{"id":1705,"date":"2014-09-02T12:41:32","date_gmt":"2014-09-02T16:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/?page_id=1705"},"modified":"2022-07-15T15:51:55","modified_gmt":"2022-07-15T19:51:55","slug":"florida-california","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/destinations\/florida-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida and California"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pad group\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin-top: 10px;\" title=\"Florida &amp; California\" src=\"\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/images\/destinations\/floridacali.jpg\" alt=\"Florida and California Vacation Deals - Grand Escapades\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;\">\n<p><a class=\"btn wp-colorbox-inline cboxElement\" style=\"color: #fff; background-color: #1cc31c; font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; display: inline-block; float: left; margin-right: 30px; margin-left: 30px;\" href=\"#contactpop\">Send me more info\u00a0<i class=\"fa fa-info-circle\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 18px; text-decoration: underline; color: #1cc31c!important; display: inline-block;\">Receive a Free* $100 Visa Gift Card with any qualifying booking!<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\">When it&#8217;s time to get away with the family for some fun and sun, Canadian families are thinking more and more of California and Florida. These States are easy to get to and offer a wide variety of things to see and do to keep kids entertained and parents inspired. Our readers&#8217; poll showed that time at the beach is the number one family favourite followed closely by taking a cruise. Cultural\/educational events scored well, followed by road trips. (Surprisingly, theme parks, camping and hiking scored very low in our poll.) Whatever you choose to do for the family vacation, California and Florida have a lot to offer. Sharing these great States with your family will be a rewarding and memorable experience.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\"><strong>Beyond Disney<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\">The Disney resorts rank as the top attractions for families in America. These expansive properties comprise many theme parks, accommodation, restaurants and shops with a variety of entertainment for all ages.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\">In this edition of Spotlight, we&#8217;re focusing on family-friendly things to see and do beyond the famous theme parks of Florida and California.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\"><strong>Outstanding Beaches<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"color: #666666;\">\n<li>Florida is surrounded by water on three sides with long stretches of beaches along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Some of the best beaches are just 90 minutes away from Orlando on the Gulf of Mexico where the St. Petersburg\/Clearwater area boasts 35 miles of white-sand beaches and fun activities like dolphin-spotting, shelling, and Captain Memo&#8217;s Pirate Cruise. A one hour drive east of Orlando brings you to the Atlantic white sand beaches of the Space Coast and Cocoa Beach.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"color: #666666;\">\n<li>California&#8217;s 450 beaches range from sandy to rocky with cooler sea temperatures than Florida (75F\/23C in the summer). Beach playgrounds are popular with families at Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Ventura and others where swing sets and playground equipment are set up along the sand. Board walks for cycling and roller blading are also popular. California is a leader in surf beaches including those at Malibu, Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz while the best beaches for sunbathing are located from San Diego to Santa Cruz.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\"><strong>Aquariums<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\">A natural addition to any beach vacation is a visit to discover what lives beneath the waves.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"color: #666666;\"><p><strong>Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The Florida Aquarium,<\/strong>\u00a0Tampa Bay &#8211; \u00a0One of the best in the country. Here you can swim with the fishes, watch the penguin promenade, celebrate the year of the frog and learn about coral reefs. Also an important centre for research and conservation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SeaWorld, Orlando &#8211;<\/strong>\u00a0We&#8217;ve included this educational theme park since it made\u00a0<em>Parents Magazine\u00a0<\/em>top ten list of aquariums in the United States. The Penquin Encounter was chosen as the standout feature. Here you take a moving walkway for excellent views of these popular birds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clearwater\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Marine Aquarium &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>This educational facility is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of animals notably River Otters, Dolphins and Sea Turtles. On your visit, take the\u00a0Sea Life Safari Eco-Boat Tour which runs three times a day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>California<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Monterey\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Aquarium &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Home to one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world and one of the U.S.A.