40 Best Stops Between Deerfield Beach and Gainesville
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Wanderlog staff Updated • updatedApr 10, 2023
How long is the drive from Deerfield Beach to Gainesville?
The direct drive from Deerfield Beach to Gainesville is 675 mi (1,086 km), and should have a drive time of 9 hrs 51 mins in normal traffic.
If you’re going on a road trip from Deerfield Beach to Gainesville, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with Orlando, Atlanta, Titusville, West Palm Beach, Cocoa Beach, Winter Haven, Kissimmee, Gainesville, DeLand, and Fort Pierce, as well as top places to visit like The Square and McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary, or the ever-popular Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.
Top cities between Deerfield Beach and Gainesville
The top cities between Deerfield Beach and Gainesville are Orlando, Atlanta, Titusville, West Palm Beach, Cocoa Beach, Winter Haven, Kissimmee, Gainesville, DeLand, and Fort Pierce. Orlando is the most popular city on the route. It's 3 hours from Deerfield Beach and 7 hours from Gainesville.
West Palm Beach, a city in South Florida, is separated from the upscale Palm Beach by the Lake Worth Lagoon. The downtown area boasts vibrant districts like Clematis Street and CityPlace, offering an array of dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Visitors can explore the Norton Museum of Art showcasing diverse art collections or attend performances at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
2% as popular as Orlando
5 minutes off the main route, 5% of way to Gainesville
2
Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce is a city on the east coast of Florida. The oceanfront National Navy SEAL Museum displays weapons, vehicles and other naval artifacts. Nearby, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park has a long beach, where swimming and surfing are popular. The A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery houses paintings by the 20th-century painter, a Fort Pierce native. Heathcote Botanical Gardens features a large collection of tropical bonsai.
0% as popular as Orlando
12 minutes off the main route, 14% of way to Gainesville
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Cocoa Beach, a city in Florida located south of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, serves as an entryway to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. This complex is home to rockets and famous artifacts. The region is renowned for its sandy beach and surfing spots. At the Florida Surf Museum housed within a surf shop, one can learn about the local history of this sport. For those interested in dining and shopping options, Cocoa Beach Pier has various eateries and shops.
2% as popular as Orlando
26 minutes off the main route, 24% of way to Gainesville
Titusville, a charming city in Brevard County, Florida, is nestled along the picturesque Indian River. With a population of nearly 50,000 people, it's known for its proximity to Merritt Island and the renowned Kennedy Space Center. The area also boasts the stunning Canaveral National Seashore. Additionally, Titusville is part of a region that includes Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Rockledge, Viera, Melbourne, Satellite Beach and more.
4% as popular as Orlando
22 minutes off the main route, 26% of way to Gainesville
Kissimmee, located in central Florida's Osceola County, is a city known for its close proximity to numerous amusement parks, including the expansive Walt Disney World Resort complex. Situated along the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga, also known as Lake Toho, Kissimmee offers the picturesque Kissimmee Waterfront Park with its walking paths and fishing pier.
3% as popular as Orlando
8 minutes off the main route, 27% of way to Gainesville
I'll never travel to Gainesville without this trip planner again
Located in the heart of Florida, Orlando boasts over a dozen theme parks, including the world-renowned Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Visitors can enjoy attractions such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Along with its theme parks, Orlando is known for its warm weather and beautiful white sandy beaches.
Most popular city on this route
8 minutes off the main route, 29% of way to Gainesville
Winter Haven, located in central Florida, is popular for its Chain of Lakes that are connected by canals. The lakes offer several recreational activities like water sports rentals, boat ramps, waterside parks and eateries. Legoland Florida Resort situated on Lake Eloise features Lego-brick attractions, rides and a water park alongside Cypress Gardens- a botanical garden established in the 1930s.
1% as popular as Orlando
37 minutes off the main route, 29% of way to Gainesville
DeLand, located in Volusia County, Florida, is a charming city with a vibrant restaurant scene despite its small size. The historic streets are adorned with eateries offering a diverse range of cuisines, from farm-to-table delicacies to international flavors. Additionally, the nearby spiritualist community of Cassadaga provides an opportunity for visitors to have their fortunes told by resident mediums and spiritualists. This adds an intriguing aspect to the cultural tapestry of DeLand.
1% as popular as Orlando
33 minutes off the main route, 32% of way to Gainesville
Gainesville, a city in northern Florida, is renowned for being the home of the University of Florida. The campus hosts attractions like the Florida Museum of Natural History, which features fossils and ethnographic exhibits including the Butterfly Rainforest. Additionally, visitors can explore the Harn Museum of Art with its extensive collection of Asian and African works, as well as the Matheson History Museum showcasing a vintage postcard collection.
1% as popular as Orlando
11 minutes off the main route, 44% of way to Gainesville
Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, has a rich history that includes its role in the Civil War and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. The Atlanta History Center and Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site offer insights into the city's past and pay tribute to the African-American leader. In downtown Atlanta, Centennial Olympic Park, constructed for the 1996 Olympics, is home to the impressive Georgia Aquarium.
19% as popular as Orlando
5 minutes off the main route, 91% of way to Gainesville
Best stops along Deerfield Beach to Gainesville drive
The top stops along the way from Deerfield Beach to Gainesville (with short detours) are Magic Kingdom Park, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Other popular stops include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort, and Universal Studios Florida.
The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum is a sprawling stately Gilded Age–era mansion house built for an oil tycoon, which features art from some of the most talented artists in the West Palm Beach area and beyond, as well as interesting historical exhibits. during its heyday in the early part of the 20th century, it was generally agreed that Palm Beach rivaled more traditional overseas beach destinations like Monaco and the French Riviera in terms of wealth and aristocracy.
Always a great time!! Had not been in 10 years and love that they have acquired old pieces to the museum. Please don’t “rush” through the museum. It’s full of history and wonderful treasures.
My only complaint is that I was there at 9:50 waiting for opening. The lady setup the Exit booth instead of the entrance booth. Staff shortage due to ‘Covid’
Ads_ Yacht_Stewardess — Google review
So happy we made a stop here while we were in town!
This house and the grounds are gorgeous. We did the self guided audio tour using the provided audio tour wands and they were exactly what we were hoping for.
Each room offers unlimited things to look at in amazement and also learn plenty of historical key moments that helped shaped early America and South Florida.
The ticket prices are priced exactly what they should be. I’ve seen some other reviews calling the ticket prices steep. I couldn’t disagree more with this statement.
Expect to spend at least two hours.
Ceej Ceej — Google review
A beautiful museum filled with a story to tell. It is kept mostly the same as Mr.Flagler left it when he died. Beautiful art and instalation can be seen all around the house. The house is a 2-story house and looks more like a mansion on the water. On our tour, we got an amazing guide that explained all the stories so well that I was in total owe how much I learned from such an amazing day. I would definitely recommend coming to this place and exercising the beauty of the mansion in person. Below, I am sending some pictures from our tour. My favorite one is the godfather clock with Father Time.
Oskar Finneran — Google review
Beautiful property. We spoke to the women in the gift shop for a while. They were knowledgeable and friendly. The quality of items throughout the museum, whether it be carpet, paintings, chandeliers, or furniture, are top notch. Well worth the entrance fee.
Matilda Porter — Google review
This place is top notch! Do your research about the Flagler's before you come to fully appreciate their legacy in the Gilded Age. There is a small history room in the mansion, but that area was packed! Otherwise, we loved the home. It was $18, including a headset. It's grandeur is out of this world!!!
Nicole Kirian — Google review
A really stunning museum. The details in this house are truly overwhelming. There is also an audio tour to go with it. The mansion is on the water and the view from his house is beautiful. In the glass building/ conservatory there also one of his train cars. Definitely check this place out. A level of opulence that one very rarely sees.
Kristin Kosmides — Google review
Architecture inside and outside, friendly staff, setup, gardens and its views is to step into an Era and take a peak into history of affluence.
The locomotive carriage gives us a peak into bygone days of luxury, elegance and comfort.
The gift store also is neat to visit with unique quality gift ideas.
Thanking the director for the hospitality towards myself and my friend so we could see the locomotive which we had missed on an earlier visit due to a musical show, held on their premises.
Honorable act from the staff.
Nausheen Khan — Google review
Very beautiful mansion which worth a stop. The parking is free but the entrance fee is $26 per adult which includes an audio book which has a lot of good information about the house. We especially liked the entryway and the ballroom. Theres also great views from the back of the house and an event space with some amazing windows with pretty neat train car you can go in.
Francis — Google review
A real Florida treasure. The grounds and estate are beautiful. Well worth the cost. Our tour included a free audio guide.
Franklin Markley — Google review
This was our first visit. At first we were skeptical due to the high admission fee - $26 is a lot to visit a mansion (it’s much more than we pay in Europe for similar experiences). But the house is absolutely stunning. We attended the complimentary guided tour and our guide Ed did an amazing job. He presented the interesting facts very well, seemed to be very knowledgeable and had an answer to every question. He also was quite entertaining and easily to understand - if you are a non-native like myself, you know what I’m talking about.
The bonus exhibition about the Wild West was also super interesting and I learned a lot today.
Raphael Ke — Google review
The first time there, I definitely will go again to see the artwork. The craftmenship of the ceilings and the advanced technology they use to make beautiful masterpieces.
Ana A — Google review
A must see !Suggest have the tour with Ed Lamont very knowledgeable and entertaining.. Flagler was a very important man for Florida..Thank goodness for Granddaughter Jean William's to keep it from being Demolished. It will be here for years to come..
Yesterday was special..
It was the anniversary of his death " A celebration of Life" May 20 1913@10:00am
Jennifer Sutphen — Google review
A must visit you feel like you are in Europe. Absolutely stunning. Make sure you do the FREE tour so worth the explanation. I will be back for when they decorate for the holidays.
Stefanie M&M — Google review
Beautiful place with lots of interesting Florida history! Highly recommend taking the decent-led tour. Make sure you take time to sit in the coconut grove and relax - so quiet and peaceful. Wonderful place to visit!
Rebekah Carlson — Google review
Beautiful museum with lots of rooms to explore. Very cool to explore the history of the gilded age through this house! Seeing Flagler’s personal train car was also very cool! Admission is pretty expensive with no student/other discounts so that is the only downside.
Charles Vega — Google review
A beautiful museum inside and out. The self guided audio tour (which is included in admission) really enhances the experience and allows visitors to double click into aspects of gilded age and South Florida history based on your interests - I loved hearing more about social customs of the time. Some might enjoy the detail on specific antiques and art in each room. The grounds are also lovely, and I noticed they do a high tea - will definitely be back for that!
Lisa Pelish — Google review
A Journey Back in Time: The Henry Flagler Museum Experience
The Henry Flagler Museum, a portal to the past, did not disappoint. The museum, a testament to Flagler's vision, stood majestically, inviting us to explore its riches. Our tour guide was the highlight of our visit. Knowledgeable and entertaining, they brought history to life with stories and facts that captivated us all. If you're looking for an experience that combines historical immersion with stunning views, look no further than the Henry Flagler Museum. It's more than just a museum; it's a journey through time.
Yahaira Dejesus — Google review
This is an outstanding historical venue! The Flagler Museum is a great way to learn about Henry Flagler, founder of Standard Oil, and the man who pretty much built Florida. Time period is the Gilded Age (1870's to 1890's) when economic growth, industrialization, and immigration were at all time highs. This is the time when electricity was ramping up as well.
Admission includes a nifty, hand-held audio tour-wand device that describes most things in the house. You can also download the presentation to your phone and play through your ear buds. You can also sign up for a docent-led tour.
It's a great story! I highly recommend that you do the self-guided tour and give yourself time to soak it all in!
Bill Golden — Google review
Loved this museum with all of the amazing artwork and sculptures! I also really enjoyed looking at all of the glasses and place settings. They were very unique and varied. The staff was very friendly and the audio guide was great.
Rosemary Square is a large, upscale shopping mall in the city center of Mission Viejo. The mall has a variety of stores, including high-end brands like Gap and Victoria's Secret, as well as budget-friendly options like Banana Republic and Macy's. It also features art installations by world-class artists throughout the common areas. City Place is a smaller, more compact shopping mall just minutes away from Rosemary Square that contains similar shops and amenities.
The Square is a picturesque area that is lively with shops, restaurants, and activities. The center of the entire area boasts an enormous tree lined with LED lights that change colors.
During the summer, they have active water spouts in the ground for kids to play in. They also bring out snow machines as well.
In winter, they have a variety of food trucks make an appearance with warm holiday snacks.
The restaurants around here are all incredible and not super fine dining, allowing it to be accessible to all.
The shops are more on the higher end.
Parking is so simple, and I personally recommend parking in the Hibiscus garage. It’s affordable and connected right to the entire area.
Nik Rama — Google review
What a Lovely place! This place is wheel chair accessible and super pretty. They have loads of water features and the pathways to feel fully present and take in the scene. A light feature/ fake tree next to the main event space and loads of monthly events to plan for in the Square. Totally Worth a drive.
Katerin Luquetta — Google review
This place is an entire vibe. Tried the vegan ice cream and enjoyed the beautiful tree with the changing lights. So many shops and people are bustling about in a very relaxed atmosphere. Wished we had more time to take it all in.
Mona G — Google review
Went here today for the Arts Festival and really enjoyed it, primarily because it was outdoors with sun and much cooler temperatures today. Lots of artists and some beautiful artwork. Bought a French Bulldog statue that I couldn’t pass up. Considering some other art as well. This is a beautiful shopping area with different activities aside from just shopping; and restaurants are in abundance. Beautiful fountain in the center of the Plaza. Parking was expensive!
Douglas W. Bush, M.A. (Doug) — Google review
Beautiful place even just to walk around. Plenty of public parking for a fair price, they even have valet parking if you dont want to spend time looking around. Super clean with some nice store and restaurant option. Really well maintained and easy to navigate.
Marcin Mojek — Google review
Beautiful place with amazing luxurious boutiques, among restaurants. Walking around was great.
There is a beautiful fountain where you can sit around and take a break from your shopping. While doing so, try there 'to die for' ice cream made with cashews and coconut milk.
Ariane Dupin — Google review
What a wonderful place. Regardless of the time of day, this place is simply enchanting. The glowing tree is spectacular, and all the choices for dining are stellar. I personally love El Caminos and those nachos! Great for people of all ages.
Robert Galarza (Queenskid24) — Google review
Very clean and beautiful shopping area.
You can definitely spend a good deal of time here. Hotels are close and there are plenty of dining options. There are a few really nice apartments here for rent as well. I definitely will come check this out again in the future.
Brandon Britt Smith (Travelin Smitty) — Google review
Wow! Let’s first complement the gardening in this area. I know they have to spend millions of dollars just in the landscaping alone. It is absolutely gorgeous! All of the areas are super classy and well-kept. The vibe is so amazing. It definitely gives me cantina vibes more on the cultured experience. All of the beautiful variety of plants and flowers as well as the artwork on all of the streets and walls are beyond beautiful! What a day. You could literally walk the circle go to lunch go shopping and spend an entire day here! I know I did!
Samantha Moore — Google review
More than the shopping and restaurants, Rosemary Square is simply a good place to walk around. The palm tree-lined promenade, shady archways, and cool fountains are bustling with people at all times of the day. It is also convenient to visit, with easy paid parking available at the nearby Hibiscus Garage. Highly recommend when you’re in downtown West Palm Beach!
Aditya Narayanan — Google review
Was a serene moonlit night. The weather was amazing, and the Square had such great ambiance. So much better than in the past. Love the new look and feel.
Angie Allen — Google review
Great place to hang out as couple, friends or family with kids.The primary feature is the beautiful fountain in the square where the kids spend hours having fun playing with water while parents can enjoy a delicious meal at one of the many restaurants there.They also have some shows for kids and live band on weekends.(Check the monthly schedule on their website or at the square for more information).Not only this place is outstanding, the area around is fantastic as well.Buildings are colorfully painted with greenery walls adding on the beauty of this place.
NISRINE AMMOURY — Google review
It was nice. Their Cheesecake Factory is better than our up here. They have an LED tree that changes color.
Teddy Bear (Skechers) — Google review
Nice space with stores, restaurants and entertainment. It’s an amazing place to visit with family and friends. Great pictures are always taken!
Claudia Burkitt — Google review
It’s a shopping and dining district encompassed in a square region of bustling West Palm Beach downtown; thus the name The Square was born, I assume.
It’s vibrant and full of youth. Seems to be safe and most shops and restaurants are elegant. But there are Starbucks and H&M to satiate people with not so deep pocket. Parking situation isn’t horrible.
But I would not go out of my way to visit this place. If I happen to be near The Square during my visit to West Palm Beach, then visiting this place definitely makes sense.
Richard Yu — Google review
I love coming here to people watch and grab a bite or a drink with friends. It’s such a beautiful space for the entire community and the plants all around make the space very zen. The city is also doing a great job maintaining it, thank you.
Bianca Astralaga — Google review
I love The Square, The Wall, Uptown... All of Clematis. There's a great selection of restaurants and shops, and the atmosphere is amazing. Family friendly, dog friendly, yet still a great place to have a few drinks, dance, and let loose.
Kp. Yo — Google review
A fun place to go for all ages. Daylight is better for children and nighttime for adults. The one big artificial tree has LED leaves. The changing colors are mesmerizing.
John L Dawson, Ed.D., Real Estate Broker — Google review
I'm really not sure how to rate this. I think this place used to be called city place and it had a lot of beautiful upscaled stores and not as many restaurants as it does now. All of the stores that I liked are gone. And it's just walt wall restaurants and destruction. I am very unhappy with this change nor will I ever be going back.
Danielle Pike — Google review
Very elegant. Great service, great food, GREAT VIEWS!!! My friend treated me to lunch and I LOVED it!!!
Billie Sue Wilson — Google review
The place is really nice. You can find the wishing tree, music, many places to go and eat and a very friendly environment.
Gabriela Vega — Google review
Beautifully landscaped and great for a nice walk. Lots of great restaurants but not too many stores to look at. $10 for parking about 2 hours is a bit high we thought.
Francis — Google review
4.5
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4.5
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700 S Rosemary Ave Suite 200, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, USA
McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary is a refuge for more than 170 animals. They offer guided tours and interactive programs for children, but reservations are required. The animals appear to be well-kept and healthy, and the staff are organized and friendly. Restrooms are available on-site, but visitors must be escorted if they need to use them during a tour. Guests must stay with the group at all times and touching or handling the animals is allowed at their own risk as stated by signage in the area.
We had Such an awesome experience today at the McCarthys wildlife sanctuary. I highly recommend it. We took a two hour guided tour and learned so much about all the animals. Our guide was awesome. You can tell she loves the animals. They are all well cared for and their habitats are all clean. Thank you, we will be back again.
Andrea Braunstein — Google review
We had the best time! Jeremy was our guide and he made the tour so much fun and educational! My three boys LOVED being able to learn about the animals at the sanctuary and interact with them! We can tell that Jeremy sincerely loves and cares about the animals there. The enclosures were clean and the animals appeared well taken care of- which made us happy. I appreciate the sanctuary takes in the animals that their owners abandon, and their efforts to educate people to be more responsible when choosing to have exotic pets, and about finding a way to coexist with wildlife in harmony. Human is the number one cause of extinction of many species, and we need more places like this sanctuary to remind people of the importance of conservation.
We would definitely come back when we visit the area again!
U Anderson — Google review
I would highly recommend visiting McCarthys Wildlife Sanctuary during your stay in south Florida! The staff were very knowledgeable and amazing, it’s easy to get to and the grounds were clean and beautiful. Not to mention, the animals seemed very happy and enjoyed us visiting!
DaLena Elliott — Google review
My husband and I came here to see all the animals! Jeremy took us on a great tour and genuinely cares about the animals and provided the group with great facts about the individual animals and their species. I would definitely recommend coming here, rather than other places that have wild animals as this place rescues and rehabilitates animals and does what is in the best interest for the animals!
Tracy Marotta — Google review
Great sanctuary! Things were well organized, plenty of parking just outside the main gate. Our guide was well informed about the different animals, and there was even a chance to get up close and personal in the reptile house. There are restrooms, and a gift shop on site.
Kassandra Rodriguez — Google review
It is a hidden gem, being so close to the big cats was so surreal. Our guide Bianca was very informative. We enjoyed her company very much. They had a lot of snakes, almost every snake 🐍 including rattle snakes and venomous snakes.Turtles, tarantula and other animals which were all saved in some way. That's why it is good to visit it to help pay for the rescued animals.
Mohanbir Nagra — Google review
Very clean and healthy looking animals! organized and kind workers. It was a fun experience and I would recommend checking this place out if you want a little more personal setting
Signed up for the tour on Friday. They have restrooms here but if you need to go during a tour you'll be escorted back. You stuck together as a group and are not allowed to wander off alone. Looks to have plenty of parking outside the premise. once inside, they have tables to sit underneath the shade as well as water bottles to buy
You're allowed to touch the animals and handle them at your own risk as stated by the sign
A very cool place that takes care of the animals here
Kealani-Nicole Young — Google review
This Wildlife Sanctuary is amazing!! Our tour guide, Bianca, was the best. She was very friendly and informative. I would definitely return.
Crystal Almanzar — Google review
The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and you can tell that the animals are very well taken care of. Super informative and fun experience, regardless of age. One of my top must-see places every time I'm in West Palm Beach.
Mira S — Google review
Amazing wildlife refuge. Had such a great time on the tour with Alexis as our tour guide. Very friendly and informative. You get to learn not only about the animals but their individual backstories and how they arrived there. Such a great place. I can't wait till my son turns 5 next you so I can bring him as well. Did I mention they let you hold some of the animals. Super cool experience for a family or a date.
PatrickGonzinvesting — Google review
Had the best time here!! Staff was so knowledgeable and the animals looked very well taken care of. It was such a great experience and would definitely recommend! Great for kids as well.
Sydney Espeut — Google review
Found this little suburban sanctuary on Tripadvisor and it did not disappoint. Tours are only available by calling them direct and only a few days a week at limited times. If you like small group tours, this is for you. The animals are very well cared for, even spoiled and I’m glad they have a place like this they can call home. Definitely a must see in the West Palm Beach area.
Lisa Burton — Google review
Paw-some! Very informative. Although they have short hours, this is for the benefit of the animals. Members of our party held several different animals, like a kinkajou, turtles, snakes and spiders. This was the closest I ever stood near large cats, lions, jaguar, panther, etc. they also have a liger that I did not know existed.
Suzanne La Plante — Google review
Great experience seeing the animals, including a number of big cats. It's not setup like a traditional zoo, so your tour is just a handful of people and you can get very close to the enclosures which makes for excellent photos. Proceeds from tour go to helping care for the animals so it's a great cause as well. They also engage in animal rehabilitation. Highly recommend.
Anthony M — Google review
Amazing tour of the facilities. Super clean, fantastic animal encounter. Friendly host/guide. Definitely a must visit place. I will be back again.
debora holt — Google review
We took our kid as a birthday gift from family members. We absolutely LOVE IT! Bianca was our tour guide. She was AMAZING! The whole family will enjoy this experience. You learn so much and will see animals that otherwise, you would probably never encounter(like a liger). The stories behind every animal are also so incredible. Bianca is very knowledgeable and kept the visit very fun for all the kids. We got to held and touch different animals.
We've been living in the Palm Beach area for years and we didn't know about this place. I'm happy we got to see it. I highly recommend it!
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is a historical landmark which features guided tours of an 1860 lighthouse and a small museum displaying the area's rich history. The brick lighthouse, designed by Lieutenant George Gordon Meade, has been under the Coast Guard's jurisdiction since it was built. Visitors can explore the park's beautiful trails and pier to enjoy scenic views of its surroundings.
This is a wonderful place to visit for history buffs and lighthouse fans.
$12 admission gets you access to the museum, and the lighthouse itself. It's 35 steps up to the base, then 106 steps up the wrought iron spiral staircase to the top. The views and the 160-year-old Fresnel lens are worth the climb.
Guided tours are informative, but not mandatory.
Nice little gift shop, too.
Chuck Simmons — Google review
Easily accessible from the Main Road US -1, watch for bridge construction, plenty of free parking including for Handicap accessible Vehicles.
The Lighthouse and Park were well staffed by friendly employees. The Park was clean. Restrooms were available and clean.
There is an admittance Fee to the property but well worth it.
There is a nice gift shop. Also if you climb don't forget to get your Certificate.
P Oneliv — Google review
This park is absolutely beautiful and very well kept.
The banyan tree is breathtaking!
The trails and pier is new with beautiful views.
We went into the lighthouse. We are here in February. It is 80° today. We waited about 25 minutes to go up. Not bad at all!
There are over 100 steep steps going up with landings for resting. There are also 30+ steps to get to the lighthouse itself so be aware of your ability before you pay the money.
The staff is knowledgeable and polite.
Definitely recommend!
Erin FoxDoan — Google review
We loved the Wednesday sunset tour. Our guide was so entertaining and knowledgeable. We loved climbing the circular stairwell to the top. The property is gorgeous!
Corinne Kahn — Google review
What a great experience! I've always wanted to go up a lighthouse and finally got to do it here. The history behind the tower and land was very interesting. The views at the top were beautiful. This place is definitely a place you want to visit. I do advise if you are handicapped, have bad knees or ankles or weak legs, you will not be able to make it to the top. It has 105 steps to the top of the ladder plus an additional 30-40 steps to the base of the tower. Parking was free. Restrooms on site. It was hot today so bring drinks because all they sell is water on site.
Michael Jimenez — Google review
I love history and exploring it!
The staff is knowledgeable helpful and friendly. The grounds are very well kept. Probably one of the cleanest lighthouses I've been in, very well maintained. Bathrooms are clean. We went on a Tuesday in February and I was surprised at how busy it was. We waited for about 15/20 minutes to climb the lighthouse in a group of about 10/15 people. It's a smaller lighthouse so the climb really isn't too difficult. The view is amazing at the top too.
Karla Thompson — Google review
Second time visiting in 10 years and still worth the day trip!
The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable and ready to help in any way they can. The attendant as we waited to go to the tower gave us a lot of fun and engaging history behind the lighthouse build out as well as the majestic trees on the property!
105 stairs to the top worth the huff and puff lol as the views from the top are priceless! Very well kept grounds and a fun way to spend a Sunday!
Erika Obando — Google review
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum was a great experience to learn about the history of the area and for its scenic views. The lighthouse climb is accompanied by a walk through the grounds, views of the inlet, and a thorough explanation of the historical significance of the area. There is a $12 fee to enter the grounds and climb the lighthouse. The guided explanation kind of dragged on, as most were eager to just climb the lighthouse for the views. Regardless, it would be a fun experience to bring your family to the lighthouse and take in the views. I recommend this location for a fun afternoon and something "different" to do.
James Dobson — Google review
A great place to learn more about Florida history. Nice grounds, museum and walk. Gorgeous view at the top of the lighthouse. Interesting indoor museum. Nature within you reach ❤️
Catharina Masumoto — Google review
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is a true gem that deserves a resounding five-star rating. Stepping onto the grounds of this historic site instantly transports you to a bygone era. The lighthouse, standing tall and proud, offers panoramic views of the surrounding natural beauty, including the glistening waterways and picturesque landscapes. The museum itself is a treasure trove of fascinating exhibits and artifacts, providing a captivating glimpse into the rich maritime history of the region. The knowledgeable and passionate staff further enhance the experience, sharing intriguing stories and insights that bring the history to life. A visit to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is an unforgettable journey through time, filled with educational value, breathtaking views, and a deep appreciation for the maritime heritage of this remarkable area.
Monica Nieto — Google review
My first trip to the area! Parking lot was a bit busy due to soccer games going on nearby but there was still parking available near the lighthouse entrance.
Entrance fee is fair. I was there for around 2 hours and got there right when they opened. It wasn't busy at all, maybe 3 other groups when I arrived. I explored the entire property.
I climbed the lighthouse twice and spoke with Bob at the top who shared fun knowledge about the surrounding area. He was a pleasure to talk with and I loved that he offers to take your picture on your phone. I'm always solo so I never get a picture of myself that isn't a selfie. I was very thankful for this!
Next, I went into the educational workshop. I love to learn about the history of places I'm visiting.
I also went and toured the Tindall Pioneer Homestead and spoke with Melanie who is wonderfully amazing. You can tell that she really loves what she does and I felt so happy after speaking with her. She is so knowledgeable about the area and the history of the home. I told her that it smelled like my grandparents house and even spotted some items that I've seen at their house so that made my heart even happier. Since it was my first time in the area, Melanie recommended a few places for me to go. I was able to go to one but now have an excuse to come back to go to the others! If you love learning about the history of the area and just history in general, I recommend stopping by and talking with Melanie, if she is there. I'd go back just to chat with her more. She is an absolute treasure!
Overall, I had a wonderful time!
Lauren — Google review
Beautiful lighthouse. They let people in every 20-30 minutes in smaller groups so that it is not so crowed on the top. We are older and have back an knee issues but due to the rest stops every few stairs you can climb at your own pace and it was not difficult for me. There were the initial stairs outside to get to the lighthouse approx 36 then inside there are 103. The staff are extremely friendly and informative. Kids must be a certain height to be allowed to climb.
P “Pgib” D — Google review
Quick visit here early January. Beautiful surroundings with stunning banyan trees and views of the inlet. Husband climbed to the top of the lighthouse which was well run as they organized groups going up and down so as to avoid a free for all! Staff were all very friendly and helpful.
He tells me there are stops at about every 25 steps and views from the top were awesome.
I have limited mobility so wasn’t able to climb but there benches around the base to wait and enjoy the trees! You can get an “I survived the club” certificate on departure which is a nice touch.
There is disabled parking but be aware the walk to the lighthouse is an incline and in parts is quite uneven and rocky. It would be pretty challenging to navigate in a wheelchair. The small museum and entrance, where you buy your $12 entrance ticket, does have ramp access though.
Global Nomads — Google review
Had a wonderful experience. Seen some manatees from atop the lighthouse swimming along. The tour guides at the top and before entering the lighthouse gave some great information. Beautiful spot to check out if your in the area. Go early.
SurfratNY — Google review
What a great historical place to visit. The lighthouse itself was super neat to go up and experience. Amazing views from the top. You definitely get a workout climbing up all those steps so make sure you are able to climb a 100 plus stairs. No one under 48inches is aloud to climb. The view is amazing as is the the information they tell you about it. A couple cute museums on the property that make the visit even cooler to see. Very informative staff who give an interactive explanation of how they lived back then and so much more. Would highly recommend not just for vacationers but for locals who have yet to visit it.
Sarah D — Google review
Been to over 20 lighthouses and this is one of my favorites! Did the tour of the grounds & museum. Tour guide was friendly and well educated and view of the lighthouse was beautiful. Super awesome tree located on the bottom of the lighthouse grounds, but didn't get any pictures.
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is a 57-acre research and educational site featuring a network of nature trails, a lagoon, and saltwater tanks. Visitors can explore the building's interactive games, learn about Florida's water and animals in the museum, and take advantage of restrooms on-site. The attraction offers a chance to feed stingrays and invertebrates while observing large saltwater turtles and fish up close. Admission prices are $8 for children and $16 for adults.
April 2022 - what a great place. The kids loved this place and we had a hard time getting them to go. In the building they have some games you can play. Restrooms, a little museum about the animals, Florida water, ect. Very cool place to visit and we have no wait. Their is a trail but we didn't go that far. It was really hot outside for us with 3 daughters under 10. I highly recommend this place.
Brian D — Google review
Such a great Place! Years ago they were tiny but just as great, now they have built and expanded so many beautiful and truly enriching experiences on the property. There is a beautiful gift shop when you walk in ( be prepared to want to shop, truly I wish I had for that in my budget it’s like a mermaid emporium) and then they have a stingray touch pool just outside that we’re you can sit and learn about them and also touch them- including toddlers which was very cool. My little 2 year old darling was so excited by them and would have jumped in if I let her ha! Next to that is an interactive young childrens area- both are outside. Then the newest attraction is a big “air conditioned” building with another interactive room with puzzles for older kids and then a nice small little museum type walk through that introduces you to our local marine ecosystems which was done really well. Again my toddler could not get enough and we spent a good hour walking through it several times over! Everyone is very nice and informative as well. Outside that is a huge estuary I guess you could say. A man made giant “ lagoon “ as it’s called there or big pond that has a huge walk around deck ( which also leads to some pretty cool wildlife trails) and in it you’ll find all sorts of big ocean life including turtles, stingrays, and even nurse sharks which was pretty cool to us!!!
I explained all this so that hopefully someone reading this can see how worthwhile it is to go here! You and your kids will love it!
Kaleigh Cook — Google review
This is a great place to spend the day with your family. There are interactive and very informative displays throughout the grounds, with many "hands-on" exhibits for all ages. The staff is very knowledgeable and will teach you many things about the creatures you will encounter in each exibit. From the walking trails to the gift shop, we were extremely impressed with this park.
Highly-rated for a visit!
Joseph Widmer — Google review
Amazing place to learn about and see Florida marine wildlife! They have stingrays in a touch tank you can feed, a huge pond/aquarium with tons of fish, sea turtles, an octopus, and a nature trail. Well worth the $16 to get in. The whole experience was great and the programs were lots of fun. This is a great place for the whole family to check out. I'll definitely be coming back here.
Isaac Rampton — Google review
Really neat place with a stingray feeding experience, touch tank of several smaller aquatic species, and a large model estuary with nurse sharks and recovering sea turtles that you can learn about and see. Great for little kids to be exposed and learn. Fair pricing and free entry for active duty and veterans as well.
Abraham Mendez — Google review
Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Excellent place with lots of information. Kids loved it but we did too. Sting ray touch tank very cool. Very clean and very cool place. Highly recommend.
Jessica Vaughn — Google review
This has been something we wanted to do for a while and it was worth the wait. The grounds are well kept and there is a lot to see. Nice combination of indoor and outdoor things to see.
Buddy 5G — Google review
Very pleasant place to visit. Charged 8 dollars per child and 16 dollars for adults. The children were able to feed and pet the stingrays and invertebrates. View the very large saltwater turtles and fish. It was easy to spend 2 hours. Very informative.
mark james — Google review
Great place to visit and spend the afternoon. The Center isn't huge, but my family and I had a nice time. We were able to pet and feed stingrays, view their lagoon with fish, stingrays, sea turtles and sharks, explore the exhibits and a wonderful view of everything from the top of the Ecocenter
Tim Ross — Google review
We had a awesome time! Very friendly & informative! Tons of stuff for kids of all ages to do & participate in! The sting rays were the best & the presentations on the sea turtles was great!
Serena Davis — Google review
Amazing experience! They are making sure animals are safe and live in an environment similar to the wild one. Very interesting museum to visit, they have a lot of activities. Worth visiting
Anastasia Hrunova — Google review
This is a very educational spot to spend some outdoor time. Really big lagoon with rays, fish, and turtles all swimming about. There's plenty of educational placards and displays as well as different talks given. Take a walk on the nature trail through the mangroves (best enjoyed after liberal application of DEET) and see their oyster reclamation project. A big plus is that active duty military and veterans get in free.
Mike Puig (teenado658) — Google review
My wife would likely disagree with the five stars due to the smell in the Nature Trail, but I thought it was a fun experience.
Great access to animals of all kinds. Really interesting exhibits in the park.
In my opinion, the VERY SMELLY Nature Trail is a 3/4-mile walk through an actual marsh. The methane gases due to decomposing detritus (and who knows what else) are REALLY strong, but it was lots of fun.
Daniel Farris — Google review
Love this place. Brought my grandsons here and they enjoyed it. Lots to learn for all ages. When you first get in you get to pet the stingrays in the stingray tank and then you can watch them feed the fish in the big estuary. Highly recommend. Will be back
Kimberly Lopes — Google review
We love bringing the kids here. We brought my mother and grandfather here last week who are from PA and they loved it. If you follow the trails all the way out, you see the water and if you are lucky enough you may see some hammerhead's swim by like we did.
Tiffany Bowman — Google review
Great time coming here with the Wife and Kids, Turtles were gorgeous and fish were stocked well. Bring your polarized glasses to see more down deep!!! Prepare for a wild sanctuary nature walk, bring waters!
Christian Heil — Google review
The amount of knowledge you learn is unreal. We spent the whole day there just learning from the shows and then walking through the building. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the nature walk.
I do suggest bringing something to snack on and drink as they only have water.
Erin Jenkins — Google review
Nice little exhibit that is very educational about smaller aquatic life. I would say it would take about an hour to go through. Has cool fish tanks with a small octopus. I would say after going through this place would be best for kids.
Curry7 Eagles — Google review
Loved the history lesson the damming and canalization of Lake Okeechobee. Learned a lot about local sea life and their efforts to help sea grass and oyster repopulate in the area. The kids all admitted it was worth leaving the beach and was super fun! Must-see in Stuart!
Bobbi Shepard — Google review
Absolutely amazing. Definitely stop in. Wonderful staff. Great experience and knowledge. Love that's a non profit so your money to pay is going straight to the beautiful facility.
Spring training facility for the NY Mets. Older facility. Could use some more hand rails on the stairs. Park on grass $10. Lots of friendly and helpful volunteers. Local police help with traffic control.
Bath rooms are small. Tiki bar. Berm behind fence on 1st base side, with sun deck behind. There is an adjacent practise field.
Main field has no dugouts. Nathans hot dogs but no Nathans mustard.
The announcer got the name of the visiting team wrong (!). Too many commercials, too loud, on the announcement system.
