Day Trippin' › Florida › From Orlando › Best family-fun places
Our picks for the best family-fun places within 3 hours of Orlando: 14 places, 5 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 3 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 32801.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is EPCOT, 27 min southwest of Orlando.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: TheWanderingTraders, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Theme park · 31 min southwest
Cinderella Castle, classic rides and parades. The heart of Walt Disney World.
Heads-up: Buy tickets and check park hours ahead. Very crowded on holidays.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · Aquarium · 2 hr 27 min southeast
Sea turtle hospital in Juno Beach where you can see patients recovering. Free to visit.
Heads-up: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The beach next door is good for a swim.
Photo: Jedi94, CC BY-SA 4.0
#3 · Theme park · 27 min southwest
World showcase pavilions, big rides and food festivals.
Heads-up: Lots of walking.
Photo: Nathan Forget, CC BY 2.0
#4 · Theme park · 56 min southwest
A LEGO park for kids 2-12 on the site of old Cypress Gardens, plus a water park and Peppa Pig park.
Heads-up: Water park is seasonal. Christmas event on select dates Nov 21-Jan 3.
Photo: Jake N., CC BY 2.0
#5 · Family fun · 56 min north
The World Center of Racing. Tours take you to the track and garages.
Heads-up: Tours change on race days.
Photo: Gamweb, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · Water park · 1 hr northeast
A water park plus go-karts, laser tag and mini golf.
Heads-up: Check the calendar.
Photo: Connor J Williams, CC BY 2.0
#7 · Family fun · 1 hr 4 min east
An 800-foot pier with food, bars, an arcade, live music and surf lessons.
Heads-up: Busy on weekends.
Photo: James E. Scholz, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Aquarium · 1 hr 21 min southwest
Big aquarium on the Tampa waterfront with a coral reef tank, sharks, penguins and a splash pad.
Heads-up: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily per the official site. Parking is extra.
Photo: ClaudiaTampa39 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
#9 · Theme park · 1 hr 24 min southwest
Big roller coasters and an animal park in one. Ride, then watch giraffes and rhinos on the Serengeti plain.
Heads-up: Hours change by date, check the park calendar. Hot and crowded in summer. Parking is extra.
Photo: qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0
#10 · Aquarium · 1 hr 49 min southwest
Working marine rescue center where you can meet rescued dolphins, sea turtles and otters.
Heads-up: Hours shown as 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the official site. Buy tickets online on busy days.
Photo: AndrewAvitus, CC BY 3.0
#11 · Aquarium · 1 hr 26 min north
A historic oceanfront marine park where you can watch and interact with dolphins.
Heads-up: Encounters need reservations.
#12 · Water park · 1 hr 22 min southwest
Water park next to Busch Gardens with slides, a lazy river and wave pool.
Heads-up: Closed in winter. Check open days before you go.
#13 · Aquarium · 2 hr 12 min southwest
Research aquarium on City Island with sharks, sea turtles and manatees. Its new Mote SEA aquarium is near the Sarasota mall.
Heads-up: Tickets must be bought online to guarantee entry. Confirm which campus you are visiting.
#14 · Water park · 2 hr 27 min southeast
Big water park in Riviera Beach with tall slides, a wave pool and a lazy river.
Heads-up: Check the park calendar, days and hours change through the season.
Our top picks are Magic Kingdom (31 min), Loggerhead Marinelife Center (2 hr 27 min), EPCOT (27 min), LEGOLAND Florida (56 min) and Daytona International Speedway (56 min). The page lists 14 places in all.
14: 5 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 3 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 32801.
EPCOT, about 27 min southwest of Orlando.
1 need no pass or fee, including Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Fees change, so check each place.
3 of the 14 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.