&#8217;s top family attractions. 26 species of marine mammals live in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, situated in a very scenic part of Northern California.<\/p>\n<p><strong>San Francisco\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Aquarium\u00a0<\/strong><strong>of the Bay\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; Learn about the ecology and marine life of San Francisco Bay as you walk through 300 feet of under water tunnels. Walk with sharks, touch bat rays and learn about the conservation of San Francisco Bay. Situated on the Embarcadero, adjacent to Fisherman&#8217;s Wharf, near Pier 39, and close to the cruise ship pier<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Aquarium of the Pacific,<\/strong>\u00a0Long Beach &#8211; World class aquarium focusing on the wonders of the Pacific Ocean. Visit the interactive Shark Lagoon, hand feed lorikeet birds, join a Behind-the-Scenes tour and watch Monsters of the Abyss, a film with 3-D technology and digital animation that explores the deep ocean.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\"><strong>Zoos<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\">Always a family favourite, you&#8217;ll find zoos dotted throughout these States. Here are some of the best.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"color: #666666;\"><p><strong>Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #666666;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.lowryparkzoo.com\/\">Lowry Park Zoo,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Tampa, Florida, has 1900+ animals and is considered one of the best in Florida.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #666666;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.palmbeachzoo.org\/\">The Palm Beach Zoo\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>at Dreher park, West Palm Beach, Florida, is a 23 acre zoological park with 1500+ animals in tropical habitats.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brevard Zoo<\/strong>, Melbourne, Florida, focuses on conservation and interactive educational experiences for kids and adults including animal feeding and wild encounters. A miniature train runs through part of the park.<\/p>\n<p><strong>California<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>San Diego Zoo,<\/strong>\u00a0situated in Balboa Park, is a world famous for research and conservation. It is home to over 4,000 rare and endangered animals including the famous pandas. The Wild Animal Park is an expansive wildlife sanctuary that is home to more than 3,500 animals. The climate in San Diego is ideal for growing most of the plants these animals need.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Los Angeles Zoo<\/strong>, situated in Griffith Park, the largest natural municipal park in the United States. 113 acres is devoted to the zoo which has 1,200 animals and is a leader in efforts to save the California Condor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>San Francisco Zoo,<\/strong>\u00a0situated on the Great Highway, next to the Pacific Ocean, is the largest zoo in Northern California with 1,000+ animals including a rare white tiger. The children&#8217;s zoo is specially geared for younger visitors.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\"><strong>Cultural\/Educational Family Activities<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #666666;\">Today&#8217;s museums, visitors centres and historic sights have become interactive and educational making it more fun for the whole family. Consider visiting these favourites.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"color: #666666;\"><p><strong>Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Everglades\u00a0<\/strong><strong>National Park\u00a0<\/strong>in Southern Florida &#8211; You&#8217;ll find saw grass marshes, mangrove forests and extensive wetlands. This natural area is perfect for eco tours, air boating, kayaking and canoeing. Guides lead tours, day and evening, to discover wildlife including flamingoes, alligators and even the Florida panther.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Amelia\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Island\u00a0<\/strong><strong>&#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>This barrier island in the northeast, near Jacksonville, has evolved into a family friendly destination. Families can enjoy quality time together on river cruises, nature centre programs, fly fishing, kayaking, hiking the self guided nature trails, horseback riding, exploring the wildlife on a Segway Personal Transporter Safari, and of course, spending time on the gorgeous beaches. Enjoy combing for seashells, hunting for shark teeth, or observing sea turtles in their natural habitat. Visit 19th century Fort Clinch where guides re-enact the stories of its history. In historic downtown Fernandina Beach, families can take a horse-drawn carriage ride while listening to an oral history of the city&#8217;s historic district. Many hotels offer programs and accommodations catered specifically to families and children.