Pat Stakem — Google review
Left after 2nd inning....life long Mets fan, very disappointed. Was always a dream to visit here, big let down. Just moved to the area so this was on the top of the bucket list. Most annoying was Q-tip old timers in section 205 refusing to let people sit in the seats they purchased. Its reserved seating, not first come first served. What are you supposed to do with a bunch of geriatrics on their last legs though? Heard the argument over seating for the 4th time and just took the family and went home before things got ugly. No usher presence didn't help matters. Plus half the stadium was closed off for renovations compounding issues. Food options were decent, that was about the highlight. Wish this night ended differently, will probably be going to Rays, or Tortugas games moving forward.
Crystal Ball Fantasy — Google review
Great stadium but they need to be more prepared for an abundance of fans they ran out of Nathan’s fries on the second game of spring training. But all and all great too bring the family
The National Navy SEAL Museum is a compact but impressive establishment with displays showcasing the history and equipment used by the Navy SEALs. Visitors can explore exhibits of armory, weaponry, and historical artifacts while also experiencing a realistic feeling of being a paratrooper inside a helicopter. The museum has an excellent section on Medal of Honor recipients, which highlights their bravery in full detail. Additionally, visitors can learn about the various operations that were conducted by Navy Seals outside declared wars such as Panama and Haiti.
This is a small museum but packed full of excellent exhibits, armory, movies and weaponry. The volunteer docents were very good and explained everything to us before we entered. Climb inside the helicopter and you will get a realistic feeling of what it was like to be a paratrooper. The Medal of Honor section was excellent because it gave the full story of the bravery of the recipients. We particularly enjoyed seeing all of the operations that were conducted by Navy Seals outside of declared wars (Panama, Haiti, etc.) The Normandy section was very good as were the sections on canines. Great experience.
Theresa Hoban — Google review
The museum was a fantastic experience. It's not the biggest, but each item and exhibit was authentic and high quality. Extra points if you are able to speak to some of the workers regarding the origin stories of some of the pieces. There is a military discount for veterans and active duty. The grounds outside the building also have really great exhibits. To cap it off, you can walk from the parking lot to the beach and enjoy some fun and sun all in one visit
Travis H — Google review
This place is cool! The outdoors are totally free and perfect for kids (of all ages). There is a fee to tour the museum inside. The ships are amazing and really give you a sense of the hardships of battle. After your done here, you can go directly to the beach in the same parking lot, or the playground next door. BTW parking is ample and also free 😃
Family Room — Google review
Great place if you are there when there is not a crowd. I enjoyed all the exhibits. They were quite interesting and the obstacle course outside was fun. At the same time, I was quite disappointed about the inconsistency of mask wearing among the staff and the inability to socially distance within this setting. That's why I only gave a 4. We were between 2 large groups of people who were oblivious to everyone else around them and totally ignored any type of 6 foot space. Even a staff member who was unmasked continued to approach me (masked )to talk about something-disregarding my "No, thankyou"'s and my backing away from him. I just found it surprising during Covid. I think it would work better if there was perhaps an overall limit on the number of people in the building at one time so there is more ability to have some distance from others.
Melissa Antul — Google review
Being a Navy Veteran, this place has been on my list for a while. I finally got the opportunity to go today. (9/3/22) It's an INCREDIBLE experience. A very well laid out museum with tons to see and interact with. It really brought back a lot of memories for me.
If you are planning on going, set aside a GOOD block of time. Also try to go when the weather is good because there is a lot to see outside on the grounds as well.
Just an overall incredible experience. I look forward to going back, hopefully with friends and share all the history contained therein.
Michael E — Google review
This museum has so much information so I recommend allotting 2-3 hours to tour. I really enjoyed my time there and learned so much about the Histiry of the Navy Seals.
The museum and grounds are spectacular and so well kept. I was super impressed with everything.
Mr. Andy Brady runs the museum and he shared quite a bit of the SEAL history as we were leaning facility.
There is a store on site with souvenirs and more. I highly recommend visiting if in the area or have a passion for the Navy Seals.
Dr. Rosie Ann Riley — Google review
I brought my two year old and my 8 year old here. I was able to use a wagon and navigate thru pretty okay. It has lots of gear, weapons, machinery-pretty much everything navy seals use and have used. They show you the changes in equipment over the decades. They have an outdoor obstacle course that the navy seals use. My son had fun. They also had some boats, and other vehicles that you can actually get inside of. There is a small memorial garden honoring fallen seals throughout the different wars. I feel like it’s a bit pricey for what they have and to be honest to allow people to experience history. Adults are $15, children are $7 and toddlers and infants are free.
There are a couple of picnic tables you can sit at and snack on. It does say no backpacks or big bags but because I had my son I guess they let me through with them-they didn’t question me.
galila Abdelghani — Google review
So much better than expected! My wife spent a lot more time reading the displays next to the exhibits, and was more interested than she thought she would have been going in. The story telling is great, displays include everything from vehicles, boats, helicopters and gear. Great gift shop with reasonable things appropriate for friends and family. Discounts for families, seniors and vets. Go!
Kevin Kling — Google review
Excellent museum for all ages. Interactive and informative with recent updates. Free entrance after 3pm. Closed Monday. Highly recommend if you’re in the area. And beach short walk away.
Brad Adams — Google review
What a tribute to those who have kept us safe and freedom alive! Weapons, vehicles, and moving stories of heroic sacrifice fill every corner. Modern static and interactive displays. Videos are so well done. Full size Blackhawk Helicopter inside. History spans from early beginnings as training ground right in Fort Pierce for WWII UDT Frogmen to today's SEAL (Sea/Air/Land) Teams. Outside is an amazing collection of boats and displays. Gift shop is well stocked with many mementos for your visit. We took 2 hours and scratched the service. Tickets are so reasonably priced. Don't miss WII beginnings: Normandy Invasion clearing mines and beach fortifications while being shot at and all with "swim trunks and a knife".
Chad S. — Google review
Went to the annual Veterans Day celebration, and the museum staff put on another outstanding show. The fly-in and demonstrations were excellent
Jay T — Google review
The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Florida is truly an epic experience for anyone interested in the history of the Navy SEALs and the incredible sacrifices they've made for our country. From the moment you step onto the grounds of the museum, you can feel the weight of the history and the importance of the mission these brave men have undertaken.
The museum is filled with an amazing collection of artifacts, exhibits, and interactive displays that bring to life the heroic stories of the Navy SEALs. From the early days of the Underwater Demolition Teams to the modern-day operations, every aspect of their remarkable journey is captured in vivid detail.
The highlight of the museum is undoubtedly the actual gear, weapons, and equipment used by the SEALs, including the famous MK V Special Operations Craft and the SEAL Delivery Vehicle. Walking through these displays, you can't help but be in awe of the skill, bravery, and dedication of these warriors.
The museum also offers a number of hands-on experiences, like the chance to climb aboard a real Navy SEAL Mini-Sub and to test your skills on the SEAL Obstacle Course. These activities give you a small glimpse into the intense training and preparation that these elite soldiers undergo in order to carry out their missions.
One of the most moving parts of the museum is the tribute to the fallen heroes of the SEAL teams. The memorial wall and the displays honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice serve as a powerful reminder of the tremendous courage and sacrifice of these brave men.
The staff at the museum are incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and dedicated to sharing the incredible history and legacy of the Navy SEALs. Their enthusiasm and willingness to engage with visitors make the experience even more enriching.
Visiting the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is not just a visit to a museum; it's an opportunity to gain a deep understanding and appreciation for the men who have served and continue to serve in the Naval Special Warfare community. This museum provides a truly epic and humbling experience that will leave you with a profound sense of respect and admiration for the Navy SEALs and their unwavering commitment to our their nation.
Gary Mitchell — Google review
Leave it to UDT (oh yeah, Seals) to have a museum this awesome. We've visited three times and each time learn something new or discover a display that somehow missed our attention on the previous visit.
Make sure to visit on a sunny day as the outside displays (mostly SDVs and watercraft) are worth the walk.
The gift store? Just have your credit card at the ready, that's all I have to say about that.
The tour Eclectic — Google review
A must see for every freedom loving American citizen! Humbling, inspiring and truly amazing! And a fitting tribute to the warriors who have served!
Sam Ciraulo — Google review
Very impressed with this museum! The size can be deceiving from the outside. Every inch of this building is packed full of awesome artifacts and information.
It’s also very clean and well kept. Also very easy to navigate.
I highly recommend! Took us around 1 hour and 15 minutes to slowly walk and watch the videos.
Cruiser Plotline — Google review
What a great place to visit!! I am so thankful for these men who have given everything for our freedom!!! My wife's uncle was on Seal Team 2 and found his name on the wall. The staff was so helpful in finding his graduation photo!
The McKee Botanical Gardens is an 18-acre plot of land on the National Register of Historic Places that boasts a lush and serene tropical jungle garden filled with exotic and native plants and trees. Visitors can enjoy a range of amenities, including a library, cafe, gift shop, and children's center with a splash pad. The gardens offer plenty of photo opportunities featuring different orchids and fun dinosaur exhibits.
What an amazing peaceful place. The grounds are spectacular and clean. With all the different trails you are always finding something different. Got kids? There is an area just for them...and it's awesome! FUN!
Brian & Nicole Love — Google review
This garden is wonderful. If you’re thinking even a little bit about visiting, DO IT!
First off, it’s very affordable, the staff is all very friendly and helpful, and the entire grounds is spotless.
Secondly, the area is huge with something magical to look at every single step you take. Make sure to get a map since a lot of the paths are interweaving.
We ended up buying a membership as we left and already excited to visit again soon. HIGHLY suggest a stop by. It’s something you will likely remember for a very long time after you leave.
Ceej Ceej — Google review
We had a fantastic time! So beautiful! I took along my two tiny travelers, a two year old and a 12 year old. They both had a blast. They enjoyed the trails. The tot could not stop talking about the giant mushroom statue. And they loved cooling off in the splash pad area. Highly suggest going, great for kids and adults of all ages. We spent about 3 hours or so. And we probably still didn’t see all of it. As we spent most of the time in the children’s garden. But we are already planning another trip!
Phylicia Herline — Google review
Beautiful garden with lots of pretty flowers, ponds, and trees. Also saw lots of interesting reptiles running around.
The kids' zone looked like a fun spot for young kids who like climbing and exploring. The kids' zone also had those in ground water spouts/fountains that shoot up water for kids to get wet/cool down so be sure to bring their trunks/bathing suits if you don't mind them getting wet.
Can get a little warm on a hot summer day, but there are a lot of shaded trails that help with the temperatures.
Amil Abdallah — Google review
This visit, the last before our two boys have a baby sister join the pack, was all about the kiddos.
The yearly family pass is a great investment for anyone who has the ability to visit several times a year and, while we've been busy with our recent move to Vero along with projects with our "new" 1933 house and ~1 acre lot and therefore have only visited two times since buying the pass in July, it was still worth it.
Hopefully, I'll be able to peruse the beautiful gardens next time; this visit was straight into the kids splash area, then to the pirates ship (it made me conscious of my back's decline in flexibility!), then back to the car. Destination: Ice Cream!
Nick Dolphin — Google review
The McKee Botanical Gardens was beautiful! Lots of great photo opportunities. A lot of different orchids and fun dinosaurs across the area with a cute kids center if you bring your kids. There is a Cafe, though it was closed when we went. Hope there are more variations of plants for our next visit, but overall really loved it!
Yolanda Lozano — Google review
Beautiful garden with a dense canopy and lots of opportunities for capturing intimate shots. A smaller size property compared to some, made for a nice leisurely walk while still seeing everything. A little off the beaten path but well worth the drive. Great kids area with a unique playground.
Sean Culver — Google review
Ti had been wanting to visit since moving into the area over 4 years ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit on July 19th. We entered at about 3:30, knowing that the gardens closed at 5, but we managed to see most of the property. Thankfully, there were plenty of shady areas and trails to keep us from overheating on the hot July day (*you are permitted to bring water with you). There are a lot of interesting features and beautiful plants. Some are identified by markers and/or signage, and it would be helpful if more were. We had the added treat of an interesting exhibit of "balanced rock sculptures" that were displayed throughout the grounds. They even had a map showing where each of the 25 installations were located, and while we found many, we ran of time before finding all 25. I would highly recommend purchasing one of the membership options, as the admission fee is $15 per adult for a single day visit, yet you can purchase a 1 year membership for a single adult at $50 which allows unlimited visits for a full year from date of purchase (*another membership option for 1 adult plus a guest is only $60 for a year of visits). I look forward to returning, but plan to go earlier to have more time to explore!
Paulette Musselman — Google review
A very well maintained and quite exotic garden. Lots of water ways and butterflies all around. We saw plenty of fish and a couple of small turtles on our visit. There were some nice artful touches as well as several tastefully constructed shaded areas and a large central building with an historic overview video presentation. There is an on site resteraunt (we didn't use) that looked very nice and had inside and shaded outside seating. The staff were lovely and our visit was well worth the entrance fee due to the professional way the gardens are managed.
Ian Lawler — Google review
Beautiful peaceful place to walk through! Plants, waterfalls, trees, ponds, stone bridge and nice trails carved throughout.
The artists that made bamboo statues of birds were very interesting!
There is a restaurant, gift shop and public restrooms.
Plenty of parking and reasonable entry fee.
There are planned events posted for kids on a sign.
A lot of people contributed a lot of time and effort to preserve this area making it a beautiful place to enjoy!
Brenda Powell — Google review
A must! Such a fun and absolutely beautiful experience! My daughter is 4 and had a blast! Bathrooms in several areas, Cafe, gift shop, and splash pad for kids in children's garden. So peaceful and family friendly!!
Erin Ottoson — Google review
Beautiful and small botanical garden. Easy for seniors and people in wheel chairs to access. I went with my father and we had a wonderful time. Make sure to put bug spray on before you go as it is very much a tropical garden.
I was surprised by how nice the Cafe on site was. I got an iced coffee and freshly baked chocolate croissant and it was absolutely delicious. They also offered complimentary strawberry and mint water. Which was very refreshing after being out in the Florida heat..
Drita D'Alessandro — Google review
Beautiful relaxing garden with a splash area for kids and a play area as well. Enjoy a nice peaceful walk around the garden. There is a cafe as well open until 3 pm. Definitely a good tourist attraction! Kids under 2 are free. $15.00 for adults.
Maria Gomez — Google review
Very well-maintained garden surrounding a maze of streams and ponds. I visited in the middle of the day, during the middle of September. Although it was a little humid, my stroll was pretty much shaded the whole time. It took me about an hour and a half to walk the trails. Can you imagine what it would’ve been like to visit this place in 1932, when there was wildlife like monkeys, big game, and alligators? My thanks to Arthur and Waldo for this awesome attraction! Also, kudos to the people who’ve maintained it over the years 😍😊😘
mie coe — Google review
I'm only giving it 5 stars because I can't give 10. Great gardens. The new children's area is top notch. Very well thought out with perfect activities for kids. Bring clothes the kids can get wet in to enjoy the splash pad but plenty of great places for the kids and parents even without the splash pad. The gardens themselves are very well thought out and have great picture spots. We actually arrived right as it started to rain and thought the paths would not be good after it rained but they were actually perfect. The gravel they use on the paths made them not muddy and very enjoyable to walk on even wet. The rain actually cleared the gardens out of people so we had the place to ourselves for a while after the rain stopped. They have a very nice cafe for food and drinks. And the staff was great.
Dennis Frye — Google review
Wonderfully magical garden with fascinating history for the whole family. Nice children's play area. The Gardens offers activities like crafts, special guests, and tours. Their Garden Grill serves delicious reasonably priced food.
Ana Micheli — Google review
What an amazing place! So many beautiful trees, unique flowering plants, sculptures, mosaic art pieces, and other visual surprises. There's also a children's garden with things to climb on and a water feature to splash around in, plus a lovely shop and cafe. Don't know why there aren't any other positive reviews here; this place is a gem and well worth the visit.
Sharon Rosen — Google review
We do enjoy visiting this botanical garden 🪴 We are pass holders (which I highly recommend. It’s a bit more than a regular entry but well worth it, as you get entry into several other gardens, as well). They have special events throughout the year that you won’t want to miss. We just went for the holiday lights (they have a special night for pass holders). It was pretty, as always, but it seemed like they didn’t have as much this year. Don’t be discouraged though. Be sure to check it out during the day too. There is a little cafe, but it doesn’t appear to be very dietary restriction friendly. They have a kid zone which is Awesome and a little gift shop too.
Bunny King — Google review
Been twice and will be back again. I find it therapeutic just to wander through the beautiful trails.
Lots of labels so you can identify the plants. Highlights for me were the gorgeous water lilies on the pond and the kaleidoscope area. The visuals were stunning. Trails are easy to follow, mostly in shade. Check out the Hall of Giants for some history. You can do most everything in 2 hrs. Separate event: The annual car show (Feb) was crowded- come early next year or plan to park offsite and take a shuttle.
Alicia Archer — Google review
A lovely historical "jungle" barn and garden that have been restored! The current exhibit of avian sculptures made it interesting and fun to search for each one, and signage provided information about each bird species. Numerous plants were in bloom. This is a perfect afternoon excursion, and you could have lunch in the cafe. We saw people of all ages. Peaceful, lovely trails that were easy to navigate with a map. Not all paved, but I did see some light wheel chairs being pushed.
Linda Gocken — Google review
I’ve been to 3 botanical
Gardens in the last few weeks and this by far is #1 out of all those. The Christmas tree light display was beyond incredible. Everything was set up so perfect and precise. The staff was very friendly and guided you like you were on a tour. $15 admission. Got there at 6pm when it opened and it was packed already. Will return next year for hopefully another visit.
Thomas Dzielak — Google review
This place was a 2 hour drive for me and 15$ a piece to get in (2 of us) but when I tell you their place was so well worth it it was. You can spend hours in here and just get lost. I love it and will
Come back it’s gorgeous in here!!!!!! There is a cafe inside so no need to leave just enjoy
Sebastian Inlet State Park is a great place to go for outdoor activities like surfing and fishing. There are also areas for swimming and wading, making it a relaxing environment perfect for all types of visitors.
If you want a quiet, family friendly place to hang out and swim and site see, this is the place! We were staying in Orlando, FL May 1st '22 - May 6th '22 and wanted to see some clear blue water without all the chaos at the popular beaches. It was a little over an hour and a half drive from Orlando, but it was worth every minute! The water was crisp blue, there was a small inlet where you could swim in and didn't have to worry about crashing waves. There were several piers you could walk in to just embrace the beautiful scenery. To top it off, they had a bar and grille there with awesome food and drinks! My husband and I ordered the fried clams, bacon cheeseburger, and fish & chips. It was all good! You have to go here to appreciate the beauty of this place.
Tina — Google review
The actual “inlet” that everyone wants to go to is on the west side of the road at the parking right before the bridge. Doesn’t seem super obvious from the google maps location. Just park and enjoy the protected waters. Parking is by car and was $8 definitely worth it. You get access to both the beach and the inlet.
Stephen Barron — Google review
Excellent place to spend the day out camp near the water. I haven't ever seen so many sea turtles in one spot in my life. Boat ramp to launch a boat, intercoastal wade fishing is phenomenal. Kayak fishing is amazing, along with pier and jetty fishing. A beautiful lagoon to swim in for the kids and family. Perfect for a day trip.
who thegoofball — Google review
They have a small cove that's great for kids! Its like a sandbar... Many people brought canopies, chairs and floats. It's close to bathrooms (they have changing rooms) and eating. You can also bring coolers. They have a bait shop, an entrance to the beach and fishing off the jetty. Varied and quite enjoyable
Elena Boughey — Google review
Sebastian State Park is amazing. First I have to say is the Park Rangers and staff which there is also volunteer staff, are all helpful, polite, and professional. They really make the Park n Campground extra amazing. From the beach, through the monster mouth inlet, to the Indian River Lagoon, this is where you want to bring your bikini, fishing pole and your camera. What a beautiful State Park, GODS most creative art work. Dog Friendly, just follow park rules and no issues..
Jim Sniper Manns — Google review
Beautiful state park with plenty of areas to explore. The RV camp area sits adjacent to water access making kayaking, fishing, swimming and water activities extremely easy to access. The breeze keeps even the hot days nice and manageable
Back 2 Tha Roots — Google review
We camp here every year for my husband's birthday. The park was well kept and quiet, and the bathrooms were clean. As always, we really enjoyed our stay.
Valarie Latham — Google review
Very nice, well kept, and spacious camp sites! The bathhouse(s) were very well kept and stocked with paper etc. We only stayed one night BUT we will be back to check out all the fun things to do in the area! Bring your fishing gear, boats, etc. We also loved the little fishing museum (free to attend) on site! The very informative video is packed with great info about the areas history! Be sure to watch for the MANY turtles, dolphins and beautiful birds in the park!
Victoria Price Avon ISR — Google review
Such a beautiful spot to stop in and check out. Our beach house provided a great setup so I wouldn't spend the day here..but it's worth a visit for sure. We waded in the inlet, and the kids tried to snorkel, but it wasn't as clear as we hoped. The boardwalk is lovely and easy to access to check out some action. We saw lots of manatee, crabs, different sorts of fish, and gorgeous views.
Lindsay Prose — Google review
Spent a day here with my young children. By far the cleanest beach I’ve been on in Florida. The Atlantic beaches had large waves and cold water, but the north river inlet was zero waves and warmer, shallow water. The bathrooms were clean and all staff were friendly. Saw dolphins, turtles and countless birds.
Lee Kyler — Google review
Great place to visit and spend some time. Walked the peer and watched the folks fishing. Looking into the inlet I saw a couple of large dark shadows, turned out to be a couple of Rays gliding up the inlet. Plenty of people using the small bay but I can imagine it gets busy at the weekend. Nice little cafe serving hot and cold snacks and drinks. Well worth the parking fee.
Vincent Worrall — Google review
It's an older State Park but it's well maintained. We camped in space 60 for two nights in May and the full cost was $51.50 with the senior discount - the base cost was $13 a day but they add on fees for utilities and booking the site in advance. It was reasonably private and very quiet; lots of places to walk and sights to see. Sites are generously sized. Camp hosts were friendly. Winds whipped up in the afternoons which made it impossible to have a fire so we had dinner inside our van both nights. It's free to dump your holding tanks.q
Julie Zalace — Google review
I am glad we decided to drive on A1A Hwy was suggested by a local resident. We stopped and checked out the Sebastian Inlet State Park admmiss is $8. It is very clean and nice camping, swimming, fishing and picnic area. I do suggest a little more shade in the park overall is a great place to visit.
Jojo Wan — Google review
An absolutely beautiful location! Views from many campsites are incredible! It's August and in the 90s but sitting in shade with sea breeze is beautiful. Fishing is good too! Noseeums can be a nuisance but still a great place to get away!
Richard — Google review
Incredible State Park. Great beach access and spots to fish the inlet. Nice museum on the south side. Ample parking and camping spots available.
Anita Simmons — Google review
Nice spot to photograph diving osprey, pelicans, terns, and gulls. We also saw black skimmers, reddish egrets, Wilson's Plovers, and all the usual suspects. But beware the noseeums and sand fleas --- they will eat you alive!
Cindy S — Google review
Stopped to enjoy the park, have lunch and walk our two best friends. Beautiful area. Well stocked Store and the small museum was very informative. Right across the water is the Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park.
CHAOSNCHECK T — Google review
Relaxing, family-friendly environment. Perfect for fishing, building sandcastles, reading a book, having a picnic, and swimming with wild dolphins. Please respect the animals if you come. No touching!!!
Mariví — Google review
Beautiful state park here. We had a party of 6 in one suv running us $8.00 for entrance. That price covers up to 8 per vehicle. The parking lot here is in a little rough condition. Depending on events going on it may or may not be easy to find a place to park. The views here are wonderful and worth it. There's food here and large clean bathrooms. Showers just off the beach are a large help. It worth going out and spending some time here. Family friendly
Cory Brown — Google review
Very busy but extremely cool State Park. There's so much to do it's crazy. Launch a boat, hike, surf, fish, swim in tide pool, camp, have dinner. The rangers are very nice, wildlife viewing is off the charts. If you hang out by the fish cleaning stations a while you'll see the Pelican's do what they do best - wait around to take fish and scraps. The squirrels seem to have be accustomed to people feeding them however - I had two of them beg me for my chips (an inch away from my foot)
Maureen Kennedy — Google review
Wonderful place! Took all the kids & got to see dolphins while we were swimming. Found crabs in all the rocks. Was able to take a cooler and hang out in the water all day. You can walk all the way to the river waist high. Great for kids!
Arial Shelton — Google review
What a great place to visit. My family packed a lunch and made use of the picnic area on the south side of the inlet. We noticed that this side has some nice campsites. We didn't camp here, but we will consider it on my next visit.
Don't forget to drive over to the north side of the inlet. The boardwalk goes out a distance and you'll see fishermen casting their lines. You can walk around the park, enjoy the beach area or even stop at the restaurant.
Tom Riley — Google review
Love this park, the staff are amazing. The location, fishing, birds, wild life. The water is beautiful. 10 stars!
Gwen Cook — Google review
This park has something for everyone! From fishing to swimming, surfing, and picnicking, the activities are endless. The scenic fishing pier and stunning beaches are just the beginning. We loved having plenty of tables and shaded areas to relax with our family. Plus, the RV areas and ample parking made it easy to spend the whole day here. The $8 entry fee for a car is a steal for all the amenities and natural beauty on offer. We'll be back again and again! 🌴 Highly recommend!"
Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring is a vast park with full camping facilities, offering nine beautiful trails to explore. The Cypress Swamp Trail, originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, is a great starting point for adventure. The park features clean restrooms, a conservation museum, and opportunities for small music events. Visitors can rent bikes and enjoy walking through well-kept trails surrounded by diverse trees and plants.
Gorgeous park, so well maintained. Great service.
Interesting museum! Nicely put together.
Cute gift shop. Ice cream was a fantastic way to end the day!
Beautiful trees, trees and more trees!!! It was like walking in a fairy tale.
Only wildlife we saw was a snake, loads of lizards, couple of birds and some squirrels.
I took my 4 sons, they loved it. It was easy to get around with them. All of them had a good time, so I highly recommend for families!
Working water fountains ✔️
Fabulous walk ways ✔️
Easy parking ✔️
Playground for the kids ✔️
Picnic area ✔️
Takes cards and cash ✔️
J. August — Google review
We stayed at the campground over Labor Day weekend. Campground itself is really spacious with very large sites. Most of the sites are 30 amp electric with water but no sewer. There are a few sites with 50 amp service. We were lucky to get a 50 amp site. That allowed us run both of our conditioners. It was an extra hot week.
There are some really great trails in the park with lots of wildlife. There were deer roaming the campground every day. On the trails we saw armadillo, water moccasins, wild pigs. My wife saw a bear cross the bike path/ trail.
They have a nice store on site that has all the essentials. The Rangers are really helpful and nice. They don’t normally cut your grass while you’re in your site. With all the rain we had ours grew really quick during the week that we were there. The grass was really long and they were nice enough to cut it for us
Overall it is a really great place and I would recommend it.
Rick Bales — Google review
The park itself is very nice with hiking trails throughout and a few bike paths. The Cypress loop under the canopies of tree branches for cars and bikes is beautiful and serene. The campground was disappointing with the amount of sites cramped in with little or no separation. The weekend campers transform the campground into a loud, kid ridden environment who like to let their dogs get wander off leash. If you want peace and quiet avoid Friday and Saturday.
J H — Google review
I really wanted to give this park a high rating due to its historic nature (it is Florida’s first state park) and also because some parts are truly awesome (Cypress Swamp Trail), but I just couldn’t. The problem is that all the trails are very short (30 minutes are less). Many are connected so you can make a long walk of it but it still tends to take the fun out of things. You might even find yourself driving from one trail to another, which isn’t much fun. The Cypress Swamp Trail is a must see piece of Florida, but I wish it was 2x or 3x larger. One cool thing about this park is the old boardwalks on various trails, some of which are only single rail. There are also many impressive trees on other trails that are highlights. Given that Cypress Swamp is the most popular trail, it has a decent sized parking lot. Others typically had smaller lots with 5-6 spaces. On a Saturday in March, some were filled up. Almost all the trail walking here is under the shade. Note: if you drive into the park from the east, the gravel road is VERY bumpy for cars so be careful.
Brad Loncar — Google review
The trails were beautiful and well kept. Really appreciated how well maintained the park is. The primitive camping sites were also very clean and beautiful. We saw a coyote and other wild life. I would give it a 5 star if the primitive camping wasn't so close to a main highway. I could still hear cars and that wasn't the vibe but overall it was beautiful.
Karin Ayuni — Google review
Great piece of nature! It's the first Florida state park, and it's a must-see. Primitive and non- primitive campsites are available. Wildlife everywhere, so have your cameras ready. The C.C.C. museum, next to the supply/gift shop, is certainly worth a visit. If you happen to be camping in the summer months and looking for a place to cool down, then take take a drive ten minutes up the road in Sebring to Lake Jackson, a beautiful, clear, public, and free swimming spot.
Jonathan Odermatt — Google review
Deep in the subtropical jungle! gorgeous trails - hiking, biking ! The boardwalk trail has haunting views as it winds over the moving water! Part of it is closed now, but enough is intact for some amazing views and deep shade cover! Spectacular central Florida environments with many trails and picnic areas. The camp store was a welcome surprise with flush toilets, snacks and water for sale (plenty of other stuff too!). The tram runs in season and the museum was closed on July 4 when we visited but they look intriguing! Bikes for rent! A lovely picnic area near the camp store. The drive there was beautiful!
Susan N — Google review
Nice Florida campground with helpful, friendly rangers. Narrow road driving through campground past mostly tenting area with many vehicles parked along the road. Campground was full and busy when we were there. Camped in site 42 which had a low limb - keeping us from backing well into the space. Rangers were planning to remove that limb. Space was large and fairly private. Parked on grass with water and 50 amp electric. Was fairly easy to get into, as there weren't vehicles parked along the road in this area too much with more RVs in this section. Interesting hiking trails. We were disappointed that the CCC Museum wasn't open when we were there - lack of volunteers. Campground is close to town with shops and restaurants. Good AT&T phone signal.
Susan Schwaderer — Google review
I love this Park! I renewed my annual Park pass and it was half off today until January. The park is amazing! Had lunch there and walked some trails . The weather was beautiful! The camp store was open but the museum was closed I'm sure they are getting ready for season. Awesome day at the park!
susan greenberg — Google review
We enjoyed this park. They could improve on their park map for trails. We started on fern garden trail then it lead to hemlock and on the live oak trail. Those trails on the maps are not marked well and ended up taking the road back on the loop. It’s a beautiful hike but a little worrisome not being able to locate our car or any restrooms around near roadside trail heads.
Mary Henry — Google review
Lovely State Park. Hiking trails are very nice. I was a little disappointed in the scarcity of wildlife. Everyone raves about the tram ride but I was here in January when every day broke the record for new Covid cases and I was not comfortable taking the tram where no one was wearing a mask and there was no social distancing. Campground was very tight with campsites very close together. Rangers and camp hosts were very pleasant and helpful.
Carole Murray — Google review
Beautiful park. Lots of short trails 👣. There's a small store and CCC museum. Nice picnic area. Campsites are ok. Since are very crowded. Not much privacy, if any. It's still one of our favorite parks.
Chris Palmer — Google review
Awesome park, great for walking. The trails are so well kept and easy to navigate. Park ranger was so helpful at the gate. The trees are beautiful here, the trails are awesome. The whole vibe of the park is great. They have a CCC museum which is very nice to get a little bit of history on the parks. Definitely will come back.
D.A.C — Google review
This is one of the best parks I have been to in Florida. Very calming and relaxing atmosphere. I loved looking up at the gigantic trees and soaking in the spectacular sounds of nature at its finest.
Kamille A. Garness — Google review
Thoroughly enjoyed this state park. $6 entry fee to get in. We hiked several of the trails and saw lots of beautiful views. Dog friendly except for the Cypress Swamp trail, no dogs allowed on that boardwalk for some reason.
Lisa Meminger — Google review
We enjoyed this campground. Spots were a little close but pretty nice. The bathrooms were average. However the biking around the campground was really cool. If you like biking please try to stay here.
Kris Hood — Google review
Nice trails n history to learn from the trees. Visitor center talks about the CCC that was inaugerated from president Roosevelt. Lots of history. Great trails, u may see an alligator!!! They also do like a trolley rides. Check it out.
J A — Google review
We went on the tram tour. Our guide, Scott, did a great job he was very entertaining. I was amazed at the amount of wildlife we saw. The grandkids loved it.
Michael Mathews — Google review
Very interesting state park, lots of ancient Florida vegetation.Quite a few walking tracks going through a different terrain's and plant life
E-K: G — Google review
We really enjoyed spending time at the park. The museum gives an in-depth history with illustrations and artifacts about the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) whose members built this park and many others across the country back in the mid to late 1930’s. The trails are well kept and are great for leisure walks. We saw people riding bikes and jogging. There is also an area for family camping. We’ll definitely come back.
Jerry Hoang — Google review
Beautiful trails, most being pet friendly. They have camping a general store, bathrooms. There’s a ton of trails I’ve been here at least 10 times n still haven’t been on all of em.
gabby anderson — Google review
Book Early! Park was full, lots of people but still enjoyable. Rangers are helpful and knowledgeable. Great hiking/biking trails.Quiet tymes are respectful.
Enjoy
Patrick Bishop — Google review
What a beautiful park. We chose to drive through and get out and walk a couple small trails. There are plenty of trails to choose from. You can also camp in sites or “the wilderness” as they put it. There is a spot to rent bikes, a small gift shop for souvenirs or snacks. The restrooms are very clean. There is a conservation museum and also a place to have small music in the park events. But the beauty of the park was my favorite. So many different trees and plants. The swampy part was my favorite. We did not see any alligators or bears. But we did see bear droppings.
Yvette Leonard — Google review
Very good, lots of trees, all sizes and kinds, private... boardwalks, pretty cool....it's hard to find shaded hikes in Florida....this one hits the spot......u won't be disappointed.
The Brevard Zoo, a community-built zoo that has been in operation for over 22 years, boasts more than 500 animals and offers unique experiences such as feeding giraffes, zip-lining and a children's water play area. The zoo's landscape features distinct geographical zones showcasing wildlife from Florida, South America, Africa and Australia. Specially designed enclosures and free-flight aviaries blend seamlessly with the undergrowth providing visitors with the feeling of wandering through a wilderness.
We've always enjoy going to the zoo. And, the Brevard Zoo is a great place to visit with family and friends. We were very excited about the giraffe exhibit. The walkway is at just the right height for them to stick their head over the railing and be able to feed them. The children there really loved doing this.
Of course there are lots of other exhibits, the bears were frisky, the alligators were sunning themselves and the monkeys were a hoot, especially the baby.
William Knall — Google review
Great place to spend the day learning about environmental and wildlife conservation. Plenty of locations to hydrate and snack. Food prices were reasonable. Terrific water play area for kids. Staff and volunteers were friendly and informative, especially at the Kangaroo enclosure and Aviary. All the boardwalks were in good repair. Plenty of shaded locations to sit, but suggest wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and comfortable clothes and shoes. Well organized exhibits. Outside food and drinks prohibited. All animals appeared healthy. Wheelchair accessible and large paved parking lot. They also have tram/train and canoe tours, but I didn't participate in those experiences, so I can't review that part of the zoo. Bathrooms were clean. The gift store was neat and organized and had a variety of merchandise at different price points.
Tammy English — Google review
My visit to Brevard Zoo was a solid 5/5 adventure! The excitement of feeding giraffes lettuce and interacting with birds using nectar cups and popsicle sticks with seeds made the day unforgettable. The kangaroo walking exhibit was a unique thrill, reflecting the zoo's commitment to diverse and engaging experiences. What stood out even more was the zookeepers' exceptional knowledge and friendliness. They were always eager to share valuable information, enhancing the overall educational aspect of the visit. Make sure to bring a few quarters to feed the fish, turkeys, deer, etc!!
Joshua Creech — Google review
What a beautiful outdoor setting to create memories with friends and family that never gets old. Shaded paths make it easy to get your "steps" in. Ever evolving exhibits allow up close views of a wide variety of animals, but expect something under construction as they continue to grow and update. There's always an abundance of volunteers to answer questions. Most popular are the giraffe and kangaroo exhibits and bird aviary. The kids can cool off and refresh in the Splash Pad area. Something for almost everyone. It seems most guests plan for a return visit before they even leave. No wonder it's been voted one of the most popular zoos in the country.
MaaRee 2983 — Google review
First and foremost I have to mention the lunch spot Nourish 321; you should definitely plan to have lunch there! We had the club sandwich, which was basically 2 sandwiches with fresh cooked bacon and comes with lots of vegetables and multi-grain bread and chips. We also purchased the fresh brewed ice tea, Banana and naval orange. I was so impressed with the healthiness, quality and deliciousness of the lunch available. We are so used to paying a boat load for food that is sub par at these types of places; this just wasn't the case here. I highly recommend.
Ask for the zoo, it was such a nice experience and they had a nice variety of animals. My favorite animals to see were the giraffes and the cheetahs. You can feed both the giraffes and some of the birds and this is extremely fun. The Birds Landing all over you can make for some hilarious moments.
They will be getting a new lion exhibit soon and we will be back to enjoy that also!
