Photo by Steven Martine
With zip lining, mountain bike riding, water adventures, and yes, even Gator Bites, Florida’s Sports Coast has it all for a thrilling family getaway!
This destination in Pasco County, Florida offers a little something for everyone to have a unique and exciting vacation. With just a short trip north of Tampa International Airport, Florida’s Sports Coast has tons of activities that will open doors for adventure and experiences that will be memorable for years to come. What are you waiting for? Get ready, set, go!
For more family-fun destinations, check out Visiting Las Vegas With Kids at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa
How to Get There and Where to Stay
Luckily, adventure awaits at only a three-hour flight from New York City to Tampa, Florida. Once you land, you’ll want to rent a car to get from activity to activity as public transportation is not the best form of getting around when you cruise through Dade City, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey, and more cities/towns.
When it comes to finding a hotel, you’ll want to choose a location that is central to both coast and inland activities, such as the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway. These rooms are spacious for families and have a friendly staff that will help you with all your needs. Kids will especially love the pool on hot and humid Floridian days!
Florida’s Sports Coast Activities
Photo by Steven Martine
TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park – Dade City
27839 St. Joe Road
If you have ever wanted to explore the trees and go zip lining, this destination is the perfect place to give it a go. When getting started, you’ll be set up with all the appropiate equipment and be briefed with a safety training session. After, you’ll head to the practice area where your family can practice all the necessary skills to feel completely comfortable on the different courses. Once you feel that you have the hang of the practice round, you’ll be ready to start off on the different courses and go at your own pace.
Go through walkways, hang from a trapeze, zip line, and explore eight different courses with 100 unique elements. Challenge yourself to new heights as you explore the trees in an incredible, cable-held playground above the ground!
If heights are not your thing? No worries! You can stick to the novice courses and easily get the support from the friendly staff that is ready for whenever you call.
Photo by Steven Martine
Giraffe Ranch – Dade City
38650 Mickler Road
The Giraffe Ranch is a definite must-see if you visit Florida’s Sports Coast. The moment you step onto the ranch, you are transported to the animal kingdom.
Most have been to a zoo, but how many people have been able to have a once-in-a-lifetime, interactive experience with giraffes and other animals. This place is no zoo, it’s a family-owned and operated animal preserve that allows animals to roam. You’ll be able to get up close to animals, learn about how incredible they are, and walk away with some pretty nifty facts that you never knew before.
Since this is no zoo, you’ll learn how to ride an off-roading Segway so that you can easily roam around and keep up with the animals. Yep, that’s right! You’ll enter the gates where the animals live and learn about their amazing nature. Segway past zebras, camels, deers, ostriches, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, donkeys, warthogs, and more!
After you explore their stomping grounds, make sure to hop into the safari truck where you will enter the gates of the giraffes and feed these amazing creatures. Although tempting, you’ll want to be mindful not to pet the giraffes as they may get spooked from strangers.
This ranch offers a unique experience that you can’t get anywhere else! Kids will have a blast feeding the animals, riding camels, and learning about the 70 + species.
Jay B. Starkey Park – New Port Richey
10500 Wilderness Park Blvd.
This gorgeous and well-maintained park is great for families who want to explore the outdoors even more. Whether you visit this location for just a day or want to stay at their campsite, there is so much to find here for a good time. Families that want to stay overnight can either reserve a spot at a cabin or pitch a tent. The best part is that you are not far away from stores if your family needs to make a last-minute grocery trip.
With tons of greenery surrounding, you can hit the trails with hikes, explore the playgrounds, and take your bike on the various biking trails. You can bike along the paved paths or take it up a notch and mountain bike along the off-road trails with exciting courses that will keep you on your toes.
Photo by Steven Martine
The Lift Adventure Park – Hudson
17362 Old Dixie Hwy.
Florida’s Sports Coast wouldn’t be complete without some splishing and splashing with a water adventure! As Florida’s weather is warm for most of the year, The Lift Adventure Park is a perfect fit for the kids. Kids can climb, jump, and slide on the huge inflatable obstacle course right on the water. This exciting course allows kids to play for 45 minutes at a time where they can unleash all their energy and explore the water playground. Parents can either join or watch from the beach as the kids play under the supervision of a lifeguard.
The fun doesn’t end there because other activities at the Lift Adventure Park include wakeboarding, paddling, and canoeing. Never tried some of these activities? Not a problem because the Lift is a great place to learn with staff members that are happy to assist and even play with the kids.
Where to Eat
With a full day of adventure, your family is sure to work up an appetite! Luckily, there are great options to eat at with kids menus that the little ones are sure to love.
If you are looking to tie in your Giraffe Ranch experience with a lunch spot, Kafe Kokopelli is a great spot to start. Order the Gator Bites and admires the animal-themed decor that is eye-drawing and engaging — perfect to keep the little ones entertained.
Another great option for lunch that is near the water and perfect for before or after you visit the Lift Adventure Park is Whiskey Joe’s. Sit by the water, see boats pass, and order a tasty seafood dish. The scallops are a must, given that they fish them out nearby during their thriving season.
Photo by Steven Martine
For dinner, the Noble Crust is the place to be if you are craving pizza. With excellent service and flavorful pizza, you can’t go wrong. If you can’t decide on the pizza, the Proscuitto and Goat Cheese pizza is a solid choice! For kids, they have many options to choose from such as pizza, chicken, pasta, and more!
Another dinner spot that is a hit is the Craft Street Kitchen and has a little something to please everyone. From one-of-a-kind cocktails for adults to an extensive kids menu that offers salmon, this family-friendly restaurant takes food to a new level with mouth-watering dishes.
What to Bring
An important factor to consider when you plan your family trip is knowing what to pack so that you can enjoy every adventure to its fullest. With most activities that you choose to do at Florida’s Sports Coast, you’ll want to pack athleisure wear, close-toed shoes, sandals, swimsuit, beach towel, light-weight backpack or fanny pack, rain jacket, sunscreen, and you’ll definitely want to bring along a bottle of bug spray since you’ll be surrounded by nature.
Our experience at Florida’s Sports Coast was complimentary but our thoughts and opinions are our own.
