North America: What's New—Florida Family Adventures

SUNDIAL BEACH FAMILYWhat’s New—Florida Family AdventuresBy Lisa SimundsonWith its beaches, theme parks and natural attractions galore, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more family-friendly destination than the Sunshine State. The most recent visitor statistics from Visit Florida bear out the state’s popularity—not just with families, but FITs across the board. Preliminary estimates indicate that 34.2 million total visitors (in-person trips) traveled to Florida in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, a +1.7 percent increase from Q2 2023 and setting a new all-time high for second-quarter visitation in the state’s history. Domestic visitors accounted for 92.1 percent of the total. As travel momentum to the Sunshine State shows no signs of slowing, new projects including hotels and attractions are lining up to meet it. Take a look:KAYAKING KEYSSouth Florida With an unmistakable urban vibe—but sheltering Florida’s wild, protected Everglades lands in between—South Florida combines traditional family-style recreation with adult entertainment. In many ways, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and The Palm Beaches are the same family-friendly beach towns they always have been—with golden sands and family-style attractions including zoos and museums—but the vibe here has gone next level, with the region recognized as a global center for arts, entertainment and dining. “Greater Miami continues to evolve as a premier destination with strategic investments in infrastructure, sustainability and cultural amenities designed to enhance the overall visitor experience,” notes David Whitaker, President & CEO of the Greater Miami CVB. “We also stand out with a plethora of family-friendly attractions and endless opportunities for families to create lasting memories. Trends indicate that families are more diversified than ever and as such, the destination needs to be diversified in its offerings.”DAVID QUOTE Within Greater Miami’s never-ending stream of new hotels and attractions are the boutique lifestyle UMA House by Yurbban on South Beach, the artsy and Instagram-worthy Arlo Wynwood and the newly opened Casa Neos, a hyper-luxe, multi-use hospitality destination on the banks of the Miami River. Then there are the renovations, with vintage properties boasting new looks and additions, including the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, which recently added the all-suite Tresor Tower and is planning a new convention center; the Pelican Hotel on Ocean Drive, where guestrooms are decked out in different cinematic themes; and the legendary Delano on South Beach, undergoing extensive renovations after closing due to the pandemic. Miami’s neighbor to the north, Fort Lauderdale, has announced newly completed renovations at the Ocean Sky Hotel & Resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach along with a new hotel on the scene—the Aloft Hotel at Fort Lauderdale Airport by Marriott. Additionally, this fall will mark the grand opening of the iconic 32-acre Pier Sixty-Six, with 325 rooms and suites, one of the largest superyacht marinas on the eastern seaboard and a 13,000-sq.-ft. spa, a multi-level pool and 12 culinary venues. Meanwhile, there’s a dreamy new rooftop bar in town, Nube, located on the 26th floor of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, offering panoramic views and a menu inspired by the sky and sea. On the northern end of South Florida, The Palm Beaches are a blend of vintage attractions, a world-class arts scene and hotels properties ranging from boutique to palatial. “To help keep travel advisors well-informed with all that the destination has to offer, we recently developed and launched the Travel Trade Portal. This resource features a comprehensive database complete with insights into The Palm Beaches, covering history, geography, lodging, culinary delights, transportation options, events, tourist attractions and much more,” says Milton Segarra, President and CEO for Discover The Palm Beaches. “Designed specifically for travel trade professionals, the portal includes interactive modules aimed at deepening their knowledge, with each section concluding with a final exam to solidify expertise.”STINGRAY EXHIBIT The county has seen a combined investment of more than $500 million across a dozen hotels over the past few months alone, with multimillion-dollar renovations at the Hilton West Palm Beach and the Tideline Palm Beach Ocean Resort and Spa as well as newbuilds like the Amrit Ocean Resort on Singer Island. Within the next