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kennedy Space Centre &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>Only 45 minutes away from Orlando, plan a full day to explore NASA&#8217;s launch headquarters, located on a huge island wildlife refuge. At the Visitor Complex you&#8217;ll find amazing exhibits and inspiring shows about the past, present and future of the space program. If visiting during a peak period it can be crowded, especially on a cold day. Best visited in non-peak periods.<\/p>\n<p><strong>California<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>California Science Centre,<\/strong>\u00a0Los Angeles &#8211; The West Coast&#8217;s largest hands-on science center includes a Fun Lab where kids enjoy activities and online science games. Several permanent and rotating galleries plus an IMAX theatre.<\/p>\n<p><strong>National Parks &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>Discover California&#8217;s natural beauty in the\u00a0National Park Service areas found throughout the State. Here visitors find a wide variety of adventures from historical and cultural experiences to natural wonders.\u00a0The National Park Service maintains a total of 23 different units in California including nine National Parks. See the Giant Redwoods at Redwood National Park, visit the Victorian home of John Muir, noted author and preservationist at the John Muir National Historic Site or see the cascading waterfalls of famous Yosemite National Park, one of the first wilderness parks in the United States.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The legendary Queen Mary &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>Tour this historic liner, docked in Long Beach. On the Behind the Scenes Guided Tour or self guided tours, you&#8217;ll learn about the ship&#8217;s history as a transatlantic liner and World War II troopship. Visit the first-class swimming pool, a popular spot for ghost sightings which is part of the Ghosts &amp; Legends show. Spend the night in an original First Class Stateroom or dine in one of the restaurants. The Sunday brunch is said to be the best in Southern California.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;\">\n<p><a class=\"btn wp-colorbox-inline cboxElement\" style=\"color: #fff; background-color: #1cc31c; font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; display: inline-block; float: left; margin-right: 30px; margin-left: 30px;\" href=\"#contactpop\">Send me more info\u00a0<i class=\"fa fa-info-circle\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 18px; text-decoration: underline; color: #1cc31c!important; display: inline-block;\">Receive a Free* $100 Visa Gift Card with any qualifying booking!<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: none;\">\n<div id=\"contactpop\" style=\"padding: 40px; text-align: center; height: 350px;\"><div class='fluentform ff-default fluentform_wrapper_3 ffs_default_wrap'><form data-form_id=\"3\" id=\"fluentform_3\" class=\"frm-fluent-form fluent_form_3 ff-el-form-top ff_form_instance_3_1 ff-form-loading ff_has_v3_recptcha ffs_default\" data-form_instance=\"ff_form_instance_3_1\" method=\"POST\" data-recptcha_key=\"6LeDBVohAAAAADK44TDqBs63u6K3Mf03o5L_NiBF\" ><fieldset  style=\"border: none!important;margin: 0!important;padding: 0!important;background-color: transparent!important;box-shadow: none!important;outline: none!important; min-inline-size: 100%;\">\n                    <legend class=\"ff_screen_reader_title\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0!important;padding: 0!important;height: 0!important;text-indent: -999999px;width: 0!important;overflow:hidden;\">Request a Deal<\/legend>        <span style=\"display: none !important;\"><input type=\"checkbox\"\n                name=\"item__3__fluent_checkme_\"\n                value=\"1\" style=\"display:none !important;\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n        <input type='hidden' name='__fluent_form_embded_post_id' value='1705' \/><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"_fluentform_3_fluentformnonce\" name=\"_fluentform_3_fluentformnonce\" value=\"7060a5b9ba\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1705\" \/><div data-type=\"name-element\" data-name=\"names\" class=\" ff-field_container ff-name-field-wrapper\" ><div class='ff-t-container'><div class='ff-t-cell '><div class='ff-el-group  ff-el-form-top'><div class=\"ff-el-input--label ff-el-is-required asterisk-right\"><label for='ff_3_names_first_name_' aria-label=\"First Name\">First Name<\/label><\/div><div class='ff-el-input--content'><input type=\"text\" name=\"names[first_name]\" id=\"ff_3_names_first_name_\" class=\"ff-el-form-control\" placeholder=\"First Name\" aria-invalid=\"false\" aria-required=false><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='ff-t-cell '><div class='ff-el-group  ff-el-form-top'><div class=\"ff-el-input--label ff-el-is-required asterisk-right\"><label for='ff_3_names_last_name_' aria-label=\"Last