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If you’re looking for a great kid-friendly day trip in Florida, wait 'til you see the menu of options. From live mermaids and mummies to world-class snorkeling and NASA spacecraft, Florida has a wide array of attractions that make day trips exciting and fun for kids of all ages.

 

A virtual outdoor museum, St. Augustine is brimming with historical and fun attractions. Among the must-see sights are the Castillo de San Marcos, a fortress built in 1672; Fort Matanzas National Monument, a masonry watchtower; and Lightner Museum, which has everything from mummies to collections of stained glass and crystals. For great family fun, head to St. George Street, a pedestrian-only boulevard where street musicians perform. For more information go to www.floridashistoriccoast.com.

 

Home to live mermaids that perform their version of Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Little Mermaid," Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Spring Hill, 45 minutes north of Tampa, is a wonderland of kids' activities. Among the more popular attractions is the River Boat Cruise, which takes passengers on the Weeki Wachee River. Other highlights include an animal encounter with alligators, snakes and other animals, and Buccaneer Bay, a water park with flume rides and a lazy river. Check it out at www.weekiwachee.com.

 

Situated just east of Homestead near Miami, Biscayne National Park is a 207-square-mile park comprised mostly of water (95 percent of the park is water). The seemingly endless lineup of water activities includes snorkeling, diving, boating, fishing and guided canoe tours. Biscayne National Park contains four primary ecosystems highlighted by a mangrove forest, the southern expanse of Biscayne Bay and the third-largest coral reef in the world. More information is available at www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm.

 

A favorite since its opening in 1967, Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach has a drive-through safari with more than 900 animals and a walk-through amusement park with animal displays and encounters, rides, animal feeding experiences, a water spray area, food outlets and shopping. Among the many fascinating exotic animals you can see from the safety of your own car are the white rhinoceros, chimpanzee and gibbon ape. Go to www.lioncountrysafari.com for more information.

 

Great Explorations Children’s Museum in St. Petersburg offers lots of colorful, interactive exhibits to help kids learn about the world. They can roam through a fire station that includes a fire engine and fire pole, climb through a giant tree house, shop in a child-sized supermarket and create pizzas with soft-sculpture ingredients. To explore the possibilities, go to www.greatexplorations.org.

If you’re a devoted day-tripper, Florida has much to make your family happy.