. And for the ride home, alcoholic drinks were provided. The value of this trip was beyond what I expected. Aiden still talks about the jet skis and how he wishes to do this again! If I were able to chose one activity to do again it would definitely be parasailing. I felt so free, relaxed and the view was phenomenal.
Day seven: Miami Beach! The drive was rather long from Key West to Miami. We stopped a few times and enjoyed Hog Heaven Sports Bar and Grill. You can dine, relax and check out the stream of beautiful fish. I’d highly recommend this stop on the way to or back from Key West.
Miami was a nice getaway and it wasn’t too hard to find paid parking. We parked, walked to the beach (about four blocks) and spent two hours playing in the water and gathering seashells. A local hotel allowed us to stop by and shower off and take a dip in the pool which was much needed. Sand tends to itch/rub! We then strolled around and checked out a few of the many shops. Aiden even bartered a man for a few leather bracelets.
Day eight: We shopped around at Ross, TjMaxx and enjoyed coffee and a BIRTHDAY Donut at Dunkin Donuts. Then boarded the Unite Airlines plane to head home. We truly had so much fun and experienced so many new adventures. Vacationing with kids can be tough. However, it’s one of the best one on one experiences and creates memories for a lifetime!
Vacation once a year. Explore someplace new. Make memories. It’s worth it. You only have one life. Live it right! ❤
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