Therefore, as an official Conch, I do feel an affinity for the Sunshine State.

This is where I recommend taking kids in Florida if I didn’t want to deal with theme parks and Disney (although here are my tips for the Walt Disney World parks, if you insist.)

Gulf Coast beaches

No, they are not all oil slicks. Once you’ve been spoiled by Florida beaches, it’s hard to put up with grungy sand or chilly water elsewhere (except, yes, OK, I’ll admit maybe Hawaii gives them a run for the money.)  The Atlantic coast has pretty good choices in Daytona, Cocoa Beach and Jacksonville/St. Augustine, but my vote goes to the Gulf Coast because the water’s warmer, the sand is usually nicer and the wave action is gentler for younger kids.

Try Clearwater/St. Pete for lively urban beaches, nearby Caladesi Island State Park for isolated beauty or Siesta Key near Sarasota, an all-around winner.  The northwest Florida Panhandle and Pensacola have lovely sand and clear, warm water; sometimes I roll my eyes at the occasional tacky commercialization there, but my kids LOVED stuff like mini-golf. Shut up, Mom.

Clear, cool freshwater springs

They are all over the state and they’re marvelously refreshing – a real Old Florida moment when you jump in! For example, Wakulla Springs State Park is perfect for a stop-off between Tallahassee and Jacksonville.  The park is home to a massive freshwater spring, one of the delights of northern Florida and a great excuse to go swimming.

Take one of the glass-bottom boat tours to get crystal-clear views of spring wildlife below the boat. The comfy Lodge in the middle of the Park was built in 1937, and still welcomes guests for meals or an overnight stay.

The Everglades

Truly a U.S. national treasure and a World Heritage Site, the enormous 1.5 million acre “sea of grass” boasts nine distinct habitats and teems with hundreds of species of mammals, birds, and fish.

There are ranger-guided tours and activities, mangrove coast boat tours and tram tours on a fifteen-mile loop; check individual sections of the Park for specific activities. Miles of both land and water trails tempt walkers, hikers and canoe/kayak enthusiasts. The December through April dry season is the least humid, most bug-free time to go, but is also the most crowded, so reserve early.

Gainesville and funky Cedar Key

In addition to the University of Florida Gator hoopla in Gainesville, there’s also the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History.  Join the other lepidoptera fanatics of all ages walking gently through hundreds of colorful butterflies.  You can also observe human researchers at work, but it’s more interesting to watch baby winged ones struggle valiantly to escape cocoons.

Just south of town is Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.   Sweeping open prairie grasslands and marshes contain wild bison and horses.  Look for hundreds of bird species (including Sand Hill Cranes) from the many marked trails.  There’s even the hulk of an 1800’s steamboat from the days when this was Alachua Lake.

Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico.  The Old Florida atmosphere makes this a perfect day trip from Gainesville.  Nope, that tiny public beach is not what you came for.  Wander the art galleries, chow down on fresh seafood, then kayak out to Atsena Otie Key offshore, just before the vermilion sunset.  Check with Adventure Outpost in High Springs for guided kayak outings here and all over north central Florida.

The Florida Keys and Key West

You don’t have to drive all the way down the Overseas Highway to Key West (although “Cayo Hueso” it is more kid-friendly than you’d think) but there’s something about the Keys that makes everyone kick back a little more and relax. In Key West, the whole family will enjoy the hokey-but-thorough Conch Train Tour, but hit it in the morning for cooler breezes and smaller crowds.

After the tour, you’ll know where to return later on bike. Spare yourself the headaches of driving and parking here; the main attractions lie within a few square miles.

Kid-friendly places to visit include the live-action fun at the Shipwreck Historeum, the small Aquarium, Mallory Square festivities at sunset and treasures at Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum. There are also local sailing trips and day trips to the nearby Dry Tortugas.

Older kids who are writers or history buffs (or who must live with annoying parents who are) might like Hemingway’s House or President Truman’s Little White House.

What are your Florida favorites?

Let us know down in the comments!

Tourism and visitor numbers are way down all along the coast, often for no reason other than people are assuming that the beaches are full of tar balls and such.

I’m not discounting the tremendous damage that some areas have experienced, but many places are suffering from a lack of visitors because people aren’t calling ahead or checking online.

For an overall view of coast conditions, go to the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) oil/tar tracking map.  It….

“….tracks the history of closures, advisories, and notices by county for beaches that have been affected by the oil spill. The tar ball icon indicates counties with any historical or current beach actions related to the oil spill. The sand pail icon marks counties that have not had official closures, advisories, or notices due to the oil spill.”

For Florida, go to the Florida Live site set up by Visit Florida and including beach webcams and local CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) tweets.

For anywhere, make some calls ahead to the local hotels and even restaurants.  They’d love to give you their perspective.

