Non Orlando Florida trip

April 09, 2020

Non Orlando Florida trip

In February 2019 we took a road trip to Florida. The kids were 4, 8 and 9 years old. We traveled to St. Augustine, Winter Haven, and Clearwater, Flordia. Our first stop on the trip was St. Augustine. I was excited to introduce the kids to the oldest city in America. It was founded in 1565 by Spanish Explorers. We had rented an Airbnb in St. Augustine. Our first stop was the beach. The kids had fun playing in the water and digging in the sand.

On our second day we went to the Ponce De Leon Fountain of Youth and Archaeological Park. This place was great. Ponce De Leon was the first Spaniard to step foot in Florida. His search for the fountain of youth is what legend says brought him to Florida. At the park you can drink from a spring that Ponce most likely drank from. They also have many people dressed up as fur traders and colonist preforming black smiting and cross bow demonstrations. The kids also enjoyed feeding the peacocks that roam the property and digging for fossils. The kids got to keep a few items from their dig.

Drinking from the fountain of youth

Alligator skin

Digging for fossils

Crossbow demonstration

The next day we went to the Castillo de San Marcos. We got in for free because Caiden was in 4th grade and the national park has a kid in every park program where everyone gets in free with a 4th grader to the national parks. The Castillo is very cool. The sand in St. Augustine isn't really sandy it's mostly crushed sea shells. So the Spanish used the shells when they were making the concrete for the walls. The shells actually made the walls more resilient. The kids loved exploring the Castillo and we did the junior ranger packet and the kids earned another badge.

Inside the Castillo

The outside of the Castillo

a close up of the walls made out of sea shells

Caiden getting help with his junior range book

The kids earning their free junior ranger badge

The next day we drove From St. Augustine to Winter Haven, Florida which took about 2 1/2 hours. We are stayed at the Legoland beach resort. Our kids LOVED this. Our house looked like it was made of duplos. We got a groupon for $99 a night for the room. The pool area had giant floating legos. We spent the day just chillen at the pool. It was a very relaxing day.