Name\">Last Name<\/label><\/div><div class='ff-el-input--content'><input type=\"text\" name=\"names[last_name]\" id=\"ff_3_names_last_name_\" class=\"ff-el-form-control\" placeholder=\"Last Name\" aria-invalid=\"false\" aria-required=false><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='ff-el-group'><div class=\"ff-el-input--label ff-el-is-required asterisk-right\"><label for='ff_3_email' aria-label=\"Email\">Email<\/label><\/div><div class='ff-el-input--content'><input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" id=\"ff_3_email\" class=\"ff-el-form-control\" placeholder=\"Email Address\" data-name=\"email\"  aria-invalid=\"false\" aria-required=true><\/div><\/div><div class='ff-el-group'><div class=\"ff-el-input--label ff-el-is-required asterisk-right\"><label for='ff_3_input_text' aria-label=\"Phone Number\">Phone Number<\/label><\/div><div class='ff-el-input--content'><input type=\"text\" name=\"input_text\" class=\"ff-el-form-control\" data-name=\"input_text\" id=\"ff_3_input_text\"  aria-invalid=\"false\" aria-required=true><\/div><\/div><div class='ff-el-group'><div class=\"ff-el-input--label asterisk-right\"><label for='ff_3_description' aria-label=\"Message \/ Additional Travel Details\">Message \/ Additional Travel Details<\/label><\/div><div class='ff-el-input--content'><textarea aria-invalid=\"false\" aria-required=false name=\"description\" id=\"ff_3_description\" class=\"ff-el-form-control\" rows=\"3\" cols=\"2\" data-name=\"description\" ><\/textarea><\/div><\/div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hidden\" value=\"Florida and California\" data-name=\"hidden\" ><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"hidden_1\" value=\"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1705\" data-name=\"hidden_1\" ><div class='ff-el-group ff-text-left ff_submit_btn_wrapper'><button type=\"submit\" class=\"ff-btn ff-btn-submit ff-btn-lg d-block ff_btn_style\" >Submit Form<\/button><\/div><\/fieldset><\/form><div id='fluentform_3_errors' class='ff-errors-in-stack ff_form_instance_3_1 ff-form-loading_errors ff_form_instance_3_1_errors'><\/div><\/div>        <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n            window.fluent_form_ff_form_instance_3_1 = {\"id\":\"3\",\"settings\":{\"layout\":{\"labelPlacement\":\"top\",\"helpMessagePlacement\":\"with_label\",\"errorMessagePlacement\":\"inline\",\"asteriskPlacement\":\"asterisk-right\"},\"restrictions\":{\"denyEmptySubmission\":{\"enabled\":false}}},\"form_instance\":\"ff_form_instance_3_1\",\"form_id_selector\":\"fluentform_3\",\"rules\":{\"names[first_name]\":{\"required\":{\"value\":true,\"message\":\"This field is required\"}},\"names[middle_name]\":{\"required\":{\"value\":false,\"message\":\"This field is required\"}},\"names[last_name]\":{\"required\":{\"value\":true,\"message\":\"This field is required\"}},\"email\":{\"required\":{\"value\":true,\"message\":\"This field is required\"},\"email\":{\"value\":true,\"message\":\"This field must contain a valid email\"}},\"input_text\":{\"required\":{\"value\":true,\"message\":\"This field is required\"}},\"description\":{\"required\":{\"value\":false,\"message\":\"This field is required\"}}}};\n                    <\/script>\n        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: none;\">\n<div id=\"termspop\" style=\"padding: 40px; text-align: center; height: 400px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2599\" title=\"Earn up to $100 in Visa gift cards when booking!\" src=\"http:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/7001.png\" alt=\"Visa Gift Card\" width=\"870\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/7001.png 870w, https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/7001-300x69.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \/>*Applicable to all escorted tour or cruise bookings for two or more passengers valued at over $1000 per person before taxes and made through Grand Escapades with our preferred suppliers \u2013 Visa gift card will be made available following full payment of booking \u2013 One visa gift card per booking \u2013 cannot be combined with any other Grand Escapades promotion or discount \u2013 to qualify for gift card, client must provide promo-code VGC100 at the time of booking \u2013 Not valid in jurisdictions that deems it illegal \u2013 Offer may be withdrawn or modified at any time. \u2013 Visa, and the Visa design are trademarks of Visa International.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Send me more info\u00a0 Receive a Free* $100 Visa Gift Card with any qualifying booking! &nbsp; When it&#8217;s time to get away with the family for some fun and sun, Canadian families are thinking more and more of California and Florida. These States are easy to get to and offer a wide variety of things [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1650,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1705"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1705"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1705\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10597,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1705\/revisions\/10597"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}