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Kissimmee Florida Travel Guide

October 15, 2021

family at wizarding world of harry potter universal orlando

Florida

Florida, North America, USA

I have been vacationing in Kissimmee, Florida with my family for over 15 years, and Ryan’s first vacation with my family was to Kissimmee right before we got engaged, so Kissimmee holds a very special place in our hearts. Which is why we were so excited to be able to go back with Experience Kissimmee and bring Luna for the first time! From spotting wild alligators to thrilling amusement parks, there is truly something for everyone in Kissimmee. You can spend the day relaxing by the pool or getting a head rush going upside down on roller coasters. However you want to spend your vacation, Kissimmee is the perfect place to go to be perfectly whelmed. Kissimmee is located in the heart of Central Florida and about thirty minutes outside of Orlando, Florida, which makes it the perfect sunny Florida getaway! Here’s our Kissimmee Travel Guide:

what to do in kissimmee, florida:

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Universal Orlando Resort:

In our opinion, you cannot go to Kissimmee without going to Universal Orlando Resort! It is truly one of the most thrilling places on earth! If you love roller coasters and amusement parks, it is an absolute must. Universal Orlando Resort consists of three different parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay. We absolutely love going there. We definitely recommend getting park hopper passes to be able to visit all three parks, but we we recommend limiting it to two parks per day, because it’s pretty difficult to get in everything you want to do at all three parks in just one day.

In addition to the insanely fun rollercoasters that make your heart fall into your stomach (hello Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket and Jurassic World VelociCoaster), Universal Orlando Resort is also home to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! And if you’re a Harry Potter fan, this is an absolute must! Even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, it’s truly so. much. fun. It feels like you’ve walked right into the books and this magical world full of witchcraft and wizardry. Make sure to get the frozen butterbeer (frozen is way better than normal in our opinion, plus it’s a nice way to cool down because it’s warm in sunny Florida year round) and grab lunch from Three Broomsticks! Let your wand choose you at Ollivander’s Wand Shop and then head over to Honeydukes for fizzing whizzbees! I know this is a bold statement, but I honestly think Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is the best rollercoaster of all time. Be sure to get in line early, because it’s a popular ride, so the wait time can get pretty long. And our favorite way to hop between the parks in on the Hogwarts Express, which takes you right over to Diagon Alley. Once you get to Diagon Alley, you must get the soft serve butterbeer ice cream. It is absolute heaven. I had it twice in one day. There’s also no such thing as too much butter beer while you’re there, so you have our permission to keep going back for me, because you deserve it! It really is such a magical experience and it doesn’t matter how many times we go, we keep going back because the feeling there is indescribable! I’m getting giddy and anxious to go back just typing this!

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The Wheel at Icon Park:

Take a ride on The Wheel at Icon Park and see Kissimmee from 400 feet! We loved going during sunset and seeing the warm glow over the city. It’s about a 20 minute ride from start to finish and each capsule is individually air-conditioned, so it’s a great activity to escape the heat.
 

Wild Florida Airboats:

One of our favorite things we did during our time in Kissimmee was riding an air boat and seeing alligators in the wild! We had never done an airboat tour before, so we didn’t really know what to expect, but it was honestly so much more fun than we expected! The airboat goes pretty fast and you get to see the unique Florida Everglade ecosystem up close. We were lucky enough to see a wild mother alligator and a bunch of four to five day old baby alligators swimming around her and one even climbed up on her head. Alligators are unique to this part of the world, so it’s truly an experience that you can’t really get anywhere else in the United States. We also saw a lot of beautiful birds, including bald eagles. Our tour guide was hilarious and very knowledgeable which made the whole experience that much more enjoyable. At Wild Florida, there’s also a zoo, a drive-through safari park, and animal encounters where you can feed giraffes or get up close and personal with a two-toed sloth. Spending the day at Wild Florida is the perfect family-friendly activity!

Bike Around Celebration Town:

Spend an afternoon biking around Celebration Town. Celebration is such a cute little area with pastel colored buildings and fun shops, including a bakery for dogs and a year-round Christmas shop. Rent bikes from Celebration Bike Rental so you can bike around the lake, explore the town, and get some treats.

Bok Tower Gardens:

If you’re wanting a quiet place to spend the afternoon, head to Bok Tower Gardens! It’s absolutely beautiful and has so many amazing plants that are truly house plant goals. It feels like you’re almost in your very own secret garden. There’s also a great children’s garden making it fun for the whole family.

Where to eat:

King O Falafel:

If you’re looking for a quick, tasty bite, head over to King O Falafel. The owners are from Jerusalem and import all of their ingredients straight from the middle east, and you can taste it! It’s very authentic and absolutely delicious.

Maple Street Biscuit Company:

You can’t take a trip to the south without enjoying delicious Southern food. We loved grabbing breakfast from Maple Biscuit Company. You can’t go without getting the famous cinnamon roll biscuits. They were absolutely delicious! And the birthday cake waffle will make it feel like every day is your birthday!

Vines Grille and Wine Bar:

Vines is an upscale restaurant and wine bar. When we went, there was live music and a fun lively environment. It’s a fun spot for a date night. The fresh, warm bread was delicious and the tempeh cauliflower appetizer was to die for. I seriously wish I would’ve ordered three of those, because I couldn’t get enough.

City Works Disney Springs:

Disney Springs is a great spot to shop and eat, and it’s the perfect place to go after a long day at the parks. City Works offers classic American food, so come for tacos, burgers, and definitely order the pretzel bites and the pizookie!

Where to Stay:

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Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate:

We stayed at the Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate and we absolutely loved it! We’ve stayed here quite a few times over the last few years, and it’s definitely one of our favorites! There are multiple pools, a lazy river, a wave pool, and water slides, which makes it such a fun place to spend the day relaxing and cooling off from the Florida sun! We loved floating around the lazy fiver and taking Luna down her first waterslides. There’s also a golf course with 36 holes of champion golf if you want to get some holes in on your vacation. The rooms are well-designed and spacious, and they even have two and three-bedroom villas with kitchens if you’re traveling with a larger party or as a family. There’s something for everyone at the Omni, so whether you’re looking for an adults-only relaxing getaway or a family-friendly vacation, we highly recommend staying at the Omni! We loved our stay and will definitely be back!

We had the best time in Kissimmee and cannot wait to go back! There is so much more to do in Kissimmee, including hot air balloon rides, kayaking adventures, and more, so be sure to check out Experience Kissimmee for more things to do during your visit!

*This post is sponsored by Experience Kissimmee, but as always, all opinions are our own!

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