two years, an anticipated $1 billion collective investment for 16 new properties in the pipeline is expected to add nearly 2,200 more guestrooms. Across the Everglades from Southeast Florida, the Fort Myers area—home to six Florida state parks—is experiencing a development boomlet of its own following the impact of Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Captiva Island Inn has reopened in the heart of Captiva Village, the Sanibel Moorings Resort has partially reopened, and the area recently welcomed the new Woodspring Suites Fort Myers-Cape Coral. “We’ve seen a tremendous amount of activity...throughout the destination, many hotels are open and ready to welcome travelers as well as shops, restaurants and attractions,” says Tamara Pigott, Executive Director of Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Over the next few months, we’ll continue to see beachfront properties reopen including beloved spots like Sanibel Island’s Sundial Beach Resort & Spa. The Fort Myers area remains a family-friendly place,” she adds. “Families can explore our nature and wildlife trails and tour the newly reopened Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum & Aquarium. We also offer abundant family-style accommodations, including Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach, home of the kid-friendly ‘Octopool.’” Throughout 2024, South Seas resort has continued its phased reopening introducing new F&B outlets, additional accommodations and enhanced resort amenities. Meanwhile, Sundial is taking reservations for overnight stays beginning Nov. 1, 2024 for its fully equipped, condo-style units. For guests who want to dip their toes into the resort’s offerings, Sundial is offering a new Daycation Resort Day Pass program where guests can experience the resort life for the day. Heading south, at the point where The Everglades meet the 10,000 Islands on the Gulf, Collier County prides itself on being a land of adventure and discovery for families and all travelers. “Collier County is the perfect family-friendly destination, offering beautiful beaches, nature preserves and a variety of activities that cater to all ages,” says Claudia Wood, Global Sales Manager for the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB. “With the recent opening of the Great Wolf Lodge, families now have even more exciting options for their stay. Our continued development ensures that families will have an unforgettable and enjoyable experience.”COMPASS HOTEL MARGARITAVILLE In addition to the Great Wolf Lodge—first in Florida for the brand—new properties include The Perry Hotel Naples and Compass Hotel by Margaritaville, while The Ritz-Carlton, Naples recently introduced a new culinary experience, Nolita, featuring house-made artisan pastas and hand-tossed pizzas. Heading into the Florida Keys—a 125-mile island chain ending in funky and fabulously hip Key West—development proceeds at a slower space, keeping a mindful eye on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and a host of other protected areas. In fact, The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has launched its Florida Keys Eco-Experience Trail pass featuring 55 geo-tagged, bookable experiences such as visiting Keys eco-attractions, taking a backcountry kayak tour or exploring the island chain’s wildlife refuges and state parks. Newly added vendors include Key West Aquarium, Sol Chaser Charters and Mellow Ventures. Trail participants can discover unique nature tours, wildlife centers and refuges, coral restoration opportunities and fishing, diving and snorkeling in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The mobile-exclusive digital Florida Keys Eco-Experience pass features offers, added values and Keys-branded prizes. Around the Keys, new offerings include a 75-seat restaurant at Flamingo Lodge and Restaurant in Everglades National Park. At the other end of the island chain in Key Largo, the 200-guestroom Baker’s Cay Resort is revitalizing its rooftop garden with fresh herbs, tomatoes, edible flowers, cucumbers and other vegetables to enhance garden-to-table fare. Executive Chef Carolann Wheeler is developing the resort’s Chef’s Garden to seasonally enhance menus with fresh produce. With water adventures like kayaking and snorkeling as well as 10 scenic state parks on tap, it’s impossible to stay indoors in the Keys, making the destination ideal for families with kids in tow.KARA QUOTE “Florida Keys research indicates that 30 percent or nearly one-third of Keys visitors traveled with children or stepchildren during this year’s first quarter,” says Kara Franker, the