Krystle January Wellness — Google review
An older zoo that needs some maintenance. We went on a Sunday and several of the exhibits didn’t have animals in them. Snake exhibit was tiny. On the positive side, there’s a good bit of shade which helped with the summer Florida heat in July. They had multiple species together which was interesting. Some of the bird cages were open air so they would fly by overhead. Not a bad way to spend 3 hours.
Rachael Smith — Google review
We had a good time. The zoo layout is great. There's a section for the little ones to have fun, get wet, and learn. They have 2 kayak adventures, they Africa one was not available because the water level was low. We did the other. They have an interesting concept that is better than some of the bigger and more popular zoos, and I would say it is worth donating to them.
zermandus — Google review
This is a nice Zoo. It may not be the largest in the area but it is still very good. The volunteer staff were very friendly and helpful. The Zoo has a good sellection of animals that seemed to have plenty of room to roam around and seemed to be well adjusted in their enclosures. This Zoo is a little more for younger children but adults will enjoy it too. There are sections were you can actually walk around with free roaming Kangaroos, Emus and birds. This is a great place to enjoy the Florida flora and fauna from around the World. We had a good time and will be coming back again in the future.
John Haddock — Google review
Love spending time here. It is the most interactive zoo I've ever been to. Giraffe, kangaroo and Cockatoo feedings are just the beginning! And only a couple bucks. Membership is definitely worth it. Not just for kids. Adults will enjoy it too!
Daisey Buckmuse — Google review
One of the best zoos I’ve been to. The giraffe enclosure was just amazing and being able to feed the giraffe, his name was Doc. My daughter & I loved the experience. Lots of animals to look at. Being able to walk around the kangaroo enclosure was interesting as well. Just being able to be close to animals that you don’t see everyday was amazing. The staff and volunteers at the zoo are helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you everyone!
Day Womack — Google review
It started to rain almost immediately after we paid for our admission. This made the trip a lot more enjoyable!!
We got to see the animals doing things they normally do not do. They were standing in formations that we hypothesized as a natural instinct during thunderstorms.
Some animals did not come out of their hidey-holes and for good reason. These were some of the smaller animals that preferred to stay safe from the storm.
Anyways, enjoy some of the short clips I made during my time at the Zoo.
Leave a like, comment, and share my reviews!
Thank you everyone for the 80,000 views!!
👊🏾😎
ashy2knees Expedition — Google review
Really nice zoo for being so small. They do an incredible job at having volunteers around to support them, and the staff is just as quick to help. Lots of animals, and they all seem to be having a good time playing around. They offer some great deals for membership and on. Definitely plan on spending 2.5 to 3 hrs, and thats if you dont have kids and want to visit an extra park for them in the zoo. From splash pad to sand to playground, there is lots to do. Let alone kayaking and climbing the air trail they have.
Justin Broadwater — Google review
Yesterday was Boo at the Zoo, we took my littles to trick or treat at the Zoo. The employees here are so helpful and so pleasant, You can tell they enjoy their jobs. The price to get in is not too bad, but joining the zoo is well worth it. You can come anytime. you can see all the things they do for the community. As a local zoo this is a great place to visit . I am a school bus driver and come to the zoo often. They work with the schools to do Zoo School, where the students spend their day in the zoo doing school work.
Stephanie Jordan — Google review
What an amazing zoo! You feel fully immersed in each of the lands. Got to see some really cool animals and got to feed a giraffe! Definitely a must see if you’re in the area. The train ride is worth the extra fee
Weronika — Google review
It’s a zoo that raises great animals. Every corner is well-detailed. The staff are very enthusiastic. They have designed the animals’ living environment and space in a scientific way. The animals look very relaxed and content. Forced to operate and perform, but the animals seem happy to show themselves to tourists, friendly environment, happy animals.
co co — Google review
We took our kids here while in the area over the Christmas and new years break. This is by far the best zoo we’ve ever been to!! We had so much fun! We loved how you could interact with the animals and really see them. We especially loved the kangaroos, giraffes, and feeding all the birds. Wish we would’ve been able to see the sloth but he was snuggled up and not visible. Even still, we had the best time!! Thank you for such a magical place and caring for these beautiful animal friends.
Krista Davis — Google review
We visited the Brevard Zoo while on vacation in CoCoa Beach Florida It is located Just South of Cocoa off of State Route 95. It is a wonderful zoo with you guessed it... large variety of animal exhibits. We enjoyed feeding and petting the Giraffes and I was in awe with the American Crocodile exhibit. Easy to get around and lots of fun and places to get a bite. The staff was informative and helpful. Be sure to go early as it can get quite busy by the afternoon.
ray weithman — Google review
It is beautiful, and it's still a work in progress. The changes are amazing and well thought out. They considered all the surrounding of each animal as home as possible. I enjoyed all of the park attendants and all the information they had to offer!! My Grandprincesses enjoyed every moment of it. Have to go back and see the Lions!!! The 3 brothers are as majestic as ever!
Ulda R Cardona — Google review
Awesome small zoo with lots of big fun! I recently paid for the membership. Makes a perfect, manageable day out (thats doesn't break the bank) for my kids. They also have an adorable water area as well that offers some relief from the hot Florida sun. We notice something new every time we go. Ride the train, the camel is usually front and center....Wont disappoint!
Kaitlin Klair — Google review
This is a nice zoo, we finished everything in about 3 hours! We went when the zoo opened and saw just about all of the animals. We enjoyed the train ride and the kangaroo walk.
Kortney DeMent — Google review
Always a great visit to Brevard Zoo. Today, Frankie, the rino could not find his way back to his pen. The giraffes were late to the feeding. They were so curious as to way Frankie was stuck within a small confine of rocks. He could not figure out how to escape! After the giraffe were let into the feeding pen, he was so agitated he finally foind a way back to his pen.
All the staff workers at the exhibits are so knowledgeable and friendly. We can't wait until the lion exhibit is finished! We bought our tickets online and saved time getting in. Weekdays do not seem aa crowded as the weekends. Parking was easy and close enough to the entrance. We arrived around 10:30am and the animals were still eating. Most animals were out and about. The short train ride was fun and we were able to see the Bongos and Impalas up close.
Rebecca Moniz — Google review
We had a great time today at the zoo! Tons of animals took a few hours to do! Giraffes are so fun to feed bring some cash so you can feed animals such as great day spent with family!
Nicole McGuire — Google review
We had a great time. I would highly recommend the train ride. We had a zebra and bongo walk right up to the train for all of us to see up close
The food was delicious as well.
C H — Google review
What an incredible experience on a rainy Florida day. The zoo was practically empty given the weather and the zoo staff could not have been more accommodating. There were staff or volunteers at nearly every exhibit and they went out of their way to answer questions and provide information. The volunteers went out of their way to inform and educate us, and not just say hello, it really makes the experience so much more worth it. Feeding giraffe, the birds, the rain ride, the kangaroos — all of it was incredible! Buy your tickets in advance to save a few bucks, and definitely visit the gift shop after. All of the add-on experiences are 100% worth it!
The Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is an iconic landmark on Florida's Space Coast. Originally built in 1962, it has been restored to its former glory and now stretches 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. This historic pier is a popular tourist destination, offering a variety of amenities such as restaurants, bars, boutiques, and live musical entertainment. It is also known for its excellent surfing conditions and fishing opportunities.
Beautiful spot for a date night! This pier has two restaurants/bars, the staff is very friendly and give fast and excellent service. It’s also kept very clean along with their bathrooms too. My husband and I had a great time!
Caroline Parker — Google review
Perfect for families and friends to hang out catch the views and see some surfing as well. Food is decent but sure it could be better off the pier and cheaper. However you can miss the views especially sunrise
Elisabeth Concepcion — Google review
Westgate Pier is a wonderful experience.
The pier has various restaurants, bars, and gift shops.
Eat and drink overlooking the beach ⛱️ and ocean. Excellent food and drinks at reasonable prices. Nice beach vibes! Play on the sand and ocean and enjoy good food.
I highly recommend Westgate Pier as a vacation destination.
🤗😊😃👍
CHRIS MOSQUERA — Google review
Best day ever! Weather was great! Sat at the bar &grill quickly, waiter got our drinks fast (although we asked for light ice.. still great) , food came quick and tasted awesome! A bit on the pricy side, but for a date with the hubby, it was worth it! We had the crab and shrimp dip. The bowl of clams, and the coconut shrimp. It totaled about 54 before taxes so like I said, not too bad for where we were. I totally recommend!
Michelle Fatnassi — Google review
I prefer to go early morning around sunrise time with my camera. Stopped in the day after hurricane Ian, and the surfers were out full force. Here are some of the pics and they didn't disappoint for a large crowd.
find me on Instagram for more @zech.browning.75
Zech.Browning.75 — Google review
It’s a nice pier to go to. We went during Memorial Day weekend. Fairly busy. Lots of food options on the pier. Restrooms on the pier as well. You can also watch the surfers by the pier. Good views of Kennedy Space Center from the pier Coaches..
mmzombie • — Google review
Those who try to enter the pier after 7pm will be held to wait for an hour before allowed entry. There was a long line. I have no idea why. We had been there earlier in the day with easy entry.
Mary Ann “Mrs. Small” Small — Google review
Very nice pier. Free parking. A few gift shops. A couple of restaurants. First one is in an open area of the pier but covered. A great view of the beach, looking south.
Binder Vegas — Google review
A few dining options and a small gift shop. Parking lot is pay to enter. Food and drinks are reasonable at the restaurant but are often crowded on the weekend and have slower service.
This summer the seaweed on the Florida coast is out of control. The fun of playing in the ocean and on the beach is greatly diminished by the quantity it rough seaweed.
High Alpha RC — Google review
The pier is home to many memories for a lot of locals and visitors alike. Once it was just a pier, unruly and full of fishermen and kids. It has in recent years been "gentrified" into what I might call a "family-fun-food experience."
The food is much improved in 2023, and the Hawaiian ice shop has expanded and is a big draw. There are...hold on, let me count...3 or 4 bars, all under the same management and dependant on weather. The tiki hut at the end, the outside in the wall with tables around, and the one that's been there since the old days, under a roof but open to the elements after the ramp
It's changed a lot over the years, but the changes make it an easy place to relax. Very rarely are there "drunks" making a scene. There are no televisions (mercifully, please never change that) so loud game days happen elsewhere. And a large percentage of the customers are just passing through on their way to a cruise or other Florida fun.
The staff is all well trained and unlike many (many) other local places, they all seem happy to be there. At least they are professional and don't air kitchen/bar complaints and gossip. They know the locals, very many by name. Myself included.
As a person living locally I walk there about three times a week to absorb other people's vacation positivity. I have met many interesting people and had many conversations with people I will never see again, but that's the transient nature of a destination beach town. It's the charm of the Pier.
P.S. I've lost a couple of pairs of glasses to the strong winds out there, so batten down the hatches!
DJ Kinney — Google review
My Husband and I visited Cocoa Beach Pier with our boys during Spring Break 2023 to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. We had such a good time and the most perfect weather from sunrise to the evening when we finally left. Parking fee was reasonable for the day. It seemed like a magical place because everyone we met there also were happy and enjoying themselves. We will definitely come back. Although we didn’t go to the Tiki bar, because we brought a picnic, we did venture up and around the store to get a higher view. I miss this place already!
Julianne Roybal — Google review
Nice pier with a few places to eat and shop. Kept clean and has nice benches if your not eating or drinking. Plenty of security which is good. 4 stars because it’s more crowded then most places.
Grouper 305 — Google review
Access to the pier is free but you will pay for parking. There are a few restaurants located at the entrance to the pier and along the pier itself. The tables along the pier are first-come first-serve dedicated to the restaurants and there were only a couple of benches where the general public could sit. There is a super cute tiki bar at the very end of the pier.
Tricia Palomino — Google review
I like all the improvements they have made over the years. Fun place for families. Surfing 🏄♂️ 🌊 🏄♀️ the waves.
Excellent restaurants with delicious meals and drinks at reasonable prices.
A must-see on your travel list.
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CHRIS MOSQUERA — Google review
This was a beautiful pier. Our issue was that the security guard was extremely rude! To not only us, but we observed him being rude to others too. No Bueno.
Also was frustrated that they closed the bar super early because "nobody was there", in their words. Disappointing. All of the shops were closed too. Would've loved to have spent more time here, but... oh well.
Meagan B — Google review
Cocoa Beach is short drive and a nice getaway from the typical Orlando family vacation. The pier is a nice spot to watch surfers, volleyball or rockets launching from Cape Canaveral. Has some gift shops a couple bars and places to grab some food.
Glenn DiResto — Google review
Pier has a lot to offer, restaurants, gift shops, benches to sit and watch the waves, surf lessons and just great place to take a walk. Enjoy.
Александр М — Google review
We had a fun time at the pier. There’s a few shops and restaurants along with a nice view of the beach.
Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark in Citrus County, Florida that features beautiful gardens, twice-daily carillon concerts, and the Mediterranean-style Pinewood Estates (circa 1930s). The gardens also hosts outdoor classical-music concerts.
What an absolutely beautiful hidden gem Bok Tower Gardens is!!! If my friend hadn't told me about it I wouldn't have stopped to check it out. What a vast array of beautiful landscape to walk and explore; 250 acres worth!! We barely scratched the surface and I look forward to going back to explore more! I love how all the plants are labeled so we know what we are admiring!! We so enjoyed the gardens and the tower, and next time will explore more of the nature trails. We also enjoyed the children's garden, Hammock Hollow, where my 5 year old could explore on terrain more fitting to her size!!
We grabbed a bite to eat at the cafe; delicious sandwiches and ice cream!! Was a nice treat before exploring the gardens. Make sure to also take time to go inside their mini museum and learn the history behind Bok Tower and Gardens, as well as learn more about the making and insides of the tower itself.
Bok Tower Gardens is a place you could spend your entire day exploring, as well as just relaxing on a blanket with a picnic relaxing!!
Rae — Google review
This place is beautiful. We spent half a day there walking around and looking around at all the beautiful plants and trees. It was amazing to walk around and check out the grounds and old buildings. The tower is amazing and we stayed for the carillon bells. I can't explain the beauty at this place, just spectacular. The food at the Cafe is delicious, great salads and sandwiches. I really enjoyed this place and recommend, so relaxing and a place to de-stress.
Brooke Murdock — Google review
Great family friendly location, awesome museum and tourist center with an 8 minute video explaining the history of Bok Tower. Cafe had awesome food, kids loved it. Awesome scenery. Great children's playground. We will definitely come out again, the kids loved it!
Neida Ortiz — Google review
Seriously beautiful and worth a visit at least once. The singing tower is stunning and very well maintained. Also enjoyed a good portion of the general gardens walk, lots to see! Make sure to take in the views around the tower itself, the elevation is a rarity in Florida and so nice to see.
Elizabeth Hadden — Google review
Definitely worth visiting these gardens over 200+ acres. Incredible variety of plants and exotic vegetables. Great play areas for kids. Incredible musical tower with bells, called Carillon, popular in Europe.
Paul Bhadha — Google review
This is definitely one of Florida’s hidden treasures. Unspoiled by man’s forward progress, this sanctuary features some extremely beautiful trees, plants, flowers, and foliage. And of course, the main centerpiece is the Bok Tower Bells. If you want to avoid crowds and screaming children, and screaming adults, this is definitely worth the visit. It’s about 45 minutes or so from the Walt Disney World resort. It’s definitely worth the drive.
Michael Crandell — Google review
Just back from a visit to Bok Tower Gardens and I've got to say, if you're someone who loves a bit of nature and history, this place is a must-visit. Nestled in Lake Wales, Florida, the gardens are a creation of Edward W. Bok, a Dutch immigrant who really gave back to his adopted country. This beautiful spot isn't just about the lush landscapes; it's also home to a stunning 205-foot tall Singing Tower. The sounds of the carillon bells ringing through the gardens are simply majestic.
We went for Mother’s Day and it was the perfect setting. The tower, the music, the expansive views—all contribute to a peaceful, yet exhilarating experience. They even play a mix of top 100 hits, adding a modern twist to the historic backdrop.
For anyone looking to spend a day surrounded by beauty and calm, I can't recommend Bok Tower Gardens enough. Bring a picnic, enjoy the koi fish in the reflection pool, and just let the beauty of the place wash over you. Whether you're a history buff or just someone looking to unwind outdoors, this place has something for everyone.
Paulina Fadrowska — Google review
Absolutely loved it! So much so that I purchased a membership, which grants you either free admission or 50% off admission to about 50 gardens or history centers throughout FL. A regular annual membership is $60 but it’s only $30 for students.
Bok Tower Gardens is well-kept, with a wonderful variety of greenery and plenty of places to sit & enjoy. There were a lot of people picnicking and napping. Definitely worth the trip. Bring some snacks and a blanket and you can easily spend a few relaxing hours here.
Sieda — Google review
Definitely worth the visit. The entire grounds is kept so nice. Everywhere you look there are hidden areas to sit. We enjoyed walking up to the tower and getting to listen to the bells, it’s an experience unlike any in our area.
We were specifically blow away by how nice the childrens area is. It’s very thought out, and the creativity that was put into it should be celebrated. Overall we had the most amazing day here.
Can’t wait to come back and explore some more.
Ctine Doza — Google review
Being there is better than these few photos. While we were there it was almost on going bell's ringing in a musical way. So beautiful and peaceful. Another of history and surprised of who created this place and the people who were involve had an effect even in D.C. .
Glenn Williams — Google review
This was a really lovely experience and I would love to come back. I feel like they offered everything I would have ever expected or hoped for as far as gardens or estates go, and they did it well. Between the gardens themselves, the introductory video, the museum, the cafe, the tower itself and the gift shop, everything was top notch.
Tracey Campana — Google review
So glad we got the chance to explore the Bok Tower Gardens. This place is massive and so beautiful. Be prepared to walk-around and really take in the beautiful flowers and serene landscape. I even got a chance to grab some of the plants from the gift shop. Reasonably priced and happy to have something to remember the time spent there. This is a great place for a stroll, picnic and some good exercise.
Nay F — Google review
Beautiful garden. Trails were paved and mulched, well kept. Bathrooms were cleaned. I enjoyed the walk through the garden. Looking at the map, I thought it was a lot bigger but after walking, it fell just right. Not too short, but also not too long. Perfect for younger kids. As you drive in, you pay at the front gate, then drive to the parking lot.
Luke Chang — Google review
This day across the board was perfect! Weather impeccable for our day out at the Bok Tower gardens!
The cafe had very friendly staff .
Food was very fresh when ordered!
The staff in the information center were thrilled to help us learn about the garden as well! Beyond pleased to have spent a peaceful day here ❤️
Angel Locicero — Google review
We had a great time walking around these gardens on a quiet Saturday morning. I particularly enjoyed the endangered plants garden and outdoor kitchen. Walking around here for a few hours brought us peace. It was nice to escape from the busy city and take some time to enjoy nature. Hopefully we will be back again one day soon.
Fairooz Haque — Google review
We love the many incredible Botanical and Natural Gardens that Florida offers for visits, at the “top” of our list is Bok Singing Tower. On this particular visit we had a goal to hike their trail system along with the Garden. We ended up doing over 5 miles including a variation of terrain. It is no easy feat to hike a grade of significance in Florida.
The bonus was the large number of Azaleas in bloom. The music from the carillon echoed in the hills as we traversed the sand and clay terrain. The gardens transported us to far away places with strange sounding names. Then we inadvertently crashed a wedding where the theme from Jurassic Park brought in the Groom and Bride’s entourage. And you know… in that setting it worked.
Neal — Google review
Visited 4/16/2024 and had a great time. All the staff we met were friendly and helpful. The grounds are immaculate. We brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed time by Bok tower as the carillon played. There are lots of small secluded areas to enjoy time together in a peaceful outdoor area. The tour of El Retiro is worth it and brings you back to a time long past. We did stop in the cafe, where they have a selection of beers, food, and ice cream among other things. All were excellent. I'll be back!
Walter Piper — Google review
The landscape is so diverse and well maintained. There were so many portions of the gardens to explore. The tower was really neat, the bells have a beautiful sound. The Old Florida is very interesting and fun to explore. We would highly recommend a visit, plus it's out in the country. This is an opportunity to get away from all the crazy traffic of a more densely populated area
Angie Huff — Google review
Loved everything about my visit today from the super friendly helpful staff, to the well thought out and maintained gardens. The short movie with the historical information was helpful. Bathrooms located throughout the grounds. Ate at the Cafe on site which was convenient and good to refuel. Saw fish, turtles, snakes, all different kind of birds. Spent 4.5 hours there and still did not see everything. Definitely will be back!
Kimberly D. — Google review
My family and I went here for the first time yesterday and we loved it! There was plenty to keep them entertained and lots of space to run out some energy! The grounds are beautiful, especially around the tower. We will definitely bring a blanket and have a picnic out there next time. We ate at the cafe and it was delicious.
Definitely would recommend bringing the whole family here!
christy lane — Google review
What a wonderful experience! While visiting friends in Cocoa, FL, we planned a day trip and drove to Bok Tower Gardens (something they'd talked about doing for a long time and just hadn't been). The grounds, gardens, the home on the property- El Retiro- were all beautiful! And the main attraction- THE SINGING TOWER!!! oh my goodness!!!! It was stunning. It looked like we were in another country or maybe we'd walked through time??, into Middle Earth (Lord of the Rings). I hope to visit again, soon! It was just a perfect day!
Jennfer Holder — Google review
Lots of beautiful areas to walk around even with small children. Lots of shade and there are many outdoor children activities behind the eating and gift shop area. It's much cooler in the summer and before 11am is perfect in the winter.
Monique Burrow — Google review
Undeniably beautiful. This garden is enchanting, well laid out and stunningly kept. I would love to be able to climb the tower. The water features and children’s area is also well thought out. This place is almost 100 years old and was a gift to all Americans from Mr. Bok. This place is a true treasure and gift. A must see place
Jared M — Google review
This is now my favorite place in Florida. BEAUTIFUL. Well taken care of, tons of different plants and flowers, so many different trails. You can easily spend a couple of hours just exploring around this beautiful place, but at the same time, everything is close so it’s not an exerting walk by any means. Ironically, although the tower and music are gorgeous, it was everything around it I would go back for. Loooved it.
Elianne Ferrer — Google review
Wow! Gorgeous! Beautiful! Are words to describe this beautiful part of Heaven on earth! This park is beautifully laid out to enhance the natural beauty of its flora and landscape.
Barbara Deckard — Google review
Amazing gardens to wander around. Peaceful and relaxing. Make sure you get there for 1:00 pm to hear the recital. You will need 2 to 3 hours to see everything properly. The kids garden is a lot of fun for adults as well. Reasonably priced cafe with friendly staff.
Raymond Wheeler — Google review
Beautiful gardens and paths. The bell tower was gorgeous. Loved the history lessons in the visitor center. There are lots of interesting plants to see, and everything was well labeled to learn as you go. Educational and fun!
Andrew Wagner — Google review
Wife and I were at a wedding in the adjacent neighborhood. Decided to give it a try. Looks very cool from a distance. Very quiet and serene. Neat plants and ponds. We were there in the early morning. A few other folks. We took a walk around. The background story is neat. I really enjoyed our time there. Not many places like it anywhere else.
John Myers — Google review
We recently purchased a duo membership and it's already paid for itself. It's such a peaceful and beautiful place. Plan for a couple of hours of walking the properties. It's stunning and there's so much to see! Cute cafe and shop and you can buy plants to bring home!!
Jalain O — Google review
Beautiful and peaceful gardens with many rare native Florida plants and excellent walking paths for all levels! Carillon bells played from the tower are so relaxing! Video screen area with bench seating to watch the artist playing. Highest point in FL and amazing views of countryside! Short historic movie at visitors center! Annual pass includes many other gardens across the country. On site restaurant is delicious and reasonably priced! Amazing gift shop with gardening gifts and environmental options.
Johnna Neugent — Google review
This place is AMAZING. I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Such beautiful grounds with vistas from the top of the "mountain" 😂
The cafe has excellent food with beer and wine. Gorgeous gift shop and the tower is WOW! Concerts at 1 and 3pm. We took our dog and it's very dog friendly. Because we went last minute, we didn't bring a picnic lunch, so if you go, definitely pack a blanket and lunch and eat up by the tower on the beautiful lawns under the massive oak trees. Serene and peaceful retreat. 💚
Admission is $20
Dogs $10 - totally worth it!
Andrea Collyott — Google review
Well planned area. The area to park in had trees lining it so obviously for Florida your vehicle wasn't hot. The people were friendly. The different plants were awesome. We even saw a snake gardener snake it was all good. All the plans were really nice and like I said the setup but everything even when you were walking lots of shade there was a good Breeze we've really enjoyed our time there
C Chiavetta — Google review
Magnificent!! I was here many years before all the gardens were added. Such a huge variety of flowers and plants, vibrant colors, the winding paths with groups of plantings artfully designed - with many to attract bees and butterflies, plenty of places to sit after much walking, exceptionally clean... And then there's the tower itself. Beyond words...exceptionally well maintained, looks new.
And add to all this a perfect sunny cool day with a nice breeze -- we were in 7th heaven. We will definitely be back.
Vivian Bernasek — Google review
This is one of the best botanic gardens on the whole east coast of the USA.
Great walking paths, well labeled plants, duper staff, interesting varied environments.
Add to that a great kids area and a carrollon that plays every half hour and you have an all day to multiple day stop.
I highly recommend seeing this site.
Good for the whole family, even rover.
Stephen G — Google review
Bok Tower is an expansive garden where the centerpiece is a giant bell tower. You can enjoy a well-manicured garden while listening to the captivating sounds of the bells. Admission is $20 per person which is a bit expensive. There is a cafe and gift store on campus, along with a theater and visitor center which displays some history of the Tower.
I saw several groups of people having picnics and enjoying the warm March day.
This attraction features an airboat tour and alligator-handling show in a protected swamp. The park also has a tropical bird aviary and petting zoo.
My family had a wonderful time at Wild Florida. The boat tour was relaxing and very enjoyable. Bobby was an awesome tour guide. My kids had the best time feeding the gators, big and small, and we all enjoyed seeing the various animals up close. Better than the typical zoo experience by far. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. I highly recommend this as a stop while in the Orlando area. I also recommend going earlier in the day if you're on a later boat tour because there is much more to do and see than I expected. The food was amazing as well!
We did the safari tour after our boat tour. The kids enjoyed every second of seeing the animals so closely. Our car was even attacked by an angry ostrich (or maybe emu). We found it funny but the poor bird wasn't so amused. The park is run very well and the kids even got a map to track what animals they saw. Cannot recommend this enough.
Megan Caywood — Google review
We absolutely LOVE this place! We did the boat tour on Saturday at 9:00 am so we arrived around 8:20, plenty of parking spaces (by 10:00-11:00 am was completely packed) and we checked in and waited until our boat arrived. Beautiful views, boat is pretty noisy, but tolerable, we saw a couple of baby alligators, which was awesome, and a lot of birds. The captain of the boat was knowledgeable and nice. I think his name was Bobby. After the boat tour we were allowed to go to the park and see the different exhibits and animals.
We fed alligators, we even hold a baby one (with permission and supervision obviously). We pet baby goats, and a tiny pig , they were adorable! . All the staff are super friendly and nice!! For sure we’ll be back soon . 100% recommended!
Frecklebean — Google review
This place is amazing! Came for our 5 year anniversary and the drive through was stunning, we seen so many beautiful animals that look very well cared for and happy. We seen some little deer jumping and running and some water Buffalo going for a dip in the water even got to see some zebras come right up next to our car and an ostrich that wanted a taste of our car lol plus so many other beautiful animals, we seen animal in the map that they give you at the gate.Wonderful experience and we will definitely be back.
Ash Place — Google review
What an awesome day we had at Wild Florida. Even being native Floridians we learned a few things. We were fortunate enough to have lunch with “Crusher” the resident 13 ft alligator. What an amazing experience. The staff and trainers are very knowledgeable and courteous which made our experience that much better. I highly recommend visiting the park to anyone. We will definitely be back.
K — Google review
Took my 12 year old daughter on a whim for something to do on spring break. I’m SO glad we did! She loved seeing all the animals so close, and feeding the giraffe, Walter! We even got to see a Watusi delivery a brand new baby calf, watched momma clean her baby, and the whole herd, including a bison and 2 camels come to see the new baby! It was such a joy to be a part of! The park was great to see and then seeing new life come to be and all the animals so excited to see the baby made it even better! Thank you for letting us in to be a part of that!
Amanda Taylor — Google review
Wild Florida is a great place. It was a lot of fun. It is not a full day unless you want to spend a lot of money. We did just an animal interaction & just walked around. If you want to do the air boat ride & drive through safari you can spend a full day. But even if you want to do even one of those things, I definitely recommend it. The staff is super friendly & zoo keepers speak very highly of the place. The food is well priced, good quality, & the corn bread is fantastic. We bought more on the way out. Definitely worth the trip & we will be making another this year.
Robert Carroll — Google review
We did the safari and some of the Gator Park only because it was 100°. Safari was beautiful! Feeding the giraffe was great! Gator Park is nice, looking forward to going back when it's not so bad of weather.
Ashley — Google review
Fantastic evening airboat ride. Saw a few alligators and Eagles plus lots more that we wasn't expecting. So peaceful and amazing to see when we stopped in various areas. The tour guide was great and pointed out loads to us with some amazing facts. The Gator Park was very good staff all friendly and helpful. Well worth a visit.
Karl Dudley — Google review
They lock the gates 10 minutes after closing make sure to get to car with enough time to get out. Also there is no lighting on the paths & once the sun is down it was hard to see to get out of the park. More don't touch a snake if you see one instead of an exit signs. Lots of gators. We had a nice time. The trails were mostly dirt. Like most animal parks you need to watch out for wet walkways.
Crystal Sullivan — Google review
We had such a good experience. We pet and fed the porcupines. Fed the alligators. Went on an airboat ride. And finally drove through the safari. There were so many baby animals! I was driving and didn't get the chance to take a lot of pictures. A recommend buying your tickets in advance for any of the animal encounters.
Dianna Dempster — Google review
Just finished this adventure and I must say it was well worth the money spent. A first class operation all the way.
Air boat captain (Kevin) did an outstanding job of showing us bald Eagles , alligators an other marsh wildlife.
The wildlife park drive through was an extremely pleasant surprise. A large variety of high plains wildlife and at a very close up look. One of the best we have been to.
Gary Weybright — Google review
We couldn't have been happier with the sloth encounter that my daughter went to. She is still smiling days later. The woman running the encounter was great. She was friendly knowledgeable and made the whole experience enjoyable for everyone involved. If love animals and want to get up close this is a great place to visit.
All of the animals encounters are booked separate from just an admission to the park. I highly recommend booking encounters in advance.
Unfortunately we did not have time to explore the rest of the park, since we had other plans we had to get to, but we did get to see some of the other animals on our way to and back from the sloths.
It's not the place to go for a whole day, but that doesn't mean it's not worth the trip. I would definitely return next time we are in the area, to check out their other attractions.
Greg Noonan — Google review
Great time. Went when it was summertime, but was still doable. Would recommend early in the day, or cooler time of year. Did the Safari, and really enjoyed it. Plan on 60-70 minutes for the Safari. This includes admission to the Gator Park. Overall, would plan on around 4 hours to see everything. Did not do the airboats.
Andrew Mackey — Google review
The safari drive was so fun. There are 2 options, going a long 2.5 mile route or a shorter option if you just want to get to the zoo. We saw many animals who were very close to the car. The zoo was much larger than I thought and we spent about 5 hours here. There’s a petting zoo with goats and pigs which was cool. We were lucky enough to catch some shows as well. I will definitely be back
Briana Harricharan — Google review
Wild florida is a great day out for all of the family.
We started our day with a trip on the air boats where we saw alligators and bold eagles in the wild.
We then walked around the zoo section and saw loads of incredible animals, saw a couple of shows, and got to hold an alligator.
We then went around the drive through safari and finished the day by feeding a giraffe.
A great day out, I would highly recommend it.
Danny Iwan — Google review
Great family experience. Loved the freedom of taking our time through the drive through safari, many animals came right up to the car for some cool pictures. The gator park was eventful as well, so many animals to check out. Few shows to check out as well, we missed it.
Lynette Johnson — Google review
This place is Florida's best kept secret. This was an amazing experience and was a great way to get away from the crowds at Orlando parks. We paid around $170 for five people abd we had an absolute blast. They offer so much for such a low price. The safari comes with a walk through Zoo and optional animal encounters for additional costs. This will be a Florida to do staple for my family and I moving forward.
Lucas Brobst — Google review
Wild Florida is a gator park and much much more. It is about 30 miles south east of our Blue Heron 1806 rental condo.Wild Florida also has a 'drive through Safari', Airboat tours and wildlife park featuring gators and an assortment of animals from around the world. The park has a great swamp walk, petting zoo and bird house in which you can feed the resident animals and birds. You can even arrange an alligator feeding experience and walk through a swamp. All their attractions are very reasonably priced and they even have Florida residents rates. We highly recommend Wild Florida. It is well worth the drive! Don't forget to get a picture holding Fluffy the gator!
Blue Heron Resort Rentals Orlando FL — Google review
We Absolutely loved it! A nice fun trip to see some animals we've never seen before. The pricing is great and very affordable. Every staff member we met was extremely helpful and nice and answered all our questions. Also they have snacks and drinks which BONUS they are not expensive and crazy prices like most places weve gone in florida. They have multiple shows going on we had the most fun at the gator feeding show. They have a petting zoo with goats and pigs. We did not get to do the air boat ride but I'm sure it is excellent. I highly recommend checking this place out for some family fun time!
Tony Goehring — Google review
Great experience on the water. The temperature was a little on the chilly side, so be sure to dress accordingly. Our boat captain was great and really knowledgeable about the lake and the different animals and birds we saw. The boat was comfortable, but definitely wear ear plugs if you sit near the back.
Chris Mitchell — Google review
I'd go just for the delicious ice cream! We had a great time during our visit. It was remarkable how close we were to alligators and other wildlife. The sloth encounter was a delight. Staff were welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly.
Jen McKean — Google review
This was a spur of the moment trip and it was an excellent day. The Safari and the gator park were just what we needed. The Safari took about 90 minutes. Spent another hour at the Gator Park. They have Florida resident discounts which is always nice.
At LEGOLAND Florida Resort, you can enjoy a day of fun without any stress. The park is filled with colorful LEGO bricks and features attractions geared towards children aged two to twelve years old. Rides and attractions include the attached water park which offers a refreshing break from the heat. LEGOLAND Florida Resort also includes an 150-acre theme park, 5-acre water park, on-site accommodations themed with LEGO bricks, and a world famous botanical garden.
Hadn’t been here in 10 years since our son was little. They have made some improvements but this place is still as amazing as it was back then. The food, drinks and rides were great. We were actually there a total of 5 hours and rode 14 rides!! We do Disney regularly and 3 rides is the norm there. We got annual passes so we will definitely be back. This place is so cool. Clean bathrooms and everyone was super friendly.
E Recker — Google review
Great park about 1 hour away from Disney ( out west). This is a great park for small children, not so much for teenagers. You can bring your refillable water bottles as they ah e refill stations for ice, water and soft drinks even if you don’t buy their cups. You should buy their cups to refill fountain drinks though. I went Labor Day weekend, the lines weren’t long at all. The most I’ve waited in line for a ride was approximately 15 minutes. Bring a change of clothes or towels for the rides that involve water. The food isn’t that great. Tickets are approx $100pp. I found a great deal online. Pay for 1 adult and kid goes In free plus paid for parking $22. I paid $268 for 4 tickets. Google search “ kid free with adult ticket” ( Honest Kids)
Winnie J — Google review
The service has been immaculate. They have a lot of staff members and all have been very kind and helpful. The free buffet breakfast has lots of options to every age and diet. Is it the best buffet? No, but it’s good for what it is. The themed rooms are a big hit with the kids. And every day they get a new small Lego kit they get to put together and keep. The castle hotel has a playground you can hop over to and utilize during the day. The Lego building play areas have been really fun for the kids. It’s been an all around great fun experience. The downside; all guests 48in and shorter, no matter the age are required to wear a life jacket in the pool area. Even if they know how to swim. I don’t think much older than that would have much fun.
Cat Wig — Google review
Excellent theme park for kids, specially for toddlers. Many attractions for all ages and with a best in class decoration. You really feel like you’re inside a Lego toy.
Food is not that special, but enough for spending the day.
George Homsi — Google review
The best theme park we have been to! The hotel rooms were well decorated. The buffet skillets for breakfast and dinner were amazing. Great place for all ages but in order to ride all the rides you have you be 48” tall. We loved all the Lego made characters throughout the park. Each area is decorated to its own theme. My kids rode their first roller coasters here and are hooked to ride more!!! Very clean, friendly staff, reasonably priced food and gifts. We can’t wait to come back and stay longer! No I’d also suggest the pontoon ride on the lake. The Captain is very knowledgeable and easy going and super kid friendly.
Meag McElvain — Google review
If your child is into Legos this is a MUST! Pay the extra $ and stay at the resort as well. You can't beat the convenience of having your hotel room steps away from the theme park.
The rides were great for my almost 5 year old. He loved all of them and especially loved the building stations they had throughout the park. I think his favorite thing to do was build the cars and race them with other kids at the Imagination building.
Every staff we encountered was so nice and helpful.
The park was clean and kid friendly.
We had dinner and free breakfast at the resort and it was surprisingly very good! Service was great. Room was great!