This is the flamingo area at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Citrus County, Florida (south of Tampa.)

It’s a wonderful place for the kids to see West Indian manatees year-round.

Nope, no oil spill problems there as of this writing, so check it out!

Everyone has different criteria for an awesome beach. My perfect seashore has warm water, protected/calmer areas for babies and toddlers, enough wave action to keep experienced swimmers busy on a boogie board, family-friendly entertainment and decent food nearby.

I don’t mind a little commercial development if it’s not too grotesque, and it would be nice if there were safe, fun places (like a boardwalk) for a preteen or teen to hang out when not on the sand.

Here is where I would take my children if I was feeling beachy:

*** Florida’s Gulf Coast –  Once you’ve been spoiled by Florida beaches, it’s hard to put up with grungy sand or chilly water elsewhere.  The Atlantic coast of the Sunshine State has pretty good choices in Daytona, Cocoa Beach and Jacksonville/St. Augustine, but my vote goes to the Gulf Coast because the water’s warmer, the sand is usually nicer and the wave action is gentler for younger kids.

Try Clearwater/St. Pete for lively urban beaches, nearby Caladesi Island State Park for isolated beauty, or Siesta Key near Sarasota, an all-around winner.  (Alternative:  The northwest Florida Panhandle for even better sand and clear, warm water but sometimes a bit too much tacky commercialization.)

*** San Diego –  Southern California is known for its surfside culture, and it’s a well-deserved reputation.  My only gripe is that the water is too dang cold for me and the wave action can be frightening for younger swimmers.  Still, Coronado Island near sunshine-filled San Diego has some of my favorite, most pristine and kid-friendly beaches.  (Alternative:  Santa Monica, near Los Angeles;  it is tough to beat that famous pier.)

*** Maine –  I’m almost ready to forgive the cold water simply because of the charm and natural beauty of Maine islands and coastal villages.  Make no mistake, the beaches are generally pebbly and rocky (the southern coast does have sand) and your best bet to avoid freezing may be to dabble around looking for critters in tidepools, but there’s no doubt that it’s a perfect world when you spend crisp summer days Down East.

Make your kids try a lobster roll, and then eat theirs if they’re so foolish as to dislike it! (Alternative:   Misquamicut Beach in that small state with a big heart, Rhode Island.)

*** North Carolina’s Outer Banks –  Miles of barrier island coastline, some very remote and beautiful (Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with the famous swirly black-and-white lighthouse) and others teeming with cheesy beachside overbuilding (translation – plenty of miniature golf places for kids) means that you can probably find just the right affordable spot for your beach towel on the Outer Banks.

Kids adore the creations from Kitty Hawk Kites, too; buy, then step out the door and fly ‘em. Don’t miss the founding-of-America history at the Lost Colony, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills.  (Alternative:  Go north to Virginia Beach, Virginia, which is OK but a little grubby and somewhat too raucous for younger ones.)

*** Hawaii –  Too many people only consider travel to Oahu and Waikiki, but there is an island and a beach (or two!) to suit every family.  Cast a wide net in your Hawaiian vacation planning.

Hanauma Bay on Oahu is noted for snorkeling opportunities, and Kailua Beach Park is nice as well. The Oahu North Shore is dramatic, but waves can be dangerous in winter. Kauai is particularly lush and tropical (try Hanalei Beach, Poipu Beach Park or Kekaha Beach Park.) The Kona Coast on aptly-named Big Island is full of kid-friendly resorts. (Alternative:  There IS no better alternative! The islands have plenty of variety to suit every age and disposition.)

That’s my beach roundup; hope you found it helpful.

I’m not as familiar with the Great Lakes but don’t want to leave my Midwest readers out, so if you have suggestions for beaches there or anywhere else in the US, please tell us in the comments below.

(If it seems like I’ve done a lot of these state roundups lately – Georgia, Michigan and Texas is still coming – it’s because I have, which is why my posting rate here on the Family Travel blog has slipped a bit. )

Here are 4 highlights out of 20 in the article:

• Wakulla Springs State Park – Perfect for a stop-off between Tallahassee and Jacksonville, the park is home to a massive freshwater spring, one of the delights of northern Florida and a great excuse to go swimming. Take one of the glass-bottom boat tours to get crystal-clear views of spring wildlife below the boat. The comfy Lodge in the middle of the Park was built in 1937, and still welcomes guests for meals or an overnight stay.
• Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City – One of the oldest areas in Tampa, Ybor City was the center of the Florida cigar-making industry in the early 1900s, and it still has a very strong Spanish and Cuban flavor. Opened in 1905, the flagship Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City is a local landmark serving a wide variety of traditional Latin cuisine. They also have live flamenco shows twice nightly except Sunday. There is a children’s menu.
• Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki – This excellent museum of Seminole culture is about one hour west of Fort Lauderdale, and includes audiovisual exhibits, a living village, rare artifacts and a one-mile boardwalk around the property.
• Miami Festivals – Festival action never stops in multicultural Miami. In March, the traditional Cuban heart of the city is filled for the Calle Ocho Festival (where you may get to join the world’s largest conga line.) The Miami Children’s Museum sponsors a popular Children’s Film Festival in May, and in June the nation’s largest black heritage festival, the Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival, kicks off in nearby Coconut Grove. In November the Miami Book Fair International celebrates literary delights and has a Children’s Alley, and the Junior Orange Bowl festival is stuffed with arts and sports events in late fall and into January.

