Unforgettable wet and wild family fun can be found in northern Florida’s crystal clear springs and meandering rivers, just a short drive from Tarpon Springs. Try an eco-oriented getaway on the Gulf Coast in Citrus County, a sanctuary for dozens of animal species, birds and marine life. Hundreds of rivers, streams, creeks and springs run through the northern half of Florida, allowing plenty of opportunities for water trekking and wildlife scouting. This vacation is packed with adventurous options for nature lovers. Even better, it’s cost-effective, making it an ideal pick for families traveling on a budget.
Great Fun for the Kids
(Toddler to age 18)
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park & Buccaneer Water Park
6131 Commercial Way
Weeki Wachee, FL 34606
352/596-2062
Weeki Wachee is proud to be “the only city of live mermaids,” a reputation it has lived up to since the theme park opened in 1947. Underwater performances of “The Little Mermaid” and “Fish Tails” are done daily, and a Wilderness River Cruise, bird and reptile shows, the petting zoo and unlimited access to the Buccaneer Bay waterpark is included in the admission cost. Exciting flume rides send kids zooming from the top of the slides into the spring fed river, a refreshing natural water source that stays a perfect 72°F year-round, though not all waterpark facilities are open daily. Kids of all ages can participate in beach volleyball, while the little ones keep occupied in the kiddie pool.
Rent a canoe or kayak from the many local vendors; the clear and shallow river is lined with mangroves that attract a variety of wildlife and are prime nesting sites. Herons, egrets, ibis and other shorebirds are plentiful in this area, as are several species of turtles, known to lounge on exposed river rocks and fallen branches.
Fun for the Whole Family
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
4150 S. Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa, FL 34446
352/628-5343
A morning or afternoon at the park begins with a 30-minute guided boat ride down Pepper Creek to the wildlife area. The Homosassa River runs directly through the park, a wonderful natural habitat for dozens of bird species, such as flamingos, wood storks, pelicans, swans, sand hill cranes and spoonbills. The park offers several daily educational opportunities run by naturalists and volunteers, including three Manatee Programs, two Wildlife Encounters, and an Alligator Program.
Reptile House provides close-up viewing of native snakes and other reptiles. The Alligator – Hippopotamus Programs are held at the Alligator Lagoon, home of about a dozen alligators that live permanently at the park. The Florida cougar, native black bears, foxes and various birds of prey are located along the protective board walk that wraps around the exterior of the river. The park is also part sanctuary for injured or displaced animals.
Captain Mike’s Lazy River Cruises
13821 State Road 200
Dunnellon, FL 34432
352/637-2726
Withlacoochee, meaning “little great river” was named by the Seminole Indians that once inhabited the area. The land surrounding it is now divided between the river’s residential communities and a protected state forest. Captain Mike Tracy has been expertly navigating his 24-foot covered pontoon boat down the rocky and unpredictable river since 1997. He offers a variety of tours seven days a week, with sunset and moonlight cruises available on select days. Captain Mike possesses an extensive knowledge about all aspects of the Withlacoochee River, from its natural history to its flora, fauna and wildlife population. He adds an element of excitement to each tour by telling eccentric tales about his own exciting life on the river. It is not unusual to see wild alligators on one of Mike’s tours, as well as an abundance of other native animals and birds — red shouldered hawks, eagles, pileated woodpeckers, wild boars, turkeys and the viceroy butterflies to name a few. No sign of life goes unnoticed with Mike’s keen eyes surveying the river, and he is quick to jump from his seat to point out an osprey nest in the treetop or a school of gar swimming alongside the boat.
Alfred McKethan Pine Island Beach
10800 Pine Island Dr
Spring Hill, FL 34607
A peaceful stretch of road leads to the beach at Pine Island, a Hernando County park, surrounded on both sides by a 3.5 acre open expanse of low bushes, coastal scrub and palm trees. The stream that runs parallel to the road is a prime fishing spot for kingfishers, herons and egrets. The jungle gym at the beach playground is a great diversion for young children in between swimming sessions and sand castle building.
The sunsets at the beach are particularly stunning and a good opportunity to use the stationary grills to cook a barbecue dinner. Families can throw a picnic blanket right onto the sandy beach or eat at the tables in the covered picnic area. The snack bar serves cold beverages and light snacks; public restrooms and outdoor showers are also available.
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Very tasty.
Dubai is a glorious city in the world but the desert safari is most thrilling tour in Dubai since 1980 . This is a great post and great team work .
When I was reading this I realize that this is the best blog as compare to others. Its really appreciated.
Don’t stop keep posting this type of posts
Good address for ski. My daughter loves skiing very much. It will be a good option for us for the next winter holiday.
Good to know as I have a daughter at 10 YOD and she loves skiing very much.
Seems there are lots of fun for kids in Las Vegas. I have never though about a such thing there. It will be a good option to consider for our next family holiday. Thank you.
What’s a wonderful & luxury holiday. I am dreaming about it.
It’s Fantastic And Useful Blog About World Heritage Sites and There information is very informative and useful.
Thanks for sharing.
I love reading your blogs, there are many useful information for travelers. Thank you very much for sharing.
Good advices when traveling with kids. Thank you very much.
What’s an amazing trip. Thank you for sharing.
Very nice day. We don’t have it in Vietnam 🙁
Amazing hotels. I love eco-resort with nature style instead of modern hotels.
Good to read this before I prepare my family trip in the summer.
Good to know this. Thank you for sharing. I will consider this for my children.