Rose Limb — Google review
As a “Lego Nerd”, wife’s words, I was excited to take my ten year old son. We had so much fun going to all the exhibits and rides. We went in the middle of the week and there was little to no wait for most rides. It is definitely geared more towards younger kids, or adult kids 😆, than teenagers. I do like the fact you can bring your own water bottle and fill it all over the park. We have been twice so far and plan on going back a lot more.
Michael Cornwell — Google review
Legoland Florida was SUPER FUN! We went on almost all the rides in one day, the wait times are pretty short. They also have a water park. Regular parking was $20 and preferred parking was $50. My favorite part was Mini land USA. Legoland is an awesome, extravagant, amazing place to go on the weekends or weekdays. I would recommend bringing tons of water too. And coming on a weekday.
Micah Dibiasio — Google review
Legoland was better than I expected. There were plenty of rides and activities for my young kids to do. We spent an entire day there and didn't get bored. There were refill stations for drinks at the park. I wish there were places for mist or outside fans as it got really hot, but we took breaks as needed.
My kids enjoyed every area of the park that we went to. We tried the pizza and pasta for lunch, and I do not recommend it. It is pricey for food that doesn't taste good. I really enjoyed the 4D movie. It was very interesting and short enough to keep my kids' attention also long enough to cool off.
I dreaded going to legoland, but I am glad I went. Highly recommend.
Cee — Google review
Great place for families with young kids. The park is small and easy to get around in a few hours. Food choices vary and are a little pricey for what they offer, but they do allow small coolers in. Young adults and teens will enjoy the park, but only a few rides are available to them
Paul Biramontes — Google review
This was our very first Legoland Trip and we drove about 13 hours for it with a 9 & 7 year old and it was well worth it. We stayed at the hotel and went to the parks. The hotel was incredible. It was so much fun, it had so much to do and was really cool to look at. The rooms were a little smaller than I thought however they were perfect. My husband and I had a blast along with our girls. They had a dance & pajama party every single night and a party elevator although the music wasn’t working on the elevator but my girls still sang and danced in it and enjoyed themselves. The park had plenty to do. We had 3 days at the park and we got to see and do pretty much everything. You could stay a entire week or more and not run out of things to do but for the Legoland part of our trip those 3 days were perfect and they got to do everything they wanted. My husband and I also love legos so it was really neat to see everything built in Lego. My camera roll is more full from our Legoland stay then our beach portion of our trip. I definitely recommend visiting Legoland instead of Disney. It was a really cool experience!
Victoria Newbern — Google review
We visited the place a week after new year. We only purchase 1 park ticket which is the Legoland itself. The weather was cold. There were less visitors. Most of the food carts were close. few rides. children will definitely enjoy the park. In terms of souvenir items there were not much to choose from. I was looking for architectural lego design but there was none.
Joy P.A. — Google review
So much fun there! We conquered the whole park in 3 hours - two adults with no kids. Some of the rides have about a 40 minute wait. Spots to go indoors and get out of the sun throughout the park. Very clean and organized. Only wish they had more "healthy" food options in the park. A ton of great photo op spots and most of the employees will take your photo with characters that appear.
Lorraine Toth (Pinupmakeover) — Google review
We got our annual pass back in December 2021, it is well worth it. Been here already 3 times and my little one loves it. We have $299 pass , we love it, no need to pay for parking ( we park in preferred parking) , we are allowed to bring 3 guess per pass in the year. We have use some already. I must confess it is a great park, lines for rides at the most 20 minutes and not all the time.
Nancy Castellon — Google review
Legoland is a great park for the kiddos ages 3-10. Especially if they love building with Legos. The coasters and rides are all appropriately themed and exciting for that age bracket. I have 3 boys and they LOVED IT! As an adult I enjoyed the large Lego builds. I would recommend this trip to anyone who comes to Florida with young kids. The wait time for all the ride were very reasonable, 5-25min per ride.
Brandon Woodard — Google review
We really enjoyed the craft at the Legoland theme park. I was just amazing. We really enjoyed miniland and we actually started there must of our visit. The best part for us was to see our hometown in the mini city. "Miami Beach". But, all the Lego craft is just amazing. It a must see to believe scenery. 👀😯👀😯👀😯👀
JARKESHA KINGDOM CHOSEN (KC) — Google review
This was my families favorite vacation! I wish we would have come here sooner. We stayed in the Legoland Hotel (pirate theme) and my kids loved it! The room was cleaned daily, housekeeping was great! The free breakfast at Bricks was awesome, we did it everyday. We also ate at Shipwreck in the Pirate Hotel, it was good but very expensive. Both restaurants are family style. We went to the pool and had it all to ourselves for an hour, best time to go is around 11. It was very clean.
The park was a blast, so much to do and so many places to cool off. The wait times were not insane like Disney. It was definitely less crowded during the weekday vs weekend. My kids road everything they wanted to multiple times. My only regret is not coming here sooner!
Kali Higgins — Google review
This park is specially designed for children under 12, but it's fun for all ages. The wait time was short at an average of 5 to 10 minutes per ride, with the exception of the cypress boat ride that had a 25 minute wait, I suggest going on that one right when the park opens before the line gets long. Buy the tickets online directly from Legoland for a secure purchase and to receive the best discounts. The kids love all the interactive attractions and rides, Legoland got the formula right, it really gets the kiddos involved like no other park!
Fred Hintenberger — Google review
WOW !!! What a great place to take your family. We made the trip on 10/29/23 and it was worth the 90 minute drive. Our daughter had a blast and their Team is absolutely Awesome. Halloween was in full swing and passing out candy from 2pm to 7pm, and not skimping on it. We had so much fun that we have decided to purchase season passes on their program. And the food was delicious and very reasonable!!!!
Shawn OConnell — Google review
Pros: when the park isn't busy, it's a pleasure to be there. We went on an "off season" day and it was perfect. No lines, kids were able to ride almost all of the rides other than the rides that were undergoing "annual maintenance". Overall a really great trip and the kids had a blast.
Ricki Mindick — Google review
I went with my kids today, and in my opinion, it is not worth the price for the amusement park. Regular fair rides are way better than this park, and it's over hyped. The only advantage is that 4 year old kids are allowed in all adventure rides along with an adult, which is not feasible at Universal and disney.
S Bansal — Google review
First visitors. Familiar with all Orlando parks and we live here, so went with family and a 2 year old. Rides are per typical of a county fair and over very quickly. Grounds dirty. Rides that were supposed to be open until 4pm (the pirate boat ride is the picture with my watch) were closed early.
But the ABSOLUTE WORST THING THERE WAS THE FOOD. The all you can eat pizza and pasta buffet was something straight from your nightmares. SUPER EXPENSIVE and all food bars empty all the time. They were adding ONE pizza at a time, while 15 people waited. When you did manage to launch yourself , Hunger-Games-style, to fresh food, it was absolutely awful. No cokes in any soda machine at all. And did I mention trash everywhere?
Finally, rides for a tot are SO minimal. Even super safe rides (like floating boats) they can't ride.
The only redeeming things about this place (still not worth the price point though) were the Cypress Gardens area, and the mini Lego land.
Been here, done it, and if you have an option - recommend that you pay a little extra and go elsewhere.
heather featherstone — Google review
So let me start by saying this place is nice for the kids and they loved it BUT the prices are just outrageous for what you are getting. Yes they get a little scavenger hunt in the fully themed rooms and they get a free small Lego pack and a juice but does that really justify the prices? I don’t think so. Otherwise it’s just a regular hotel. They do have the little play area in the lobby but the lobby is small. Perfect for the kids but the prices are ridiculous. Our kids did enjoy every minute and I’m not regretful but they should consider lower pricing so more families can enjoy the experience. That being said they do have a full bar downstairs where you can watch your kids play and have a drink and food. The breakfast was a family style all you can eat which was included in the price but still not super spectacular for what we paid. The breakfast was good though. The aesthetic and the decor is perfect and the kids thought the elevators were so much fun. Bathrooms are a little scrunched but the room overall was nice and it accommodated our 3 kids perfectly.
V Rose — Google review
This place is a ton of fun, especially for younger kids, but even the bigger ones can get in on the excitement. The Lego creations are simply incredible and truly captivating. The rides and attractions offer a good time, and there are indoor rooms for Lego building, complete with air conditioning and seating for a much-needed break from the sun and walking. While things inside can be a bit pricey, it's par for the course with most theme parks. Overall, we had an absolute blast!
Erika Sosa Romero — Google review
Excellent for 6-9 year olds! 48" can pretty much ride everything. 44" can ride with another kid who is 48"+.
Not a lot for toddlers under 34-36" but we went for the older kids. My 2 year old could do 3 rides. This was our 2nd trip and we just discovered the red schoolhouse building with the childcare center inside. It was great for an air conditioned break. Small indoor playground, kid's restroom, several lactation rooms, fridge & sink, many changing stations. Our toddler was able to nap in a lactation room with the lights off while my husband took the older kids through the park.
Cazbar Saelao — Google review
BLESSED to be a Polk County resident for annual family passes for our 11 year old son. He will soon "out-grow" much of the rides, since going at age 2½. The Water Park is the BEST for local FUN during Florida heat. The atmosphere and remaining Cypress Gardens, Ski Show, and Holiday Events are FUN for All, and returning visits. A 20 minute drive to Family FUN for Children is a Luxury; since, other families have to get on a plane, pay for a hotel, and book well in advance. And; Mom got a Discount, and Preferred Parking. NO Lines to get thru to Parking. I only went to get my PASS and purchase a "Gift Card" for The BIG Shop or LEGO Factory Store. They do not offer "Gift Cards". I did not go further into the Park for visit. Other Guests have more thorough REVIEWS and Beautiful Photos. ENJOY🤗
Donna J Pyne (FRANK's MOMmy2012) — Google review
I went with my wife and an adult friend (no kids) and was shocked at how fun Legoland actually is. There is a LOT to do, including some really fun rides and excellent theming. There's also a HUGE section of Lego cityscapes with realistic 5-6 ft tall buildings depicting the Vegas Strip, Florida cities, San Francisco, DC, and more. I spent about an hour just looking at all of that... Almost like a Lego museum. There are also fun Lego building options like the new Ferrari build-and-race where you build your own Lego car from scratch and literally race it like a soapbox derby.
For the coasters... The wild mouse (Great Lego Race) was maybe the best wild mouse model I've been on. Dragon is extremely well-themed with tons of Lego animatronics and a decent family coaster at the end. Coastersaurus is bad. Rough and forceless with TINY cars very difficult for adults to fit in.
Non-Coasters... Ninjago was disappointing. It was the first ride (I think) with the AR hand-motion shooting but the sensors were not calibrated well and there were no physical sets at all. Just screens, screens, and more screens without an interesting story. So if the only point is shooting for points it would be much more fun if it was properly upkept. The queue was very cool though. (In general I LOVE the idea of putting places to build Legos IN the queues so kids can handle longer wait times.)
Lost Kingdom Adventure was good in concept but again, not calibrated well. I like that when you shoot targets it activates effects. I feel like this one would be better without the guns at all. Just let us go through the "not-Indiana Jones" story with all of the effects happening for everyone.
The LEGO Movie Masters of Flight was a cute concept for a ride and is basically a better version of Disney 's Soarin' ride (but not close to as good as Avatar: Flight of Passage). I liked that the ride had a story as well as most and scent effects.
Pirate River Quest was disappointing. The wait times were outrageous for not that many people in line (a general problem at this park) especially because they were only running 3 boats on a 20-minute ride. And they only hold up to 8 guests each. So ~70 passengers per hour. And for most of the ride I wished I wasn't on it. It's mostly just a pirate telling you to count gems then giving you the answer before you even pass by all of the gems. And most of the figures are not made of Lego and are stagnant. Not nearly enough animatronics for a "pirate battle." The parrot talking got really old really quick too. I did like the last part sailing on the open water but I'd rather just walk through the Gardens next time. Because I chose to do the ride I didn't have time to walk through Cypress Gardens which is included with admission.
Mia's Riding Adventure was the only true thrill ride in the park, being a big disco-style spinner ride. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Coast Guard academy was basically go-karts but in boats. Super fun but the wait was ridiculously long because they weren't using over half of the boats.
NFPA Rescue academy was a super-fun competion to put the fire out the fastest. A slight workout!
Most of the rest of the rides are kiddy flat rides. I think you need a lot of kiddy rides in Legoland BUT too many of them are just the same flat track with different ride vehicles and scenery. Would be nice to have a really solid kids' dark ride along the lines of Ratatouille at EPCOT or Small World at Disneyland/MK.
The park was clean enough though the bathrooms weren't great. The rides and experiences were a lot of fun. The only negative is that the operations on the rides are TERRIBLE and it's mostly not the employees' fault. It's because the ride's capacities are akin to fair rides but the park is built to attract thousands per day, causing lines with literally 20 people to take 20+ minutes. Most theme parks have ride capacities around 600+ per hour per ride and this one is about 15% of that.
Also know that AAA Gives good discounts if you're a member.
corbin byers — Google review
Compared to Disney Theme Parks, Legoland is a bit far to the city. But it has its unique themes since visitors can see lego characters, animals, and famous landscapes everywhere. It is amazing to see the mini city around the US to the world. They are all beautiful. There are many rides at Legoland and waiting time is so much better than at Disney World. Kids seem so excited there as they can see, touch, and take pictures with their Lego characters. Kids and adults can join the rides and most of rides there are mild and experience for kids.
The amusement park offers a variety of exhibits, shows, and attractions that are sure to please visitors of all ages. Highlights include the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit and the Rocket Garden. There is also a Heroes & Legends exhibit featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame presented by Boeing.
This was our first family visit. We had a wonderful visit, Super educational. Highly recommend as it's so much history and truly something for every age. I wish I had more time to spend as could not manage to experience all the exhibits with kids and family. Everything, the movies are very informative. Shuttle Launch Experience heard it was good which they closed by the time we could get the kids from the bathroom but heard it was very good. Take the bus to the Apollo Center to touch a Moon rock.
Mohammed Aamir — Google review
We absolutely loved this place. Loads to see, do and play with. Very interesting tours and information everywhere. The children loved it, I loved it and the wife loved it. The place is huge, so sadly we couldn’t do or see it all in the time we had, so would require a second trip. If we ever go back to Florida, we will definitely go here again and see the rest. So many great memories. Please go and visit, you won’t be disappointed.
Mark Brown — Google review
We enjoyed the space history and seeing plans and preparations for the future. Saw the new private companies buildings and launch pads. This is the 3rd time I've been here in 10 years and I still want to come back for more. Well worth the price. We took the extended bus tour this time. So glad we did. Should have brought water though.
Vonnie Sheadel — Google review
What an incredible place to visit. There is so much history and shared beautifully. We went on a Sunday in July it wasn't too busy but very hot. When waiting for the bus over to see Apollo, they had fans and misters. They did a great job keeping those buses moving and people transported fairly quickly. Nice day
Melissa Norton — Google review
My children and I (ages 43, 24, 20, and 17) enjoyed this visit so much. Everything was so informational and exciting. We went a little late in the day, and can recommend that you get there as early as possible. Staff was helpful and gave suggestions on which exhibits we had time for and how to get to each one. The bus rides were pleasant and the videos shown were entertaining and informative. We plan to make our next visit start earlier and include two days so that we can see as much as possible.
Christina Tricker — Google review
The Kennedy Space Center was amazing. It is informative, it is cool, and it’s a lot to take in and see in one day. I recommend arriving when the place opens. I arrived one hour after and did not have time for the bus tour.
Nice place to take kids if you have them or go alone/group/couple. Experience is for all ages.
They have a Space Shuttle experience and many other attractions for all to enjoy.
Cynthia Q — Google review
Visiting NASA fulfilled one of my childhood dreams, and after experiencing it, I realized that dreaming about coming here from childhood is truly worthwhile. NASA doesn't just provide information; it offers actual experiences. For instance, instead of just describing the shuttle crew's experiences, they let us actively engage with it. The shuttle descent, for example, can be experienced through intelligently created slides. If you're into science, this is a must-visit place. I'll definitely come again.
Sahan Perera — Google review
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has so much to offer, but the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit stole the show for me. Seeing a space shuttle – one that actually flew missions – is awe-inspiring. The way they've presented Atlantis, tilted and with its cargo bay doors open, makes you appreciate the sheer complexity of these machines.
There are plenty of other cool exhibits (and that simulated launch is also a must!), but if you're fascinated by the shuttle program, make sure to dedicate time to Atlantis. Between the films, displays, and being so close to an actual orbiter, it's an experience that leaves you in awe of human achievement.
Also, spend at least 2 days and also book the explorer tour, it is 2 hours and worth every second!
Edward Wright — Google review
This is an AMAZING place to visit. My kids were super excited about the Planet Play playground and I had a great time playing with them. I can easily say this is the absolute BEST playground I've ever been to (we've been to A LOT!). I mean the place is full with amazing experiences and tons of exciting things to see and learn. One day was not enough for me. I hope we can make our way back someday.
Eve Newsom — Google review
In the four years we’ve visited family , we have avoided the space center due to the cost of admission. We thought we would give it a try to see what it was all about and WOW it exceeded our expectations. Our visit here was our favorite part of our trip this year. There’s so much to do and to see , we actually didn’t get to see it all! Quite frankly , if you have kids, a two day admission might be the way to go! We really enjoyed the way this experience is guided and organized but yet you can do it at your own pace. We took the bus tour and that was a fun excursion! Our favorite exhibit was the Atlantis building ! So much fun. We actually took our 5 month old and he enjoyed it rolling around in a stroller! It’s a great mixture of indoors and outdoors . We will definitely visit again.
Kortney DeMent — Google review
Got off our cruise early and decided to give it a look. We arrived right as the gates opened which would prove to be a phenomenal idea. Received the military discount at the easy to use self checkout kiosk and in we went. Most every attraction we went to we only had a dozen or less people with us. Around lunch it was definitely crowded. Our impromptu visit just happened to be on the anniversary date of the very first shuttle launch which was very cool. Not only that but meeting Steve Swanson was amazing ! When we saw Atlantis presented the way it was I got chills like a little boy. The attractions and history were absolutely amazing. Something that without a shadow of a doubt needs to be brought back into service. Plenty of bathrooms throughout and if you decided to eat there they actually have a great selection to include an amazing salad. Definitely wouldn’t mind visiting again, an overall blast for two grown ups. Lastly every staff member we encountered from the gate guard to the restaurant cashier were amazing, helpful, and polite.
david willis — Google review
Very memorable experience and well worth the $57 ticket price! I thought it was kinda expensive, but after the first attraction I realized why they ask that price. It is much more than just reading plaques and looking at exhibits… there’s so much to do and participate in! Plan on spending the entire day there. Got there at 9am and left at about 4:45pm. We saw almost everything in one day and we were hustling! I can see how the two day pass can be worth it if you are in the area a while. Came on a Sunday in late January and it was fairly crowded. We didn’t wait in lines too long, but on an extremely busy day, there’s no way you could see everything in one day. The park is outdoors as much as it is indoors so dress accordingly to the weather! Parking $10, several food places with fair prices.
Lauren — Google review
Lots of activities! Lots of
information! Lots of walking to do! I was glad as a middle aged individual that we purchased a 2 day pass, so that we could split the activities. You can't see everything in one day! Did about 5 major activities the first day including the bus tour (which is a must do). Lots of food and merchant memorabilia around, impossible to go hungry. Ample parking and rest rooms.
Bernard Aitcheson — Google review
Well worth the money!! Suggest bringing cash for parking cos only 1 booth accepts credit card. The IMAX Asteroid Hunters 3D was incredibly well made and informative. The bus tour culminating at the Apollo/Saturn V exhibit was amazing as well. Atlantis exhibit was great but could’ve done without the 2 mini movies to get in. Overall 10/10!!
Jack Pelon — Google review
One of the best theme-park-meet-museum places I've ever been to. Outstanding quality and quantity of expositions, extremely helpful and engaged staff, great depth of information adequate both for children and adults. There are some amazing simulator rides to be had, and multiple reveal moments that will just floor you. The Saturn V rocket is a sight to behold. A must see in Florida, if not in the entire US!
Szlafroq — Google review
Woah!! We've been huge fans of the space program since we were kids in the early 70's- and nothing, I mean nothing could have prepared us for this experience!!! The amount of hard work, the attention to detail, the history that literally comes to life in real time!!!! The food is wonderful! The staff there are friendly, and have tremendous knowledge that they are eager to share! If you haven't been, book a trip now! If you have been, tell a few friends and go back together! WOW!
Mike P — Google review
Such a great place to visit with family and kids. A lot to learn about space, shuttles and missions. Highly recommend to buy two day admission tickets and register ahead of time for virtual reality experiences. It’s so much fun! Atlantis experience was my favorite by far 👍 make sure you check out the second floor of the gift shop, you can talk to a real astronaut there, get an autograph, take a picture and ask him a question! I’m glad we scheduled this trip on a weekdays! We also got a chance to watch the Falcon9 launch on a second day! Transportation ticket was about $70 extra per person, bus takes you to the spectators place about 3.3 miles away from launch! This is once in a lifetime experience 💯
Zarina Salimova — Google review
A must see place if you are interested and into space exploration. The indoor and outdoor exhibits are top notch and amazing. Plan on spending at least a full day to fully enjoy everything. I was blown away by how well everything was and the size of the exhibits. Great for all ages.
Reuben Reyes — Google review
What a cool place! We have 7 year old twins and could've definitely split this up across a couple of days. We were here all day and started running low on the food we brought and little kids patience. Overall though, everything was great. There was enough to keep the kids and adults entertained.
Brandon Young — Google review
Great place to take students on field trip! I can’t wait to go back in a day that I can explore on my own! The American audacity to explore space is amazing!
The lunch provided on the field trip was amazing. It is such a professionally run operation. The educators were top notch.
John Martinez — Google review
An amazing experience. Great place to take the kids for a day. I recommend doing the explorer tour, well with it. Getting to see all the launch pads and even a couple of bonus things that day. Can spend the entire day here easily. Seeing the Saturn 5 rocket in real life is just incredible
Kyle B. — Google review
Far exceeded my expectations!
I'll start by saying I'm not a huge space nerd or anything (though a general nerd for sure!), and this destination wasn't at the top of my list of places to visit on my Florida trip. I thought the admission price was a bit steep, but I was in the area (and survived the sticker shock of Disney), so decided to go for it.
I went with my wife and 2 and 5 year old daughters. There was so much for all of us to do! The Planet Play, which is basically a giant indoor playground, was amazing. My girls could have just stayed there all day. The exhibits elsewhere were both interactive and informative.
The bus trip to see the Saturn V rocket was absolutely worth it. It just has to be seen to believe how massive it is. The Space Shuttle Atlantis was phenomenal... Actually everything was.
We only got to see a fraction of what there was to see and experience (kids got tired). If I were there by myself, I could have easily spent at least a couple days here. It absolutely exceeded all of my expectations.
Gravel Rider — Google review
Really great place to visit with the family or just adults. There is a lot more to do here than 10 years ago and with minimal wait lines compared to other theme parks. We had a great time and and I would suggest paying extra for the KSC extended bus tour as it stops at a lot of very educational and interesting spots for a once in a lifetime viewing opportunity.
Todd Lewis — Google review
A fantastic learning experience. There are a ton of things to see and do. A crammed full day to try to see as much as possible is doable if you're aware of the times for all the movies and experiences. I snapped a couple photos at the entrance of the attractions and times and flowed from one thing to the next pretty easily and started at 10am. Highly recommend and will always want to come back!
Neal Barham — Google review
Amazing attraction! A must see place for the historical value and the overall value for the history of the human race. The park is well setup, easy to navigate, perfectly managed and organised. I was particularly impressed with the amount of objects of historical importance put in display. You don't want to miss the area dedicated to the Apollo mission . Just a wonderful experience, money well spent. If you can, you should plan the visit over two days as there is a lot to see. Also, make sure not to miss the bus tour!
Simo Calandra — Google review
We had a good time there. With the senior citizen discount it was $70 each plus tax and an extra $10 for parking so it cost over $160 for two of us. Without the discount admission was $75 +tax, and active duty military was $70. They are turning it into a theme park compared to the last time I was there in 1981 which was much different.
I would suggest getting there as early as possible to get to see everything and bring plenty of money.
William McMahon — Google review
This was one of the best experience I've ever had! Just amazed by the exhibition! If you really want to see everything, you'll need more than one day. In one day you can cover pretty everything but without spending much time by reading. It is impressive, huge and amazing! I don't regret any dollars I spent there, and it wasn't cheap. If I'll have opportunity, I'll return
Fillip H — Google review
We had a family trip on December 2023 during Christmas must visit Kennedy Space Center an incredible experience! 🚀✨ It's awesome to see rockets and great work what scientist and astronauts doing and how there journeys are and you can enjoy some food and coffee there. (Even if it was a bit pricey, )
but the overall experience was worth it. Would definitely recommend.!
Sanchita Sen — Google review
My 13 year old son and I visited about a week ago on a Saturday. It took us quite a bit of time to be able to park- so many people on a Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m.! Learn from us and get there earlier. :)
Once we made it past the gates, we absolutely loved our time at the space center. We paid for the Explore Bus Tour. I have no idea what the other bus tour is like but this one was great. The driver made lots of stops so we could get out and take pictures. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and kept us engaged the entire time.
Seeing Saturn V and watching all the presentations/mini-movies are an absolute must! So fascinating and awe-inspiring! I love history and this place was just wonderful! I loved learning about the astronauts and all the men and women that have worked so hard on our space program.
Even if you’re not in love with learning about history, this place is still incredible to see. Oh- and yes, there were a lot of people there but because the visitor center is SO big, it never felt like there were TOO many people. Large crowds were never a big problem for us while there.
Annalee R — Google review
Atlantis was our favorite part, the reveal was amazing and we enjoyed the launch experience. The bus tour was great and very informative. We spent the entire day there and it was enough time for our group. We waited a while to get in but once inside it didn't feel overly crowded and the lines weren't terribly long. One of the employees even showed us a video of himself driving the Mars rover and told us what it was like to do so. This was awesome and put it over the top for our kids.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Watching a live Discovery episode about space travel is the best way to describe it. Don't expect a theme park with intense attractions; instead, it's an educational park where everything is meticulously arranged. The atmosphere is more relaxed than in the big parks, and the staff are a bit friendlier and more helpful. This makes the experience at the KSC a 5-star one. We also had the privilege of witnessing a launch from the grandstands, which was definitely the highlight of the day. We spent 6 hours in the park, including waiting time, so you can easily fill a whole day there.
Steve Graveé — Google review
What a great experience! You can spend the entire day here exploring. There are even training sessions but book way in advance if you want to do those. They offer different tour packages if you're interested in that too. Bus tour is included in the general ticket purchase and well worth taking. Fun surprises throughout the buildings! Must for everyone!
Jennifer Reamer — Google review
My visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was an out-of-this-world experience! I was captivated by the sense of wonder and exploration that permeates every corner of this incredible facility. The Visitor Complex offers a perfect blend of education, entertainment, and inspiration for visitors of all ages. From the awe-inspiring rocket displays to the interactive exhibits showcasing the history and future of space exploration, there's something here to ignite the imagination of every visitor. One of the highlights of my visit was the chance to see real spacecraft up close, including the iconic Saturn V rocket and the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Standing in the shadow of these engineering marvels was a humbling reminder of the incredible achievements of humanity in space exploration.
The educational opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex are second to none. The staff are passionate and knowledgeable, offering insightful commentary and engaging presentations that bring the wonders of space to life in a way that's accessible to visitors of all ages.
I am so disappointed that I could not wait until evening to visit a rocket launch the same evening I was there.
Overall, my visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was truly unforgettable. Whether you're a space enthusiast or simply curious about the wonders of the universe, this is a must-visit destination that will leave you inspired and in awe of the endless possibilities of space exploration. It stands the epitome of what mankind can do - to make the impossible possible.
Santhosh Janardhanan — Google review
If you are into space exploration, the space program, or a history buff, this is the place. We came on a week day, but it was still pretty crowded. Lots of spring break families with their kids. You can take a bus tour to the Saturn program museum. Neat to see the rockets, control rooms, and artifacts from this era. Another building has interactive flight simulators. We chose Mars, the red planet. These are short, maybe 20 minutes, and the chairs move and roll with the simulation. There is also an astronauts hall of fame. We spent only 4 hours but you need at least a day to see everything.
Steve Karl — Google review
This was a unique experience for sure. It seems to be more geared towards children than adults but it does have appeal for adults. There is a lot to see and the 2 day pass is far cheaper per day than a 1 day pass. We went for 1 day and was able to get through everything. If you like to read all the plaques and get more involved with the exhibits I'd recommend planning for 2 days as there is a lot to go through. The food line was chaotic and took a long time but the food was good.
Robert Gailie — Google review
Ever since I was little , I have wanted to visit Kennedy Space Center. I was luck to be in the area for school for a few months and finally got the chance. It did not disappoint in one bit. Everything in the park is so interesting, and it all is amazing to take in. While the tickets are a bit pricey (around 90 bucks), it is well worth it and totally understandable from what you actually get. I would advise, bring water and coming early to be able to see everything.
P J — Google review
Amazing. Staff is friendly and accommodating. The exhibits are interesting, interactive, and inspiring. There is so much to do and see. You really need the whole day. I really enjoyed the time here. Also, we greatly appreciate that there were wheelchair rentals for $10 dollars which made all of the exhibits very accessible for my mom. What a great day!!
Becky Lundberg — Google review
Awesome day exploring the space center and we were lucky enough to witness a launch as well. You definitely need all day here to see and experience everything properly. I definitely recommend the simulation of a launch ride. My dad has his mobility scooter and he was treated like a king 😊👍❤️
Lisa McKnight — Google review
Absolutely worth a visit! There's an abundance of learning, activities, and exploration opportunities here. To skip some of the lines, I recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Visiting on a Saturday, we encountered a queue for entry/security. To make the most of your time, prioritize the bus tour upon arrival—it's a fantastic way to beat the rush before the last bus heads out. The Apollo center videos were informative and engaging for all ages. Spotting native wildlife during the bus ride was also a highlight. Food prices were reasonable, and the kids were thrilled with Planet Play—a super cool play space.
Hollis Garden is a botanical garden located in Orlando, Florida. The garden features a variety of plants and ornamental fountains.
Very beautiful and peaceful. We went on a Sunday afternoon, the weather was great, lots of families all around, but it was not crowded. Beautiful setting right on the lake. Lots of grassy areas for relaxation. It is connected to Barnett Family Playground and Splash Pad, but the playful sounds from the park did not deter from the beauty of the gardens.
Dawn Clardy — Google review
Quite frankly one of my fave places in Lakeland. An always wonderful hit of nature and calm in the middle of the city.
The caretakers/gardeners are also super friendly and have no issues with answering questions about the garden, plants, or anything else you may want to know (within their purview of course). And if you ask they’re more than willing to give cuttings if possible (not always allowed for some). Anyway the whole place is beautiful. It’s well laid out, well structured, and a delightful place to visit.
Nordia — Google review
Always a good time here. Peaceful, clean and a very beautiful environment. Absolutely love this place. It’s also one of my favorite spots in Lakeland.
Tonni N. — Google review
This is a beautiful sculptured garden that borders a lake with interesting spots for multiple age groups. While there, there was a wedding rehearsal, to take advantage of the beautiful settings. The gardens offer ideas on how to group various plants.
James Burchick — Google review
Simply beautiful. Quiet peaceful setting just off Lake Mirror in downtown Lakeland. A perfect place to unwind or take pictures. The plants and flowers are majestic and give off a calming vibe as you walk around. Not huge… but we’ll worth the visit. This place has so many photo opportunities and so much to take in … well worth the trip.
Paul Lamison — Google review
A very nice, small, formal garden next to a lake and open lawn areas. A splash park for children is next door and the most amazing roses I have seen surrounding the "Magnolia Building "which is directly next to Hollis Gardens. I go often just to see the roses.
There is a small cafe at the magnolia bldg. and there are many downtown eateries close by. Great garden for a short stroll. There is no fee to enter.
Public bathrooms are next to the splash park and not well marked, so look for the two-story building beyond the play area / water park.
The kids love the water features and fun looking playground equipment. The nice lawn going down to the lake where the town holds some events gives a good open feel.
The garden has a variety of plants including many Tropicals and some vegetables. Each little area has its own theme, surrounded by boxwood hedging. A fountain runs down toward the lake from a large half circle pergola / pavilion. This area is highest point and the garden and gives you an overlook at the areas you can explore working your way down to the lake. There are several artworks in the gardens and on occasion we have gone into the Magnolia Bldg. for little art shows, etc.
Drive or walk south to Morton Lake to see a great many waterfowl. Swans, black and white, etc.
Rich Dugger — Google review
Very nice public garden on the southern end of Lake Mirror. Free to walk around, with a great variety of plants and flowers. Would be a good location for a portrait shoot. The Garden Bistro was next door was awesome for Sunday Brunch.
Andrew Mackey — Google review
Absolutely beautiful. I'm an avid gardener a d love coming here for ideas and inspiration. It's often overrun with photographers, but easy to navigate around.
Seth Gilland — Google review
Very nice well maintained garden. We loved seeing the multiple fountains, and enjoyed watching the birds give themself a little bath. My oldest son liked the art sculptures that were there. Also enjoyed the little pond with the koi. I think they would benefit from a bigger area to swim. My favorite part was the gardenia trees, they smelled so good when you walked by them. Would definitely recommend a stroll through the garden.
Kristin Wright — Google review
Title: A Botanical Paradise in Lakeland!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars)
Review:
Hollis Garden in Lakeland, FL is an absolute gem that will leave you enchanted with its natural beauty and tranquil ambiance. As a nature lover, I was thrilled to visit this exquisite botanical garden, and it exceeded all my expectations.
From the moment I stepped foot into Hollis Garden, I was captivated by its meticulously designed landscape. The garden is a symphony of colors, featuring a stunning array of vibrant flowers, lush greenery, and beautifully manicured lawns. Every corner seems to have been carefully crafted to offer a feast for the eyes.
One of the highlights of my visit was strolling along the winding pathways that lead to hidden treasures within the garden. Every turn revealed a new breathtaking vista, whether it was the cascading waterfalls, the charming bridges, or the serene ponds adorned with water lilies. It felt like stepping into a fairytale land where nature and art seamlessly merge.
The attention to detail in maintaining the garden is commendable. The staff takes great pride in their work, and it shows. The flowerbeds are immaculate, the sculptures are well-preserved, and the entire garden is kept clean and tidy. It's evident that the team behind Hollis Garden puts in a tremendous amount of effort to create an unforgettable experience for visitors.
Apart from its visual appeal, Hollis Garden offers a sense of tranquility and serenity that is hard to find in today's busy world. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat to unwind or a picturesque spot for a picnic with your loved ones, this garden has it all. I found myself completely immersed in the calming atmosphere, feeling a true connection with nature.
KJ Hillard — Google review
Went here and a lovely walk with some great views and plants. Followed this by walking round lake mirror and seeing the sculptures. Total about 1.5 miles but easy walking. Parking available for free
R Watson — Google review
A small botanical garden with a grand view of the lake in the front. It’s seems like a popular place for people to take photos of weddings and other events in their lives. Best place also for TikTok. Parking is small but additional road side parking
Fowzer - travelideasusa — Google review
This is a review of the Hollis garden in Lakeland Florida.
I believe this to be a city maintained park garden that is surrounded by office buildings and restaurants etc.
They have a fireworks display at 4th of July late at night from the center of the lake.
Is a long walk around but absolutely stunningly beautiful as the lake is filled with various fish, turtles and there are birds, ducks and swans everywhere.
We were here on vacationing visiting family but I would have to say if I lived in the area I would be here constantly it's free to just walk around there are playsets for children, we encountered several friendly people who were walking the perimeter for exercise along with others who are just out for a stroll in their lunch break from offices I assume based on the way they were dressed everyone was in good spirits it was not crowded and fairly neat and clean.
Veteran Veteran — Google review
Very beautiful, beautiful little garden. Well worth the walk through! It's right next to the main lake, downtown, and all the shops! Well kept, lots of flowers, fountains and places to sit and relax
Josiah Kenyon — Google review
The food is excellent and the wait time was good. The food prices weren't bad and were decent compared to most places.
If you like vegan or veteran options, this is the place for you, with meat lovers also getting some love as well.
This place has beautiful scenery and nice staff. The outside area lets you view the downtown lake, and you will be surrounded by excellent infrastructure for ventures and gardens. The flowers and plants are beautiful, and the area is well taken care of.
The only problem is that the outdoor area is limited and a tad small, so if you are planning to take a group there, reserve a table. The standard setting carters to a couple seats, with a few 4-person tables and only 2 tables on the outside patio. There are plenty of seats inside.
I would recommend this place for a hangout for brunch or a morning date.
Ray Thunder — Google review
Hollis Garden is a small but lovely garden area close to the shore of Lake Mirror. The water features and sculptures add to the appeal of the space.
Carol Ann Jason — Google review
My first time at Hollis Garden with my family. It's beautiful, lots of room for walking & taking pictures. Small park & water pads for the kids. My daughter & I enjoyed the ducks, Music & Fish in the Garden. Very relaxing. Would love to return.
Diana Ovalles — Google review
Hollis Garden is beautiful and wonderful place to take pictures. It's right at Lake Mirror awesome place to walk around. There's a few really nice places to eat at. Love it there lots of duck's
Shelly Coville — Google review
Absolutely beautiful scenery, immaculate amount of seashells for a park. So much wild life and places to see in one walk.
Dale Hotchkiss — Google review
What a delight and it's free. Pristine garden and awesome sculpture and fountain. Plus take a walk around the lake.
