Florida’s Space Coast is dotted with plenty of public beaches with playgrounds, perfect for an outing with your family. From Cocoa Beach to Melbourne Beach, there are more than 70 miles of shoreline along the Space Coast of Florida. Made up of seven unique coastal communities and just 45 miles from Orlando, the Space Coast is a great spot to spend a day at the beach.

Along those miles and miles of Space Coast seashores are several public beach areas, many of which have playgrounds and picnic areas. Space Coast beaches are the perfect destination for a family day trip, as kids can both splash along the shore and take cover from the sand and sun with some playground time.

As a journalist who covers theme parks and lives in Central Florida, I often joke that the spooky season is my Super Bowl.

From family-friendly Halloween parties at Disney World to jump-scare-filled haunted houses at SeaWorld, my family starts making its seasonal rounds in late August. But there's one event that stands above the rest: Halloween Horror Nights, or HHN, at Universal Studios Florida.

While some of Orlando’s theme parks are better known for their family-friendly Halloween offerings, there’s lots of Halloween fun to be had at Universal Orlando Resort as well. Universal hosts the iconic event Halloween Horror Nights each year, but since it recommends kids only visit the scary event if they’re 13 or older, parents may wonder what else there is for kids to do to get into the spooky spirit at Universal’s hotels and theme parks.

Read on for our guide to different Halloween activities and happenings going on at Universal Orlando from now through early November when Halloween Horror Nights ends.

Target and Walmart are usually our go-to spots for supplies. The discount department stores tend to have a broad selection and decent prices, so I was curious how they compared.

I don't mean to brag, but recently, while listening to parents talk about their never-ending back-to-school to-do lists, I turned to my husband and said, "I am so glad we don't have to worry about any of that."

I've been homeschooling my two kids for the last several years. While they both started out attending public school, the stress of putting two kids through the hoops of our school system was exhausting and anxiety-inducing.

When my husband and I relocated our family to Florida from Maryland in 2016, we immediately signed up for annual passes and started visiting its parks almost every weekend. My kids were 6 and 8 at the time, and we made lots of great family memories at Disney.

In the last year, both of my kids have had their first serious relationships. Gone are the days of schoolyard crushes, and in their place are weekend dates and dinner table talks about my kids' relationships. As a mom to a 16-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter, it's been eye-opening — and sometimes harder than I imagined.

When I was a new mom, it seemed like every well-meaning stranger in a grocery checkout line would turn to me and remind me to enjoy the infant and toddler days because they'd go "so fast." Their warnings terrified me, and I wondered what life would be like when my babies were teenagers. Would they still need me? Would we get along? And what would the dating years be like for me as a parent?

It's been over seven years since my husband and I chose to relocate our family from Maryland to Florida. It's a decision I've never regretted once, but living in the Sunshine State is very different from life in the Northeast.

The multigenerational trip, for which one of my mother-in-law's best friends tagged along as her travel partner, proved to be an unforgettable memory for all of us. My kids left the ship feeling like they got to know their grandmother — who lives far from our Florida home in Pennsylvania — even better, and so did I.

A few months ago, I decided alcohol was no longer serving me. Tired of seeing the way booze affected my relationships and left me feeling anxious and exhausted, I chose an alcohol-free lifestyle, and I haven't back. Recently, I took my first vacation since choosing a life of sobriety.

Our choice wasn’t completely about the way the school handled a bullying issue or the excessive amount of homework my kids were coming home with (although those were part of it). One of the biggest motivators for the change was our desire to teach our kids through travel.

When my husband and I started toying with the idea of taking my teenagers on a whale-watching expedition cruise, we had no idea what to expect. While we’d cruised on several major cruise lines in the past, hopping on a 100-passenger ship run by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions felt far different than anything we’d done before.

There are lots of ways for families to enjoy time at Walt Disney World Resort (WDW), from a day of splashing at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park to leaving the theme parks for character dining at a Disney resort hotel. We especially love the restaurants at Disney Springs for a memorable meal.

The key to any good family outing to Mickey’s house, however, is knowing the best way to park and get from point A to point B at WDW. And that’s why this guide to transportation at Walt Disney World is here for you!

It's been seven years since my husband and I chose to relocate our family from Maryland to Florida. It's a decision I've never regretted once, but living in the Sunshine State is very different from life in the Northeast.

Aside from the obvious things like no snow and exponentially more humidity, there's a different political vibe down South and a lot more Southern hospitality. Plus, Disney World is here, which makes me — a journalist who covers theme parks — very happy.

In Orlando, theme park Halloween events get started way before the month of October. Arguably one of the scariest Halloween theme park events in the area, Universal Orlando’s 2023 Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) kicks off September 1 and runs on 48 select nights through November 4.

That’s a lot of time for jump scares and screaming, but for parents, it’s normal to wonder when a teenager is ready for this Orlando rite of passage.

How old should kids be before they visit HHN? Read on for how an expert says to know your teen can handle the Halloween event and the tips we’ve gathered throughout the years.

The first time I told my daughter I was considering bariatric surgery, my family was enjoying dinner at a sports bar during a weekend getaway. It was December 2020, and I had already been to a consultation with the doctor who would later perform the procedure. But I was terrified to move forward; the process seemed overwhelming.

In tears, I looked into my then-10-year-old daughter's eyes and said, "If I do this, I want you to know it's because my body hurts and I feel unhealthy, not because I think there's anything wrong with having fat on your body." At the time, I was 5-foot-4 and weighed over 220 pounds, but I would gain another 15 before I decided to have the surgery nearly two years later.

On a recent visit with my in-laws, I noticed my father-in-law and I were wearing the same shoes. “Are those Kiziks?” I asked him. “Yes,” he replied, “they’re my airport shoes.”

I knew exactly what he meant. Since purchasing not one, but two, pairs of Kizik sneakers a few months before, I had become obsessed with the ease of slipping them on and off without bending down, tying, and untying them. The sneakers, which cost a little over $100 on average, come in tons of different styles and colors — from pink athletic shoes to white canvas sneakers — and have become my go-to for everything from travel to theme parks to Target runs.

Orlando is known for its theme parks, which makes the city a popular destination for kids who are critically ill and their families. But when kids with life-limiting diagnoses visit Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando, where do they stay?

Enter Give Kids the World Village (GKTW), an 89-acre non-profit resort in Kissimmee that provides wish vacations for critically ill kids and their families. When a sick child wishes for a Central Florida vacation, GKTW springs into action, hosting the family free of charge for one week while they visit destinations like Disney, SeaWorld, and more.

Whether you’re a local or visiting, Orlando is full of places to cool off. No matter the time of year there are plenty of places for swimming in Orlando, especially with kids. From whimsical water parks to natural springs and everything in between, there are many ways to make a splash. And with our guide to the best places to take your kids to go swimming, you might just impress your kids.

If you are coming to Orlando, or you’re a local looking for a staycation, scope out these Orlando Hotels with Water Parks, Orlando Water Parks, and other swimming destinations in Orlando.