newly appointed President and CEO of Visit Florida Keys, the operations corporation for the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. “Driving from Key Largo to Key West, the southernmost city in the continental United States, is an easily accessible, memorable adventure to be shared along the way,” Franker says. “Children, parents, grandparents and multi-gen extended families can enjoy the great outdoors...and many Keys resorts have enhanced their properties with stand-alone villas, expanded family-style units and watersports to accommodate family members of all ages.”BIKING ON BEACHCentral FloridaFlorida’s entertainment heart has its own beat, and it’s about to speed up with major expansions at the Walt Disney World Resort, including the largest expansion in history at the Magic Kingdom—a reimagining of Frontierland featuring a new “Cars”-themed area replacing Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island with rugged racing terrain. Also coming to the Magic Kingdom is a new Villains Land, while a land dedicated to Monsters, Inc. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom also are on the horizon. Racing into EPCOT will be the newly re-themed Test Track presented by Chevrolet, debuting in 2025. At Universal Orlando Resort, things get epic in 2025 when Universal Epic Universe opens with five new worlds offering something for every member of the family—The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, exploring international wizarding communities from 1920s Paris to 1990s Britain; Super Nintendo World with a Mario Kart Ride and Donkey Kong Country; How to Train Your Dragon-Isle of Berk, featuring a Viking Village and lots of dragons; Dark Universe, a shadowy landscape where monsters roam; and Celestial Park, a lush green world of discovery.RENDERING HOTEL UNIVERSAL In addition, Universal Orlando Resort will add 1,500 guestrooms to the destination’s hotel portfolio in early 2025, with Universal Stella Nova Resort opening in January and Universal Terra Luna Resort in February. Coming later in 2025 will be the 500-guestroom Universal Helios Grand Hotel. Beyond the parks, Orlando’s growing hospitality scene is as exciting as its attractions, with new openings galore and more waiting in the wings. Opening this year was Evermore Orlando Resort, Orlando’s first beach-like property, with an 8-acre lagoon, the world’s first touchless sunscreen application system and a range of 2- to 11-bedroom vacation homes accommodating groups and families of all sizes. Set on the same property, the new Conrad Orlando is the destination’s first Hilton luxury brand, with 433 guestrooms, a spa, golf course and multiple dining options. Also making a recent debut is Caribe Royale Orlando Resort’s new sports-centric Stadium Club, a 2-story, 500-seat interactive and immersive sports entertainment destination featuring eight pro-level sports simulators with 13 games, multi-sensory bars and a 110-ft.-long ribbon display television.NASA ROCKET Looking forward to 2026, more adventures in accommodations await with the Nobu Hotel Orlando, offering 300 accommodations including villas, a Nobu restaurant, 50 stylish residences and meeting and event space. “To be the number-one visited destination in the world has been the pinnacle of all pinnacles for us,” says Casandra Matej, President and CEO of Visit Orlando. On the Atlantic side of Central Florida, Daytona Beach is on track with new properties and attractions, both recently opened and in the near future. “There have been so many exciting openings in the destination in recent years. On the hotel side, the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach is absolutely thriving. New properties include the Max Beach Resort with residence-style suites and the 191-room Renaissance by Marriott Daytona Beach Oceanfront, which is scheduled to open this fall with state-of-the-art design and a high-end restaurant,” says Lori Campbell, Executive Director of the Daytona Beach Area CVB. “New attractions in the destination include our first aquarium offering, the 60,000-sq.-ft. Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure. The aquarium delivers an interactive education experience for all ages.”WDW RENDERING Other recent arrivals in Daytona include the 456-room Daytona Grande oceanfront luxury resort featuring the only infinity pool in Daytona Beach; and the DAYTONA, a four-diamond 144-room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, part of the One Daytona dining and entertainment complex across from Daytona International Speedway. South of Daytona on Florida’s Space Coast, you’ll find the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where rockets blast off and exhibits include Mars Rovers, actual Mercury and Gemini space capsules and the Atlantis Space Shuttle. New hotels on the scene include the Element Melbourne Oceanfront, with 130 extended-stay guestrooms, rooftop dining, fitness center and a saline pool deck.ST AUGUSTINENorth FloridaOf all the regions of Florida, North Florida from Jacksonville to Pensacola offers some of the state’s most historic attractions as well as its most carefully preserved natural areas. “Times are getting so complicated that I think families and couples are looking for the old Florida we all remember,” says Paul Beirnes, VP of the Amelia Island CVB. “It’s balancing growth
with delivering on what the guest is seeking and leaving sustainability intact. That’s what our destination celebrates the most.” Both families and couples will appreciate The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island’s immersive dolphin education experience led by a marine biologist, along with the property’s reimagined spa and wellness programming focusing on holistic experiences. Also being renovated is the Omni Amelia Island’s Oak Marsh Golf Course. South of Amelia Island on Florida’s Historic Coast, St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra—home to the first permanent settlements on the peninsula—are introducing new experiences in staying and playing: A Spark by Hilton opened this spring in St. Augustine’s Historic District, while the pet-friendly St. George Inn’s Bin 39 wine bar has added charcuterie pet tastes, doggie ice cream, enhanced waters, souvenir water bowls and more for Fido. In addition, the new St. Augustine Shipwreck Museum showcases the area’s rich maritime history while new kayaking adventures are available from Deep Creek Paddles. Heading west from the Atlantic coast to the Gulf coast, Walton County’s sugar-white sands have been drawing family travel for decades. “Our beautiful beaches and natural scenic beauty are a big draw, but spending time with family in a relaxed, fun and safe atmosphere is what our visitors tell us brings them back year after year,” says Nicole Barefield Everett, Communications Director. “Advisors are most familiar with South Walton but not the northern part of the county, Authentic Walton...both are ideal for family travel.” What’s new in this vintage Florida enclave? The Hotel Effie on Miramar Beach has joined the Marriott Bonvoy family as part of the luxurious Autograph Collection; and ground was broken on a new beach access area in the heart of Seagrove, including connectivity to a multi-use path. BRIGHTLINE KIDS CLUBGetting ThereAlready connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and The Palm Beaches, Brightline high-speed passenger rail launched service between Orlando and Miami in September 2023, turning a long highway trip from South Florida to Orlando into a comfortable 3-hour cruise of relaxation in the comfort of Brightline’s plush seats. Coming soon: Brightline moves up the Atlantic Coast with stations in the Florida cities of Stuart and Cocoa. Delta will launch new nonstop service from London Heathrow (LHR) to Orlando (MCO) in partnership with Virgin Atlantic. The seasonal route will occur four times a week from Oct. 28, 2024-March 29, 2025. Porter Airlines has expanded its Florida offering from Eastern Canada with flights from Toronto, Pearson and Ottawa, departing for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Routes are now available for passengers who are looking to book roundtrip flights from Fort Lauderdale to Western Canadian destinations like Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Contact Information VISIT FLORIDA: visitflorida.com
COVERSANDALSTable of ContentsSANDALS SPREADEditor's NotesEDU HOUSE ADIndustry Insights: Luxury Travel Continues to SoarAdvisor Speak: Virtuoso Advisor InsightsMexico/Caribbean: Mexico and the Caribbean Redefine ‘Family-Friendly’CAYMAN ISLANDS SCTHE CAYMAN ISLANDSSAINT LUCIA SCSAINT LUCIAOnsite Review: Upscale Sandals Opens Its Doors in St. Vincent and the GrenadinesOnsite Review: “New” Discoveries in Saint LuciaNorth America: What's New—Florida Family AdventuresLEE COUNTY SCFort Myers Islands, Beaches & NeighborhoodsOnsite Review: Quebec City—History, Culture & CuisineMGM RESORTS SCMGM RESORTSCruise: Setting Sail for Fun—What’s New for Family CruisesOnboard Review: Margaritaville at Sea Islander One-of-a-Kind ExperienceOnboard Review: 10 Reasons to Book Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the SeasEurope: Onsite Review—Travels in AndalusiaTURKISH AIRLINES