This was a great tour around the river and wetlands. The captain pointed out lots of examples of the local wildlife including birds, gators and plants/trees. It was educational and a great ride.
Headphones allow you to hear the captains explanations over the noise of the boat and wind.
Holding a gator at the end was a great touch and connected us to the wild gators we saw on the tour.
Art Stanton — Google review
This is a hidden gem. A relaxed, educational and fun time with a cool take off spot. The store has cool swag and a gator picture. It's Florida at it's best. Good people, good time and easy to book.
Daniel Ritchie — Google review
Captain Tony was awesome. We all had a great time. We saw alligators, different birds and even cows. I highly recommend it. You can take your phone and get lots of great pictures.
Jennifer Proudfoot — Google review
The airboat ride was a lot of fun. We were able to see several alligators, including some very big ones. We also saw a lot of different birds including eagles. Captain Sammy was funny, informative and made it an awesome experience. We were a family of 8 which also included teenagers and grandparents and we all really enjoyed it. We also all liked holding the alligator. This was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Amazing experience with an awesome airboat captain. Way better than any 60 second amusement park ride. We saw loads of wildlife and had loads of fun skipping across the water with the wind in our faces. And of course we got to hold a baby alligator at the end. Will definitely be back next time we're in the area!
Mark Schleimer — Google review
Had an airboat tour with Captain Sammy, and what a great experience! She was funny, safe, full of knowledge, and made sure we all had a great time. We saw over 40 gators big & small, tons of wildlife, and a great trip. After we got to hold a baby gator and see some of the other animals they have on site. Money well spent and worth the drive as this was an unforgettable experience. Awesome job Captain Sammy!!
brad l — Google review
We had an amazing adventure with Midway. We had some friends in from out of town who wanted to see alligators. We saw so many gators, as well as beautiful birds and a magnificent landscape of marsh and cypress swamp. Our Captain Tony was so friendly and knowledgeable. We even were able to hold a small gator at the end of the tour. I will definitely use Midway again. Thanks!
Christine Posada — Google review
TLDR: This tour is well worth the money. You will not be disappointed!
My friend and I went on the one hour airboat tour, and we could not have had a more enjoyable time. I have been lucky enough to travel the world and see many areas, but this was by far one of the prettiest places I have ever been. There's so much to look at - gators, manatees, birds, and even cows. The water is so pretty, the trees are cool looking, and the guides are super knowledgeable and passionate about what they're doing. Our guide would stop and get us as close as possible to the gators (without causing them any distress) so we could take pictures. He did this throughout the tour if he saw something really interesting, unique, etc.
As an added bonus, the building where you check in has different types of snakes, a huge pig (who loves belly scratches), birds, and more, which you can see and, depending on the animal, touch. There is also an area with multiple baby gators, and at the end of the tour you get to hold one of them and take a picture.
Haley Gray — Google review
Believe the reviews! We had a trip planned to the Space Coast and decided to try an airboat ride before we headed back to the airport. I scoured local places and read the reviews and was sold on Midway. We had an amazing time - calm but fun, peaceful but exciting! Our captain, Justin, was a great guide, answered tons of questions, and made it a super chill experience. Come for the gators, stay for the pig, birds, cats… Highly recommend!
Fadra Nally — Google review
We had Captain Sami and she was AMAZING!!! My kiddos, although a tad chilly said later it was one of their favorite parts about our vacation. We saw cattle with their calf - gators - gorgeous views and tons of birds. Great experience and completely worth it, holding the baby alligator at the end was cool too.
Victoria Dietz — Google review
We had a great time! Our guide, TONY was the best! Lots to see, gators, cows grazing in the water up to their necks, herons, hawks, eagles, pink birds, black birds! Cypress swamp was beautiful! We were down here for the race but this was truly at the top of the list for the weekend! This needs to be on your to do list.
Shamus Harris — Google review
Absolutely loved this experience. We just moved to Florida and this was a great way to learn more about the state. We got to see so much wildlife, and got to be in nature. Our guide was amazing. She was funny and didn't kill us so I'd say that's a plus. Kind welcoming people with a sense of humor. 10/10 recommend 👌
Kaelyn Hops — Google review
We had THE BEST time at Midway! We spent 5 days in FL doing many excursions and everyone agreed that this was our favorite!! Our captain was fun, kind, and so knowledgeable! She even stopped to take pictures of our groups and answer questions. We saw a ton of gators, cows, and birds! We all loved holding the alligator at the end too! So much fun! Highly recommend!!
Danielle Betti — Google review
We absolutely loved this place. Our schedule changed and we ended up arriving 2 hours early, hoping to get out earlier. They made special accommodations for us and took such good care of us. My kids also loved all the animals while we waited for the ride and our tour guide was amazing. For sure one of the most memorable days of our trip. I’ll come back here every time we visit Orlando. Such a fun experience!
Josh Robbins — Google review
Captain Sammi was the best! She had us out on the water for an hour and 15 minutes. The whole trip she was giving us fact after fact about everything we saw out on the water. We saw a lot of gators and birds, we had a bald eagle fly right over our heads it was incredible. At the end we got the chance to hold a 3 year old alligator it was an amazing experience and I highly recommend to anyone who loves nature.
West Brunswick — Google review
I’ve been many times in the past few years and it’s always amazing. The beauty, wildlife, gators and Captains are the best there is. Thanks Captain Tony and Sammie. We bring all our guests here. Online booking makes it easy.
anne bowman — Google review
Very fun experience. You get to hold the bird and there’s animals like cats and a potbelly pig. The airboat ride is fun and the guide, Tony, was very entertaining and informative. Very relaxing at times and gets fun going up in speed. You get to hold a small alligator at the end!
Sean Green — Google review
Orlando is not just parks. A must if you want a wild but safe experience!! 🐊 🚤☀️
My kids enjoyed it too.
Captain Chris made it an unforgettable experience.
Alejandra Concha — Google review
We came without a reservation but we were able to make it on the next boat with a group of 5. It was about 50$ per person, it may be cheaper to get tickets online ahead of time. Our guide was amazing and knew a lot about the area ! He was fun and we did the last tour of the evening. The views were beautiful and we would do a boat tour again for sure ! To our guide : thank you for the memories !!
Kortney DeMent — Google review
Very pleasant experience. Would recommend. The hour tour is just the right amount of time. We were able to see beautiful wildlife and extraordinary beauty in the cypress marsh. Our Captain was pleasant and informative. We left feeling very happy we took the tour.
carolgilmo — Google review
Airboat Rides at Midway is a great way to see wildlife in the Florida waters. One hour gives you enough time to see gators, cows and birds. The airboat itself is smooth and a fun ride for you and your family. The guide, Captain Justin, was super friendly and knowledgeable. You are given headsets to hear the captain who explains the area and lets you know what to see. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who likes boat rides and wildlife.
Daniel Carro — Google review
It was nice and sunny day
Out boat tour started morning
And we saw many alligators coming out in the sun and other native wildlife during the tour.
It was nice experience
Dhiraj Kharche — Google review
Fantastic experience. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. It wasn't very warm so most of the animals were hiding but it was still a great ride. You can hold one of the parrots and an alligator too.
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park where visitors can see marine life including dolphins, penguins, and killer whales. There are also exhibits with smaller animals like turtles and sea lions. There are educational aspects to the park too which is great for children. The resort-style pool complex at the Renaissance Orlando Resort features an interactive water playground that's one of the most entertaining in Orlando.
This was the best park of all 3 we visited those time. plenty to do. All included meals. I was worried how people talk about how poorly the animals are treated. But I seen wonderfully healthy animals thriving. Our 5 kids 6 to 19 loved it. Great deal and we are definitely going to go back next visit. Christmas decorations and rides for big kids made it a perfect day.
Heather Mc — Google review
The shows here are very good. Dolphins, Killer Whales, & Sea Lion shows were very informative & action packed shows. Definitely recommend getting to the shows at least 30 minutes before start time to get a decent seat.
Lines for everything is crazy. 1-2 hour lines for food, popular roller coasters, & of course entering the parking lot. As others suggested, definitely eat a big breakfast to power through the first few hours at this park as outside food is strictly prohibited besides bottled water. Otherwise, if you get here early try to order food upon entering before the lines get crazy in the early afternoon.
One of my favorite exhibits was the penguin experience. Tip, try going towards the park closing as the regular line was only 15 minutes to get in, not bad.
Good luck, and enjoy.
Alex L. — Google review
One of the best and affordable theme parks in Orlando. New rides added. Killer whales show is still the best overall now with a total educational program that your kids will love it. Totally worth the visit. 4 stars because food is below average for the price and you cant bring anything with you. Not healthy or decent choices. Everything else, from staff to service is great. Enjoy your visit. Take it from a local guy that lives two blocks away from it.
Nelson Roman — Google review
Great experience! Definitely get a dining plan but share it because it is a ton of food! We also got a souvenir drink cup that we shared and refilled for free that helped with cost. The Quick Queue passes are a game changer and my kids were able to ride all the rides in one day. The animal shows are educational, entertaining, and funny. The animal viewings are fantastic. I really enjoyed seeing their Rescue animals and knowing they make a difference in the welfare of so many animals in the wild.
Corri Stanley — Google review
Great place for the whole family. Buy the all day food voucher as expensive to eat inside park if not. We went mid week and Ques were very short. Good wheel chair or mobility scooter access to all areas of the park. Staff were excellent and very friendly. Your ticket also allows this park to keep working on Marine conservation!
paul masterman — Google review
Fun place to visit. Kids enjoyed the rides and shows with dolphins and whale's.
Lot to see and do,one day is not enough for sure to see it all. We came at great time, before Christmas when everything is decorated and there is snow with Xmas trees,just beautiful. Recommend! 🥰
Nataša Malinda — Google review
Park was busy which was to be expected. To ensure you get the most out of your day (shows, entertainment, roller coasters etc) I would highly recommend purchasing the fast pass to ensure you don’t waste your time and energy waiting in 2 hour lines. I was hesitant because of the amount but I never had to wait in lines, I was able to experience all the shows, ride for an unlimited time, eat and still have fun without wasting time. You go for the experience and the fast pass will ensure you have a fun time.
Sarah Victoria — Google review
We visited Sea World on a beautiful 70 degree Florida day in February! We went during the week, and it was not crowded at all. The parking experience was fine and very quick. There was a minimal wait to get into the park. We did purchase a year pass for the same price as a one day admission! We loved the seal/ sea lion show ( You will get wet if you sit up close). My favorite was the shark exhibit and the Shark Experience Restaurant, where you can dine while watching sharks swim around you! I thought the park employees were helpful in directing us around. Yes it's pricey here, but I think this is the best theme park in Florida!
Robert — Google review
An experience for the whole family. We came with a baby girl and even she enjoyed it.
I recommend arriving early to get everything done and not miss the shows.
There is a huge variety of animals and shows with huge aquariums and interesting animals
Don't miss the the seals (and tom the mime), orcas and dolphins.
*We came in the middle of the week and didn't buy the express ticket and there was really no point, there weren't such big queues
Nadav Meir — Google review
Penguin exhibit was the coolest part for us. It was about an hour wait to get into the exhibit. Lines for food is just atrocious as well as the popular coasters. Eat big before you head into the park and give yourself some time before hanger sets in. Cool shows and great animal exhibits. Sea lions were cool and you can go and buy food to feed them. Good times, just wish the lines weren't so bad
Fung Szeto — Google review
This place was amazing! Could very well be my favorite amusement park. The variety of things to do makes it a perfect spot for the roller coaster riding thrill seeker, as well as the laid back admirers of sea animals. This place is essentially a zoo for sea faring animals and it does a great job at letting you interact with these beautiful creatures. Feeding the seals and sea lions was one of my favorite activities. There are enough eateries to satisfy the pickiest eater, and if you're really making a full day of it, the all day eating pass is a nice option. With so many photogenic attractions, this is a great place to create some lifelong memories with the family!
Jonathan Chambliss — Google review
I loved the shows and the food. I recommend buying the food inclusive package. My first experience ever at Sea World and loved the animals. Each show, I oohheed and awed at all the work behind the scenes that went into each performance. The love the trainers have for the animals is expressly seen and awesome. The time they had to put in for a show, wow. The energy was contagious.
Marcie Hennings — Google review
4 of us went ( all adults ) . We bought the food package, which we very much recommend. We weren't worried about going on the rides, but did she all the shows. It's not like it used to be a few decades ago , The shows were short, and all ended with a speech to appeal to the animal activists. Overall had a great time. Highly recommended specially for kids. Make sure you see the penguin house !
Rick Nedescu — Google review
Been here plenty of times. Came this time for the Craft Beer & Food Festival. All the stations were open, even after a storm that lasted about an hour. Park was crowded even after the rain & 100 degrees weather. All the food from the stands were good. Roller coaster rides were all about a 50 minute wait. Penguin encounter is closed & fenced off. Overall a good Aquarium park.
Christopher — Google review
My dad took me here in the late 80s and again a few days ago. Great experience to see everything & how amazing the park has grown. Definitely bring your family and friends here. We also got tickets to see the Halloween Theme After Hours and It Was Fun.
BENNY — Google review
Pleasantly surprised. Shows were fun. Roller Coasters are way better than Disney World. Tickets are affordable, park merchandise not so much, all day meal plan are worth it. 4 stars because the kraken was not available. Just had a fun time overall.
Michael Silva — Google review
Sea world was a lot of fun! I highly recommend getting the fast pass. We rode everything and the longest wait was like 15 minutes. The dolphin experience was pretty cool too. Food isn’t great, but what do you expect lol. A fun day indeed!
Jacob Kersting — Google review
Although we didn't go on any rides and only wanted to see the animals. I would recommend buying tickets in advance. The rides had about a 60+minute wait on everything. It was hard to maneuver with kids running wildly with no care and no one watching them. If you are old enough try one of their cocktails, they were good and they have a lot of liquor in them so it was worth the price.
Justin Saiz — Google review
My family and I had a great time. If you have a little one the best spot is sesame street. My daughter had a blast on the kiddie rides and couldn't stay still in line to take photos with Elmo and friends. My wife had her fun on the roller coasters while I enjoyed the animal shows and all the animal exhibits. Definitely a great way to spend the day.
Rogelio Alvarez — Google review
Great family park! We went for a family trip ranging in ages 3 to 72.
The animals are fascinating for all ages. In addition to viewing, there are several shows that give you a chance to learn more about them while being entertained.
For the younger children, you can spend time in Sesame Street Land. With tamer rides, a splash pad and playground, as well as a parade, it's the perfect place for the little ones.
The roller coasters are crazy, probably some of the best in the area!
For a very affordable theme park experience, go to their website and check out the hotel packages. You can't beat the prices!
AJ McGwire — Google review
We brought our son here on Thursday, and he had a blast! He got to see all kinds of animals from flamingos, dolphins, sharks, alligators, walrus, seals, sea lions, otters, sea turtles, beluga whales, etc. I honestly was not expecting the park to be as big as it is, nor did I know it was also a theme park. I honestly thought it was like an aquarium. I did not expect there to be rides. The rides were themed around some sea animals, which I thought was creative! There are 4 different parking areas, if I remember correctly: RV, general, preferred, and VIP parking areas. I recommend families to bring their kids here for an amazing experience!
Montana Danner — Google review
That place had no summer heat tolerance. They don’t have drinking water fountains , no tents or covers, no tents, limited AC places, lines over 90 minutes.
No sprays or refreshing areas.
Totally disaster to go there in summer.
Not enough staff. Ride that could pass 40 people in one hour took ages to make.
Also nothing to do there for small kids.
Only shows.
This park has to make major changes to respect guests and make more refreshing areas.
And now you can’t buy separate fast pass for each ride- must buy 130$ per person on top of tickets quick queue even if you came for few hours.
I’m gonna skip this place for a while and not renew my membership as my daughter and i almost got overheated with THERMO hit.
We had headaches both.
Could do only 2 shows and one ride.
Dolphins show and killer whale was the only refreshing fun.
Ilona Nesterova (ILONA_TRAVELONA) — Google review
Great family experience. Sea World started out its operating day with the national anthem. They offer an amazing military/ veteran discount. The park was clean. The lines were not long. Rides were great, and the whole family learned a lot. Highly recommend for families.
PJ Wallace — Google review
The underwater exhibits are the best, and you should definitely check out all of the live animal shows if you can. While the animal exhibits are great, the park feels poorly configured and oftentimes you're walking a good while before you can see the next most interesting thing. Because of that, the park can sometimes feel very sparse in certain sections of the park. If it's raining, try to go to one of the underwater exhibits, we got stuck outside when it poured with nowhere to go. The staff seems to disappear when it rains as well.
Joe W — Google review
First time to SeaWorld! I had a great time. I love how much water there is, and the new pipeline coaster is super fun. We watched a dolphin and killer whale show, and they were both as amusing as they were educational. You're able to ride every coaster that was open, except for one. But we will certainly be back!
Eric Ray — Google review
If you are considering going to Sea World, just go! It’s wonderful. We had such a nice day even though it did sprinkle. The shows are wonderful. We went to all of them. We were able to buy discounted tickets ahead of time and also got the all day dining on sale. Much cheaper than going to a Disney theme park. The Christmas show was fantastic. The mime was funny at the sea lion show. It was a day well spent and the park was decorated for Christmas. We were there the day before Thanksgiving.
Mary Beason — Google review
Rides: I enjoyed the rides, especially the manta. the lines were moving pretty quickly
Shows: still enjoyable, especially the dolphins show, Otter and seal encounter. We were hoping to catch the Blue Horizon show, but we're told that they do not have that anymore.
Other animals encounters like shark, sting rays ... etc. It's not as great compared to the last time we were there (9 years ago). The touch tanks were pretty bad. There was no attendant there to interact with the kids. All the tanks are very dull and murky, not great condition for photos.
Overall, I would give it a 3 because it didn't give us the excitement that it used to. The atmosphere was kind of stale. The staff whom we encountered with were very monochromatic, with no personality, lack of passion.
Teresa — Google review
We purchased season tickets to all 4 parks as a local Florida resident with a large family we found it to be the best deal.
Our first visit to SeaWorld was great and the family had a great time. I recommend knocking out your rides you want to do right away in the morning and doing the shows and exhibits after as the ride wait times got significantly longer as the day went on.
We went during the Seven Seas food festival and it was fun to try different foods the kids really enjoyed it and the food was better than I expected.
Over all the experience was great and we will be back again. The reason for the 4 stars and not 5 is that we found we had several issues with staff helpfulness throughout the day.
It started with parking there was a hold up in our line for over 15 minutes and then when we got to the booth they for got to give us our preferred parking pass so that caused more issues when we went to park.
Later in the park when trying to use some of our membership rewards and redeem the free animal feeding we had the same issue. We were told we had to have a paper ticket not a digital ticket but had to ask the staff several times where to get it from but he brushed us off the first few times.
Lastly we once again tried to redeem some season pass perks with free food tastings but the app was not working properly and our options was to take a 30 minutes walk to guest service or figure it out on our own. We ended up have to redeem it directly from the website on our phones native browser as the app on multiple phones would not let us complete the checkout but it still took 20 minutes or so to figure out.
Jess Probasco — Google review
The staff were all very friendly and approachable when we had questions or help needed for anything. The shows were good, entertaining, and educational. All the rides were fun and safe, and since we had quick passes, our wait time was minimal to get on. I also enjoyed how almost every ride had easy purchase access for pictures taken, and they were quickly available, so you weren't waiting and wasting valuable time for them. Another positive is how they were able to crop the photos to get only your group of people in it, you also have an option for digital and a print out of the picture to frame in one they sell or no frame at all. Years ago, they didn't offer that. The food and drinks were on point. SeaWorld is the place to go with your family for fun without a doubt for sure. From feeding the wildlife, watching the shows to riding the roller coasters, there's fun for everyone of all ages!
Nichole Fulton — Google review
Here's the real deal... SeaWorld is great. The food quality is decent and expected for a theme park. However, the price is a bit out there for what is offered.
General parking today is $37!
There are no half-day (after 4pm) tickets.
The best values are adding the Quick Queue, animal feedings, and the all-day meals.
Alex Gaskins — Google review
Came for vacation and it was out first time. We bought our tickets online which sped up the process to enter the park. The orca show was absolutely wonderful. Very interesting to learn about the orcas and crazy how they have been trained. The kids world was perfect. Lines were long! But that is expected. I'd definitely get the fast passes next time although they are not for the kiddie rides. Lots to do and see. Loved all the exhibits. My kids enjoyed themselves. Fun park!
Courtney — Google review
Always a favorite spot to visit. It's great for the whole family & our kids love it! Shows are lots of fun! Plan to spend all day to get all of the experience in because there's a ton to see. We do suggest getting the Dining Pass... It turns out to be worth it for the meals & in between drinks & snacks.
Brad Westberry — Google review
Loved it! But wasn't prepared for the water ride that drenched you, needed fast drying clothes & shoes! Did not want to pay $6 for a dryer:( Animals appeared happy in their environments and great shows!
Kandy Heiman — Google review
This was our first visit back here in about 20 years and wow! I am very impressed with the growth of this park. So many improvements and additions…
We enjoyed the Dolphin show, the Sea Lion show and all the beautiful aquariums. The Shark area was fantastic!! Manatees and turtles… alligators and flamingos all things Florida and so many coasters!
Gift shops with nice merchandise and plenty of food options.
Easy parking. No wait to get in on a Saturday at 9:15 am
This was enjoyable for all of us- from 9 months to 56 years old. We all loved it.
I highly recommend a visit here!
Lynn Ringis — Google review
Very fun, educational and interesting. Lots of animals and shows, fun roller coaster rides, a kids area and food. It is only card for all payments but they do have machines that give you instant prepaid cards on site. Easy to navigate as it’s really a big circle. Im sad that the Antarctica exhibit was closed but I’m excited that they’re building a new roller coaster and area.
JC Olson — Google review
We had a fantastic time. Kids were fairly young, but there were tons of things they could do. They even got to ride a few coasters, which they were excited about. With adult rides, they have a good parent swap, so you can both get a chance to ride while the other watches the kids. Naturally, there are lots of shows you should definitely watch. There are lots of exhibits to see all the cool fish, turtles, and sharks. It's not the cheapest place, but none of these parks are, but the experience is worth it.
Disney's Animal Kingdom is a vast wildlife sanctuary, divided into six sections where visitors can experience animal encounters, thrill rides, safaris and shows. It aims to combine the elements of a theme park with those of a zoo and African safari. The attraction also incorporates Disney characters and storytelling for an immersive experience. Among the highlights not to be missed are Finding Nemo The Musical, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest.
This is one of our favorite Disney parks, especially when the weather starts to get cooler. We concentrated on the Asia and Africa portions of the park today. These are very well themed and make you feel like you are in another exotic part of the world. There are many interesting things to see and do there. Their crowning glory is the Tree Of Life that greets you when you first enter the main part of the park. It has many intricate wood carvings that make it up and it houses the It's Tough to be a Bug attraction. There is one of the best restaurants in Florida located here too. The Yak and Yeti restaurant. The best thing I like is all the different vegetation, waterfalls and wildlife that you can see here. There are several nature trails you can walk, a safari and even a train ride. These also are live shows, rides and plenty of places to buy souvenirs, food and drink. You will certainly be kept entertained and well fed if you go here.
John Haddock — Google review
Pandora was mind blowing, a floating mountain over your head! Wow. Really impressive, well done Disney. Tree of life is always amazing, wish the food was better. Also pretty crowded and we went on a weekday in May. Didn’t have a chance to get on any rides, and we were at the park at 8 o’clock. We’re not willing to wait an hour for a ride, but apparently lots of people are. We had perfect weather, so didn’t feel the need for AC. Several of the animal habitats were being cleaned, so we didn’t see tigers or antelope. Overall a really nice day
Mary Lou Keller — Google review
Great place to experience all types of animals, ants, culture, and great rides! The Yeti is one of my favorite roller coasters, the view before the drop is amazing! Pandora is a BEAUTIFUL area, the rides are very fun and definitely raises all senses. The area in within itself is exquisite, especially at night. The safari is the most interesting aspect, to have the ability to see such animals up close is so cool and we all are so fortunate to have the opportunity to experience this. Animal Kingdom is overall a great place to bring kids and photo ops!
Jackie F — Google review
Absolutely great experience. If you can wait a bit, Avatar ride is by far the best experience I've ever had. The expedition to Himalaya is fun too as well as the Safari. The park is smaller than Magic Kingdom but definitely recommended.
Michael Wiedemann — Google review
If you are planning a big Disney vacation this is a good kingdom to start with as a warm up. I highly recommend the fast pass and lighting lanes if you don't want to wait in long lines. This park isn't as crowded so it was a good way to learn how to schedule rides and plan out your day. Pandora was really beautiful and my son made himself into an action figure! Lion King show was really amazing. I get motion sickness really easy and I could handle all the rides fairly easy. It did rain almost every day so bring a pair of flip flops and a poncho. We put our sneakers away when it would rain so they wouldn't get wet. If you like nature and animals this is a great park to visit. Lots of food choices. We brought water bottles and protein bars to cut on some food costs.
Maria Velasquez — Google review
Went on a Sunday in September.
Easily, my most favourite park! Got there for 8am solo with genie plus activated. Got my shaking Jamaican and walked on and off every ride. It was great. The music, the atmosphere, the food, the authenticity of the countries. The jungle juice is super underrated! The safari ride was amazing, as we got to see a elephant taking a bath (apparently, rare). If the park was open later and had the light show, I could have stayed the whole time just staring at the architecture. The cast members are very nice and helpful to get where you need to go.
I wasn't a huge fan of the corn on the cobb. I've had better.
Jan M — Google review
I recently revisited Disney's Animal Kingdom Park after a few years, and it was just as magical as I remembered, if not more. The park has made some new additions that are absolutely fantastic. The Avatar ride, in particular, is a standout – it's so impressive! The rides throughout the park are great fun and there's something for everyone, no matter your age. One of the best parts of the park is the variety and quality of food available at the restaurants; they really add to the experience. And of course, seeing the animals roam freely is a joy. This park truly offers a bit of everything for everyone, making it a perfect destination for families or anyone looking for a fun day out.
Arelys Q — Google review
Our first visit here and it was amazing! The tree of Life is a gorgeous sight to see and the wild birds flying around the area brought the place to life among all the people. Wish the park was open later as we could have stayed much later than the 5pm close time as there is lots to see especially if you or the kids enjoy nature/animal watching.
The scenery in each section of the park is a spectacle and the Avatar themed Pandora land was what I couldn’t wait to explore. It’s unreal being there and Flight of Passage had to be my personal favorite ride of all 4 parks.
This park stands apart from the rest connected you feel to the plants and animals throughout and although there are less rides overall, it’s well worth the trip because of what they offer.
Bonus: huge Starbucks with quick service to give you a cool boost to battle the summer heat!
Disney world is definitely a magical place and this park carries on that theme just as strong as the others!!
Randy Douglas — Google review
It was lush and gorgeous everywhere we went! Even the places where we waited in lines were interesting and well-kept. We loved the bug show inside the big tree, the jungle safari, and the Pandora river ride.
Leah Tobey — Google review
We had an amazing time! We love this park. My only complaint is the crowd levels. It's always packed, so be prepared. I'm very excited to see the updates coming to this park. The rides are all amazing. I really enjoy the safari too. Just all around was another fantastic day. Also, I love seeing the pin boards back out and all around.
Mel W — Google review
Great time! Highly recommend if you have little one’s. There is plenty to see and do that everyone has fun. A few playground areas are scattered around the park too so you can sit and watch your kids play or join them in the fun! We did a few rides, but mainly enjoyed the ambiance and the animals. Again it was perfect with our little guy!
Caleb Wright — Google review
Perfect weather! We went to all the islands, the Pandora ride left me completely speechless, really was a lot of fun. Got drenched in Asia, the ride was nice but it seemed like I took a shower! Safari was great, got to see many of the animals (pics included). Did not sit down for one minute.
Is n exciting place
Astric Cruz — Google review
An amazing weekday experience at the Animal Kingdom. The lush landscape and beautiful wildlife makes it all worth it. Entertaining shows and highlights like rides and attractions are the cream on top. It was my first experience and surely one to remember. I think you need a few days to get the full experience but it was certainly something incredibly memorable for the kids and adults.
Tasha Ceres — Google review
Animal kingdom to me is the best park by far. I love the animals and all the different things you can see and try their. Perfect for taking photos too in various places! I highly recommend the festival of the lion king show! Took scout with me my lion character.
Braze Wolf — Google review
Really awesome place to visit for the family. Must see area in the park is the avatar area! Lots of good places to shop and eat. Rainforest cafe was great. Definitely go on the Safari to check out all the different animals in the park. Park ride lines were not to bad unless you are waiting for avatar. Overall great experience and would recommend checking this park out.
J — Google review
Each Disney park has a unique look and experience but animal kingdom is one of the most unique looking and feeling places out of the 4 parks. Plus they have the Avatar attraction! Kids loved the park! It’s especially nice during the time they have Christmas decorations up as well.
Justin B — Google review
Amazing! This is the best park of the four if you like more chill stuff. There are rides for all ages and it is extremely fun! I recommend the feathered friends in flight show!
Parker — Google review
Had a great family visit. We especially enjoyed the safari. Everything is expensive, but if you know that coming in its saves some frustration. A lot of walking covering a lot more area than anticipated. Nice playground for small kids provides a good break.
Bob Mueller — Google review
Had a great time there. The lines were insane long next time we will get genie+ and get lightning lane passes. I feel it's worth the money. We spent more than 2 hours in line for avatar flight of passage.
The ride was amazing tho. Me and my gf loved it. It's a technical marvel. Was awesome
Secret for this ride is to get in the middle. Know you really don't have a choice but if you can figure it out... sit in the middle. There's a little bit of visual distortion on the outside seats.
We go lucky seated in the middle
Random Someone — Google review
Amazing experience however roller coaster was down.
But park was clean, was easy to wander, nice rides and experiences. The safari was amazing to see. Variety of food choices.
Some Longish waits for rides but I think that’s normal.
jen.juhlke — Google review
Animal Kingdom is hands down the best of all the Disney Parks. It's stunningly beautiful. The lines move fast and are amazing! The food is so good. So many awesome animals and photo opportunities! Also a ton of places to sit in the shade! We had a wonderful day, and since we gate dropped we did a ton of stuff and even managed a lightning lane for Flight of Passage!
Brandy Nelson — Google review
So not the best park for rides if you don't like avatar or animals but if you do this is awesome. We love Avatar and this park has been a long time bucket list. Flight of passage, and river journey are both great rides and have lived up to expectations. Recommend getting genie+, there are not a lot of rides here but it's worth getting just to do those 2. Ride times for them never got below 1 hour the whole day we were there. Pay to ride Passage and book lightning lane for journey. Also Recommend going to Nomad Lounge at 11 when they open to put your name in for a table later in the day. We got in line at 11:20 and got a table at 2. When we came back at 2 they were booked for the whole day. There drinks and small plates are so outside of normal park eats and they are a real treat. The best ice cream sandwich was in Dino land USA, at Dino bites. It's a great dessert and really helps cool you off.
Nerdy Family — Google review
Some of our best Disney magic photos or in this park. It was our first time visiting the park and it was worth it. I would say that if you're planning a Disney trip, you can do this one in particular and under a day. It was not my favorite park, but they've done a wonderful job putting it together. If you're into the hole Safari thing and avatar, this is the place for you.
Shan Lee — Google review
The experience with in the park was awesome and educational in areas. There are boats that go around the river in this park with characters and bands. The rides were fun and I highly recommend the Pandora area for the flight ride.
April Milton — Google review
It was my first time going here since I was very young and don't remember, so it felt like my first time going here. I had high expectations considering it was Disney, and I think it still exceeded expectations.
Some of the views are amazing between Pandora and Mount Everest, and the Yeti ride is up there as one of the best rides at Disney.
Tony Puglisi — Google review
Beautiful place but I think it has very few attractions inside, one day will be more than enough to do everything and get time to rest.
We went with our little girls and they got in love with animals and shows ❤️
Service as usual was good and helpful.
We enjoyed it a lot
Josias Madrid — Google review
Very clean park with a great safari and very nice shows but not my favorite Disney park. We were there at rope drop first thing in the morning and the Aviator ride Flight of Passage was already at a 50 minute wait time by the time we ran to it (I was unable to grab the lightning lane tickets). Not as many rides but their animal exhibits were nice. The Lion King show and both bird shows were awesome. I will say because it's a smaller park it only takes a half day so it's easier to park hop.
Sarah Cat — Google review
Love Animal kingdom! Been there multiple times and every time we had so much fun. At safari ride, you see different animals.
I love going to Gorilla Fall. Baby gorillas have grown up quite a bit since last year, and teenage boys were moved to different locations.
Best part of the park is Avatar ride! Regardless of long line, it’s worth waiting.
Lion King show is a MUST!
This is the first time we saw the show and were blown away! The costumes, quality of show was comparable to the Broadway show in smaller scale.
My daughter went to the river raft ride and got soaked but had so much fun. When you get tired, you can sit on by the water in Asia, have ice coffee and pastries from Joffrey.
Whether you want to see animals and stroll around the park or want to get on fun rides, Animal Kingdom has everything you can imagine and much more.
Amy Kang — Google review
We went to animal kingdom on springs break with my son 5 years old and my teen age daughter. Both had a lot of fun. I recommend to go early morning and start with the avatar theme park. Don’t miss the safari ride. Do it ether on the early morning or the end of the day for the waiting time. Download the app it will help you a lot with the waiting time and with guid your trip.
Daliah B — Google review
The park boasts breathtaking beauty and offers an extensive array of attractions and amenities. Its aesthetic charm is truly remarkable, evoking the enchanting ambiance of movies seen on both TV and the big screen. The attractions are meticulously designed to provide boundless entertainment, catering to individuals of all ages (it's virtually impossible for anyone not to relish this park experience!). Furthermore, the park's infrastructure is tailored to ensure visitors enjoy optimal convenience: the restrooms are impeccably maintained and conveniently located, a diverse selection of food and beverages is readily available throughout the premises, and lockers are provided for storing belongings securely before embarking on any rides. Additionally, the park staff are exceedingly attentive and helpful, further enhancing the overall guest experience. Whether you're seeking thrills, relaxation, or simply a day of family fun, this park undoubtedly exceeds expectations, leaving a lasting impression on all who visit.
Leonardo Noronha — Google review
It’s my second favorite park other than magic kingdom. It felt absolutely amazing inside it. All the nature sound and atmosphere, the animals and the attractions. Disney totally killed it for this one. Looking forward to come back again next year!
X z — Google review
Phenomenal experience. Escape from Everest, Kilimanjaro Safari, Na'vi River Cruise, Flight of Avatar are all top notch attractions. The Pandora section is breathtaking, especially after dark. One year we'll spend more than just a day here to experience everything this place has to offer. So many themed shops and eateries and they're all so well done. And in typical Disney style, everything is just perfect, from the attractions, stores, eateries, to the garbage cans and the bathrooms.
Deen Blash — Google review
IMHO...Best family fun through out Disney. All the wildlife and plants give it a warm, comfortable feel.
The bug show is only 10 minutes, but recommend doing this when when you want comedy and excitement.
The Lion King is also a must as it blends acrobats with a good story, and fun, familiar music.
Recommend purchasing a separate lightning pass for Avatar...to say it is a 4D simulator does not do it justice. The separate pass does not interfere with the regular lightning pass.
Tom Erb — Google review
My personal favorite park. As an animal and nature lover it doesn't disappoint! My personal favorite is an event they do called birds of flight they do in the center view of the big tree. A whole bunch of parrots fill the sky and come down around everyone and they're gorgeous birds. It's also home to my favorite coaster in all the Disney parks, Everest. Avatars area is incredibly detailed. Plus, it's practically like visiting the zoo!
joshua salter — Google review
This park was so much fun! We took my stepson, baby girl, and my parents. The safari ride was amazing! The kids loved seeing all the animals up close and personal. It was my first time as well, and it was a great experience. We went to the Avatar area, and my daughter loved it. She was only 9 months old and was allowed to ride in the Avatar River ride. The food was great, even though it was expensive, it was worth every penny. Lastly, we ate at Rainforest Cafe and it was thoroughly enjoyable!
Ashley Evans — Google review
Animal Kingdom was one of the three parks my family and I visited during our Disney Trip, and despite my very much looking forward to visiting, I was really disappointed.
If you don't get Genie+ ahead of time and don't get the park super early, go ahead and expect 45 minute plus waits for almost every major attraction. We did get to do the safari and a few other minor rides, which was fine, but it simply felt like there was nothing but an absolute mass of people any which way you turned, even on a weekday. We still very much enjoyed ourselves, and I always enjoyed the food and snacks in this park.
Just beware that all the shaded spots will constantly be unavailable just due to the sheer amount of people in the park. Next time we come, I might just skip Animal Kingdom this time around.
Robert Maxwell — Google review
This had some of the best visuals of the park. Disney has done a really great job here. Between Avatar, It's tough to be a Bug, Expedition Everest and River Journey you will have a busy and fun day.
Art Bezzeg — Google review
First time visitor to Disney Animal Kingdom. It was fantastic. The "Tree of Life" is spectacular. We went on the private tour (14 people) of Behind the Scenes Elephant area. Cora, the baby elephant was there. Elephants roamed freely in a very large, open area.
Our Guide was enthusiastic and well-informed. Learned a great deal about Elephants, the Disney live animal philosophy and the profile of a Disney Guide. Guides seem to love their job. They're tenured employees with years of experience.
