Let’s go Orlando

There’s never been a better time to visit the sunshine state – and we have everything you need to know about making memories with all the family

Why go?

Orlando is pretty much always sunny, so it’s a year-round holiday spot. It doesn’t matter how old you are and whether you love roller coasters or not – we promise you will have the time of your life visiting the Seaworld parks. Here, we have everything you need to know…

Great for roller coasters: Seaworld

There is so much to see and do at this park, and of course it’s home to wonderful marine life, including orcas and dolphins. A world leading conservation and rescue facility, over 40,000 animals have been rescued so far and most of them have been released back into the wild once they are ready. We recommend booking the 30-minute rescue tour. It was interesting seeing all the vets at work who are on call 24/7 to rescue wounded animals. We were lucky enough to chat with the orca trainers and found out that sustainably resourced salmon is one of their favourite foods.

Talking of food, the Dine With Orca’s experience is one to book. It involves a delicious lunch sitting right up close to the orca tank and you get the chance to speak to the trainers. Known for its huge coasters, the park’s newest roller coaster is Icebreaker, which has the steepest vertical drop in Florida. And, trust us when we say, it’s more extreme than it looks! Another new family- style ride that proved to be a lot of much fun is Infinity Falls, with the world’s tallest river rapid drop. Prepare to get soaked! Our advice would be to ride the bigger rides first before the queues build up. Sesame Street Land is one of the newer areas in the park, and a great spot for the little ones to climb, ride and explore.

Great for family fun: Aquautica

Ready to make a splash? You’ll love Aquatica – we class it among the best water parks we’ve ever visited. Riptide Races is a great one if you are feeling competitive. It’s the world’s tallest duelling racer water slide and the kids loved hurtling down the slides on inflatable dinghies. Next up, tackle the KareKare Curl and ride the vertical wave in an inflatable ring. Not everything here is extreme, though – why not chill out on the lazy river or enjoy a spot of sunbathing and relaxing on the white sandy beaches? We would also recommend treating yourself to a cabana for the day, just to make it that little bit extra special.

Great for safari: Busch Garden

Around a 90-minute drive from Orlando is Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay. This park is bursting with huge and extreme coasters, but what sets it apart is the amazing Serengeti Safari. We suggest starting the day early with the Serengeti Tour, as you have more chance of seeing the animals before the day warms up. On the safari you can get up close to feed the giraffes and see the zebras and the white rhinos. The rides here are not for the faint hearted. The newest, Iron Gwazi, is the world’s fastest and steepest steel and wood roller coaster – and it’s very fast! We also recommend visiting the Animal Care Centre, 
a state-of-the-art facility where you can watch the vets perform procedures and see them care 
for the poorly animals.

Great for marine life: Discovery Cove

We think this must be Orlando’s best kept secret, a little bit of heaven in a beautiful tropical setting. Meet friendly stingrays and tropical fish as you snorkel in the magical underwater world of The Grand Reef or say hello to the otters in the Freshwaster Oasis. Wetsuits and snorkels are included in the price. Relax along the Wind-Away River and, at the white sandy beach, watch the dolphins at play. The highlight of our day was meeting the friendly dolphins and getting to hang out with them in the lagoon.

We also recommend The Sea Adventure experience, an underwater innovative walking tour. Wearing a helmet, you descend to the seabed via ladder. Air is pumped into the helmet as you walk along and come face to face with fish and velvety rays and even sharks from behind a screen.

Need to know

Words: Carly Honeyfield. Photos: Seaworld Parks