Spring break may have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean April and May don’t provide plenty of opportunities for a family weekend getaway in Central Florida.
Weekend Getaway Planning
Floridians know this is a window of (relatively) cooler weather before the real heatwave kicks in by June. Other people travel around the world to come to Central Florida. For you, it’s just a matter of piling into the car and taking a short drive to any of the destinations listed below.
Keep in mind, this is just five. They’re all good, but it’s also worth checking out your local attractions to see what kind of special events and Florida resident discounts they offer this spring.
The Beach
It’s amazing how spoiled we are living in Florida. There are literally amazing beaches in almost every direction out of Orlando. To the east, the Space Coast offers many beautiful choices. The Canaveral National Seashore, for example, provides a chance to see beaches unspoiled by development, a rarity in Florida. To the west is Clearwater Beach, which is now ranked the best beach in the country by TripAdvisor. To the south (by southeast), you’ll eventually reach the beaches of South Florida, which includes Ft. Lauderdale, South Beach in Miami and, if you want to add a National Park visit to your weekend getaway, The Everglades.
St. Augustine
Just to the north, there are beaches on Anastasia Island. Nearby is the spectacular town of St. Augustine, the oldest city in America. You can tour the Castillo de San Marcos fort, which is largely still intact even though it’s more than 300 years old. There are also great hotels and historical sites St. Augustine’s historic district.
Amusement Parks
You live in Central Florida. No one needs to tell you about the amusement parks. But as much as we all complain about the traffic, the amusement parks in and around Orlando are kind of like the beaches. You tend to take them for granted. Talk to someone who has moved away and you will likely find a person who misses the chance to make a very short drive and spend the weekend at one of the area’s world-class amusement parks.
Every amusement park has special events for the spring. For example, Epcot has the International Flower and Garden Festival that runs through the end of May.
St. Petersburg
Chances are you have explored Orlando and the area around it, but St. Petersburg is also worth a weekend of your family’s time. The city has grown from a sleep retirement town to destination for the whole family. There are all the beaches, of course. For the more art-minded family, there’s the Salvador Dali Museum, the Chihuly Collection and the Museum of Fine Arts, all in or near Beach Drive in downtown St. Petersburg. Also, starting the last weekend in March, the Tampa Bay Rays start their baseball season. The Tampa Bay Rowdies also start their soccer season in late March.
Home Party
For those who want to keep things close to home and have a neighborhood or house party, Fun Crew USA offers many, many options. You can rent a water slide to beat the heat. You can turn your backyard into a carnival. Or you can let the kids bounce to their heart’s delight and give the adults the thrill of doing a stunt jump.
Central Florida is a fantastic place to live. With all the spring options available, there’s no reason to sit around the house every weekend. Take advantage of what the area has to offer. You won’t regret it