Walt Disney World® Resort is a renowned destination that includes expansive resorts, dining options, shops, and four theme parks featuring various rides and shows. The Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World stands out as Central Florida's sole AAA five-diamond resort, offering top-notch amenities from one of the world's leading luxury hotel brands.
Disney is always a beautiful destination but I have some recommendations. My first recommendation is, if you don’t like waiting in long lines buy the lightning pass. Also if you’re a thrill seeker there may be a couple rides for you but they’re mostly shows. Wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing because it will be hot and it’s a big park so there will be a lot of walking involved. Stay hydrated, bring a backpack so you don’t have to carry anything by hand. Lastly but most importantly have fun. All in all it is an experience so enjoy it.
zelekah niles — Google review
I have visited several times Disney World before the pandemic and really enjoyed it. Very Beautiful and lot of activities for Kids and Adults as well. Our recent visit was a little disappointment . We went there last spring break and the park was very busy. It took a long time to get into any rides or activities unless you pay more for the fast lane. Also 2 week’s before the spring break all the parks except EPCOT were fully booked. We’re lucky we’re still able to Book EPCOT because on the start of spring break all the parks were fully booked. Also you need to get a park reservation in advance in addition to your pass tickets to enter the park. And it cost $25 to park your car inside the park. I advise that you install the My Disney application to help you navigate the park. The application gives you update in real time how Long the wait for each rides in the park as well as schedule times of each activities in the park. You can also use the application to buy tickets and park reservation .The fireworks at EPCOT was amazing. Overall still a good place to visit probably better if you go there on off season..
Manny Alonzo — Google review
It is a lot of walking and not for the weak. Take your water bottles to refill to save on spending.
Overall we had a GREAT time. There are Lightning Lanes available to get on rides faster that cost $20 (like a fast pass). First day was Hollywood Studios then last half of the day Animal Kingdom. Day 2 we went to Magic Kingdom and it's so spread out we did not make it to Epcot. I recommend the Magic Bands because you can basically use it like a pay app on your wrist. We lived it up and used the Magic Bands and charged everything to the room. We liked the Monorail system and took the Ferry Boat back to parking.
Pardeep Kumar — Google review
Oh my gosh this place is nuts. So many fun things to do. The rides, the food, the merchandise. Everything here is so fun and just a great experience. The first recommendation i have is the Magic Kingdom Park, this place is literally magical just like the name says. The next stop is Disneys Animal Kingdom Theme park. And also check out the Epcot Presentation because that is some really cool stuff they’re gonna be doing with the Epcot center
Jordan James — Google review
Disney does a great job at keeping the guest happy. It is the happiest place on earth. The rides are fun, and the shows are great. If you can make it, I'd recommend going at least once. It's my favorite amusement park that I ride the majority of the rides. Bring good shoes and rain gear. It rains a lot in Florida.
Donna Miller — Google review
I hadn't been in 11 years, and it was just as fun as back then. Great experience. Staff is amazing! I actually went around the world twice! It was the Flower & Garden Festival while I was there, and if you haven't seen it, it's an absolute must!
Renee VanGalder — Google review
We got to visit WDW, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for a recent family Vacation. While our single-day Disney Park visit itself was pricey, incredibly packed, and loosely planned, the park itself was fun. Was fortunate to ride Space Mountain but sadly the fast passes did not quality for most rides we wanted to go on, plus having been sold out for a week beyond even our date of visit.
Food was very expensive, but tasty. The Magic Kingdom Parade was really awesome to see as well as the evening castle stage show. Other family members also enjoyed the rides they went on.
If you really want to see and do everything at even just the Magic Kingdom, be sure to spend extra for Fast Passes far in advance; otherwise be prepared to wait a bit in line as expected. Even then, with how busy it was, multiple days might be considered to ride everything.
The Genie App, while useful, does also have a hamburger menu to show the full list of shops, restaurants, etc., while using it. Also, keep in mind nearly every boutique focuses on take-out ordering so you'll want to make sure you get orders in at least 45 minutes in advance if not more if you're planning meal times - there are to-order lines of course, but you might wait awhile as both on-premises and to-go orders are being processed. It worked well enough - just not the most ideal method for handling crowds in the tens of thousands or more.
Overall, still a fun time. Still magical. Not quite the same as being there when young but still had a good time.
Doug Fullerton — Google review
The most magical place in the world. Have the best time here, staff were very friendly. The rides were really fun but you do have to wait quite a bit for them which is understandable. Meeting the Disney characters was a wonderful experience. The whole atmosphere is very nice but be prepared to walk a lot. Overall it’s a great place, 10/10 would recommend
Gabrielle Panayotova — Google review
We stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort. Father’s Day and our 9 year anniversary and we celebrated in style. It is a lot of walking and not for the weak. Take your water bottles to refill to save on spending. Overall we had a GREAT time. There are Lightning Lanes available to get on rides faster that cost $20 (like a fast pass). First day was Hollywood Studios then last half of the day Animal Kingdom. Day 2 we went to Magic Kingdom and it’s so spread out we did not make it to Epcot. I recommend the Magic Bands because you can basically use it like a pay app on your wrist. We lived it up and used the Magic Bands and charged everything to the room. We liked the Monorail system and took the Ferry Boat back to parking.
Rachael Gaylord Cargill — Google review
Beautiful resorts. We stayed at the Dolphin for a few days and then transferred to Animal Kingdom Lodge for the rest of our stay. Loved them both. We also spent time visiting the other resorts. Each were unique and offered something different. There are several free modes of transportation as well. Boat, monorail, skyliner, and buses that can take you to each of them.
christine alvarado — Google review
Absolutely thrilled to share my enchanting experience at Disney’s Magic Kingdom! From the moment I stepped into the magical realm, I was whisked away into a world of pure delight. The attention to detail in every corner of the park is truly astounding; it's as if fairy tales came to life! The heartwarming character encounters left me feeling like a kid again, and the exhilarating rides were a true adrenaline rush. But what truly set this trip apart was the impeccable service – from cheerful cast members to the meticulously clean and organized attractions. Every moment was like stepping into a dream. Disney managed to capture the essence of joy and wonder and transformed it into an unforgettable reality. This trip was nothing short of a spellbinding journey, and I'm already counting down the days until I can experience the magic all over again!
Lynn M — Google review
THE HALCYON IS THE GREATEST DISNEY EXPERIENCE OF ALL. I was a guest on the Halcyon. Hands down the single greatest Disney experience we have ever had. Worlds above any other. We wanted to book another Halcyon cruise immediately but found out they were closing. A huge loss. So many of our friends had not heard of the Halcyon and would have liked to go after hearing of our experience and seeing our photos. The cast was excellent. Every member of the crew was cheerful, attentive and helpful. The rooms were spectacular. The food wonderful.
kaijugal kaijugal — Google review
We absolutely loved it here for our first time the staff and characters were all nice and friendly my son got to meet Cinderella and the actress was so patient with him and extremely kind knowing he had autism….I’m still gonna 5 stars my only complaints was every including food and drinks are crazy expensive my hubby bought to regular size soft drinks and
It cost him near $10 for just 2 sodas….. my other complaint would be the guest services didn’t give me the correct information
Ashley Stoddard — Google review
Amazing! The pictures do not do justice to how much detail and effort goes into these parks! Always clean, staff is easy to find for questions and transportation between parks is super easy! Had a blast at 4 of the Disney parks!
Tommy B — Google review
Disney World is a favorite vacation spot, it is such an incredible experience! You absolutely get what you put into it. There are crowds so remember to pack your patience and to dress comfortably, and definitely consider buying the Lightning Lane passes, it can help streamline the day a bit.
Mary Wharton — Google review
Absolutely enjoyed every second spent here. Who said Disney’s not for adults, I could tell you, it sure is. Awesome spots for food with various choices and a lot of places to choose from to shop. From was one of my favorite rides.
Omer Sherjang — Google review
I recommend going prepared to walk and remember to drink plenty of water. Everything is very magical and beautiful. The food is not tasty and total fast food!!so don't think you're going to eat well.The parade at night is worth staying to see the end of the fireworks but I advise you to leave 10 minutes before it ends because the queues to get out of the island get huge.
Nara Medeiros — Google review
Walt Disney World Resort is comprised of multiple theme parks, each with separate entry costs. I truly believe that everyone - from all around the world - should visit each park at least once to experience the magic that has been created there. Multi-day and multi-park tickets offer incredible savings for multiple visits, so definitely plan your trip.
Joshua Pulliam (Mercion) — Google review
It is one of the best places in the world! Am so in love with the multiple parks and the ease of hotel access between the parks with shuttles. Great packages and heaps of fun. Have always loved being a pass holder, and the water parks are an added bonus.
Brielle J — Google review
The rides and atmosphere is fabulous. Food at quick service is too repetitive. Very few gluten free choices in quick serve. Chefs are great trying to help. Dislike seeing Starbucks and other chains within the park. Please consider Colonial period correct clothing. Dresses were wrinkled and ill fitted. Disney should represent the USA in a more dignified manner. Landscaping is very nice, too.
Ames — Google review
Our family has loved Disney World through the years. As the kids have grown up we have found new ways to enjoy the parks. On our last trip we stayed at the newly renovated Grand Floridian. Excellent vibe. Nice to have options to getting into the parks: boat, monorail, bus, and walking. Well worth the extra expense of staying at a nearby Disney property.
Sunset Seeker — Google review
Went in 2021.
It's definitely worth it for kids.
Make sure to go when the ☁️ is nice. It started to rain halfway during the day, and kind of slowed everything down. But, the views of all of the structures are fantastic.
Purchase tickets ahead of time.
Rides are mostly for kids.
Make sure to take the ferry ⛴️ to arrive at the theme park.
It's free and a better experience.
Juned Ahmed — Google review
Disney, magical encounters with beloved Disney characters and special seasonal events. (Please note that character encounters and seasonal events are subject to change or cancellation.) And starting in April 2023, this will be where Walt Disney World's latest attraction takes place.Knowing the behind-the-scenes and close-up experience of the other part of the reality of this place, we can be aware of things that go beyond our natural perceptions and understanding. It's really magical! Disney's reception is AMAZING.I can experience one of the most incredible and memorable experiences in my life.
Knowing behind the scenes and experiencing up close to the other part of the reality of this place, we can be aware of things that go beyond our natural perception and understanding. It's really magical! Disney's reception is AMAZING.
Еаликино Абинореал — Google review
It is pricey, but after experiencing it we have zero regrets! Disney World is simply exceptional, and there’s honestly nothing else like it. There is literally endless fun to be had! The food, the rides, the shows, the decor, the cast members, everything is amazing :) Even their lost and found program. I filled out their online form, and they found my stuff within 30min. This place is Magical
Christian Prescott — Google review
In one word, Expensive! That said it was lovely, our room was nice. Grounds were nice. Park was great. Nice transportation from area to area. Amazing staff. Food was good in upper tier restaurants, not so much in lower tiers.
marianne neel — Google review
First time here and a time was had. I was solo and not to do what I wanted (well maybe not all cuz of the wait times 😅) but I had fun. Will definitely be back and plan better. Also need better shoes for all the walking
Kelly Ndifon — Google review
We have the annual pass for Disney parks and it is truly a beautiful experience every time we go with our kids.
On weekends, we take advantage of the waterparks, especially on the warmer days. You have to stay and see the fireworks in the evening. It’s definitely something magical 😊
Diana “Your Favorite Realtor” Mahadeo — Google review
It's getting back to what it should be before they got greedy. Love going to all the parks. We we skipped AK this time due to weather but with annual passes we can go a different time. EPCOT'S festivals are amazing & you go near the end of one you can catch both with the flowers.
The Magic Kingdom is a renowned theme park within WDW, consisting of six themed lands that include rides, parades and costumed characters. It's known for its iconic Cinderella Castle, as well as popular attractions like Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. The park offers nightly fireworks displays that illuminate the castle and Main Street USA. Geared toward young children and their families, the Magic Kingdom provides an immersive Disney experience with a focus on storytelling and mythology.
An absolute must visit for adults and kids big enough to walk on their own.
We started on Epcot and moved to Magic Kingdom (two grown adults) we spent over 10 hours in a single day between the two and didn’t even get to see half of magic kingdom (we did no rides just sight seeing and food stops)
If you have kids start at magic Kingdom and plan no less then one full day, several if you have the time. As two adults in Epcot eating/drinks as we got hungry or thirsty and without any concern for cost we spent about $300 above the cost of parking and entry tickets. (Adult beverages and two “meals”).
A final note, if you go absolutely plan to stay for the firework show. Video and photo do no justice to the visual or audio quality of the display. LED lights in the trees are synced to the projector lights and are synced to the street lights, synced to the projectors on the castle, synced to the choreographed fireworks. All of that on top of an absolutely mind blowing audio set up that resonates from what I imagine is hundreds or thousands of speakers throughout the park. To top it all off you may even see Tinker Belly fly from the castle off into the distance. (Best use of a zip line and LED outfit I have ever seen)
Plan ahead so budget isn’t a concern and just plan to enjoy yourself. Bring sunscreen and stay hydrated. (A hat or umbrella to block to sun would go a long way to increase your sunshine stamina).
Daniel Roeder — Google review
We had a great time here with the kids. This was our first visit to a Disney park since we were kids ourselves so there was a lot that we didn’t know.
First off, the parades and shows throughout the day are incredibly well orchestrated and the kids loved it. There’s always something to see which is nice.
We didn’t go for the photo pass which turned out to be a good choice because all the photos they took of us sucked. We did however buy the genie+ pass that allowed us to book rides ahead of time. If you’re going for only a single day definitely get this to optimize your time.
The rides are a little more dated feeling than at Animal Kingdom but the kids didn’t notice.
This is the most important thing to know heading in…EVERYTHING COSTS A FORTUNE.
Here’s what you should consider bringing with you or buying elsewhere and the Disney prices for each.
Portable fans ($30ea)
Poncho ($10ea)
Water ($3.50ea)
Minnie ears ($30ea)
Lunch ($15-30ea)
Lots and lots of snacks.
Have fun :)
Mike G — Google review
They say this is the happiest place on earth... and I fully agree with them!! I have never been happier in my life! All the cast members were super friendly and helpful when I needed them! The characters were all great, sweet and so amazing! All the food here is divine and not to badly priced for a theme park. The rides and attractions are fun and you don't always wait to long, but if it is a long line then they have covered walkways and fans! You can ask almost any guest service or food place for free water if you can't find one of their water fountains. The stores are beautiful and well stocked with a lot of merchandise! I am already planning my next trip! It is well worth it!!
Kyojuro Rengoku — Google review
Great park in particular for families. You can ride almost everything with kids older than 5. Only Tron might be something for older kids. But it is also a hell of a ride, highly recommended. Stay of possible until the end, the fireworks are really impressive.
Michael Wiedemann — Google review
Out of all the parks, this is the one where the cast members and rides feel the most magical. I really enjoy how the parks are back to their old vibe and the cast members truly add to the experience, unlike when they were staffing the park with only college program due to the pandemic. I also noticed that this park is the only one that balances the ratio between lightning lane and Standby Lane when feeding a queue to an attraction. This makes the wait time to be more accurate, if not faster than what's displayed. We attended the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and it was worth every penny. Had tons of fun.
Carlos Alberto — Google review
One of the classic parks! Disney parks always deliver.
Tron was an amazing ride. Highly recommend it. Really cool structure and recreation of the Tron aesthetic, the weird position you’re in makes for a different and interesting roller coaster experience, and the parts where you go outside was cool.
The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was good too. Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain are always fun. The Space Mountain here is one person per row unlike the one in Tokyo Disneyland which is 2 ppl per row.
We also went for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party where you could be at the park until midnight, get free cookies and hot chocolates at a bunch of places, see a bunch of shows and parades, and interact with cast wandering around. The projection mapping on Cinderella’s Castle was fun and spectacular. Christmas vibes were super cute. Space Mountain had Christmas lighting on l and it was cool to see the inside for the first time.
Yuri Yamaguchi — Google review
i had so much fun! this is my third time here, and every time it never ceases to amaze me. spacious, and lots of fun rides for everyone. lines got sort of long (especially weird for a weekday), so we got the genie + passes, which let us ride many rides and even the bigger ones we rode multiple times. you have to join a line queue for the tron ride- it’s so cool!
Ryelie Cauble — Google review
Incredible place to take the kids. There is a lot to see in this park from rides to attractions. Many options to meet the characters which was a lot of fun. The Magic Kingdom's Starbucks took 45 minutes to get our order; that was a bummer. Magic Kingdom had the most amazing fireworks I have ever seen; they were amazing. Great place to visit with the family just remember to have patience while walking the park.
Sarah Cat — Google review
Magic isn't only for your children. Adults can live the fairytale too!
I proposed to my wife here! We took the back stage tour, we have been on every ride, but we keep finding new things to do and ways to experience the magic!
The food isn't healthy, but it is feel good food.
A fun way to spend time with friends or family. A great way to make some core memories!
Also, the call them fireworks for a reason... 🔥
Sam Marks — Google review
We loved it! It definitely brought out the kitten all of us!
It's been roughly 20 years since I've been, but it was wonderful to go and show the experience, experienced it as a child and then again as an adult. It was good to see you that some of the stable rides were still standing. It was hard to get on trying no matter what we did. Mountain was awesome! Magic Mountain never disappoints. I would definitely have to take the baby on the teacups and small worlds for good measure. The lines were ridiculous so the genie plus service definitely helped them in some situations but not on all the rides.
It's a dry park though, so be forewarned, it's not like the other parks in that regard.
King was pretty easy. Just remember where you parked. You can save that in app or on your phone and remember how to get to your tram section.
Moochie M — Google review
Great experience to have with family and friends. Best place to take if you have kids but I went with adults and we had a lot of fun. Prepare for long lines and a lot of walking but the parades were amazing, and the castle was magnificent. 9pm showcased the fireworks and that was pretty cool. Definitely recommend!
Andy Mejia — Google review
Visited as 3 adults for the opening Mickey's not no scary Halloween party. Having travelled from the UK and not doing the Disney parks this year it wasn't to be missed for a first time experience. Last visit was 7 years ago and it didn't disappoint.
Arrived at 4pm, you don't have to make a reservation for special events and rode Haunted mansion, Splash mountain, Big thunder mountain and pirate's of the Caribbean with little to no queue. The event start at 7pm and managed to ride space mountain in the dark and the tea cups with a spooky theme.
The check up points for candy were everywhere and you collected tokens to exchange for allergies.
Enjoyed the magic of walking down Main Street and soaking the atmosphere all in. Whilst most of the shops were shut to prepare for the event still managed to get some goodies.
As for a day in the it's perfect for little ones, adults or those with any additional needs. Plenty to do for all.
The event queue for merchandise was hectic so I recommend waiting until later on in the evening if you wish to purchase anything.
Don't forget to collect your free print on the way out and if it rains the parade or show may be delayed (which is what we experienced) but wait for it! It's worth it 😊 characters are about in costumes but be prepared to wait for over an hour for some. Elvis stitch, Winnie the Pooh and friends were especially popular. Jack and Sally are in the main theatre and they tend to be the busiest due to the event.
Cara H — Google review
Despite a downpour that push the fireworks until 22:00 the “Happily Ever After” show was amazing. The day was enjoyable with the family despite the 95 deg F temperatures. The highlight would have to be TRON. The night ride in the front seat was outstanding! It was a unique coaster experience on the light cycle.
Jason Brandt — Google review
"Most magical place on earth," still remains true. The entire day was hot & the lines were long at times, but we had a blast at this theme park! We were a bit lucky with the weather because it rained; however, it was still humid it's Florida. Still, there are plenty of air conditioned places for a cool off, water, & other needed supplies. In our opinion, you will not need a lightening lane pass. Those lines were long too & even though some rides said 45/75 minutes on the myDisney app, we never waited longer than 45 minutes. The entire kingdom is clean, staff are always in character, variety of options to shop & eat, & an overall great family experience. Stay for the fireworks show. Place yourselves close to the monorail to see them - thank me later :)
Dr. Lisa — Google review
Magic Kingdom is a realm of pure magic and wonder, where dreams come to life and the heart is forever young. Stepping into this enchanting kingdom is like entering a storybook brought to life.
The iconic Cinderella Castle stands tall, radiating a sense of awe and anticipation that sets the stage for an unforgettable experience. The attention to detail in every corner of the park is nothing short of extraordinary, creating a world that feels both familiar and utterly fantastical.
The attractions are a symphony of thrills and imagination, catering to guests of all ages. From the nostalgic charm of classics like "it's a small world" to the heart-pounding excitement of Space Mountain, every ride promises an adventure that lingers in your memory.
The parades and fireworks displays are a spectacle of artistry and emotion, leaving guests with a sense of wonder and awe. The dedication and talent of the performers are evident in every dance step and soaring note.
The staff at Magic Kingdom are the true heart and soul of the park. Their boundless energy, friendliness, and genuine passion for creating magical moments elevate the experience to a level beyond compare. They're the real-life fairy godmothers and wizards, ensuring that every guest feels like royalty.
Magic Kingdom is not just a theme park; it's a place where joy knows no bounds, and every corner is infused with the spirit of dreams. Whether you're reliving cherished memories or creating new ones, a day at Magic Kingdom is a day well spent. I can't recommend it highly enough, and I'm already counting down the days until my next visit to this land of enchantment!
Joe Twal — Google review
It is a huge, very beautiful park with a giant castle as its main attraction. There are some roller coasters and many ways to be entertained. The food is very good and the fireworks show at night is the best thing in the world and a unique experience. You You need to visit it someday, period, because just as the name says, it brings a unique experience for you and all the visitors there. You can also take a photo with several characters that you love.
Vini Celular — Google review
Magic Kingdom was amazing for where my kiddos are at the rides, and attractions were great. I've heard it is a bit less enjoyable for the older kids as the majority of the park is geared for a younger audience other than Tomorrow Land. Which I can see, however, it is still such a great place to visit and see the location. We loved every minute.
David Berggren — Google review
It's always a magical place. A most see with the family. The experience is amazing. The
Price is starting to become a factor. 200 a day per person to wait on long lines and hopefully enjoy 3 rides during your day is definitely something that needs to be addressed. Also, charging for geni and only being able to choose one t8me slot at a time instead of being free and choosing 3 at a time definitely does not help.
Frankie Camacho — Google review
The absolute best park in all of Disney! So many iconic rides and things to see. Recently came here for the Christmas party for the first time and it was amazing! The park really lights up and you get the real Christmas feel. Love when it snows it’s unlike anything you’ve seen and a must see!
Christopher Ciminelli — Google review
This was our first time taking out toddlers to Disney. I love the fact that we were able to bring in our own snacks and drinks in our travel cooler. It wasn't that crowded and the Disney Genie Plus Lightning Lanes help cut down our wait for some ridesnot the popular ones though. I would definitely suggest getting familiar with the app prior to your trip. Make sure to also bring an extra charging pack for your cell phone because you will be using it all day for the app. We only had to order lunch once since we came prepared with our own snacks. The rides we were able to get on with our toddlers were pretty good and they enjoyed them. We loved the shows and parades throughout the day. I am glad we did not get the photo pass and would not suggest getting one. Almost every picture they took of us was awful. You will be better off taking your own photos. Our best photos were taken when we offered other families to take photos of them and then they take one of us. My toddlers had a great time and all in all we enjoyed our time here and will definitely be coming back.
Chelle D — Google review
Simply W O W
I was here with my wife and our little daughter, having been here once before as a couple a few years ago.
An absolute experience for which a single day is hardly enough. There is so much to see here. Starting with rides to different parades, countless restaurants, shows, etc.
Simply breathtaking.
However, the truth is that the park is not only incredibly large but also incredibly expensive! The Preferred Parking alone costs $50. So we have spent for the one day including tickets & food a total of more than $ 500 - our little daughter had to pay no entrance fee.
However, the glow in the children's eyes was absolutely worth it!
To see as much as possible, I can only recommend to activate the Genie+ service in advance. It makes planning your day a lot easier.
The absolute highlight of the day was definitely the Meet&Greet with Mickey&Mini.
Johannes — Google review
This is the classic Disney park. From the moment you enter and walk down Main Street there is a different feel than any other park. There are endless great snack and food options all over the park and cast members that are present to make your day magical. The mix of old classic rides with newer technology rides like tron is great. The shows are outstanding and the evening show happily ever after is one of the best there is.
Jj Prete — Google review
Magic Kingdom truly is the most magical place on earth. From the attention to detail throughout the park, right down to the cast members - it’s a wonderful experience.
There are lots of food/drink options throughout the park. Some restaurants will take reservations - save yourself a wait and make one in advance if there’s a particular time/place you’d like to dine.
Crowds are generally large, however manageable. If you’re not big on waiting in line, I would recommend the Lightning Lane pass (Genie+) and you’ll be able to pack in more and not waste your day in queue.
Disney is expensive and that’s a fact. You can bring snacks and empty bottles in and refill with water inside the park to help cut costs. Merchandise prices can vary. Wear comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking.
Overall, wonderful experience for the first time or the fifth time.
Christina Marsh — Google review
Taking the kids to Magic Kingdom for their first time was definitely a wonderful experience. He all had a great time, enjoyed most of the shows, and literally spent the whole day at the park. At night, it was beautiful to see the castle light up. Everybody was waiting for it to light up, and when it finally happened, the crowd went crazy specially the kids, like they couldn't believe what they were seeing. I would definitely go again soon and also visit the other parks as well. But overall, Animal Kingdom is my favorite Disney park!!!
Naty Rivera — Google review
The magic kingdom park is really magical. The whole park transforms into a virtual reality where you are in Sindbad at one point and in princess world at other. There is something for everyone ; The various thrill level rides, fireworks, parade, meet and greet, the ferry/train ride to enter the park, food, decor!
The wait times during holidays are high and may be there is a way to better manage the lines. The app offers interactive games to engage while waiting your turn, but some other interactive acts in the waiting room would be ideal. The park was open until mid-night during the Christmas break so in all we managed to avail much more than we anticipated.
Much better than the Animal kingdom. If contemplating where to go first then this is it.
The genie plus pass for fast lanes is definitely worth it and pretty reasonable at $30 per person.
The park requires physical ID unless the tickets are added to the wallet. Plan accordingly. Ample restaurants and souvenir shops for each attraction.
Recommend Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion amongst others.
P.S. They do not have the laser show like Disneyland at LA.
Ruchita Agarwal — Google review
My daughter and I went for a weekend getaway. We had a blast. All the cast members were very helpful. The weather was beautiful. We are exhausted from having too much fun. We rode every single ride. We had a truly magical time. See ya again real soon, Disney.
Gessica Estensen — Google review
Magical indeed! The park did not disappoint. Although, I do wish we could have enjoyed more rides. But the lines got so long it was impossible for us to wait for hours with two little ones who have very little patience. We spent literally all day there and enjoyed as much as we could.
Eve Newsom — Google review
Going to Disney “magic kingdom” it healed my inner child- however the crowds were horrible, staff were very rude, and food was nasty and overpriced. But for a person like me - I did love the experience- watching the parades and seeing the show at 8:30 was great 😊- everything else pretty mediocre- I still however plan to go to other Disney parks- no need to visit this one for a second time.
lashondp — Google review
Truly the most Magical place on Earth. My four year old was in shock from the moment she saw the castle. We loved every single second of our trip. Will definitely be back. Buy tickets in advance
Tai Sanders — Google review
Not my favorite park but it's still a fun place that I like visiting just because of the rides, food and the castle!
Pro tip: Stay hydrated and cool during the very hot days. The FL heat sucks. Make sure to take some mini fans to keep yourself cool since there will be times that you have to wait in line for a very long time. Also, try not to bring a lot of things to carry (if possible). Just bring the essentials if you can. This park can get packed and it should be a good idea to feel comfortable during these times.
Maritoni Osgood — Google review
Incredible... love to come to disney every single time. Don't expect thrill rides, expect quality and a fabulous family experience. The food, the fireworks and iconic views of the castle... its all amazing. The cast members are amazingly kind and helpful. Build memories and come to the parks. It's not cheap is the downfall.... bring your own water bottle for drinks to fill, bring your own poncho for the Florida rain. Recommend to stay on property, many locations and budgets to select from.
Anita Eulenburg — Google review
A truly magical place for the young and old. This is our second visit after many years and it's still fun. More rides, parades and character meets than shows at this park. It can get hot when waiting in the queue, so keep water handy. Use the App to see the current waiting times, ordering food and paying for goods. The Lightning Pass was costly, so I did not our purchase it. The fireworks are worth staying around for.
William Lin — Google review
Like other Disneyland park, it is filled with fun and joy for kids and adults. They have strollers and wheelchair rental for those who need it.
Majority of cast members are amazing. Of course there will be some who could do better.
They have special nights and such, so ensure to check on the app for special hours. Genie + is a must in my opinion. It is a bit pricier, but hey… it really helped in saving time!
Food options are most American and quality is meh, but oh well. It’s a grab and go type of thing. Some of their sit down restaurants are great - Cinderella Royal’s Table, Be our Guest etc.
Ming — Google review
Perfect weather and ride times were well managed by the teenagers who used the app to find optimal choices based on wait times.
The Tron virtual queue needs to be tightened up. Once it was our turn, we still waited 70 minutes to board. Great ride, though
Universal's Islands of Adventure is a theme park that features thrill rides, Harry Potter attractions, and other themed areas.
I've never had so much fun in my life! Two days full of adrenaline, happiness, wildness and joy! Island of Adventure has it all! I recommend a Park-to-Park ticket and take advantage of it during the week. This resort will enjoy both child and adult! Thank you for an exceptional experience!
Martin Vanta — Google review
Took the family of teenagers. Lots of options of rides: thrill, virtual, water, etc. The favorite was velicicoaster which was awesome. Loved that they had water fountains while in line.
Like any other amusement park the food was expensive, $35 for two personal pizzas and a single fill drink. The good was good with a good variety.
The staff was very friendly and helpful.
The app was also helpful with the map and wait times. We didn't buy the express pass and got onto all the rides in a relatively decent time frame 65 min bent the longest.
Really my only gripe was some rides require you empty everything from your pockets and pass through metal detectors. I'm sure lawsuits are to blame, the gripe is the locker process isn't that great. Free inside of 30 min but the rides such as hulk take much longer than that to get on🤷🏻♂️.
Overall a positive experience.
holleysmoke — Google review
Very, very, very expensive! But we had the most fun here versus Disney World. The expensive part was just the admission and getting the express lane option with the park hopper pack which I'm glad I got. If you're spending a week here and get one of their deals where you pay for 2 days and get 3 days free for a total of 5 days, then sure you probably don't need the express lane, but you're going to spend majority of your time standing in lines, especially for the popular rides/attractions...
We were able to go on just about every ride and even went on some twice. The express lane pass really benefits you if you only have 1 - 2 days to spend here. I was almost about to get the 5 days, but then I thought how that's going to be 5 days of mostly standing in line. Most lines were 50 mins or longer.. There was some that was really short, but that's because the rides was really bad, looking at you Fast & Furious...
That fast and furious ride needs to be taken out or updated. All the bad guys in it are now good guys and it was ridiculous. It wasn't even over the top fun like the movies, it was bad.... definitely the worst and weakest ride...
Didn't really experience the food, we mostly were on a mission to ride as much as we could because we really didn't get that at Disney...
This theme park definitely had more and better rides than Disney, but if you have going kids then I can see why Disney might be more appealing and it is cheaper, but their lightning pass is a scam, it's not unlimited like universals express pass...
I was wanting more of the "tour rides" that we've seen in countless movies, like Jaws coming out of the water. I guess I'm just old and those have been retired or not at this location? But I was looking more for those type of rides and there wasn't any. The Kong ride was the closest, but it was the Peter Jackson King Kong. It wasn't the new Legendary Kong that's part of Godzilla vs Kong movies, which the advertisements kind of made it seem like it was, but it was still fun...
I do feel for the people though that wait an hour or more for a quick 3 min ride, if that. They do seem like they should be longer, especially the video 3d rides...
But overall it was the most fun at a theme park and a great end to a week long vacation in Florida... Well, little over a week...
Jake Montoya — Google review
I loved everything about islands of adventure. Didn't have long to wait for most rides. Where ever we had food it was very good and the prices were ok. It seemed to have a much better vibe and seemed more fun than any of the Disney parks we visited. We popped in and out of the park with ease during the 5 times we visited over the space of 8 days. It's also great that it within a short walk of universal studios and city walk too. I would definitely go back when I can.
Paul Ellis — Google review
Fantastic park, only complaint is the crazy queues even on a weekday in early Nov. This is the best Universal Park for thrill seekers. Good variety of rides and fantastic details and special effects. Park is super clean and staff is very friendly. Obsessed with the Velocicoaster!!!! Express pass expensive but worth it, or try riding the singles lines everywhere. Be prepared to walk a lot!
Allison Goldberg — Google review
The park is really cool, it's huge and has a lot of extreme attractions, I think the Hulk roller coaster and the velocicoaster are super cool. The park is for those who really like fast things. The food is delicious and the experience of being there is unique. If you have the chance, take advantage of it!
Vini Celular — Google review
Outstanding park experience from entrance to exit. The staff as you move through the entrance to food and parks was fantastic. Signs to get around were very helpful and clear to follow. The restaurant selection outside and inside the park are amazing. You can find a nice restaurant and also many regular fast food options. The cleanliness of the park and the staff maintaining was top notch. The people working as spider man etc.. extremely friendly and enthusiastic with people. An outstanding family day for is.
David Johnston — Google review
My first experience at this place was more than I had ever expected. Each themed section is nicely set up that it literally feels like you are transported to that world. The rides are even better when you step foot into the buildings. Even before the rides you are immersed into the character's world while waiting to enjoy the ride. Do visit with friends and family at least once. The one time is worth it!
somchay1851 — Google review
It's a very fun tour accessibility is great for you to get to the place it's very easy accesses are well facilitated ample parking and very easy to park. The problem is the price is $27, but it's still for the whole day, it's not for an hour inside the fun is complete because there are many attractions and toys that cater for all ages, you'll have fun alone with friends and your girlfriend or with the family, this tour is really worth it, even if you take it for just one day, it's still worth the queues inside. They look great but they still ride well and it's worth the wait. I recommend in all senses.
Jairo Da JCD — Google review
Love this place! Fast pass done right. Real rides and roller-coasters. My kids loved this park best out of Universal Studios and Disney Magic Kingdom. Disney needs to redo their fast pass. As it is right now I would say not worth the money. Universal fast pass is definitely worth the money. Would we go back? Yes we would.
Lorin Devries — Google review
It had been over a decade since my last visit, and nearly everything was different! I was happy to see the Cat in the Hat ride still there, and so well maintained! Everything, honestly, was in excellent condition, and I loved the entire Harry Potter area! It was SO well done and had so many hidden surprises. It did not disappoint!
Priscilla Molerio — Google review
Lots to do and see. While the rides are awesome, my friend doesn't like rides, but there was so much to do and we didn't need to stand in any lines. It's a great time either way, riding the rides or enjoying everything else the park has to offer. It was like we entered the movies and it was a fun time taking a break from reality.
christine alvarado — Google review
There is so much to do here! I can't even begin to start with one ride or section of the island that was better than another. We definitely felt this island was a bit more interactive for a family and more fun involved than at Universal Studios or Volcano Bay. Highly recommended to visit but be prepared to wait in long lines for rides. We purchased express tickets on top of the park pass and it was definitely worth it! Because of having an express pass each, we were able to experience more rides and more fun than waiting in line for hours and only be able to ride a few rides. We will be coming back!
Tiffany — Google review
This was our first time to this park. It was Thanksgiving week, so it was busy as I expected. I have 2 kids, 14 and 12, this park was fun for them. We enjoyed going through Dr. Seuss area and we even did some rides.
We loved the Spider-Man ride. The water rides were fun, the big round tube in Popeyes area, we were entirely soaked from head to toe, so you will definitely get wet. Even with the plastic coverings it does not protect your feet, shoes, and butt from getting wet. We were fine getting wet, but I definitely got wetter than I thought.
My kids favorite ride of all was the Harry Potter Motorbikes. Harry Potter area is the most packed of people compared to rest of park. At night the castle had a lightshow for Christmas, very cool, but people everywhere!!!
The Grinch show was very cool even for my kids who were thinking it wasn't going to be.
There were definitely a bunch of places to eat and drink everywhere. We had a great week, we hope to return again someday.
Tracy Mtz — Google review
Universal island of adventure is so adventurous. If you like crazy coasters along with many other ride this is the best place.
We love the King Kong ride, spider man meets to blue reptiles Harry Potter water ride.
And meeting to avenger and comic characters adds more fun.
Place is the dream to visit we all love it thanks universal.
Amrit Sandhu — Google review
Absolutely one of the best theme parks in the US I had so much fun here, if roller coasters 🎢 are your then, then you should absolutely go for islands of adventure. Get ready to do a lot of walking though. I would also recommend you get the four day pass, because it’s almost impossible to see everything universal has to offer in just a day. If you can afford it, get the express pass because it makes your wait time so much shorter. Have fun 🤩
Ednaei — Google review
Best trip ever!! We had a blast. The lines were long but moved very quickly. The staff members were nice and appeared to really love their jobs. The Spider man ride is a must!! We spent 3 days there and still didn't get to do everything. Yes it was costly but my children enjoyed every minute of it
Qui M — Google review
Great experience! I actually found that i liked it better than Universal Studios. Islands of adventure have more extreme rides and adult rides which i found way more fun. Also, i really recommend to buy the express pass, it might cost twice to three time the ticket. BUT I was able to do all the rides I wanted and all the most popular ones (i did like 7-8 rides) from 10:00AM to 3:30PM. That would be impossible without the express pass..
