Miami for Kids? Orlando for Grown-ups?

Romantic Orlando for Grown-Ups:

Miami just for Kids:

• La Nouba by Cirque de Soleil is live at Le Théâtre in striking downtown Disney. It really is all it’s cracked up to be, and at 90 minutes, it’s happening every night (except Mondays). Buy tickets in advance for serious discounts and enjoy the world’s favorite circus while it’s still in town.

• Miami’s Monkey Jungle, pictured above, is one of the most consistently well-reviewed TripAdvisor destinations for kids in all of Miami. Hundred of primates run free, enchanting visitors and especially kids and make a super-cool afternoon for the entire family.

The Everglades!

• Everglades National Park is a protected 1.5 million acres of natural paradise and will make your Miami trip feel like anything but a city vacation. Swamps, manatees, alligators and guided airboat tours bring you closer to primal nature than you’ve ever been. It’s close and there’s a lot to see and do.

• CityArts Factory is FREE, like few other things in Orlando! Downtown Orlando’s biggest collection art and craft galleries. Local, national and international artists and craftsmen offer an intriguing and fulfilling backdrop for afternoon lunch or drinks. And there’s always something else going on.

• Families spend literally all day at Miami Seaquarium. On the causeway between downtown Miami and Miami Beach, there is no end to the learning and the fun. The star, of course, is Lolita the killer whale, but Pacific white-sided dolphins are crowd-pleasers complemented by fish feedings, sharks, crocodiles and more.

• The Mennello Museum of American Art hosts an outstanding collection of work by folk artist Earl Cunningham at 900 East Princeton Street. There’s also an outstanding lakeside sculpture garden and a roster of changing and seasonal exhibitions.

The Science Museum!

• The Miami Science Museum is home to the Bird of Prey Research Center, the Space Transit Planetarium and the Weintraub Observatory as well as loads of exhibits and learning centers. There’s literally always something going on for kids, including the Sea Lab, and interactive exhibits on the climate, health, energy, wildlife and, of course, outer space. What’s not to love.

Epcot Center

Of course, we didn’t mean to imply that you have to skip the theme parks altogether (not like you’d want to!). Epcot Center has plenty for grown ups. Beyond the bars and night clubs – of which there are plenty – there’s also:

Mission Space – A thrilling space flight simulator

Test Track – Quite possibly the world’s best race track simulator.

Soarin’ – A spectacular flight simulator flies you through IMAX scenery that will leave you speechless.

The Living Seas – Everything from dolphins to sharks,  stingrays and jellyfish in Orlando’s coolest undersea lair.

At just about 1.2 miles from the Doubletree Biscayne Bay, you really owe your kids a visit to the Miami Children’s Museum.

Though closed on some holidays, there’s still a lot that’s fun. A whole gamut of interactive exhibits keep tykes occupied and there’s plenty to keep them going – all day long. Sized just for kids, there’s a bank, supermarket, hospital, fire station, veterinary clinic, and TV studio. Space for making music, art and even a miniature cruise ship mean that even the smallest kids get plenty to occupy them, and a kid-sized rock climbing wall let’s the truly energetic climb all the way to the ceiling in an environment that’s safe, fun and educational. At the end of the day, South Beach is just a short drive away, and there’s always more to do there!

One more thing!

An increasing number of Royal Holidays stop over in Orlando on their way to the cruise port at Cape Canaveral. Orlando is a great way to start out – or finish up your cruise vacation. The Canaveral port is increasingly popular, not just for Disney Cruises, but for other cruise lines too!

One other thing…

Royal Holiday travelers love the fantastic opportunity that Miami offers to those arriving from or setting sail on the cruise ships that head out for every corner of the Caribbean. Make your next cruise vacation just a little more over the top, and stay a few days in the City.