For the rest of the goodies, please visit Fun and Learning in Florida! on Education.com.

Related posts:

• Guaranteed Florida manatee sightings
• Cayo Hueso: Melting-Pot Wonders of Key West
• In Florida, go north to see the South (on the Perceptive Travel blog)
• Survivor’s Guide to Walt Disney World: Intro (first in a series)

My new article on education.com, Learning at Disney World? outlines some behind-the-scenes tours that your family might enjoy at Disney Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios,) Epcot, etc.

All tours are an additional cost above park admission.

As you’ll see from my discussion in the article’s comments, the vast majority of the tours have a pretty high minimum age. A teenager or maybe a tween can have a heck of a time, but younger children don’t have many options.

For best general educational value, I recommend Epcot’s World Showcase and Animal Kingdom, where there are plenty of (free) educational demonstrations and activities going on all day. My kids loved the Dragon Legend Acrobats in Epcot’s “China,” and you might consider Flights of Wonder to learn about birds at Animal Kingdom.

Always check each park’s Daily Activities handouts when you arrive, for a complete list of presentations, performers and musical highlights.

Related posts: Survivor’s Guide to Walt Disney World (first in a Family Travel series)

Technorati tags: travel, family travel, Walt Disney World, Florida, educational travel, Disney, WDW, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Orlando, travel with kids

Normally the Photo of the Week would be up on Wednesday, but we’re slipping a little this week as we battle a (nice-to-have) tidal wave of work.

I took this photo in Crystal River, Florida, about 75 miles north of Tampa/St. Petersburg near the western coast of the state.  I’ve talked about Florida’s manatees, pre-Columbian mounds and sugar plantations this week (and it’s the height of Florida citrus season) so here’s a juicy shot from a roadside fruit and produce stand.

“Indian River fruit” is just a moniker attached to fruits, usually citrus, harvested within a certain distance from the Indian River in central Florida.

November to March is the best time to see (in the wild) the large, gray aquatic mammal known as the manatee.

The “Save the Manatee” organization suggests several Florida spots for best viewing, but what if you plan to visit the state between April and October, maybe on summer vacation?

Try Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, located in the aptly-named Citrus County on Florida’s western coast, about 75 miles north of Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Weather permitting, a short boat tour along Pepper Creek takes you from the Visitor’s Center to the park entrance. A Ranger-led manatee education program three times a day introduces visitors to the rehabilitated manatees that live year-round in the park’s springs.

A big winner with families is the Fish Bowl, a submerged viewing bubble.

Visitors can look out through large windows into the spring and watch the manatees and other wildlife swimming around.

Homosassa also has extensive birding trails (lots of lovely pink flamingos and owls) plus black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, Key deer, American alligators, American crocodiles and river otters.

A walking trail through the animal enclosures is stroller-friendly.

• Wildlife Encounters: 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
• Manatee Programs: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• Alligator/Hippopotamus Program at 12:30 p.m.

There are many special events in 2008, including birding walks, a birthday party for the popular local hippo, an Easter Egg Hunt and a spring gardening workshop.

An extensive Educator’s Guide to the Manatee helps with the details, if you and the kids want to brush up before you go.

Nearby is the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (accessible by boat) where you can see manatees in the wild.

If you’d like a guided tour there, check with Adventure Outpost based in pretty High Springs, FL, near Gainesville. They often run family-friendly manatee tours to the Crystal River area.

Technorati tags: family travel, travel, manatee, Florida, travel with kids, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

The latest one gives families some things to do in Florida that do not involve Mickey Mouse or any other Orlando theme park:

Non-Disney Fun in Florida.

Ideas and links include saying hello to a manatee at Homosassa Springs State Park, and seeing the “Real Florida” of freshwater springs, sinkholes and the Cracker farmhouse belonging to the author of “The Yearling.”

Previous Education.com articles include All the Little Houses: Following in the Footsteps of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Check it out….

Technorati tags: travel, family travel, Florida

Useful stuff.

For more detail, there’s my Family Travel series on surviving WDW — start with the Intro.

Update: This just in from Frommers, seven agencies to help your family rent a place to stay in Orlando.