Gev Elbaz — Google review
We had a FANTASTIC time! We stayed the week and had the park Hopper passes. Even as adults we felt like kids again and had sooo much fun! Everything is so well themed at Universal! The amount of detail put into every attraction is just amazing!!- there was always something you didn't see previously. At the eateries, the food was good but you can't get that kind of ambiance anywhere else!
Amy Burgess (BarefootBurgess) — Google review
I couldn’t imagine being any happier. This place is so magical. The crowds were insane at points but it seems the deepening into the park you go the less people are around. Also, the velocicoaster is so insanely fun. Secret tip, go tell them what you’re celebrating and they will give you a button to wear and ask for some fast passes to celebrate and they will more than likely oblige.
Kyle Pearson — Google review
Bought 2 days pass for two parks and got 3 days for free. Cost was $300. Visited Aug 2023. Weather was 110F. So planned evening visits and that really made a difference as wait times were shorter and we were able to enjoy all the rides and shows. Highly recommended specially for families and kids
Osman Gilani — Google review
I typically don't review these type of things however I wanted to point out that this was by far the best Park we have ever been too! Clean as can be, everything was organized and ran perfectly. Fans in all the lines to keep you cool and once inside the building the A/C was a much needed add on to our waits. We went on a Friday during the day (Arrived at 9am). Parking was a breeze and only ($30) and from there it was smooth walking and entry into the park. We chose Islands of Adventure since we had been to Studios multiple times before. We honestly didn't wait on average for longer than 30 minutes per ride. Again I can't state how clean and nicely ran this park was. I would choose Universal over Disney parks 10/10 times! Keep up the great work and we'll see you again soon!
Chris “MasterShake” Andersen — Google review
We went here one night on our trip to Universal Studios in Florida and had a blast. This place was a lot of fun for me and my boyfriend. I really love the theme and architecture of the entire place and there's so much to do. I wasn't even bothered with having to walk a lot during the trip as it was so nice being in the park. It was absolutely beautiful and the rides were so much fun. We had a lot of fun here, at the regular park, and at City Walk, which are all conveniently connected. Getting in with our tickets was a much easier process than I thought it would be, even without having fast passes. I would highly recommend this park for anyone planning on going to Universal Studios in Florida.
Colton Burnette — Google review
Super park! Both me and my child really liked it. Cool rides, especially the motorcycle ride. However, the queues are crazy. We came specifically out of season, on Monday. And still there were huge queues. We had unlimited fast passes, I highly recommend buying them. Otherwise we would have been waiting for an hour. The bad thing is that the fast pass does not apply to the coolest attraction and you have to wait up to 2 hours! Oh, are you crazy? Make an electronic queue! As in all normal places. Why do you think that being forced to stand in line for 2 hours is normal?? Ugliness.
Lina — Google review
Wow, customer service is #1 at Universal Studios Orlando. Every interaction with staff, from shop workers to food service to ride attendants was beyond positive. Everyone made you feel so important and special. The park is so well maintained and beautiful. Rides are amazing, you can ask the staff for a breakdown if nervous. You can leave the line at anytime. The stores all had unique items to purchase based on the rides. The experience is highly enjoyable.
Lisa Kachigian — Google review
The Harry Potter parts are EPIC!!! So much fun. I'm not even a huge fan of the books or movies (but I DO like them). The Butterbeer was EXCELLENT!!! The atmosphere is amazing.
The entire park is great. We went to Universal Studios Orlando, Islands of Adventure, & Volcano Bay. They are ALL FANTASTIC. I enjoyed Universal even more than Disney World!!! ♡♡♡
If you plan on going more than a couple days, I recommend buying the Annual Pass (OR booking in one of their hotels - LOTS of perks!!!).
Momma Bear — Google review
Theme park, as you would expect from an organization of this caliber, the attractions and organization are top-notch. Unfortunately, so are the prices, with an entry fee of nearly $500 for 3 people (day ticket), I wonder how accessible this park is for an average family of 5? Also, keep in mind that a water attraction is truly a water attraction, at the end of the ride, you'll be completely wet! Top attraction was King Kong (IMO), most beautiful setting Harry Potter), best roller coaster "Hulk".
Why only 4 stars? Prices inside the park, 50 dollars for 3 hamburgers? Come on…
Steve Graveé — Google review
Amazing rides and very well maintained washrooms. The wait times on some rides can get very long, but that is also bypassed most of the time by getting an express pass. Worth visiting, especially in the off-seasons as the crowds are more manageable then.
Siddhi Bhutada — Google review
I love this place. Yes, it is usually packed with people. Yes, all the best stuff has a long wait time, but there is so much to look at and do. Like the Universal park, they pay such amazing attention to detail to completely immerse you in each world. Plan to wait in lines. Food is theme park prices, but good. Running into characters throughout the day is a fun perk!
Ashley Renéigh — Google review
Great place. I wish I had more time to enjoy the park but unfortunately came when during spring break. The park was very packed, and the wait time on rides was 60 minutes minimum. Was only able to go on 4 rides.
Frankie Camacho — Google review
Great rides, let down by the not as friendly as they can be staff. The thrill rides are certainly a plenty here and are great fun. They insist on putting cell phones in free lockers before getting on big rides which given how fast and thrilling these rides are is no surprise. The lockers are small so you won’t fit a regular back pack in, they provide paid for lockers for those. Usual theme park pricing so do not expect a cheap day out.
Aaron Payne — Google review
This park was absolutely awesome. The rides were amazing and very interactive. We were able to get on everything we wanted to get on and the creativity in this park is as good as Disney. The food was great and me and my daughter enjoyed the shows as well. I will say that Harry Potter is quite busy, but amazing. The food options were great! You were able to find anything from fried food all the way to fruit cups here, and this is not common at theme parks. The staff overall was great and accommodating. I highly recommend this theme park to anyone visiting the Orlando area, I have not seen much like it and you will absolutely love these rides. If your a hardcore comic nerd-this is the place to be, absolutely awesome.
Timothy Weitzel Jr — Google review
One of my favourite parks in Orlando.
The one downside compared to Disney parks is the costumer service quality and the reason for only 4 stars. Some employees are not passionate and not willing to help. One example was at the ticket booth where we asked for help with the one and two day park tickets and the price difference if buying online. We ended up spending 45 minutes on our own figuring it out.
The new rides take 75 minutes wait or more so be prepared to wait or to spend more money with fast passes.
Julio Viana — Google review
Universal Islands of Adventure is an absolute thrill-seeker's paradise! From the pulse-pounding rides like the Incredible Hulk Coaster to the immersive worlds of Harry Potter, every corner is filled with excitement and wonder. The attention to detail is phenomenal, making you feel like you've stepped into your favorite stories. The staff are friendly and helpful, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience. Whether you're a hardcore theme park enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out with the family, Islands of Adventure delivers an unforgettable adventure every time. Highly recommend!
Abani Ojha — Google review
100% prefer this to the actual Universal studios Park. Less walking between rides, more rides are tall/heavy friendly, and more cool stops between rides. Although Universal has all the famous movie stuff and has to be seen once, but as far as Island of Adventure, I would definitely come back again and again.
Tomasz Smolinski — Google review
Honestly one of the best parks I've been to. This place is Awesome! We went during spring break and the crowds were not bad. From Hogwarts to Jurassic Park to Dr Seuss this place has it all. Hagrids motorcycle ride is a must do and I can say Velocicoaster is breathtaking, rode it 3 times. We didn't want to leave.
Matt T — Google review
If you are a Harry Potter fan this is an absolute most on your bucket list! The park has incredible thrilling attractions. Compared to universal studios, islands of adventure is a bigger park and has more rollercoasters. Both parks offer different experiences depending on what you’re looking for. I’ve gone to this park at least four times and every time is so exciting and fun. Hopefully next year I will be able to go to the brand new Super Nintendo world which is under construction right now. If you’re in Orlando definitively do not miss visiting this park!
Universal Studios Florida is a sprawling amusement park with movie-themed rides, attractions, and entertainment. It was opened in 1990 and is considered one of the best theme parks in the United States.
IF YOU DONT WANT TO READ THE WHOLE THING, JUST KNOW THE PARK IS FUN LOTS TO DO BUT LONG LINES.
My experience was amazing. This park has tons of attractions. As always, I like being brutally honest. The park was really fun. I loved the Harry Potter attractions and the cartoon simulations. I was very satisfied!! The lines on the attractions are pretty long. Some are much shorter, so I recommend to VISIT this park for 2 to 3 or more days because there is a lot to do. Thank you, Universal Studios, for the fun experience 10 outta 10 would recommend.
Jeriel Sanchez — Google review
Pretty fun! I think it’s a great place to experience maybe once. If with small children, maybe more fun but it’s a once and done kind of thing for me personally. The park was very cool and fun to walk through! Attractions and rides were mostly visual ones, where you sit and it virtually takes you through a ride - so it’s not like a normal park with big, outlandish rides. Very family friendly and not bad for an amusement park overall. Would recommend especially if you have younger children!
Maurielle C — Google review
Had a great time despite the hot weather and roller coaster being down for 75 percent of the day. It's a little pricey in gift shops and food but thats too be expected.. If you have teens I'd go for island of adventure.. Still a great experience either way.
Mario Lopez — Google review
Phenomenal experience with the different immersive rides you can take. Plenty of water fountains and lockers for the rides that require it. You should definitely bring a small bag that can fit and a bottle of water. There is a good amount of shade but a hat and sunscreen will make your life easier. You can get wands and cast spells to activate different water features which is pretty neat. Go early in the morning when it opens.
Joe W — Google review
First time to universal and it was a lot of fun. It's not just for kids. It's a lot of rides that are very interactive and entertaining, even for adults. They have a large variety of food which is great because you're going to want to be there all day. The food is a little pricey for what you get but it's decent quality. I would recommend checking it out and will definitely come back for another visit.
andi nicpon — Google review
Orlando Florida. Awesome. Loads to see and do. Great rides, great food, a lot of shops to do your shopping. Harry Potter biggest attraction at this location. Kid friendly. We went on Thursday - it was pretty busy but average waiting time for rides were 10 minutes. Great place to visit with your family.
Jeanette Boshoff — Google review
I loved Universal, I haven’t been there in the last 6 years because I thought my kids were to small for the rides but I can tell you that I was wrong because they really enjoyed the parks and they are 7 and 6. We as a family ditched Disney after this trip to Universal, we even bought annual passes. They came with a lot of benefits, like fast passes after 4 PM. Universal parks are less crowded than Disney’s plus I don’t like the path Disney has gone, especially for my kids. This visit was on Thanksgiving week but we return on Christmas week because we had an awesome trip and the kids wanted to return.
Alain Jares — Google review
The best time EVER! Going as adults is even more amazing than going as kids. Hubby and I had an absolute blast. Yes it is pricey but the details in the attractions can't be beat. The food was great and the water refill stations around the park was a huge plus. Highly recommend!
Hillary Asbury — Google review
Always a great place to spend the day! Lots of food choices, definitely will cost a good amount of money to eat while there. If it's feasible, bring a bag/backpack with some basic supplies such as water and snacks. Small lockers are free and will definitely not fit a backpack, and the larger lockers that will accommodate backpacks you can rent for a short period of time for $2. The Rock It roller coaster is intense, absolutely love it!!
Shaun Sanders — Google review
Okay, let’s admit it you are going to go here regardless of how many stars this is rated. But I need to be honest. There is the endless walk from the car to the actual park. Then you spend half your day waiting in lines. That is unless you buy the express pass on top of the already insanely priced ticket price.
We enjoyed taking it slow. This does not mean we did not get annoyed at times.
It is Florida. It is hot. Don’t forget your sunscreen. I can’t tell you how many people were hurting with sunburns. Also, it rains. When it does, some rides shut down. They shutdown even when you think they shouldn’t. Your opinion of rain does not matter. This can be frustrating when there is a 60 minute wait and you are 45 minutes into the wait!
Some lockers are free, some are not. The ones for the water rides are NOT!
Everything is expensive, but the water fill ups are free.
BONUS!!!! You can find gluten and dairy free options in many of the restaurants. Just ask. It is best to get to the restaurant before the crowds so you can ask for their options.
Deborah Shepherd — Google review
Every time I visit Universal Studios in Orlando, I have an absolute blast! The level of attention given to every detail truly impresses me, and it's a delight for any fan to experience.
The staff and characters at the park are incredibly friendly, adding to the overall magical atmosphere. The attractions themselves are absolutely fantastic!
Universal Studios Orlando is a place that captures the imagination and leaves visitors with unforgettable memories. Definitely, the perfect place for all Harry Potter and Marvel fans!
Sergio Dias Junior — Google review
2 adults in August from the UK.
What can I say? It was expensive but worth it. We had 14 days at the park, so we didn't need to rush or buy express passes-there was simply no need.
Many wait times aren't as long as they say.
The rides were great, the food was good and the staff were excellent.
kirsty hopkin — Google review
I really enjoyed the street dancing at Universal with their cast members in beautiful costumes, hair and makeup. The minions attraction having a stand only section for an infant to still be inside and see it was an accommodating touch for youngsters! The “real-life” talking transformer was super cool. Lastly, the shopping was fun! My grandsons looked adorable in their matching minions shirts 😊
Meredith Bonn — Google review
This is a great place to visit. Be sure to give enough time to get it all in. There is a lot of walking between islands of adventure and universal area. If you like roller coasters, don't miss Hagrids motor bike. You can get express passes for a single day and get them all in if you plan it out some. The food is not cheap but never is at theme parks. There are plenty of clean bathrooms and friendly staff to help you out with your questions. Character meet and greets. Lots of 3 d rides are amazing. Don't skip the shows they are great as well. The monster makeup show was super funny and would recommend you see. I was very happy overall and would do again. 10 out of 10 Park.
M B — Google review
Taking the kids to Universal (Island of Adventure) for their first time was definitely a wonderful experience. We all had a great time, enjoyed most of the shows, and literally spent the whole day at the park. At night, the show was beautiful to too. Everybody was waiting for the Harry Potter castle to light up, and when it finally happened, the crowd went crazy specially the kids, like they couldn't believe what they were seeing. I would definitely go again soon and also visit the other parks as well. But overall, Island of Adventure is my favorite Universal park.
Naty Rivera — Google review
Came here to add more fun family time and excitement for a special 21st birthday celebration. We focused more exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter because we're huge fans. You can explore both worlds in a day, but it felt a but rushy because of the closing hours of the parks. Other then that you can expect a crowd no matter the season (*my family and I were there mid January). The places to eat or grab a treat at the park/parks is endless. Since we focused venturing the Harry Potter Worlds, the restaurants, treat shops, etc were all super tasty and delicious! We had the best time ever. I wish Universal would extend their park hours so visitors don't feel rushed to explore more. But... you bet we'll be definitely going back soon! The rides are thrilling and fun!
*Tip: expect to pay $2 for bigger lockers. This is for big bags/backpacks on some rides. Using your ticket barcode you can get a small locker free. (Ex: Small lockers fit smaller items like small bags or mini backpacks)
Ericka Santiago — Google review
Universal Studios Florida exceeded my expectations. The park is massive and I barely made it through the whole thing by the time they closed. The walk from the garage is equally as big, so prepare to do a lot of walking when you go. Like Disney World, there are many family friendly things to do here, however, some of the rides are a lot more intense. In some of the rides you rattle so much you almost get a concussion and have to walk off the headache before you get on the next one. I definitely recommend spending the money, if you can, on the fast pass. The first ride that I went on was without it and the wait was about 45 minutes, and then I got a fast pass and immediately got on it again, as well as the rest of the rides that day. Harry Potter world was amazing, I felt like I was in the movies. The Hagrid ride was my favorite, which the fast pass unfortunately did not work on, and the wait was around an hour. The smaller rides are okay, but I'm sure kids would love them. I can't wait to come back here again.
P Reviews — Google review
We were here on a Thanksgiving weekend and it was fully packed, which we expected. There was a huge wait for Harry Potter and Minions rides. But, other than that, the lines moved fairly quicker. This was our first experience with 3D rides and we just loved it! The Vertical Roller Coaster is one hell of a ride. So as the Revenge of the Mummy. Transformers, Minions, The Jimmy Fallon show and Simpsons and the parades were all fun. It's a very happening place and covering everything in 1 day may be a bit tight. Plenty of Food options available. But they are priced high as one would expect in any amusement park. There's a plenty of walking to be done. So, be prepared for it. Overall, it's a great place which one should visit and experience at least once.
Saiprabhu B — Google review
We had the most awesome time! We will def be back next year, maybe even a 2 day ticket! Love the shade they have for when you need it and wait lines are somewhat short and are shaded or air conditioned. Parking was a breeze and not a far walk either. So many great attractions and shops. This place really was fun for our whole family
Shell Keller — Google review
Very nice and agreeable attraction park with a diversity of rides mostly based on special effects and movies, such as Transformers or Harry Potter. The parade and fireworks were very good during the Christmas 2021 holidays. Recommended to anyone looking for attractions during holidays.
Chris Mobile — Google review
I love USO. It's so much fun. I took my 2 teens there and loved it. We did the mouse house when they were little. They loved that place too but wanted more thrill, and USO did not disappoint! We stayed on property, which made it even more enjoyable
D.Meier — Google review
First time back in many years. They took some notes from Disney and it is a much happier place now. Staff were all excellent across the board during our 3-day stay. I will advise that the fast passes are not fast. Or express. They just cut the line wait time in about half. It still means waiting 30-40 minutes for the more popular rides. If you really want to take all the rides, take one of their VIP tours. Well worth it.
James VanderWier — Google review
Had such a great time here more positive than negative points. The best time to visit would be week day non school holidays.
Queue times for the rides were not too bad when we visited. It seems the place has been designed to keep everything cool, and fans and light water is sprayed in the air, making it much more comfortable than Disney.
Negatives are there are not many places to sit down and relax it is go go go all the time which is fine being young and healthy. But some may want to take some breaks which could prove difficult.
There are very minimal food outlets to grab something on the go, I imagine this is intentional to prevent littering, etc. Unless you fancy bakery goods or Starbucks, there's nothing else really unless you want to go for a sit-down meal, which in 30 plus degrees isn't great. Sometimes, you'd prefer a light snack.
I was surprised that the city walk area where all the food outlets were very small and queue time was crazy.
I thought America was all about fast food, but there was absolutely nothing fast or friendly about the service here, which was surprising, really.
But non the less due to it being a quiet period, it was manageable. I dread to see what it's like in a high season.
Liss Winfield — Google review
Excelent!!! It is very funny and great park specially when you go with you little one and take him the place you have been when you were a kid and see him get amazed the same way when you were a kid. We enjoyed even if we couldn't get in many rides because the park was pack and some rides had delays. We got our annual passes so we will be able to come back soon.
Melina Valenzuela -Greco — Google review
Amazing place we had so much fun. Definitely bring a poncho, it rains pretty much everyday unless you want to buy a $20 poncho inside. I recommend spending a day to each park. You cannot do it all at one day. The one with rides and the water park is definitely our favorite. Buy the pass for the rides, all rides have long lines
I kee — Google review
Universal Studios was satisfactory. The scenery was amazing and really transports you to another place. Probably a cool place to take children. For thrill seekers however, there aren't too many rides worth the trip. The island of the adventure side is better for thrills. The main downfall is it's just so expensive; Parking, entrance fee, lockers, food, optional express pass, ect.
Cody Marthaller — Google review
A great theme park with rides for the entire family. The different themed areas are very nostalgic. The staff is friendly. Like most theme parks, food and souvenirs are expensive, but it's expected. If you have the pass that allows you to travel between the different parks, you get to travel on the Hogwarts Express which is super cool. Definitely a much bigger park than Hollywood with 3 different parks on the campus. Gringot's Bank was such a fun ride.
Wander And Travel — Google review
Visiting Universal Studios in Florida for our honeymoon was so much fun! From the adrenaline rush of the rides to the magical atmosphere of the world of Harry Potter, every moment was filled with excitement and joy. Exploring the park with my wife made it even more special, creating memories that we'll always cherish and remember. It was the perfect way to kick off our new life together, surrounded by fun and feeling like a kid again. Highly recommend for couples looking for an unforgettable experience!
Carl Morgan Jr — Google review
Their website is thee most confusing thing I have ever paid my eyes on!! I bought what I thought to be entrance tickets for two parks with fast passes. The total was $1,300!! So, I thought surely that was what I needed for my husband, my two boys, and myself! NOPE! I got to the gate, only to be told that I had only purchased fast passes to skip the line on rides 😳 I paid $1,300 to skip the line?? I then proceeded to the ticket booth to be told that entrance tickets are $250/person for EACH PARK!!! I ended up paying the money for the 2 parks we intended on visiting because we planned our whole trip around visiting both, but man was I seriously disappointed 😞 The lesson I learned was to never, AND I MEAN NEVER, visit Universal Studios during spring break!! NEVER EVER!! The one positive thing was how amazing our hotel was!! We stayed at the Double Tree by Hilton at the entrance to Universal Studios!! Amazing hotel all around and the price was even better!! $155/night compared to $250-500 a night to stay at a Universal Studios resort/hotel!!
tasha jarman — Google review
We visited for spring break and had an absolute blast. The park is amazing, detailed, and clean. The crowds were not bad. I do recommend the express pass, even tho the cost is up there, not having to wait was more than worth it. We will definitely be back.
Matt T — Google review
The Non-Private VIP experience is worth the extra amount you pay. The ability to see parts of the park you would not otherwise see, you are fed two full meals (breakfast and lunch - these are quality meals presented in professional and friendly manner ) and there is reserved seating to watch the parade at the end of your tour, are just some of the reasons this tour is worth the money. You also get 10% off throughout Universal for the rest of the day, which is nice too, since you have been eyeball shopping through the day as you toured the park and rode the rides. Our Tour Guide Jen was fantastic! Friendly, joyful, knowledgeable, funny, energetic, and all around she just seemed to really love and appreciate her job. We were able to ride all the major rides with little to no wait time and when Jen discovered that one in our group could not do the rides and was looking for more of a Universal Hollywood experience Jen, Jen's supervisor, and a colleague of Jen's went the extra mile to accommodate the guest. Jen was intentional about understanding the likes and dislikes of our group and to see that each person had a special, individual moment during the day. Our last ride of the day was the ET ride (which as someone who was born in 76' I had a full appreciation for this ride and it was a great way to wind down an otherwise exhilarating day) and Jen had ET say bye to each of us by name! It was terrific and such a nice personal touch. After this experience, you aren't going to want to do this any other way than the VIP way. You can easily spend the same money on food and souvenir in a day, this way gets you on the rides, without waiting, with meals included, designated space for the parade, and 10% off throughout Universal...it's worth it.
Date of experience: December 2023
Theresa Smith — Google review
I love this place ❤️
I can't even begin to describe how awesome Universal Studios is! 🌟 The moment you step foot in there, you're transported to a whole new world of excitement and adventure. The rides are mind-blowing, like seriously, your adrenaline will be pumping like crazy! And the attention to detail in the park is just insane. It's like you're walking through the sets of your favorite movies. Plus, the staff is super friendly and helpful. They really go above and beyond to make sure you have the best time ever. I totally recommend checking out the Harry Potter section too. It's like stepping into Hogwarts! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Joesph Bydôn — Google review
I personally love Universal Orlando over any of the Disney theme parks, hands down. From the staff, to the food options, prices overall to the holiday perks…it is an amazing experience. We live in VA and are season pass holders because we love it that much. Best Halloween Nights by far compared to any park I’ve ever been to.
Plenty of places to sit and rest your feet and shady spots to find. Indoor locations have great ac And they have rides of all thrill levels. I personally love Suess Land. 🤣
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an amusement park themed after the best-selling book series by J.K. Rowling. It is located in Universal Orlando Resort and features attractions based on the Harry Potter movies, including rides based on the iconic Gringotts Bank ride from Universal Studios Hollywood and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts thrill ride at Universal Studios Florida.
I absolutely loved this area. It felt like we were in the movie. The attention to detail is wonderful. There are so many shops to visit. People that purchased wands from Olivander's were able to wave their wands in front of certain shop windows and cause something to move! The wands come with a map that shows which windows can be activated with it and how to make that happen. It was cool to watch! The butter beer is delicious, especially the frozen one. The rides are also fun.
Tabitha Norman — Google review
The experience was phenomenal!
Came with the family and we all enjoyed it tremendously!
The staff were very engaging with us and respectful.
The food and drinks were pricey (understandably) but very good!
Will definitely come back again except with a multi day pass!
Manny Martinez — Google review
I hadn’t been to Universal Studios since I was a kid, and to come back with my husband, brother, and best friend made it that much more magical. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter experience brought me such an incredible experience. The rides were great, the little experiences such as the wands with the interactive stations, and being able to ride the Hogwarts Express was like having a dream come true. Hagrid’s motorbike adventure was by far my favorite and we cannot wait to come back and enjoy it all again!!
A Love — Google review
We loved everything about this place including the food and butterbeer. We made sure to stop in every shop and check out all of the rides. This was for sure a large part of wanting to come to Universal for me, but even my husband and the kids were excited about it.
So much of it looked like it was taken straight from the movie set, and Olivander's was a magical experience. Three of us got wands to use the interactive displays and it was such a cool place to visit. We are still talking about when we can go back, and our visit was four years ago.
Thank you so much for making this Harry Potter fan so happy!
Kristen Jett — Google review
Growing up in HP, all I can say is that I love this place. All the shops and buildings just give you all the good feelings. This is my 3rd time around, and everything was still exciting.
The staff are generally nice and helpful.
The bathrooms' cleanliness is a hit and miss.
The rides and eateries are fun and exciting.
For Butterbeer, I suggest getting a frozen one from HogsHead and also a shot of Bailey's (if you're over 21).
The downside is when you try to do magic around the park, and the sensors are really hard to work with. It's really difficult to make a spell work, and oftentimes, there is an out of order sign behind the spell shops. If they can only figure this out, then the experience will become truly magical.
Highly recommend express passes to avoid hours of wait time. If you are staying at the hotels, your unlimited express pass is included.
V A — Google review
If you love the world of Harry Potter, you will love this. They recreated the world of Harry Potter done to the last detail. The land is so immersive and life like. From the feel to the buildings, to the food including butter beer and all the magic wands, the rides and the fire breathing dragon.
Joseph Cardillo — Google review
Visiting any part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort is a magical experience, for potterheads & muggles. Magic around every turn, this was my Momma Judi's first time visiting Diagon Alley, and we spent some time enjoying the busting streets full of excited wizards and witches. Casting spells, drinking butterbeer, waiting for the dragon that sits atop Gringotts bank to shoot hot flames out that really give off some heat in the Florida sun. We love skulking around Knocktun Alley, for both it's ambience as well as nice chilly temps. We ate lunch at Leaky Cauldron, caught Celestina Wombat’s performance, chatted with the magic mirror in Madame Malkin’s Robes, and dialed MAGIC (62442) from the phone (red phone booth) in front of Kings Cross Station for a spellbinding surprise.
Marisa Balletti-Lavoie
Marisa B — Google review
Looks of stuff to do, the rides were amazing with decently short wait times on weekdays. Lots of different food and drinks to try from. Butter beer is a must try. Lots of places to shop for Harry Potter themed stuff. They definitely got pretty much every detail on point. Would definitely recommend this place if you are a fan of Harry Potter or even just visiting universe studios. Will definitely be back.
J — Google review
This Wizarding world is next level they have a very well done area of Harry Potter here and it looks to real just like the movie this place is so spot on they have spots for the kids to stand and do spells and the employees play right along to show a great time.
Take the train over to island of adventures to keep the world alive.
A true magical place!!
🪄🪄🧙🏼♂️
LAND ROVER — Google review
If you are a fan of Harry Potter then this is your place. It is pretty magical. I would spring for the fast passes but be warned they don't work for every attraction especially the sought after o es.
Marcus Lamb — Google review
The moment you walk into this place you feel like you've stepped into another world. The atmosphere feels totally different because of the effort they put into making this place. Ever part of it feels magical and leaves you wanting to explore more and more of the place. The butter beer is great and tastes delicious. The various little shops in the area all have great souvenirs and other fun stuff to purchase.
Adam ?John Sovereignton? Ramsey — Google review
Wow. This was a really cool experience. For any Harry Potter fan, this is a must see if you’re at Universal. I really enjoyed all the little Harry Potter references and the attention to detail. It was crowded of course, but it was still an excellent time. The butter beer was better than expected. We also enjoyed Olvander’s wand shop. It was like a mini-show built into going into the wand shop. Totally fun and worthwhile without being a big wait.
Aaron Green — Google review
The park is nice, but the lines all forever, you can spend all the day there and just get into 2 or 3 rides. Do not start the day with the Hadrid Ride, because you will find more line and the others rides has less. Not all the rides are good, so choose wisely. Starting in island of adventure and then taking the train to the universal park is a good start, the most newest and exiting ride are in island of adventure. Avoid vacation time and if you can go during winter, will find less people and a nicer weather.
Armando NL — Google review
Bought online a 1-day, 2-parks pass to visit Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade specifically. We were sent on a “mission” to look for wands for our 3 boys knowing full well, “The wands pick the wizards,” not us! Must get there as early as possible because that’s the only way to take pictures without being crowded out.
The two parts are surprisingly compact sharing a total of 5 rides. We took 4/5 with our express passes. It did not apply to Hagrid’s which was intense but the best. The ones which need 3D glasses are ok but bothersome.
For HP fans and non-fans alike, the detailing is quite amazing and impressive. People watching is a bonus especially the legion of fans dressed up like wizards and waving their wands to “activate” their spells at the various Interactive wand spots. Rather amusing when you see them struggle.
So much HP merchandise to buy and they are expensive. F&B is expensive too. But it is after all a bucket list destination so bring lots of money for a once in a lifetime experience (applies to foreign tourists only LoL!)
eddie chan — Google review
We got a 3 day pass Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. We got there early and wasn’t too crowded. If you want good pictures I’ll recommend to do the same. There is so much to see and do in the wizarding world. If you can visit in the morning and at night. It’s worth the view.
They Call Me Jelly — Google review
We went past it the first time because it was so hidden away! Very cool looking set with a fire breathing dragon and Gringotts ride which took us about an hour of wait time to get to however it was kind of underwhelming because it was too short. The ice cream shop was nice and very generous on portions.
Mi Sha — Google review
Took my daughter for her birthday. So many sights to see here. Loved the castle with the forbidden journey ride, Gringotts bank and Hagrids Motorbikes! Food at Leaky Cauldron was great and butterbeer is a must have! Hogwarts Expess takes you between parks and is so fun and pleasant to ride!
Hunbun — Google review
Such a cool environment that really captures what Diagon Alley would truly feel like! Also if you haven't tried Butterbeer specifically hot Butterbeer then you're missing out on a life changing experience lol
slgregg321 — Google review
Honestly, I am not typically the type of person who gets excited by amusement parks, but the Harry Potter experience at universal is unbelievable. Not only is it meticulous in its attention to detail, but it’s really accurate to the movie. There are ways to explore all kinds of moments, like the train to hogsmede, which actually takes you there, but down to butter beer, and a range of Easter egg activations you can use your sensor wand to play with. The rides are excellent. Also, as a London native, I appreciate that they don’t totally screw up the references to the UK. It was raining when we went, which added to the authenticity!
Troy Benson — Google review
I have to watch the series again after visiting. What a great experience! I really wanted a robe and wand, but at 55, I thought better of it. The Ollivander's experience was so good we waited in line twice.
Mike Wright — Google review
Out of this world this place! The magic is real. Amazing atmosphere and the butter beer is to die for! We will definitely be going back again & again
Wekiwa Springs State Park is a natural attraction near Orlando, with crystal clear Wekiwa Springs and lush tropical hammocks. You can canoe or kayak the Wekiwa River here with equipment rental available from Central Florida Nature Adventures inside the park.
Nice beautiful state park in Apopka county. The main feature of the park is its spring water pool. Kayaking, canoeing and trails are other features of the park. There is $6 admission fee to the park. Kayaking and canoeing costs $40 for 2 hours and the area is separated from spring pool. The pool is big enough and has clear water. The view around is scenic. People can also picnic around the area near pool. There is restroom available. There is also a small restaurant. The wet to dry trail is beautiful. There is also a 2 mile trail to sand lake which is located at other end of the park. The place is good for all age groups, and the pool also has a section for small kids.
Nareshkumar Acharya — Google review
Great place, clean, rangers are very helpful, kayaks and canoe rentals available or bring your own. Hiking, biking, and equestrian trails are available. Fishing, swimming, snorkeling, lots of wildlife. Campsites clean and well groomed with electric and water, but hard to get into. Come early or you maybe turned away because there is a limit on how many can come in at a time.
Doug — Google review
During summertime the park gets full and there's a car waiting line. There are canoes, stand-up padles, kayak, and bicycles for rent. Since it is a spring, the water is freezing cold, but since the summer is so hot, it's just perfect. We rented a canoe because it did fit 3, and we were lucky to spot 2 alligators, a few turtles, lots of fish, and birds. They have a good structure with bathrooms in two different areas, not so clean, but...
There are also snacks and drinks available for sale.
It's also nice to go for a walk on the boardwalk in a not so hot day.
Leticia Santos — Google review
We rented kayaks. Two hours was the perfect length of time. I was expecting crowds based on what I have read online. We were there on a Tuesday in March and it was not overrun with people. It was actually a peaceful paddle. The spring had people swimming, but not so many that it took away from the experience. Worth the visit.
Prudence Lahti — Google review
Excellent park!
Well-maintained nature, then - almost well-maintained, and then comes wild nature. And it's wonderful!
Several hours passed like minutes.
Canoeing is something special! We did it for the first time and the impressions were the most memorable ... even the Titanic was remembered when they collided in a pair of logs.
Lovely, friendly staff, moderate parking prices. Everything is wonderful, we celebrated my wife's birthday.
Thanks guys!
See you again.
Igor — Google review
This place was awesome and is a must to visit if your on vacation! This is the last thing we did on our vacation in Florida and in my opinion was the most relaxing and enjoyable. I took the boys on a canoe ride and the ladies went to swim in the natural spring. The canoeing was awesome! We saw gators sun bathing, turtles sunbathing, different types of birds foraging, gar fish swimming and other random creatures wandering the park. There was a friendly raccoon that greeted us in the canoe area. Bathrooms were well kept. There are snacks and basic necessities offered for sale in the shop where you also rent the canoes. You could spend hours canoeing, yet we didn’t spend that long. There is also a restaurant you can canoe to through the water ways. They don’t allow maps on the canoes due to potential littering, so have your phone charged if you get lost easy. The natural spring was also a really cool place to swim or sun bathe. Check this place out!
Precision Insulation and Coatings — Google review
It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Wekiwa Springs but it’s natural beauty is still intact. It was a $6 entrance fee for my car. The springs were beautiful and is a great place to swim, snorkel, and float. Their nature center includes some tiny habitats for their snakes, turtles, and gator “Dolly.” A liter pick up station was established and park goers can take a bucket and claw grabber to help maintain this beautiful park. There’s a hiking trail next to the spring and after driving around the property, we soon found the park was a lot larger than we first expected. We saw a tortoise, some deer, and a sign for bears being in the area. A great place to learn, relax, and to enjoy nature!
maryroselol — Google review
Definitely worth a visit.
Rent a canoe (1-3 people) and paddle up the river to see alligators, turtles, vultures, etc and more.
Beautiful place.
The water is at a constant 72 F - great for swimming all year round.
Loads of picnic areas ( there is also a shop, no cafe/restaurant)
Ian Pearce — Google review
Amazing spring with a nice crevasse you can crawl in. Just be careful not to bump your head when you come back up from the water! Kayaking through the river is very fun as well. I could go there every day if I lived closer. It's also a great price to get in so it's well worth checking out.
Zac — Google review
We couldn’t get into Kelly Park on Dec24th, but Wekiwa was nothing less than a great alternative. We made e squirrel friend too. Clear water with canoeing and kayaking. You can have a family picnic too. No rush, no crowd. One of the best Springs in Orlando. A great day spent.!! You would love it.!
Santu Dhua — Google review
$6 admission to a beautiful swimming hole kind volunteers and staff and great kayaking. Food availability with a little convenience store. Park is clean and well maintained.
Ron Kanutski-Comedian — Google review
Absolutely stunning! Coming all the way from Miami, this place feels like paradise on Earth. We spotted alligators, turtles, and the water is incredibly clear. Excellent experience overall. 100% recommended!
Mauricio Castaneda — Google review
This place is one of the gems of Florida I'd say. But before I go deep, I must tell you to arrive early during the weekends, we arrived around 9:30 and there was a line of cars waiting to get in. We got in in approx. 20 minutes.
You pay for the car and you're in. Prices are reasonable. Ample parking was available, so no issues with that.
We headed towards the main area where the springs are. On the way we saw families doing BBQ, music playing and what not. It was pretty nice to see people enjoying and actually happy.
Arriving at the springs area was kind of overwhelming due to large number of people, there's no limit to how many people can be in the park at the same time. Apart from that the place is stunning.
The change rooms and restrooms are available not very far from the springs.
Don't forget to bring a good sun screen cream (SPF 70, I'd say) as it can get very hot.
The springs are crystal clear and very beautiful, the average depth is I guess 4-5' but don't take my word for it, practise caution while swimming. Water is moderately warm.
