Start Dec 23 2022, return Jan 1 2023
5 days driving with attractions en-route. 5 days sight-seeing with 3 days theme parks.
Theme parks 1st, Nature next
- Fri, Dec 23: Drive to Navarre, Florida: 8 hours. Stay. En-route options.
- Bayou airboat tours, Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge
- Gulf Shores State Park, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Gulf State Park Nature Center (animals for kids), Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail
- The institute of mammal studies, Gulfport, Beau Rivage Casino, Beauvoir museum, Biloxi visitors center, beach & lighthouse
- Avery Island Tabasco sauce tour
- Sat, Dec 24: Drive to Orlando, Florida: 7 hours. Stay for 4 nights: Check-out Dec 28 morning. En-route, visit:
- Three rivers state park, Florida at Florida, Georgia, Alabama line: Chattahoochee, Flint, Apalachicola rivers. Rent canoe.
- Florida Caverns State Park
- Bayou airboat tours, Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge
- Sun, Dec 25: Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, Florida (with Harry Potter)
- Mon, Dec 26: Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park
- Tue, Dec 27: Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park
- Wed, Dec 28: Check-out. Drive to Homestead, Florida near Miami. Check-in for 3 nights. Check-out Dec 31. En-route:
- Aggressive: Drive to Key West & back. 9 hour drive.
- OR en-route: Visit Biscaynes national park. Boat tours. Snorkel.
- Thu, Dec 29:
- Drive to Key West & back. 6 hours. In Key West, visit options:
- Bahia Honda State Park: Kayaking, snorkeling, beach.
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: Snorkeling.
- Grayton Beach state park: Beach, Sand dunes, kayaking.
- Collier-Seminole State Park: mangroves
- OR Everglades national park
- OR Biscayne national park
- OR 10,000 islands cruise, airboat tours
- Fri, Dec 30: Everglades national park.
- Sat, Dec 31: Check out of Homestead, Florida. Start driving back. En-route options:
- Go via the East Florida route we came to Pensacola for 10 hours. Or
- Go via West Florida route (Fort Myers, Tampa) to Pensacola for 11 hours.
- Big Cypress National Preserve. or
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park: Riverboat ride
- Myakka River State Park: Canopy walk, pontoon boat ride, boardwalk
- Lake Kissimmee State Park: paddling & wildlife.
- Silver Springs State Park. Glass-bottomed boats, kayak. Manatees. Ocala National Forest nearby
- Anastasia State Park: Kayak, see manatees
- Big Talbot Island State Park: birds.
- Falling Waters State Park: waterfall, wildlife
- Weeki Wachee Springs State Park: mermaid show
- Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
- Sun, Jan1: Drive back to Houston (8 hours)
The opposite route: Nature first, then theme parks
- Fri, Dec 23: Drive from Houston to Tallahasee, Florida
- Sat, Dec 24: Drive to Miami. Stay in Homestead or Miami.
- Sun, Dec 25: Drive to Key West & back
- Mon, Dec 26: Everglades
- Tue, Dec 27: Check-out. Drive to Orlando. Biscayne en-route.
- Wed, Dec 28: Universal Studios Islands of Adventure (Harry Potter)
- Thu, Dec 29: Disneyland Animal Kingdom
- Fri, Dec 30: Disneyland Magic Kingdom
- Sat, Dec 31: Start driving back. To Pensacola.
- Sun, Jan 1: Back to Houston
