This series of posts documents our family holiday to Florida, based in and around Orlando.
This index page pulls all of the Florida posts together in one place — part memory bank, part travel diary, and something to revisit during cold, dark winter months when sunshine feels a long way away.
It wasn’t a traditional road trip like many of our USA adventures, so there are no day-by-day mileage logs or constant hotel changes. Instead, we rented a villa, slowed the pace down a little, and explored Florida through a mix of theme parks, wildlife encounters, road trips and thoroughly American experiences.
The Florida Holiday Series
Introduction & Base
- Orlando Theme Parks & Beyond: A Florida Holiday for the Memory Bank
- Davenport, Kissimmee & Villa Life: Our Florida Base Away From the Theme Parks
Theme Parks
- Magic Kingdom Orlando: One Day, Big Crowds and Questionable T-Shirts
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: The One Disney Park I Actually Enjoyed
- Universal Studios Orlando: Springfield, Film Sets and My Favourite Theme Park
Florida Beyond the Theme Parks
- Kennedy Space Center: Real Heroes, Moon Rockets and a Day Well Spent
- Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs: Florida’s Gentle Giants
- Gatorland Orlando: Swamps, Sunshine and Prehistoric Beasts
- The Florida Railroad Museum, Parrish: Trains, Birthdays and a Perfect Surprise
Evenings, Americana & Slowing Down
- Old Town Kissimmee Car Cruise Nights: Chrome, Americana and Community Spirit
- Relaxing in Florida: Crazy Golf, Storms and Slowing the Pace
- Florida Westgate Saturday Night Rodeo: A Very American Evening
Final Thoughts
About This Trip
This Florida holiday took place in 2019 and was published later as part of our ongoing effort to archive past trips and preserve our travel memories.
While Orlando itself isn’t somewhere we’d rush back to, the trip gave us a huge variety of experiences — from wildlife encounters and classic Americana to family moments that will stay with us forever.
As always, these posts aren’t about ticking boxes or selling destinations. They’re simply honest reflections on where we went, what we saw, and how it felt at the time.
If you’re planning a Florida trip yourself, hopefully some of this helps. If not, at least it serves as proof that even the most unlikely destinations can still deliver a few memorable moments.
Our Florida Holiday: Final Thoughts & Would We Do It Again?
