Things to do with 3 year old and 8 months old - orlando/miami

Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Studios Florida in Orlando.

My mother had a big family reunion at Disney World and there were all ages of children (her great grandchildren) from 8 months up to 18 years.  We stayed at a Disney resort.  This was useful for the little ones - they could go out into the park and then come back to the room fairly easily for naps.  Most of the time if you stay off the resort you have to go to the parking lot and drive back to the hotel.  But if you stay on Disney, it is both expensive and restricts you to the actual Disney parks.  I did once stay at a   - Hampton Inn Orlando International Drive/Convention Center It has free parking, a free breakfast, laundry facilities and some ticket discounts.

Driving from Miami to Orlando is tiring and will take almost four hours because it is almost 240 miles.  You can go up the Florida Turnpike (which is a little shorter but has a lot of traffic or you can take Florida route 27 which will take longer (although it isn't that much more mileage) because it is a road with stoplights etc. 

I don't really do theme parks and I have been to a lot of non-theme park places in central Florida but I can't really think of ones that would be suitable for very young children. Highlands Hammock State Park is one that I took my own young kids to and it is on the Florida 27 route.  There is a boardwalk out on the mangrove swamps and when we were there, there were alligators and birds.  Also there is Bok Tower Gardens (there are some ducks and birds there).

You can also go to Titusville (Florida) which is near the Space Center and the Canaveral seashore.  There is a   Brevard Zoo which is near Melbourne Florida and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge which will have birds and turtles in the winter.  I don't really know of any local festivals, and I don't think Florida has much in the way of pumpkin patches.

You will need cases of water with you. Also hats and sun screen for the children. As well as strollers. Battery powered fans would be useful. La Quinta Inn Orlando International Drive North is nice in Orlando. If going to Disney, then stay on the property. Go up the coastline for a scenic view. Around Port St. Lucieare Air Boat rides. You will rest from travel in Orlando. There are brochures of attractions at each hotel and restaurant. So you can select along the way. Every variety of restaurant in Orlando. Traffic will be fierce. Check travel warnings for these areas.