The chances are most parents will love to bring their children (and themselves) to Florida on a bucket-list family holiday. I am one of those parents. The last time I visited Florida was 18 years ago with my family. It never left me – all the amazing things we did. I even got to see the legend Tony Bennet sing live at the Hard Rock Café at Universal Orlando Resort. Such is the magic of this state in the US; every day is different and you can be guaranteed that lifetime memories will be made.
This time, my base was Kissimmee, a city just south of Orlando and one of the most popular places for families visiting Florida’s famous theme parks. Just 30 minutes from Orlando International Airport, the warm Florida air hits you the moment you step outside and instantly puts you in holiday mode.
We stayed in a holiday home with Jeeves by Casago, located within a secure gated resort complete with its own hotel, water park and restaurants. It was the perfect base, giving us plenty of space to relax after busy days exploring.
Known as the Vacation Home Capital of the World, Kissimmee offers everything from cosy two-bedroom apartments to luxury villas and mansions, making it an ideal choice for families of all sizes. As well as being within easy reach of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld, there are excellent shopping and dining options nearby, along with beautiful parks and outdoor adventures if you fancy a break from the theme parks.
On pulling up outside our home for the next seven days, we noticed a pink light coming from the garage; little did we know it was a games room, which my twins were very happy about. This particular home has five good-sized bedrooms (would easily sleep up to 10 people), bathrooms in three of them and separate bathrooms too, a movie room, a huge dining and lounge area, a private pool and jacuzzi complete with sun loungers. The homes are designed so you can also stay at home some days and enjoy all the amenities and really relax while on your holidays. Our first meal was delivered from locally-owned Palma Italian Kitchen, a perfect combo of pizza under the palm trees at our home for the next week.
Things to do close to Kissimmee: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
A 30-minute drive from Kissimmee and we are walking along the infamous CityWalk to the entrance of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Theme Parks. Universal has four theme parks in Orlando, including both mentioned as well as Epic Universe and one water park called Volcano Bay. I would highly recommend a two-day pass for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and it is well worth paying extra for a Fast Pass. It means you won’t be waiting 1-2 hours to go on a ride; with children, this pass is essential. Comfortable walking shoes are a must (we did over 18,000 steps that day) and bring your water bottle (there are plenty of refill stations around the parks). You can bring a picnic, but we did have lunch at Moe’s Tavern in Simpsons World, which was like being in an episode of The Simpsons. The food portions are big and perfect for sharing. Make sure and go on ‘Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure’, my eyes were closed for most of it!
After the entrance, you will see a sign saying ‘The Adventure Begins,’ and that is exactly what you will experience. Between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, there are 16 themed lands to explore, each feeling like you’ve stepped into a completely different world, from Harry Potter and Jurassic Park to Marvel superheroes, The Simpsons and Dr Seuss. There are simulator rides, rollercoasters, immersive shows and rides, and movie-style experiences; we met ‘Marilyn Monroe’ on the street and saw characters from well-known movies. It was the most amazing day and we hardly noticed we were there for nine hours. My feet decided for me that it was time to go home and we fell into our comfy beds and air-conditioned home.
The following day, we visited another of Orlando’s iconic attractions, SeaWorld, which has been welcoming visitors for more than 50 years. While it’s renowned for adrenaline-fuelled rollercoasters like Mako, Kraken, Pipeline, The Surf Coaster and Ice Breaker, there’s much more to SeaWorld than thrill rides. As you wander around the park, you’ll come across dolphins, sea lions, penguins, sharks, rays and flamingos, along with entertaining live shows and interactive animal presentations that make it a great day out for all ages.
Like the other theme parks, you will do plenty of walking, so comfortable shoes are a must, along with sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. We visited in mid-June when temperatures reached 35 degrees, so staying hydrated was essential. SeaWorld is just 20 minutes by Uber from Kissimmee and if you’re hiring a car, there’s plenty of parking on site. We really enjoyed the relaxed layout of the park, which felt slightly less hectic than some of Orlando’s other attractions, making it easy to take your time and enjoy both the rides and the marine life.
This was an unexpected highlight on our trip. I never expected to be ziplining (voted #1 zipline in the US) over hundreds of alligators in a freshwater lake. The highest zip line was 75 feet. We were guided along each section by Jade and Albert. Director of Media Productions, Brandon Fisher, shared the history behind the oldest theme park in Central Florida (founded in 1949). It is home to many rescue alligators, who are expertly looked after and live in a natural habitat. It is home to Mystic the Leucistic, the rarest alligator in the world because of its albino type coloured skin and Mayhem (Mystic’s brother) is a regular-looking alligator. You can do a behind-the-scenes tour, have up-close encounters, feed the gators, or take a monster truck adventure through the Florida wetlands. There is also a train ride, splash park, playground, snake area and say hi to cheeky parrot Harley; there are flamingos, a giant tortoise, a rock wall and a restaurant. This park is a unique full day out that children will love.