Thank you for these tips on how to plan a family safari! I’d like to be able to take my whole family and show them the beauty of Africa. But it always seemed so daunting to plan a whole trip that everyone would enjoy. I mean there’s always the age differences, and differences in interest as well to think about. Just thinking of ensuring that everything goes well planned is stressing me out. That’s why I turned to the internet in search of tips! Definitely will use your tips on how to choose a safari.
Very good tips. We all should follow these tips for a safe road trip. Thanks for the great help.
Thankyou Mr Ralph S for giving precise information on the overland.
i will be travelling for the 1st time from adelaide to melbourne this month end. it will be of grt help.
Soon I’ll be planning a trip to Dubai. Thanks for the information about what’s worth visiting.
Hello Lansdell family! This is a great place for a long weekend of outdoors exploration and a beautiful park. In late May, a new business is opening = https://www.floattheriver.net/ = which will run float trips on inner tubes on portions of the river. I asked some locals and they suggested that after biking and hiking and riding the train, your kids might enjoy day trips to nearby Canton, Akron or Cleveland. Each has lots of Metroparks (the public system of urban parks) and museums, etc to do and see. With some planning, all your days can be as full of variety as you would like. We hope you have a wonderful trip.
How did you get around the Darien Gap?
Very good
Thank you for sharing these warm and touching thoughts of yours! I’ve only been the Belarus once, but I wish I read it before going, something in my experience would definitely be different then. I did use some advise – from the telegram channel for foreigners https://t.me/Belanews but I guess your opinion would be great to consider and embrace too.
Thanks for all the info. We are planning on going in August, and are trying to find a nature-centered vacation for our family of 4, kids ages 7 and 4. We are from Southern Ontario, Canada and we came across this national park. Would you recommend this place for 3-4 days? Is there enough to do (hiking, train rides, exploring etc)? Somewhere else? We also looked at the Smoky Mountains but its about a 11-12 hours vs the 5-6 hours to Cuyohoga. Any advice would be helpful.
That place is really amazing. I want to spend my vacations on this beautiful place. Thanks for sharing this nice information.
I've been there last year. If someone is looking for a nice hotel I can highly recommend to take a look at the Hotel Rappen Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Such a good information.Nice work.Very useful for us.
The gardens of Suzhou are absolutely beautiful and something that you don’t want to miss while you are there.
Traveling with your children in s Suzhou is super easy and safe. My family had a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed there time there. One thing they really loved was going down all of the canals. Here is some great information on all the beautiful canals that you can explore.
It looks like a beautiful experience. Turkey is a wonderful country -and the fact that it’s not that expensive compared to other countries makes a visit there even more tempting. Thanks for sharing.
good tips, safety comes first so that our trip may be remembered as a happy memoir when we went to see and explore new places and have fun. and not as a terrifying night in the ER. god bless you all , be safe
Thanks for your insight for your fantastic posting. I’m glad I have taken the time to see this.
Great tips for road trips!
Thanks for posting, very valuable information .
Being visiting is one of the best experiences of my life. Being there and enjoying every bit of time is wonderful. Personally, my best experience is an underground aquarium and desert safari. One visited Dubai must go for these two activities.
Would love this for our family!
We’ve always wanted to go and now they are old enough to enjoy it.
Thanks so much for doing this!
The beaches, the weather, the food, the attractions and the activities- everything was perfect.
I think parents should focus more on preparing or educating their children about the proper etiquette and behaviors before the flight to avoid being a nuisance to others. I don’t know much about kids but as a first-time mom, that’s what I will do.
Hi,
You have explained the timeshare information for Spain country very well.Share more blogs which will we helpful for people like us in future.
Thanks
Seeking for your positive reply.
Hi,
I would like to travel out of the US with my son. I understand that I would need his father to sign and notarize a letter. He had not been a stand up dad to take care of his responsibilities so he left and I can’t find him. What can I do in a situation like that to travel with my son?
happy you enjoyed the story. This park is in Ohio where the climate can be capricious! It’s hottest between late April and November, however even April has the danger of some snow. In case you’re enjoying the great outdoors with children, the most secure wager is June to August, since it’s hotter and there’s little downpour. Make the most of your trek.
Wonderfully informative article!
I want to go travel with kids but I was not decided where we go. Your post is helpful for me. Thanks for sharing.
Tenerife is SO stunning! I love this volcanic landscape, sometimes you feel like you traveled to the Moon. This place has it all – great views, pleasant weather, awesome food, wine and laid-back people. Thanks for sharing ideas, I’ll use some of them on my next trip 🙂
Very nice article and msg we likes so much
I automatically think the word “gumbling” when I heard Las Vegas. I never knew that Las Vegas has something to offer for youngsters. Will bring my children here soon.
Nice Article, it is very helpful to me.
There is no Doubt, Dubai is most popular destination among tourists from across the world and have gained high popularity in last decade. If you are in Dubai and dhow go for dhow cruise, there is some thing missing on your list. There are Dubai dhow cruise, Musandam Dibba dhow cruise and Khasab Musandam dhow cruise. Try some of them and you will love.
Istanbul layover tour is a great service to use the best of your time in Istanbul Airport. However if you like to have a private attention and flexibility, you can check private tour services of ISTANBUL LAYOVER TOURS. They are offering the layover tours from Istanbul International Airport.
Great article! Wanted for Christmas again. Do you know anything about this place ? It is very interesting to know the opinions. How much advance it is necessary to book a hotel and various entertainment before the holidays?