This summer was a low-key summer. Esposo and I still don’t feel like doing a ton of traveling with our minions. Is that a terrible thing to say? I hope not. Traveling with little kids is NOT fun. So…we don’t do it.
Instead, we spend on life savings on childcare and gymnastics.
Just kidding. Or am I?
Instead of saving up for a family vacation this year, we decided to do some fun staycations. Why shouldn’t we? Orlando is the tourist capital of the world, right*? There are so many attractions that we haven’t even noticed because we’re too busy you know…being busy.
And so we trekked around I-Drive. I invited my best friend and her daughter out and we explored I-Drive 360.
Ummm, what is I-Drive 360?
Not located near the theme parks, I-Drive 360 is located on Orlando’s popular International Drive. In addition to the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and SEA LIFE Aquarium, there is a ton of shopping and restaurants to check out.
Coca-Cola Orlando Eye
I remember seeing this while it was being built and was in awe with just how huge it is. It’s enormous. At 400 ft tall, the Orlando Eye just seems like a massive ferris wheel, right? How fun can that be? Welllll, let’s seeee…
- It’s air-conditioned
- Inside you’ll discover a little tablet that helps you get an idea of what you can see
- You can throw parties inside!
- The music is jammin’.
- Insta-worthy images like…WHOA!
COST (as of 8/24/17)
Adults – $27.50
Kids – $22.50 (ages 3-12)
The girls had such a good time being way up high but were also bummed when it was time to get off. Those 23-minutes went by realllllllly quickly. Their disappointment was short lived because we then headed right over to the aquarium.
SEA LIFE Aquarium
I’ve taken EB to an aquarium once before (a good two years ago) and she was too young to REALLY get into it but at almost 5 years old, she had such an incredible time exploring SEA LIFE. This aquarium is unlike any I’ve been to. I found it to be so visually attractive.
Most aquariums are fish/animals in tanks, right? SEA LIFE used light and differently shaped tanks to create such a fun experience for the kiddos and parents. Other perks?
- Hands-on experiences that allow visitors to really explore
- Indoor play place for kids to burn off their energy
- Q&As with actual scuba divers while they’re in the water
- Non-stop exploring. You definitely get your money’s worth here!
- Fun treasure hunting game
COST (as of 8/24/17)
Adults – $25.00
Kids – $20.00 (ages 3-12)
And to finish the day off, we went to…
Madame Tussauds
Admitally, we were all perplexed upon entering the wax museum. I mean…celebrites in wax just doesn’t seem like that much fun to a 4-year-old and 6-year-old? Even my friend and I were like, “Uh, we won’t stay here long. This may be weird.”
Lies we told ourselves.
We had the most fun in here! What you may not see until you actually visit is that each statue you visit puts you into that celebrity’s life/fame. You aren’t just looking at them. You’re playing with props, jamming out to music, taking pictures and posing with them.
It’s so much fun and was totally unexpected. Other ways Madame Tussauds rocked our world?
- You can make your own wax statue
- Literal surprises at every turn
- Something for all members of the family
- Fun way to teach history and play trivia
COST (as of 8/24/17)
Adults – $25.00
Kids – $20.00 (ages 3-12)
This is how you do a staycation when you live in Orlando. We had the best time and will certainly make more of an effort to explore I-Drive 360. How cool would it be to see fireworks from The Coca-Cola Orlando Eye?
Yep, we’ll definitely be back.
Which attraction would you be most excited to check out if you live or were visiting Orlando?
*I’m not really sure. I didn’t research this, soooo…..
FTC Disclosure: Press passes were provided to me but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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