Kissimmee holidays - Easy-going, sun-dappled and enthusiastic
If you're trying to steer away from the usual Disney and Universal resorts and fancy somewhere where your family can splash around in peace and enjoy some bonding time alone, we'd recommend finding a villa in Kissimmee. Close by to the best theme parks and an array of restaurants, this is the place to find your home away from home.
The perfect location for theme park fun
Attractions
All of the major theme parks, including Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Studios, are just a short drive away from Kissimmee.
Within Kissimmee itself, is Gatorland – one of the original Orlando attractions and still a popular family-owned business after 50 years. Here you can spend an action packed afternoon filled with alligators, man-eating crocodiles and slithery reptiles. A boardwalk winds through the swamp, giving you a close up view of the breeding marshes and rearing ponds. For the thrill-seekers there is the “Sreamin’ Gator Zipline” soaring over Cuban and Nile crocodiles, and for the more timid youngsters there is a petting zoo and splash park.
A giant Ferris wheel marks the entrance to Old Town, a slice of Americana with family-friendly rides, go-karts, a haunted house, themed restaurants and a mix of shopping. The brave can sample the Old Town Slingshot which hurls riders high into the sky above Kissimmee.
Fun Spot USA is an amusement park with multi-level go-karts, thrill rides and the world’s tallest SkyCoaster which stands at 300 foot tall. For the little ones is the Kid Spot, where the rides are gentler versions of the adult rides and geared for children aged 2-6 years.
More sedate pleasures can be found at Lake Tohopekaliga, a fantastic place for boating, fishing, birding and picnicking, when you want a quiet day away from the parks.
Shopping
Downtown Kissimmee is where you’ll find charming boutiques offering clothes, accessories and home furnishings. “The Loop” shopping complex offers a massive choice of shops, restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream parlours and a cinema. And if you want to combine your shopping with fun and games, then Old Town is the place to visit.
Eating, Drinking & Nightlife
Whatever food you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it somewhere in Kissimmee. From neighbourhood family-friendly restaurants to fine dining, and from ice cream parlours to pizza parlours.
Abracadabra IceCream factory is a haven for those with a sweet-tooth. Bahama Breeze is the place to enjoy margaritas at happy hour. And there are too many steakhouses to mention.
There is the ever-popular “Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament” which offers an evening of cheesy interactive fun for the young and old.
Another dinner show is “Capones”, a hilarious musical show celebrating the Prohibition era – fun for all the family but you might want to book a taxi home as free-flowing drinks, alongside lashings of Italian food, are included in the ticket price.