 Family Travel Files Ezine Family Vacations Resource |
Florida: Kissimmee, Classic Family Vacation Ideas - Old Town, Horseback Riding, and a SkyCoaster.  Sometimes it is the simple things that are the most fun to share. The Friday Night Cruise in Old Town is definitely one of those simple traditions worth sharing. On cruise night classic cars from the 70s and 80s may be seen cruising. Music fills the air and the rich aromas of BBQ and cotton candy tempt on lookers. It's a great way to begin or end a family vacation.
Browse our list of simple things worth sharing, and be a kid again. Choose Kissimmee as your Florida family vacation base and enjoy the fun stuff with your kids.
Experience Old Town. At Old Town families can shop at more than 75 specialty shops, dine at eight succulent restaurants and enjoy a fun day of rides and entertainment. Old Town’s 18 thrilling rides range from the signature Ferris wheel to the Happy Days Family Go-Kart Track. The family-friendly attraction also features rides for the little ones at the “Fun Town” kiddie park area with merry-go-round, teacups and the Dragon Wagon Kiddie Coaster. Bonus points: Saturday Night Cruise is the best known and perhaps the longest running traditional car cruise in the USA. Old Town is home to the largest weekly car cruises, including the Saturday Night Cruise with more than 300 classic cars, a Friday Night Cruise with newer custom cars and exotics, and Thursday Night Motorcycle Night and as always admission and parking at Old Town are free.
Saturday Night Cruise is the best known and perhaps the longest running traditional car cruise in the USA.
Visit the Fun Spot at Old Town. Kissimmee’s newest family-friendly attraction, Fun Spot at Old Town, is adjacent to Old Town. The eight-acre Fun Spot will add two rides to the existing world’s tallest SkyCoaster ride and G-Force, the world’s fastest drag racing attraction. New are the Screamer, which lifts 12 riders up 50 feet in the air several times before dropping to the ground; Extreme Bike Ride which spins in circles up and down while riders pedal 15 feet in the air; Full Speed Race and Golf with six NASCAR simulators, and a 9-hole, race-themed indoor golf course.
See live alligators. A Kissimmee family getaway is not complete without seeing a real live alligator. Gatorland, one of Central Florida’s most popular attractions, offers families an action-packed day filled with alligators, man-eating crocodiles, colorful birds and slithery reptiles. A 2,000-foot boardwalk winds through a natural cypress swamp allowing an up close look at wildlife, breeding marshes, alligator nurseries and rearing ponds.
Milk a cow, pet a donkey. Families with smaller children will love the educational, hands-on experience that the little ones will get at Green Meadows Farm. Shaded by "Grandfather" Oak trees covered in Spanish moss, Green Meadows Farm’s interactive tours allow children to learn about the farm’s more than 300 animals, milk a cow, ride a pony and sit on a tractor-drawn hayride.
Saddle up. Horse World Riding Stables provides families looking for a fun and adventurous outdoor activity with 750 acres of beautiful sandy trails and quiet peaceful countryside. Horse World Riding Stables offers a variety of riding experiences for riders of every skill level, including customized riding lessons. Families also can feed and pet farm animals, play volleyball, toss horseshoes, or bring their own picnic lunch to enjoy under a shady oak tree or picnic pavilion.
Count the snakes. Creepy crawlers and snakes make Reptile World Serpentarium a fun family attraction. This unique and educational attraction provides families the amazing opportunity to safely watch snake handler George VanHorn in action as he extracts poisonous venom from cobras, rattlesnakes and other deadly serpents. Reptile World also features the largest reptile kingdom exhibit in Central Florida.
Go to a rodeo. Once each month celebrate Kissimmee’s cowboy history and culture with the Kissimmee Sports Arena Rodeo. The rodeo allows families to experience the excitement of seeing calf roping, bull riding, barrel racing and bareback riding. Meanwhile, the twice-a-year Silver Spurs Rodeo at the Silver Spurs Arena draws cowboys from across the United States to the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi River.
Dine and be entertained.  Family dining takes a new twist offering scrumptious meals and family-friendly entertainment, the whole family will enjoy a night out together. Fairy tales come alive nightly at Arabian Nights Dinner Show where beautiful horses from around the world are showcased in the world’s largest indoor equestrian arena. Capone’s Dinner and Show transports families to 1930s Gangland Chicago for an evening of entertainment with songs and dance. At Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, families enjoy a tasty dinner while watching knights battle it out in a tournament. The splendor, the pageantry and the romance of a time long ago come to life nightly at Medieval Times. A friendly North v. South rivalry is the theme at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, where families can see live bison, amazing ostrich races, horses and magic.
Sleeping Places in Kissimmee. Kissimmee’s kid-friendly accommodations and attractions provide for a unique vacation destination that has been making more dreams come true for the entire family for generations. Kissimmee’s offers vacationers proximity to the world-famous theme parks at Walt Disney World Resorts, Universal Orlando, Sea World, as well as nearly 45,000 rooms to fit any family budget. There is a wide variety of family friendly sleeping options including resorts, condos and vacation homes. We have highlighted a few and plenty more may be found at www.visitKissimmee.com
The Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center has more than four acres of themed experiences under the resort’s signature glass atrium, where families can experience some of Florida’s signature locations such as St. Augustine, Key West, and the Everglades. The kids can play at La Petite Academy Kids Station, which features themed activities catering to children, or have fun at a kids activity pool that includes an octopus-themed slide, pop-jet fountains, sand play area and hair wrapping station. For parents wanting a more active experience while on vacation, the Coquina Dunes outdoor recreation park offers a 9-hole executive putting course, a bocce court, a croquet lawn and a sand volleyball court.
When children arrive at the Howard Johnson Enchanted Land Resort their check-in experience begins at the hotel’s signature tree house, where they receive a special kids-only welcome package. The hotel also offers a free nightly ice cream party for families and a kids’ arcade. Parents can choose from the Crayola Kids Room or the Tree House Room, each offering a separate kids-size room with television and VCR for the kids. The Tree House Room includes bunk beds built inside a tree house and a kids “survival” kit. Plus, children ages 12 and under eat free with a paying adult.
The Seralago Hotel & Suites Maingate East provides a fun family hotel in the heart of Kissimmee’s tourism corridor. The hotel’s Kids Suites offer a designated kids area with bunk beds and a single bed, a television and VCR, a CD player . For families, the hotel offers free breakfast for children ages 1o and younger, a general store and a food court with “food on the run” for families getting a jump start on their fun Kissimmee vacation. Families may relax by one of two pools or take the tykes to the hotel’s kiddie pool, or enjoy the playground onsite. Older children may find the Castle Dungeon video arcade the perfect spot to chill.
Make it happen. The Kissimmee CVB website showcases oodles of vacation ideas often with savings. Many hotels offer transfers to the major attractions either for free or for a small fee. The special family vacation offers change frequently, so to stay in the information loop sign up for the free e-newsletter, checkout Kissimmee on Facebook or follow the latest news on Twitter. See what others are saying about Kissimmee at Kissimmee's blog, i.SeeKissimmee.com and to explore all of the options log on to www.VisitKissimmee.com. 
Content and images provided by Kissimmee/St. Cloud CVB. Copyright 2010.
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