Central Florida 2020
For this family vacation to Orlando, we decided to go off the beaten path and forgo our usual itinerary of theme parks. We discovered so many adventures right around the corner that we’d never known existed!
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itinerary
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Day 1 Itinerary
Places visited: Juniper Springs Recreation Area - Silver Springs State Park - Marriott's Cypress Harbour Villas
Juniper Springs Recreation Area
Despite the hot day, we loved our stop at Juniper Springs. We took the boarded walking path along the creek to the vibrant springs! The swimming hole was a bit too crowded for our taste, and the kayaks weren’t available for rent, but the gorgeous views made it worth the quick stop.
Silver Springs State Park
Our next stop was to Silver Springs for their famous glass bottom boats! Our boat captain guided us around the various springs that make up the area and told us about how, before Disney World, this was the top tourist attraction in the state. The history, gorgeous landscape and wildlife encounters were made better by our knowledgeable captain and guide. I’d highly recommend this beautiful park!
Marriott's Cypress Harbour Villas
We had a great time at this resort! Their amenities included a pool, boat rentals, a nature trail, and many other fun activities. Plus the staff was so friendly.
Day 2 Itinerary
Places visited: BK Adventure Haulover Canal Kayak Launch Site
Bioluminescent Kayaking
Today we had such an awe- inspiring experience! We went night kayaking in the bioluminescent waters around Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Indian River Lagoon was aglow from this natural wonder. We were led by fun and knowledgeable guides who taught us about the Dinoflagellates, bioluminescent plankton that illuminate any time the water is disturbed. We even witnessed a dolphin glowing as it swam through the canal! This is one of the few places in the world where people can witness magical adventure! HIGHLY recommend (but bring good bug spray). Thanks to BK Adventures for this great trip!
Disclaimer: the pictures of the bioluminescence are not mine. While it looks exactly like this in person, the glow cannot be captured on a cell phone. Only professional cameras can take pictures like this. Check out this video for more amazing images! https://theculturetrip.com/central-america/costa-rica/articles/where-to-see-some-of-the-greatest-phenomena-on-earth/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=video_bioluminescence-florida
Day 3 Itinerary
Places visited: Kennedy Space Center - Chuy's
Kennedy Space Center
Although many of the attractions were temporarily closed due to COVID-19, we had a fun time at Kennedy Space Center! The exhibits were well done and we learned a lot about the space program and astronauts.
Additionally, we got to watch a shuttle launch! This was definitely thee cherry on top of our trip and made it a really unique experience.
Chuy's
Day 4 Itinerary
Places visited: Disney Springs - Hillstone Winter Park
Disney Springs
We spent the day shopping at Disney Springs and enjoyed a little bit of magic outside of the parks.
Hillstone Winter Park
Dinner was delicious at this gorgeous lakeside restaurant. We loved our meal, drinks, and the beautiful sunset. The restaurant even had a small garden where they grow some of the vegetables and herbs used in their dishes.
Day 5 Itinerary
Places visited: River Ventures - The Legends of Adventure - Cajun jimmys seafood seller
Snorkeling with Manatees
We took a trip over to Crystal River Preserve State Park to River Ventures where we swam with manatees! This guided tour made it a once in a lifetime experience. Our boat captain and snorkel guide were well informed and personable. We swam with a mother manatee and TWO baby calves! This was everything I hoped for and more.
I highly recommend this experience for everyone. It is family friendly and not athletically difficult- you float 95% of the time. Our guides even told us about how they can make adaptations for people with disabilities. If you’ve ever dreamed of swimming with the manatees, I can not speak highly enough of this experience.
Cajun jimmys seafood seller
After snorkeling all morning, we went across the street for lunch at Cajun Jimmy’s Seafood Cafe. We are big fans of Cajun food and were surprised by how awesome this food was. Great quality and all local and fresh seafood.
Day 6 Itinerary
Places visited: Marriott's Cypress Harbour Villas
Marriott's Cypress Harbour Villas
We spent the 4th of July back at the hotel enjoying all the amenities. We played shuffle board, took boats out on the lake, and laid out by the pool. We had a fun and relaxing last day of the trip.