Florida has a well-deserved reputation for family fun. Here are some ways to entertain your whole crew this summer:
BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY
Cobra’s Curse is a spin coaster with a stomach-churning, 70-foot vertical lift in the Egypt section of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Thrill-seekers go round and round, coming within inches of the 80-foot Snake King’s vicious fangs. Cleopatra’s fate may come to mind as riders come face-to-face with real snakes in the boarding line. The multi-level exhibit slithers with pythons, venomous vipers and the deadly Jameson’s mamba — all safely behind glass, of course.
DISCOVERY COVE
At Discovery Cove, visitors go beyond Florida’s crowd-pleasing dolphin shows and actually swim with the gregarious sea creatures — a bucket list activity for many. The SeaWorld-owned amusement park provides a tranquil atmosphere where small groups led by a trainer can touch and interact with lovable bottlenose dolphins that seem to wear a perpetual smile. Give your new seafaring friend a hug, and he will take you for the ride of a lifetime. Just hold on tight to that dorsal fin! Children must be at least 6 to participate.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX
Just when aspiring young space explorers thought the Kennedy Space Center couldn’t get any more exciting, the complex added Cosmic Quest. This live, interactive game experience based on real NASA missions allows kids to gain an understanding of the skills and knowledge required for a space-related career. Building colonies in faraway galaxies and launching rockets is all part of the fun. Today’s gamers could be tomorrow’s astronauts.
Off State Road 405, Titusville, Fla. 866-737-5235.
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