This is an island-themed, family-friendly water park, located in Kissimmee. It has lots of space and doesn’t feel crammed. There are lockers to store your belongings so you can enjoy popular water rides like ‘Hashtag Heights’, ‘Profile Plunge’ and ‘Follow Me Falls’. You can bounce on top of the waves at the lagoon wave pool or relax bobbing along Chat Creek Lazy River. The kids can have loads of fun in the splash areas ‘Pelican’s Paradise’ and ‘Candy Stripe Cove.’ There are plenty of seating areas and the water park also hosts unique events like Glow Foam parties. You can also dine outside the park and walk around the Margaritaville area; there are lots of restaurants and bars here.
Just a short 10-minute drive, and something we all thoroughly enjoyed after the exhilaration of the theme parks. A visit to a charming town called Celebration, it was like stepping into another movie set, except this was 100 per cent real and had residents. Celebration is a beautiful place to visit, built in 1994 by Walt Disney; the residents moved in in 1996. It is what you imagine towns to look like from the movies – white picket fences, tree-lined streets, shaded quiet seating areas, spotless streets and all built around a lake. The only way to see it is on a bike, which we hired from Celebration Bike Company, located right on the lake. The twins went on e-bikes while I opted for a non-e-bike. We had great fun getting lost around the town, pretending we were residents and stopping for lunch at the Downtown Diner (which we took home in takeaway bags; remember portions are big). I would highly recommend a visit here, just minutes away from the bustle of the theme parks.
Medieval Dinner & Tournament Show
One evening, we swapped the theme parks for something completely different – a Medieval Dinner and Tournament. Just a 20-minute drive from Kissimmee, we arrived at a castle where the excitement had already begun, with families and groups eagerly waiting to step back in time. Inside, everything is themed around medieval life. On arrival, you’re assigned a colour, which determines where you will sit in the grand arena. Long wooden benches surround the central stage where the action unfolds and dinner is served the old-fashioned way – in bowls and on plates, with no cutlery in sight.
Once the show begins, the atmosphere is electric. Each section cheers on its own knight as they compete in thrilling jousting tournaments, sword fights and displays of horsemanship. As all the action takes place, you are served a medieval feast of roast chicken, sweetcorn, potato skins and cake. It’s a fun, interactive evening and ideal for families, although I was surprised by how many adults were there too. Before you leave, there’s plenty of medieval-themed memorabilia to browse, along with a full bar if you fancy finishing off the evening with a drink.
A 20-minute drive and you can book a show, have dinner, go shopping or take a boat out on the lake – this is the Disney Springs area, part of the Walt Disney World Resort. A very popular area for tourists to visit. I can see why. We had a show booked – Cirque du Soleil and Disney’s Drawn to Life and like any Cirque du Soleil show, you can be guaranteed something unique and this was, with a twist of Disney, of course. We had dinner by the lake in a relatively new restaurant called Summerhouse by the Lake. For all restaurants, you will need to book or wait a while for a seating. It’s a great place to wait around, as you can pop into the House of Blues, visit the World of Disney, the world’s largest Disney store, or you could go into an Irish pub – Raglan Road Irish Pub, which has authentic live music and dancing.
At the end of our busy and exciting week, gazing upwards from my pool in our holiday home, all I can see is palm trees shading me from the sun on one side and on the other is just blue skies. A week isn’t enough, especially when you aren’t ready to go back home; a true sign of a great trip. I hope it won’t be another 18 years before I return to Kissimmee, as there is so much more to explore here and in the surrounding areas.
Published in the Irish Daily Mail on 24/8/2026
Travel Facts
Flights direct with Aer Lingus from Dublin to Orlando International Airport (MCO) start from €650 pp
The Elegant Villa from €200 per night *Price varies by season
Universal Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios one-day, two-park ticket €157 pp
SeaWorld one-day ticket €130 pp
Gatorland entry €30 pp (zip lining is an additional €70 pp)
Island H2O water park €44 *price varies by season
Medieval Dinner & Tournament €67 pp
Cirque du Soleil tickets starting at €62 pp
Celebration Bike Company bike hire from €35pp
Guided Bike tour from €69 per adult
For further information on Kissimmee, visit www.experiencekissimmee.com
