50 Reasons to Visit Disney World at 50
Did you ever think you’d be around to see Disney World at 50? I hadn’t even met my spouse when they opened Walt Disney’s second magical theme park, in Florida, in 1971. In...
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Fine Food, Fast Cars, A Romantic Daytona Beach Getaway
We were a little upset when we landed at Daytona Beach’s airport in central Florida: it was raining… hard. Not the most ideal scenario for...
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Let’s Go Fishing With Kids Florida Style
Wondering how to go fishing with kids on your next Florida vacation? If you don't picture jon boats and fishing poles when you think about a family beach vacation, this blog is...
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Ten Tips for Celebrating Family Milestones on Vacation
Celebrating milestones is one of the best reasons to plan a family trip, and an easy way to make indelible memories. You'll agree that having a loved one turn 90 is an occasion...
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Flamingo Gardens: Perfect Florida Family Day Trip
If you're inspired by the tropics and the palm-shaded outdoors, pack up the kids and plan a trip to Flamingo Gardens, also known as the
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Trending Now: Work From Home Resorts
Satisfy your wanderlust safely at one of the new Work from Home Resorts -- a hotel promising a change of scenery and a comfortable space to work online (WFH) during the pandemic....
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Going Wild At Busch Gardens Tampa
From high-speed coasters to incredible up-close encounters with exotic creatures of the African grasslands, going wild at
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Tampa, Florida – On the Wild Side
Many families associate theme parks and spring training with Tampa in central Florida, but this family loves wild animals and wild artists and there's plenty of...
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Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, An Epic Adventure
Give in to the gravitational pull of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Walt Disney World because there’s just no resisting it. Whether or not you’re a Star Wars fan, whether...
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Universal Orlando Resort, Florida
Universal Orlando in Florida has been thrilling theme park goers for more than 25 years. Now three massive theme parks comprise Universal...
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The 10 Best Themeparks For Family Vacations
At almost any time of year, family planners can count on a theme park to shift the annual vacation into high gear. Whether you’re planning a long vacation or just a day trip,...
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Relaxing in 361 Days of Sunshine at Sirata Beach Resort
"You picked a fantastic weekend to come down, though there's really no bad time around here," our driver told us on the way from the Tampa Airport to St. Petersburg's family-friendly Sirata Beach Resort. "We...
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Swimming With Manatees, Gentle Giants of the Sea
Swim and explore the undersea world of the manatee in Crystal River, home to the largest concentration of Florida manatees in the world. These lovable mammals are native to the bays and fresh-water estuaries...
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Historic Cocoa Beach Pier Offers Closest Sand and Surf to Orlando’s Theme Parks
One of our favorite family travel bloggers, Dave Parfitt from Adventures by Daddy,...
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A Club Med Sandpiper Bay Family Vacation
At Club Med Sandpiper Bay, Americans no longer need a passport to enjoy an exotic, all-inclusive family beach vacation packed with children's activities. Club Med's legendary tropical...
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7 Florida Hot Spots to Visit That Don’t Include Disney or Universal
With 271,000 miles of road, more than 30,000 lakes, 11,000 miles of waterways and over 1,300 miles of coastline beaches that touch the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, it's easy to explore Florida...
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Staying Grounded at Florida’s Space Coast
Central Florida's Brevard County attracts families with its eco-friendly attractions, space history and water sports. For most of us there are two coasts; the east coast and the west coast. I, for...
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The Top Disney World Deluxe Resorts
Wondering which of the deluxe Walt Disney World properties is worth the big bucks? It largely depends on style and location; some are built around the Magic Kingdom, some are adjacent to the other theme...
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Blizzard Beach, Orlando’s Cheap Theme Park
Blizzard Beach, a Disney water park, is one my favorite places to take my sons Wyatt, age 10, and Joseph, age 12, as well as my husband. Done up only as Disney can do, a day at Blizzard Beach is all about...
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Sarasota – A Three Ring Tropical Vacation
Sarasota is a little slice of Heaven; full of culture, family fun, luxury resorts, beauty and respect for the natural environment that's sometimes missing in other parts of Florida. I had visited...
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An Incredible Summer at Walt Disney World
Whether you’re a human or a toy, Walt Disney World in Orlando has designed a vacation all about you, with a little sprinkling of PIXAR dust. For humans, there are fresh attractions in all the parks,...
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Top 10 Orlando Vacation Attractions
Does Orlando equal Disney World? Not completely -- there are so many different and varied experiences to be had. Here's information for those seeking even more themepark pleasures at Universal Orlando's...
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Florida Road Trip Tips for Family Vacations
If you’re not already counting down to a summer family vacation, you should be. The very best road trips take advance planning so you can maximize your budget and minimize the hassles. A prime...
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Why Stay at Disney World Hotels And Resorts?
If touring Walt Disney World theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios along with the waterparks Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach) is your family's next...
