Florida blasts off

THE kids want rollercoasters. He wants a few rounds of golf. She wants to be pampered at a spa. Where to go? How about Florida?

Summer days ... gunning a Harley along Daytona Beach / AP

Your holiday is finally here. The kids want to ride rollercoasters. Your husband wants to lose himself in a few rounds of golf. Your wife wants to be pampered at a spa. Where to go? How about Florida?

Considering it's one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, with a record 77 million visitors annually, chances are the thought has already crossed your mind.

There's more to this sunshine state than Mickey Mouse, too. Florida is packed with enough attractions and activities to keep anyone occupied for more than a month.

But even if you can spare only seven days, here are the highlights worth hitting.

Funpark central

LET'S begin in Orlando, and get the kids taken care of.

Not surprisingly, the main theme parks here are huge, and you could easily spend a few days at one (or all) of them. Staying at one of the parks' hotels is convenient, and can also be good value.

The latest attractions at Universal Studios include the Fear Factor Live show (based on the TV series); Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue; and a new Dr Seuss theme ride, High In The Sky Seuss Trolley Train, opening at Islands of Adventure (next door to Universal) next month.

DisneyWorld's Magic Kingdom is home to the famous Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, while Disney Animal Kingdom's latest ride is Expedition Everest.

Star Wars fanatics can get their fix at Disney-MGM Studios, where on weekends from May 19 to June 11, visitors can dress in Star Wars costumes and take a spin on the Star Wars thrill ride.

DisneyWorld is also home to two water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

The killer whale-themed Shamu Express ride opens at SeaWorld Orlando this month, as does Believe, an aqua-musical show best described as "killer whales do Broadway".

For a breather from the big guys, check out smaller parks such as Gatorland, Cypress Gardens, and Discovery Cove, where you can swim with a bottlenose dolphin.

Admission for both Universal and DisneyWorld begins at $US52 for kids, $US63 for adults at the gate; discounts and packages online for pre-purchased tickets: www.universal orlando.com/tickets.html or http:// disneyworld.disney.go.com/ SeaWorld admission from $US49.95 kids, $US61.95 adults; www.seaworld.com/seaworld/fla/

Improve your swing

IF you can sneak a few kid-free days into your holiday, head to Palm Beach – if you can afford it.

This playground of the rich and famous – including Donald Trump, whose private retreat, Mar-a-Lago, ishere – is heavy on golf courses and spas (the amusement parks for adults).

The PGA National Resort & Spa wisely packages the two together in their Dual Delights special.

It includes accommodation, access to the health and racquet club, mineral pools, saunas, fitness and spa facilities, as well as a 50-minute spa treatment per person and one round of golf per person per night of stay – on any of the resort's five courses.

Palm Beach County is home to 160 golf courses, one of the oldest and most spectacular being the Ocean Course, at The Breakers resort.

But no serious golf buff can visit Florida without a trip to The World Golf Village, at St Augustine (about a 90-minute drive from Orlando).

It has two championship courses, the PGA Tour Golf Academy if you want to work on your swing, and The World Golf Hall of Fame, where you can pay tribute to the game's greats.

PGA Resort Dual Delights packages cost from $US155 per person a night, based on dual occupancy (two-night minimum); visit www.pga-resorts.com

World Golf Village, www.wgv.com

Out of this world

FOR thrills that are both more real and more surreal than your average roller-coaster, head 45 minutes out of Orlando to the Kennedy Space Centre.

Set aside a full day to explore the centre and NASA's launch headquarters; this is the kind of place that turns even the grumpiest old man into a little kid.

Everything here is made to make you feel the experience of visiting space yourself: from the IMAX films and flight simulators to the lunches with astronauts and the guided tours of actual NASA facilities.

Anyone harbouring dreams of becoming an astronaut can book in for the ATX Astronaut Training Experience ($US225 per person), a full-day simulation of a space mission.

Keep an eye on the calendar for real NASA launches: the space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to lift off some time after July 1, and tickets are available in advance from www.kennedyspacecenter.com

Admission is from $US21 for kids (under 11) and $US31 adults.

The beach life

FLORIDA has more than 1000km of beaches, some of the best located in state parks. But if you're there for only a week, your best bets are the city beaches, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, as well as the gorgeous Florida Keys.

Miami's South Beach is people-watching central, with an endless parade of hot bods strolling, jogging or rollerblading past.

If the water's too calm for you (there's no real surf), you may prefer to sit at one of the art deco bars or restaurants right across the street on Ocean Ave, and watch the spectacle with a pina colada in your hand.

Fort Lauderdale's main beach is better for swimmers, and is a long-time favourite of American college kids on their spring break. It's fast becoming just as hip as Miami too, with new hotels springing up along the waterfront at a rapid pace.

The drive from Miami down to the Florida Keys, along the Overseas Highway, is hands-down one of the best in America.

It takes in such towns as Key Largo and Marathon and ends at Key West, where you can stand on the southernmost point of the United States. (There's a signpost pointing in the direction of Cuba, which is only 130km away – closer than Miami.)

As well as enjoying the excellent beaches and the obligatory trip to Ernest Hemingway's house, the ultimate Key West experience includes watching a fiery red sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

Talk to the animals

WHEN you think Florida and nature, the Everglades should be your first stop.

The best way to see the wetlands is by airboat, skimming across the water looking for migrating birds, reptiles and alligators. Details from www. EvergladesAirboatRide.com

Everglades day safaris venture even closer to the wildlife, with boat rides, drives and nature walks (www.ecosafari.com)

Further north, on the west coast of Florida, is Crystal River – the place to see, and swim with, the endangered Florida manatees – gentle-giant "sea cows" that can weigh more than 450kg.

In Miami's Metrozoo (www.miami metrozoo.com), kids under 18 can play zookeeper for a day, feeding the animals and helping with the zoo's shows.

Dedicated nature-lovers can hike The Florida Trail (www.florida-trail.org), a footpath that stretches more than 2000km across the state, taking in lakes, rivers, springs, forests and swampland.

Keen fishermen should head to popular spots such as the Everglades, the Florida Keys, or to Lake Talquin State Park.

More: www.visitflorida.com

Sunday Telegraph