Celebrating Easter in Florida

With activities galore and great temperatures, Easter is a great time to ditch the rain and head for sunny Florida.

No trip to the States is complete without taking in the delights of fun-filled Orlando, and April sees the city spring to life with seasonal festivities and events.

Universal Studios Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration will be in full swing, running until May 31st this year.

While there’s an emphasis on partying at the original New Orleans event, the Universal version has a family friendly focus, including street performers and stilt walkers scattered throughout the park. But if the partying bit sounds more your style, never fear, there’s be plenty of that on offer too…

Mardi Gras aside, Universal’s standard attractions are still an incredible draw themselves, with Universal Studios and its sister park Islands of Adventure a must-visit for film fans and thrill seekers alike.

Be bewitched by The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, go old school and take an E.T. Adventure, or be brave and channel your inner superhero on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Doctor Doom’s Death Fall and The Incredible Hulk Coaster.

Springtime at Walt Disney World Resort Florida sees and array of tempting offers at the world famous parks.

Grab yourself some Mickey Mouse ears and embrace the delights of The Magic Kingdom. As well as the classic lure of The Cinderella Castle and the opportunity to meet your favourite Disney characters, from Mickey and Minnie to Woody and Winnie the Pooh, there are also plenty of rides. Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin are out of this world while Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pan’s Flight will see you unleashing your inner swashbuckler.

Elsewhere in the Disney resort, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival runs until May 31st 2015. You’ll be able to check out locally grown Disney character topiaries, eat at outdoor kitchens offering spring inspired dishes and take in some live music at The Garden Rocks Concert Series.

And that’s all in addition to Epcot’s usual treats, including the opportunity to emerge yourself in cultures throughout the globe within internationally themed zones, complete with rides and dining and two pavilions housing interactive games, exhibits and activities for all ages.

For those looking for more religious activities this Easter, visitors to Sea World can combine the annual Sunrise Service alongside the parks’ other activities. Traditionally the event sees the Bayside Stadium packed out to hear guest speakers and tickets to a special breakfast buffet are also available. You’ll also be able to take in the usual Sea World offering of world-renowned marine animal shows, getting up close to orcas, dolphins, and penguins to name just a few.

With average seasonal temperatures of about 22ºC Easter is also an ideal time to take advantage of Orlando’s exciting water parks, just make sure you pack your swimwear and prepare to get very wet.

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Disney boasts not one but two parks, both with unique themes. Typhoon Lagoon sees surf boards thrown into trees and boats washed up in strange places, the product of a mythical storm, while Blizzard Beach’s theme is that of a one time ski resort, the snow now melted while the toboggan runs an ski slopes remain, transformed into water slides.

There’s also Sea World’s Aquatica, with marine inspired slides and pools, and Wet ’n Wild, an essential stop if flinging yourself down some thrilling flumes is something that tempts.

But Florida’s park action is not just limited to Orlando. Around 90 minutes away near Tampa is Busch Gardens. A theme park housing animal attractions alongside roller coasters and rides it was initially created as a marketing tool for Anheuser-Busch, creators of Budweiser.

Easter sees it hosting the Busch Gardens Beer and Wine Festival, which runs until April 26th. Promising wild flavours and live music, visitors can chose between nine food cabins and sample more than 65 fine wines and 50 craft beers.

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A Busch Gardens visit also provides the perfect opportunity to check out the nearby Clearwater Beach, known for it’s white sand and seafood shacks.

And if you’re willing to head on a road trip rather than just sticking to Orlando there are a host of other Easter activities throughout Florida.

Don your board shorts and head an hour east to Cocoa Beach where you’ll find the 2015 Easter Surfing Festival. The annual free event attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators to the shores of the iconic beach, also home to world famous Ron Jon’s Surf Shop.

As well as the surfing competitions, there’s live music, an Easter egg hunt, and festival-goers get the chance to learn how to surf and skim board.

Or head just north of Orlando for the annual Winter Park Easter Egg Hunt, where under 10s can get a share of the whopping 10,000 hidden eggs.

More adventurous Easter egg hunters can take a scenic drive south to the Florida Keys to part in Islamorada’s Underwater Easter Egg Hunt. Divers and snorkelers register to collect colourful, nontoxic real eggs in aid of a local children’s charity, a truly unique experience.

Easter also sees party town of The Keys, Key West, come to life with the Sixth Annual Florida Keys Ocean Festival & Waterfront Craft Show. There will be live music,arts and crafts and children’s events, as well as the usual lure of Key West’s lively bars and excellent public beach, Fort Zachary Taylor.

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With so many different events and attractions on offer, it’s safe to say that Florida is a great choice for a break this Easter. Now all you have to decide is whether to pack that Easter bunny outfit…