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Disney Theme Parks Worldwide Expanding
At the annual fan-con #D23, organized by Disney’s most loyal fans in Tokyo this month, the company’s top executives revealed that characters from Pixar, Marvel and classic Disney franchises would...
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3 Reasons to Go to Orlando in May
Lucky you, taking the kids to Orlando in May. Maybe your kids are toddlers, or aren’t in school yet, or you’re homeschooling. Maybe you live in a part of the country where the school...
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Stay Together in 2 Rooms at Really Big Orlando Resort
It's always a great time to visit Orlando, and the 200-acre World Center Marriott
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Disney World Planning Websites
Oh, the Disney vacation! So many things to do, places to eat, new attractions, characters to meet and shows to see. Everyone has an opinion on their favorite park, ride, or restaurant. It can seem a...
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Jacksonville’s Great Outdoors (And Beyond)
As we packed up the car and double checked our contraband (sugar-free suckers, charged up kindles, books, and markers), my daughter asked again what the place was called we were going. "Jacksonville!...
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Gathering The Clan, Reunions At Florida’s Disney World Resort
There's no easier way to plan a togethering vacation -- what small family reunions are sometimes called -- than at a Disney theme park with grandparents in tow. Let's look at some recent stats.
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Guide To Orlando’s Disney And Universal Theme Parks By Age
Planning a theme park vacation in Orlando can be overwhelming because so many of the newest attractions come from movies, video games or other familiar media, that each family member may clamor for a different...
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Disney World: Money-Saving Tips For Maximizing The Fun
By doing some extensive research and talking to lots of traveling families, the FTF staff has come across several ways to save money on your vacation, with these exclusive Walt Disney World...
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Clearwater: Another Side of Florida
I’m not a fan of Florida, so when I was invited by the Clearwater Region Chamber of Commerce to explore “Natural Clearwater,” I must say I was intrigued. I spent four days exploring this wonderful...
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Summer Vacations At Disney World
There's magic in the air at the world's favorite themepark: Walt Disney World in Orlando and that magic, plus the aliens...
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The Heart of the Florida Panhandle
We love to discover kid-friendly resorts that keep up with our ever-changing needs as parents, which is why Florida’s Hilton Sandestin...
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Step Back in Time to Old Florida at Coconut Grove
If you ventured south of downtown Miami just a century ago, you would have found a wilderness instead of skyscrapers, beachside homes and boutiques. Miami was once a Dating back to 1919,
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Legoland Florida Resort: Is the Hotel or Beach Retreat Better?
When we opened up the door to the LEGOLAND Florida Hotel room, I knew whoever had designed it must have had children of their own. The...
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9 Questions to Ask Before Planning a Theme Park Vacation
Should you really be schlepping that baby to Disney World for a family themepark vacation? Parents inevitably reach a stage in their lives when they ask themselves: why are we planning a trip...
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Spend Three-Days in Florida’s State Parks
Give me 72 hours and I'll show you a side of Florida you never imagined. Planning a Florida family vacation usually involves rushing from theme park to theme park to hop on the latest ride and pose...
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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Illuminates the Imagination
I have a confession to make. I had never been to Disney’s Animal Kingdom until I stepped through the park gates as dusk approached to check-out their new evening initiatives. I was expecting a pleasant...
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St. George Island, A Vintage Florida Family Vacation
Some people call St. George Island, part of the Gulf Coast, "Florida like it used to be" in its golden era. I suppose that would be true if a Florida family vacation in the old days...
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Florida’s Secret: Anna Maria Island
There is a place in Florida that does not have the very best in beaches, the most Caribbean-like climate, the best recreational opportunities or the hottest resorts...
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The Big Schlep: Grandparents’ Tips On Miami, Florida
We hope you'll benefit from what we, a multi-generational family that loves to get together, learned and enjoyed during a recent stay in Miami, Florida. Here are some of our most...
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Top 10 Beach Resort Getaways For Family Vacations
Almost everyone's favorite getaway is a family beach vacation, whether it's winter or summer. Here are FTF's winners from a decade of "Top 10 Getaway" awards in the best family beach category. Our...
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Rainy Day Activities in Orlando
Hitting the Orlando theme parks may conjure up images of sunshine and blue skies, but especially in summer, families often encounter an overcast and damp day. You can still enjoy everything from Disney...
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Live Like a Local on Vacation
Going on vacation doesn’t have to resemble living out of a suitcase while your kids run wild. Vacation homes and condos make for a comfortable and relaxing...
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When Compassion and Travel Work Toward a Cure
October is the month to "Think Pink," the time of year we focus on ways to find a cure for breast cancer, a disease that affects about one in eight women and is the second largest...
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Disney World Value Hotels And Camping
Disney World offers accommodations in all price ranges, including newer themed resorts for Disney fans on a budget. And even the least expensive lodging carries certain privileges like early admission...
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Celebrating Oktoberfest in Florida
Oktoberfest has always been a reason to celebrate whether you're traveling with family or reveling in the fun and sampling German "Bier" without the kids. You can find an Oktoberfest festivity in just...
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