There is a kayaking area as well for those who love kayaking.
As the day advances, the number of people gets higher and higher, at one point of time, there were at least 500 people in the area surrounding the springs.
Due to heavy crowds and no control over that, I'll reserve my one star. Else this is an amazing place to be with kids and adults alike.
Abhi S — Google review
Very pretty and clean natural spring, super close to the Orlando area. Kids & Adults love it! Only $6 per vehicle (up to 8 people) easy to park and well maintained bathroom area. Lots of animals around (we were able to see a deer, a couple of wild turkeys, an armadillo . Make sure to bring your mask, snorkel and cute lifesavers to enjoy the day.
(Water is 72 °F all year long)
M.S80 — Google review
Just stayed at this park's campground just this past weekend and here's my review...The camp sites are spacious with plenty of shade from the tall trees, no full hookups, only water and electric, but our site was just a few steps away from the restrooms. The restrooms are dated, but they were fairly clean. We stayed at sites 42 and 43, there's about 60 campsites total. The park itself is beautiful; love the tall pine trees and other vegetation. The wildlife here is abundant. You are most likely to see plenty of turtles walking around, squirrels, wild turkeys, deers, and if you're lucky, a bobcat or two. The spring is pretty cool, there's a big open area like a big natural pool and the water pumps out of a deep opening (the spring) around the front of the "pool". The water is cold but refreshing if it's really hot out. The visibility is ok, but not great..there's a lot of algae. The pool itself is not deep..an average of about 4 ft. The river that connects to the spring continues behind the pathway that crosses over the spring and that is where you can pick up kayaks/canoes/paddle boards after renting them at the concession store located by the parking lot. In my opinion, the areas of improvement would be adding more activities, maybe more animal encounters, etc. The entrance to the park is also a BIG issue. If it's a weekend, you have to arrive before the park opens at 8AM, or you may be waiting outside for hours. This can be avoided if you are staying at the campground and drive to the spring parking lot before the park opens (the campground and spring are NOT in walking distance of each other). Overall, we had a nice experience, and I definitely recommend visiting this park at least once.
J C — Google review
HUGE CONTAC WITH THE NATURE!!Very nice place to spend time with family and friends!! GOOD TO RELAX DO Barbecues Camping 🏕 swimming 🏊♀️ kayaking 🛶 .... and more..... Security no alcohol allows. Follow the rules and schedule to have fun!!
Ivelisse Lopez — Google review
One of the many natural springs in Florida. This is a great alternative to the theme parks in Orlando and another activity to check off the list when traveling to Orlando. This is just a short drive from all the major attractions. The clarity of the water is amazing. The temperature is cool year round but once you jump in, it feels good during the hot summer days. They have a canoe and kayak rental spot on site. This is very convenient for those of us that are coming out of state and don't have our own equipment. I had a blast swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking on this park. Be prepared to see a bunch of different wildlife. I was able to see some deer, many kids of fish, birds, and all types of insects. Definitely bring your go pros and snorkeling gear and catch a glimpse of what's below the water. It has a small shop to grab some snacks and rent the equipment . It has a food court but I can't say it was the best. I saw this place on Instagram and I was sold. If you love the outdoors don't pass this place up.
Hector Espinoza — Google review
We went camping here and it was a great experience - quiet, weather was beautiful (October), restrooms were clean, campsite was night. My only minor problem was that there weren’t paths to get to the restroom without cutting through campsites so the people near us kept walking right through the middle of our campsite to go to the restroom. Lesson learned - next time we will get a site on the edge and not in the middle. The walk to the spring was short. You can swim and kayak at the spring but we didn’t come for that. I have kayaked here in the past and it was great - nice calm river and beautiful wildlife. The spring is closed in like a pool to keep wildlife out (like alligators).
Sarah Wray — Google review
Swimming hole is quite beautiful, especially in the summer. The water is clear and so much fun to spend time in. It's not like creek water or anything and there are swimming rocks to sit on, etc. But sometimes it's too packed and there needs to be less crowds for you to really enjoy the spring in its entirety. You could always lay in the sun on the hill around the spring but be warned that the parking lot is a good amount of steps away from the spring. It can get tiring back and forth.
The center also provides an area for kayaking. It is an awesome experience and you can choose to leave the kayaking path anytime.
Charleen Firlus — Google review
Great experience! Parking is $ 6, lots of spots to ensure you can get to the springs. The washrooms/ change rooms are great and easy to access. The springs can be busy therefore plan to go ahead of the afternoon rush. Walking the trails is nice but it’s limited to one trail which is along the road ( some bush/ trees in between) but there are no maps, signs, or displays for distance to Sandy lake. It’s also not paved so beware if you have a stroller.
Victoria Muskoka — Google review
If you want to swim in the spring and have no ice and people around you it's possible but if you like to head out on a hike and have a very quiet and relaxed experience then you have the option, good we'll marked tracks. Kayaks for hire, loads of turtles.
Sara — Google review
Great place for snorkling, we saw fish and turtles. Make sure you check out the spring vent. Nice walking trail. It is a long way down from the parking lot and not a lot of space to spread out. We were there on a weekday in March and it was very busy so plan on arriving early. Bathrooms were dirty.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Really beautiful state park for kayak, canoe or paddleboarding.
There's an area for swimming as well.
It can get busy in the weekend so go early, pack a picnic and enjoy the day.
There is a little downhill walk down to the canoe/kayak launch area but it's not a difficult walk.
Bathrooms are clean too!
Mandy Wong — Google review
I know most people come here for the springs, and they’re undoubtedly awesome. To me, though, the real highlight is the ability to hike through some of the most beautiful sandhill habitat in all of Central FL. The state parks staff should be commended for how well they maintain the park. The best parts of the trails that have recently been burned have gorgeous long leaf pine vistas where all you can see are pines towering over open fields of grass, and you can hear the wind whooshing through their needles. Hiking the trails of this park is better than therapy for your mental health.
Chelsea LeNoble — Google review
I know this park for a long time. Every time that I go back there is a great pleasure. I really love the atmosphere and have a great time all the time. Yesterday we went there. I don't know if they cut workers to the park, not much ranges around or workers , we saw couple rules being broke or if the rules change. Propane tanks being used, hammocks and loud music.
Elza Silva — Google review
Beautiful park. Parking is a short walk to the water. They get you on renting water boards- you rent for 2hrs but are most likely to stop at Wakiwa island and go over time. Still nice! Will likely see gators and birds.
Anastasia Lucignani — Google review
Beautiful place yo spend a day with the family, lots to do. Swimming, canoeing, bird watching, Hiking and much more. Ample parking, $6 entrance. Good bathrooms, clean and organized. Store inside for snacks and stuff! From 8am to sunset 365 days open!
Discover Florida!
Para Un Tiempo Como Este Rosaly Guzman — Google review
Camped for 2 nights, site 38. Spacious, private site with quick access to clean restrooms (shower head missing in women’s shower). Nice in ground fire pit. Walked multiple trails from campsite, with a bit of upkeep needed. Springs beautiful and not terribly crowded for Thanksgiving week. Brought our own kayak and launched from rental site, furthest lot from springs with a bit of a hike to the springs. Signs are present to head either towards Rock springs run or Wekiva Island. Easy kayaking with turtles seen (no gators). Be cautious in evening, drive to campground with many deer. Would come back again except for the difficult drive through Orlando.
Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards is a vast estate that offers guided tours of their facilities and wine tastings, as well as hosting regular music and food festivals. Although California dominates the wine industry in America, Florida is also home to an exceptional winery that produces its own label. Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards boasts reasonable prices for both individual bottles and cases of wine. The staff are accommodating, especially for those with strollers, since there is a second-floor tour available.
The video and the tour were exceptional. Was quite a surprise to be able to go through that before for the taste test. We sampled seven exquisite wines. Of course I loved the dry reds. The Cabernet was really good and so was the special reserve Cabernet. We ended up picking out a couple of bottles and some cheese to take back to the room with us. Place was wonderful, the staff were helpful and kind, and the wines are a real delight. Stop in, even if it means going out of your way. You will be glad you did. Be sure to check out my photos on google maps as well.
Tom Johnson-Medland — Google review
This was such a lovely place. Very kid friendly too. Definitely bringing chairs and a few games (balls, bubbles, etc.) for the kids is a plus. Felt like being in a backyard with extended family around you. All the wines were delicious but I need to take this opportunity to give a shout out to Olga which greeted us at the door and made us feel very welcomed after mentioning it was our first time. She kept the same energy with every guest that came in. This place is VERY lucky to have such a great person with such amazing energy as the face of the winery. Will absolutely recommend this place to anyone and will be back with no doubt.
Monica Sotomayor — Google review
A nice vineyard and winery. They offer free tour and free tasting. Their wines are good and have good prices. If you go during the weekend, there's live music and food vendors. Nice parking lot.
Gabriela Vega — Google review
If you want to spend a relax day in a beautiful picturesque hilltop! This is Theo la e to be. We enjoyed live music, free wine tasting and tour. They also have food on the weekends. Very well recommend.
Omar Echeverri — Google review
I really liked the free tasting/"tour" through the winery but I didn't really like any of the wine. I know it's a personal preference thing but the "wines" grown in Florida are way too sweet for me. And the wines they cultivate from California just don't hold up to California bottles around the same price. At all. I do think the FL wines are fairly priced though and I think the extra/reserve tastings were a very good price, as were the cheese trays (though I wish they were curated and not just out of a boar's head box).
The store is the best part about the place though! So many unique gifts and food/wine stuff that I've never even seen! The concert venue outside was nice as well, though it's weird that if you buy a bottle in the winery you can't enjoy it on their lawn.
corbin byers — Google review
Great experience, we have a stroller and the staff is very helpful in accommodating us because there's a 2nd floor tour. Lovely place! Reasonable wine prices for both in bottle and case. I surely love all of it. Will definitely come back.
Jade Singson — Google review
Lakeridge Winery is just a great time! Awesome people enjoying a nice landscape and some delicious wines. Learned a lot of the craftsmanship in making these wines. You learn a sense of how massive the operation must be to keep up with the quantity of grapes. The tour was well done and made the group laugh a good deal! Definitely worth a try if you're nearby. Love the southern red and white wines personally.
Dillon Fosa — Google review
Free tasting and tour! What more can you ask for? The tour experience itself was really fun. Our "tour guide" was very funny and energetic.
Personally, the sweet wines made from the muscadine grapes tasted better than the dry ones. I saw many people taste testing pouring out the dry flights. They should just focus on the sweet ones where they grow the grades themselves instead.
j h — Google review
Visited this winery on my birthday and I have to say it was a 10/10 experience. They have offer a great tour which by the way is FREE , great staff that’s knowledgeable about the winery and any questions you may have. It’s such a beautiful property and must experience. Although I’m a sweet red wine person trying all the other wines they offer was also a great experience yes at the end they offer FREE wine tastings definitely worth it. Definitely will be back in June.
Leslie — Google review
Very busy, but we did go on a Saturday afternoon and it would be a wonderful way to spend your afternoon we chose just to check it out. The free wine tasting is neat, a no hassle mini tour. They gift shop has an extensive array of goodies and of course the wine you can buy by the bottle or by the case what ever you want. Tha staff were extremely helpful and welcoming. I hope to come back again and enjoy the outdoor venue, music, and the delicious smelling food booths. Bring your lawn chair and have a relaxing time.
Laura K. — Google review
We dropped by to check it out. The personnel was welcoming. Nicely kept grounds. We bought wine and a sherry at fair prices. Sherry you was very good. We were pleasantly surprised to see florida “hills” 😊
Yenca — Google review
Lakeridge Winery has a great location in the hills of Central Florida. I’m not a fan of the Muscadine grape, so I felt the wines were quite biting and acidic. But if you like the Florida grape, try this out! The staff was informative and pleasant. They do allow dogs and have free wine tastings after the facility tour.
Megs — Google review
We absolutely loved it! The second we walked through the front doors we were treated like we were family! All the staff made us feel right at home! The staff was very knowledgeable and we learned so much from them while we were there. Everything was very clean and organized, the bathrooms were immaculate. The tour was free, and the wine was delicious! We can't wait to go back in the summer to see the vineyards in full bloom.
Melanie Hayes — Google review
Amazing experience! We did the tour/tasting and our girls took us on a tasting journey. So much fun and so full of friendly energy. If I lived closer I would spend way too much time in the loft, hanging out and overlooking the vinyard working on my laptop all day... such good vibes here. Love almost all of the staff and almost all of the wines! Try the mulled and be ready for flavor explosion!
Kathie Ward — Google review
My family and I really enjoyed this winery. It’s one of the best we have visited. The tour and tasting were complimentary which makes it even better. They do yours all day long so you can show up with out reservations. You will walk up stairs to a room to watch a video on the history of the winery. Then walk around and see where they make the wine at. If you want to see the vineyard in full bloom it’s best to go during the summer time. We can’t wait to return to check out their weekends at the winery! Very great place to visit with family from out of town that love wine!
Aundrea Lohman — Google review
Absolutely amazing visit !! Free parking and tour .Guided Tours and Tasting are offered 7 days a week starting at 10:00 am each day, with the last tour offered at 4:00 pm. Tours usually run every 30-40 minutes and begin with a 10 minute video presentation, which guides you through the entire wine making process and the history of Florida wine.
Geovanna U — Google review
My husband and I enjoyed the complimentary tour and wine tasting here. Our guide was knowledgeable and fun. If we hadn't had a flight in two days, we definitely would have bought some wine or other goodies! Definitely a nice place to stop if you're in the area.
Kia Frank — Google review
Fun afternoon!! We went on a Monday so there was probably more going on during the weekends but we walked right in and jumped into a free tour!! Tour guide was super sweet and gave some great tips on wine. We got a few things at the shop and roamed around a little. Cute spot!
The Blue Spring State Park is a cool-water spring on the St. Johns River that is popular for swimming and kayaking. It's located 45 minutes from Orlando and has a constant 72 degrees temperature making it the perfect summer spot. The park also offers campsites or cabins to rent, as well as hiking trails and bird watching opportunities.
Swimming in this spring was amazing experience where the nature is as is!! I wish we could spend more time there and we could possibly see manatees.
Parking was easy, close to the spring.
There is food available, rental tubes as well, and of course restrooms conveniently located.
The boardwalk was amazing and along the river.
sahana varadaraju — Google review
Cool water on a hot summer day! Nothing better! Mother Nature provides her own lazy river. Our family goes at least once a year. We love this place more than any beach. The wildlife is also incredible.
Dawn Marengo — Google review
What a beautiful spot! We also got a break in the weather, the temperature was just right. But most of all...our guide Gina from Adventures in Florida was spectacular! She was the perfect combination of knowledgeable and friendly and funny! Pointed out so much wildlife including a ton of birds, some alligators and a bunch of manatees!
Tom Nielsen — Google review
Very nice state park close to Orlando, about 45 minutes drive to get there. In December we are not able to swim but the beautiful spring kept many manatees, it was great time to see so many of them! Kids love them.
Sherry Yuan — Google review
Gorgeous park! We had a great time tubing and walking around appreciating the scenery and wildlife. We were within 2 feet of a momma manatee and her calf that swam by and stopped to say "hi"! The restroom facilities and gift shop were both well maintained. We enjoyed our day here.
A O (FLChiefsFan79) — Google review
Plenty of things to do for everyone be it swimming, kayaking, hiking, boat trips. We went in mid November when we were unable to go into the water because of the migrating manatees but just to see them in their natural environment was well worth the trip
Amazing place!
Alison Williams — Google review
I love coming here all year round. During the summer you can get in and enjoy the cool crystal clear water, and during the winter you can walk around and enjoy the wild life. There is so many manatees that visit each year, it's really amazing to see. There's also a boat tour that you can take but you have to get tickets in advance. There's a nice playground area for the kids, and there are also cabins for rent. And did I mention that the entrance fee per car is only like $6.
Jezabeth Rivera — Google review
It was beautiful! We saw several manatees. The picture is of a mommy and 3 babies. There's a $6.00 per car fee to enter. There's trails and rentals. There is a campground, store and lovely walkways and viewing areas of the crystal clear springs. Beautiful park.
Connie Nawrocki — Google review
This is an absolutely beautiful park! We went in the beginning of April and it happened to be firefly season. It was absolutely magical. I would recommend it to anybody! We'll be coming back next winter when the manatees are there. Can't wait!
Tara F — Google review
Love it every second. My husband and I rented a kayak for 4h. We were able to spend 2h only as I was not expecting to see so many alligators 😅... the park is amazing and the manatee is so cute. We were able to see one only, but it was great. If you are looking for some time with nature and quietness here is your place to go. Arrive early, and don't forget to do the boat tour at St. John's river, it is breath taken. Will definitely come back for more adventures... be very careful with the gators of course 😅🙈 they can come quite close 😉
Eduarda Dornbusch Pereira — Google review
Wonderful time with friends. Manatees, gators and bird oh my. Beautiful day, went on the boat ride. Best time in a long time. They knew what they were doing. The lady knew her animals and their stories as she picked them out and the gentleman knew his boat to get close to the animals as he could get. Great team. Then we went to the swimming hole and saw more manatees and they had a guide to make sure nothing harmed them. Swimming hole cold but, refreshing.
jane wakefield — Google review
It was awesome! Cold, but that was expected for a spring. The water was pretty and a nice clear sea green color from the algae and spring floor. There were so many fish! Including alligator gars. I got lucky and came when a group of rescued manatees were being monitored to see how they adapt to the habitat. I got to see them up close and it was such an experience! The camping was really fun too. For my first time it was really really nice and tranquil. It felt good to escape civilization for a few. Recommend this park to anyone. Reasonably priced too, imo.
Naomi A. Bigwood — Google review
An absolutely gorgeous river fed from an easily accessible spring. A wonderful opportunity to see much aquatic wildlife, from gar fish to manatees!
The water is crystal clear in most spots, making snorkeling equipment a must. The lazy pace of the spring-fed river is perfect for tubing as well.
There are full amenities at the park including a bathrooms, shelters, and a store.
Rakkety Dash — Google review
It is truly awe inspiring. The amount of wildlife, chiefly manatees but also gators, big ones at that, in close vicinity is really special. The water is so clear that you can easily spot all of the different fish species including gars. The park also offers picnic areas and if my memory serves me right restrooms and vending machines for water and sodas. The boardwalk throughout the park is also a perfect way to get around to the upper ponds and to do some bird watching while exploring the area. I will definitely return.
Thomas T?rling — Google review
Camping review. Love the campsites here. Plenty of woodland coverage feels like all alone. Restrooms clean and hot water for a shower. Easy walk or bike ride to the spring. Lovely 73 degrees water, and two manatees swam by while we were swimming. Excellent bike/hiking trails and deer everywhere.
Steven — Google review
Had a fabulous time! Rented a canoe through Blue Springs Adventures doing the unguided option and it was worth every penny! Only spent the 6$ for park admission and it was around 34$ for a 4 hr 2 person canoe rental (they also offer kayak rentals). Lots of wild life; birds, turtles, manatees, snakes, and gators! Oh my! 10/10 do recommend and will do again! After we finished our canoe trip we went down to the springs to cool off which was the icing on the top of the cake!
Stephanie Elderkin — Google review
The park was kept clean, the water was great. We were able to swim with the mantees while we were there they swam near the head of the spring. You are not allowed to touch them though, and you have to stay 20 feet away. There’s somebody who stays on a kayak and kind of follows the manatees to make sure people are leaving them alone. And that’s a good thing. It was nice to see some wildlife in the water with us. you can scuba dive here so that was fun to see the scuba divers going down into the hole. The current is very strong coming out of the hole so for younger children it could be difficult. I was able to walk through the old house of the person who used to live there, that was pretty cool. And they have a nice park for the kids, kayaks you can rent, lockers and tubes for rent. Now there’s not a lot of picnic tables so if it’s a crowded day that could be tricky if you’re trying to catch a table… But it’s not bad it’s very pretty lots of open grass to lay a blanket out if you wanna go picnic style. There is a decent amount of bathrooms probably about 8 to 10 stalls. I would definitely recommend !!!
Khloe Loves — Google review
Blue Springs State Park is stunningly beautiful. The crystal clear water, the Manatees swimming, fish galore, turtles sun bathing on logs near the water, all amazing sites. Spanish moss hanging over the water is so pretty. Anyone visiting will not be disappointed. Gift shop, picnic areas, kayak rental.
Rene Killion — Google review
Amazing!! So many manatees! And great trails, lookouts, bathrooms, museum, giftshop, etc. we did wait a while in a car line to get into the park, but it was only $6 per car. Like $2 for pedestrians, and more for bigger vehicles. Didn’t need a lot of time, not a whole day experience. An hour or two to walk the trail and watch the manatees. There’s picnic benches, lawn, and a lunch bar I believe too!
Naomi Elmer — Google review
It is a fantastic place to bring kids and family out for family activities like picnics while enjoying God's beautiful creation. It was ONLY $6 per car at the entrance. They have a gift shop and a Kayak for rent if you like to roll around the lake. Beautiful area! 🥰❤️
Joshua Nguyen — Google review
Marvelous geologic experience of a fresh water spring and boil, easy walk with concession stand and restrooms. Mostly shaded. Fair entry price. Great way to experience natural Florida without having to worry about being in the water with the alligators! We had no wait to enter the park and found convenient parking without a problem. Very nice.
Christopher Field — Google review
Beautiful state park with crystal-clear spring water. We visited this state park twice and both times in the month of December. Hundreds of manatees gather here in the spring from mid of November to March, and it's such an incredible sight.
Keertu Anil — Google review
Exceptionally beautiful spring and spring run. The boardwalk is also an easily accessible path which you have the potential to see so much wildlife from. One of the best places to see manatees as well during the winter. The park staff do a great job with maintaining this park. There’s also a hiking path inside the park accessible from the lower parking lot called pine island trail… east but long and very little shade In Some parts. I love visiting this place and have done so many many times!
Tatiana Rokicki — Google review
My mom and I went here to check out this beautiful Spring. We hiked a little, walked the boardwalk along the spring area and did a 2 hour cruise on the St John's River. It was so peaceful and wasn't very crowded when we went. You can swim, tube, snorkel and dive the area. The water is so clear, but 72 degrees, its a little to cold for me. We saw a few manatee, but during winter time this place gets over 700 manatees coming in. Beautiful place and recommend. Great seeing undeveloped areas.
Brooke Murdock — Google review
I've been to Blue springs quite often through the years yet it is only getting better with time. The rain kept the crowds down so the experience was even better. As you can see from the photos, the turbidity of the water was very good. Crystal clear in most places, so as to be able to see the plethora of wildlife. The source of the spring I found was the best place to enjoy swimming and the clearest water. As you travel downstream you begin to see a tremendous array of fish, birds, turtles, etc.
Definitely was a wonderful day at Blue spring State Park 🏞️.
Gavin Ritzler — Google review
Awesome place to go kayaking and swimming. The kayak rental station hands out the last batch of boats at 3pm and you have to be back at 4pm the latest. The park closed at 7pm that day.
Very clear water in the spring and we could spot some Manatees.
Robert Wachs — Google review
This is such a picturesque spring.
I had an amazing time swimming with the manatees (at a safe distance) and taking in nature’s best.
Tip: When paying for parking online you have to go down the list and select the right location. :) (You might have to pay again at the gate if you select the wrong park.)
Nadia R — Google review
Went with my boyfriend to see the manatees and there were so many there! I know they look like rocks in the water but watching them swim around with their babies was so cool. A really good time, highly recommend.
Annie Chavers — Google review
Very cool place to check out.. unfortunately we didn't see any manatee, but we did see lots of fish and cool birds. Nice little walk and playground for the kids. Will definitely come back.
Andrea Drescher — Google review
One of my favorite places in the world. The amount of joy I get from seeing manatees flock here every year is beyond comprehension. There are always such dedicated and passionate volunteers there fielding questions about the park, manatees, the nature there, and engaging with kids and visitors alike.
I’ll miss not swimming here this year as they undergo construction to help the shore erosion, but, I’m so glad they’re maintaining this space for years to come.
Teketa Shine — Google review
Such a beautiful place! Water is so clear you can see all the fish and there was a huge variety of them. We were there towards the end of the manatee season but were able to see one manatee that had been rescued with a tracker on it. There was a volunteer there that was very helpful and informative and answered all of our questions about manatees. The walking trail is easy with several overlooks of the spring. Restrooms were very nice and clean. This place is a must see!
Andrew Novack — Google review
Went right during prime time. So there was a line up to get in. The rangers kept the line moving quickly. We were lucky to find parking. The main walk is paved and boardwalk with overlooks. The day we went the manatee count was 482. There were a lot you could see from the walkway. Was an amazing sight to see them. The water was clear and kept getting clearer the closer you got to the spring.
Highly recommend visiting!
Restrooms, gift shop, and small snack stands on site along with kayak rentals.
Ashley Gutowski — Google review
Lot of construction, but still super cool. Ton’s of alligator gar, catfish and other miscellaneous fish. Water was super clear. We also saw a momma manatee and her baby, as well as others. Handicap accessible.
Bobby R — Google review
This place is magical. It was so cool to see all the manatees hanging out staying warm. When I went, the count was at 146! Earlier in the week, they had the record for almost 1k!!! This park is beautiful and I wish I would've packed a picnic.
Karle Lyons — Google review
Such a great place to visit to see some manatees. There were almost 300 there on the day we visited so the water activities cancelled but we weren’t planning on doing any anyway. I can imagine it’s very cool to do on a hot summer day. There are also some nice trails and plenty of bathrooms and food options.
Jennifer H — Google review
A lovely park with plenty of activities. If you time your visit right, you can see a lot of manatees and other wildlife. There's also setups for kayaking and diving so you can explore the area a little better (not available during manatee season)
There's a historic house with some educational material available, but it's very focused on a colonial mindset, with little information available regarding the indigenous people who resided here originally.
James Scott — Google review
Blue springs State Park was beautiful. My fiance and I were incredibly happy with the camping site. Lots of shade level ground easy access to water electricity it was great. The only thing that we didn't care for was the fact that the Blue springs was closed this year all year and they don't tell you till you get to the little house to pay. Nothing on the website nothing on the gate as you're coming in. We stayed anyways it was still fun lots of critters squirrels deers possums raccoons. Well go again but maybe we'll wait till the springs are open.
Irene Harwell — Google review
A visit to Blue state Park will not dissapoint. They have regular boat trips, just check that they are running on the day you want. All done on-line. We went early May, so all the manatees had gone. Plenty of fish to see! We saw an American Bald Eagle. Lots of other birds too. Even saw some deer and the prize of the day was an Armadillo! Lovely board walk that offers plenty to see. This walk is wheelchair friendly too. There are restrooms there and a small shop for souvenirs and to buy cold drinks. If visiting for the day just make sure that yiu have enough water and food as it can get very hot!
John Stetson's luxurious estate, the Stetson Mansion, can be toured as part of a living history museum. Constructed in 1886 for the hat manufacturer John B. Stetson, the home once entertained some of Florida's most notable historical figures and can still be seen today through guided tours.
Beautiful mansion, both the outside area and inside. Crazy amount of beautiful Christmas decorations in every room. Probably coming back in the spring to see the inside without all the decorations and to see the 3rd floor (off limit during our tour as the owner was staying there). Not cheap, around $30 per ticket.
Kare Backstrom — Google review
I have taken both the Xmas guided tour and the Historical tour. The Xmas tour is fun for those who enjoy decor. It’s very thought out with a lot of fun items to find. There are always different themes each year. But the best tour in my opinion is the Historical tour which is sadly coming to an end in a couple of weeks.
The Historical tour takes you through the by history of the Stetson family, interesting facts about the home, and a discussion about his work as a hatter. Our most recent tour guide, Jo Ann, did an amazing job taking us from room to room and answering every question that the group had. At the end of the tour we purchased both books to take home and continue learning about the history of such an amazing home.
The only downside of the tour is that you cannot take photos inside, but being that this is a private residence, and is only funded by tours, it is understandably why they ask for privacy.
Koontz Photography — Google review
We took the guided tour and I highly recommend it. Our guide was such a delight. She truly loved the place and gave us so much detail on the planning and history of both the house and the Stetson family. Plus her descriptive narrative was riddled with humor which kept us interested and made the tour more pleasurable. The 10 decorated rooms were amazing. Each room had a different theme from the others and from years past. We were delightfully impressed and I believe will make this tour an annual Christmas tradition.
Judith “Judy” Wheeler Bastin — Google review
A must see! Beautiful house. They still had holiday deco up so I want to see it without all of the decorations to get the real feel of the house and architecture. It was tastefully done though.
Jennifer David — Google review
Lovely restored mansion with some nice Florida history. Go for the unique original architectural features. Plan on going for the spectacular Christmas decor.
Nilufer Kessler — Google review
Visiting the Stetson is always a treat, but especially at Christmas to see JT's talent on display! Beautiful decor highlights the historic home & is a joy. We took the guided tour & were treated to a heartfelt story from JT in the dining room about what Christmas meant to him & his family. Our guide for the rest of the home was knowledgeable & entertaining. Photos aren't allowed inside, but trust me when I say you won't be disappointed!! It's a sight to experience 🎄
joey rogers — Google review
We visited the Stetson Mansion today for the Christmas Spectacular Holiday Home Tour and it was fantastic! Highly recommend the guided tour with JoAnn to learn more about the decorations and a little history about the house. Her infectious personality and storytelling made our visit even more enjoyable.
Each and every room, even the kitchen and bathrooms have a dedicated theme. The attention to detail and the creativity behind each room is truly amazing. I especially loved all the inspirational sayings sprinkled throughout the house. Definitely a must visit and our family will surely make this an annual holiday tradition.
Jennifer Abreu — Google review
Fabulous Christmas decor and a surprise pop-in by JT the owner who does all the decorating. Try to go to the 7:00 p.m. guided tour as it is special. Each room has its own decor starting with angels and cardinals in the Grand Staircase in the entry, Department 56 layered on a tiered tree, Snobabies filling up a bedroom and the kitchen dedicated to military heroes, just to name a few of the rooms. Such a beautiful sight it is still racing through my mind two days later. A must tour in the central Florida area as it is also one of Florida's most historical homes and the first to have electricity installed by Thomas Edison himself.
Kathy Voorhees — Google review
An amazing beautiful home with the most wonderful Christmas decorations anyone could imagine. It’s said that it takes 3 months to decorate the home and the passion and love shows.
The only downside is that there is no photography allowed inside the home.
Bryan Countryman — Google review
My sister and I took our mother as a Christmas present. She absolutely loved it, she had to use her walker to get around. Everyone there was very friendly and helpful getting her though it because we had to take our time to get her through. We would recommend it anytime.
Lisa Bell — Google review
The Proprietor spent 3 months decorating this home in a Christmas theme. Each room was intricately decorated, and we participated in a delightful guided tour. The Proprietor himself even came to visit and gave us some heartwarming background stories about the mansion and some of the decorations. Southern Hospitality at its best--when I had to take a break from walking and standing, the other Proprietor brought me a picture book of the mansion rooms, and I was able to scan the QR code to get my very own audio tour while sitting comfortably on the beautiful front porch. :) Truly a stunning home!
Sally Jecmen — Google review
We did the Christmas Tour! Very much worth it! Beautifully decorated for Christmas! Kim was our awesome tour guide.
Matt Bishop — Google review
We came to the mansion because it was on a haunted house list. When we arrived the house was locked but the gate was open. There was a sign outside that says scan for self-guided tour. We went to the door to see if it was unlocked and it was locked. We walked around the house a bit and found a staff member. Explain to her that we were interested in seeing the inside of the house because it was on a haunted tour list. She was not happy that it was on a haunted house list and did not seem very friendly with us. She didn't explain that the self-guided tour was the Christmas tour and was $35 per adult and $20 for children. We felt that was a bit high. We took some pictures on the outside and when we went to leave she had locked us inside the property by closing the gate up and locking it. The staff member came to the gate to unlock it for us because we were sitting in front of it and there were people outside trying to come in for the tour. I think this property could be ran better than how it is being run.
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Shainey Marcus — Google review
Great tour at Christmas time for sure. Kim was a great host and gave us lots of good info. We would like to back outside the holidays to see more of the super cool house. Thank you for sharing your home, the rooms were decorated one better than the next!
Jamie Randazzo — Google review
Absolutely Amazing tour of this beautifully restored mansion, but to personally see the amount of Christmas creations strategically & thoughtfully placed in each room, nook & cranny was such a treat! It's a highly recommended must visit, & we plan on coming back again to experience the artistic joy w/ our visiting family. Great surprise!
Domingo Clemente — Google review
It's expensive, but we really wanted to go to see the over-the-top Christmas decorations that this place is known for. We signed up online a couple weeks ago and paid then. Yesterday, the day before our visit, we received an email that revealed some things about our visit, set for today. It recommended using restrooms off property before arriving. The mansion's only restroom facility the public could use was a portable outdoor unit out in the parking lot. The other thing the email warned against was arriving more than 20 minutes early. It said parking was limited and the gates would only be opened at certain times. This was not an issue as we were early and parked easily and without hassle. We assembled briefly on the porch and started touring the inside of the mansion. Photos were prohibited inside (also stated in the email). We moved from room to room on the mansion's first and second floors as we listened to the tour's audio on our phones, which were browsed a lnk provided in that email. The audio program was the owner's own narration of the decorating job that he took the past 3 months doing himself. We thought the decorations were spectacular and captured both the Christmas spirit and the Stetson family history. Also there was a nice patriotic salute to servicemen near the end. It was all so well done and made us glad we visited the "mansion that hats built" today.
Joe Graham — Google review
Wow!!!! Came here for the Christmas decorations and got so much more! The mansion by itself is unbelievable, the time and dedication it must take to maintain this beautiful historic home is beyond comprehension! The Christmas decorations what can I say WOW! Each room has a unique style and theme to it. Hard to pick a favorite room or design! We crossed paths with JT the owner and designer of the displays. He is a very talented artist and designer. He took the time to chat with us about his experience in making this come to life! This one of a kind place is very special from the architecture of the house to the Christmas display. I wanted to say thank you for sharing your home and your talents with the public! It was amazing!
Paul Peters — Google review
Absolutely Beautiful Christmas Displays! Amazing historic craftsmanship. And if you get the honor of meeting the owner/creator of this holiday spectacular he is very amicable and a delight to chat with.
Quaint complex with boutiques, restaurants, performing-arts venues & a movie theater.
Great live entertainment. Check out the band Hooligans. They were great. Rain or shine, there is always something to do.
R. Fitz — Google review
The oldest of three squares and it seems like the powers to be don't really have a plan to rehab it. They started to do things them stopped with Katie Belles and the movie theater. Best part of the square is the 3td Saturday car show.
I photograph Uncle Bob's Rock Shop and this is the worst of the three squares to shoot the band in. The Gazebo stage is a poor design way too small, too high and really poor sight angles even if your just watching a band. I've pretty much stopped shooting their shows here. They did some work on the actual square awhile back and they should have revamped/enlarged the stage.
DoFP — Google review
Absolutely wonderful spot to walk around and enjoy what the area has to offer. When I visited, they were getting ready to celebrate St Patrick's day. It was so much fun. They had beautiful antique cars on display, and they were getting ready for a parade. Absolutely gorgeous. I will definitely be back to explore some more of this area.
Janet Stiles — Google review
A fun place to visit.. the people enjoy life and have a great time. The little shops were nice the music was great,live band and dancing in the evening .
Melissa Hawkins — Google review
Very cool area; great architecture to see, shopping, live music, and restaurants! Spanish Springs is the oldest part of The Villages; quite a unique experience!
C4Explore — Google review
Spanish Springs Town Square in The Villages is a lovely area. There are many shops, restaurants, and a nice park-like area where one may sit and relax.
Carol Ann Jason — Google review
This is a great little town square area with plenty of places to eat and shop at. There is live music (free) every night starting around 5 pm. If you're in the area, stop by. There are also lots of special events going on. This is also dog friendly. There are public restrooms available, too!
Jacqueline P — Google review
Love it here! Spent St Patrick's day with my folks and we had a blast at the Parade ☘️☘️☘️
B Robb — Google review
OMG! We checked this place out last night and we have to go back! Live music, ppl dancing, plenty of seating available outside and lots of fun and friendly ppl!
Kym Zaja — Google review
What a beautiful place just to walk around, shop, or grab a bite! Clean, inviting and friendly as you could want with live music every night..
Bud Jackson — Google review
Great evening listening to the band and checking out all the classic cars 🚗
Barry Brown — Google review
The Villages has so many entertainment options. Today was a gorgeous day to enjoy Bluegrass Blues at the far north town square.
Rebekah Spahn — Google review
Always have a great time at the square while visiting my mom,people just enjoying the music,dancing and festivities!
George Bryant — Google review
Great hometown feeling. Great views, really pretty and loads of restaurants to choose from.
Russ Cooper — Google review
Saw Lonestar here good acoustics and beautiful surroundings.
Pamela Livingston — Google review
Went for the craft show. Great many different kinds of crafts displayed. Good place to buy gifts, interesting food or decorating items.
The only drawback is the "Villagers" in their golf carts who let you know that they own the road, the town, the sidewalk, the sunshine etc, etc.
Dale Sweet — Google review
Visit this area often and enjoy walking, eating, shopping, and let’s not forget every day at 5 pm dancing in the square. People are usually friendly and they all have stories to tell.
Scott Rice — Google review
Depends on what kind of music you like then you sort of have to follow when they're going to be there. I was there had a couple of cocktails music was okay. And people were friendly.