Disney Holidays 2012 – A Twin Centre Approach to Florida

Florida is a fantastic location for twin centre holidays in the US.  The climate alone should be enough to attract most Brits – being sub-tropical.  Year round sun and great temperatures make this southern US state a fantastic holiday location, and add to that the fact that it seems to have been designed for tourists, then you have the perfect family holiday location.  Florida and theme parks seem to go hand in hand, but there is much more to the state than these manmade attractions.  With a low lying fertile landscape the variety of wildlife and stunning countryside is also worth checking out.  For those planning Disney holidays in 2012 it may be worth considering adding a multi-centre angle to the trip; but where to go?

Heading north for history and the south!

The northern part of Florida is home to some surprisingly historic cities.  On the east coast is St Augustine, this is the oldest continually inhabited city on the US mainland.  Established in 1565 by Spanish settlers the city has one of the best preserved Spanish fortresses from that era.  The castle was not entirely effective as Florida was a popular and strategic state even in the 1500s.  ‘Visitors’ included the French and British, who both ruled Florida at one time or another, and have given the region a truly cosmopolitan feel.  Travelling west another historic city awaits; Tallahassee is now Florida’s state capital – and has been since the 1820s.  The city was chosen as it was halfway between the former Spanish and British state capitals and rapidly developed into a thriving 19th city.  It remains small and is less visited by international tourists so is one ‘secret’ destination that is worth discovering.  Home to fantastic 19th century architecture and several galleries and museums; some of the museums focus on African-American history and Tallahassee itself is close to the border with Georgia and Alabama and has a distinctly ‘Deep South’ feel to it.

Thrills and spills

Orlando will naturally be the choice for those looking for a twin centre holiday that incorporates Disney holidays in 2012.  The home to the most famous of the theme parks, like St Augustine there is even a castle – in this case however it comes in the form of Hogwarts at Universal Studios® ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’.  Disney World® is also located in the Orlando area and is popular with families with older children, while SeaWorld® Orlando is great for people of any age – though often popular with the youngest members of the family.  Just down the road from Orlando is the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).  Home to the Shuttle and NASA’s famous launch site at Cape Canaveral, the KSC competes effectively with the more traditional theme parks.  There are plenty of rides and attractions at the Space Center and although the shuttles wings have been clipped, launches of unmanned rockets still take place on a regular basis – something that will thrill the whole family.

Hidden delights

Florida holidays offer an excellent range of activities – historical, learning, dining and sheer fun at the theme parks, all in a warm, sunny climate.  For those already planning their Disney holidays in 2012, consider adding a twin centre element to the trip to discover some of Florida’s amazing but lesser known delights.

My name is Lisa and I work as a copywriter for Ocean Holidays, an independent UK-based tour operator specialising in the USA.