Kissimmee has more to offer families than most people realize. Beyond the theme parks, this stretch of Central Florida is packed with things to do in Kissimmee with kids that cost a fraction of a park ticket (and some are completely free). Whether your crew is into airboats, alligators, or just a solid splash pad, here are 15 Kissimmee activities for families worth adding to your trip.
Best Kissimmee Attractions for Families
1. Old Town and Fun Spot America
These two sit right next to each other off W Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, so treat them as one stop. Old Town is free to walk, with a custom Italian-built Ferris wheel, carnival rides, an arcade, and the famous Saturday night classic car cruise at 8:30 PM (free to watch, running for over three decades). Next door, Fun Spot offers dozens of rides including the world’s tallest SkyCoaster at 300 feet. Admission is free. Pay per ride or grab a Single Day Fun Pass for $59.95 + tax. If it rains within 90 minutes of your purchase, they give you a rain check for another day. We cover Old Town in more detail on our Experiences page.
2. Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
Kids eat with their hands, cheer for a knight, and watch jousting on horseback for two hours at Medieval Times Orlando. Tickets are $76.95 for adults and $46.95 for kids 3 to 12. Children under 3 sit free on a parent’s lap. Use code 15MT for 15% off through the end of 2026. The feast includes garlic bread, tomato bisque, roasted chicken, corn, herb-basted potato, and dessert. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals are available. For more dining ideas, check out the best family restaurants near Disney.
3. Gatorland
Just minutes from many Kissimmee vacation homes, Gatorland has been the “Alligator Capital of the World” since 1949. Adults $34.99, kids 3 to 12 $24.99 (Florida residents pay $17.50/$12.50, summer promo through August 2026). The Screamin’ Gator Zip Line sends you 1,200 feet over the alligator breeding marsh. Younger kids love the Gator Gully Splash Park (renovated 2023) and the walk-in aviary where budgies land right on your hand. Don’t miss the Gator Jumparoo show at 12:30 PM, where gators launch four feet out of the water.
Insider Tip
Use code 15MT at Medieval Times for 15% off through December 2026. At Fun Spot, buy a Single Day Fun Pass, and if it rains within 90 minutes, you get a rain check for a free return visit.
Kid-Friendly Water and Nature Activities in Kissimmee
4. Island H2O Water Park
Open March through October at Sunset Walk, Island H2O is the closest water park to most Kissimmee vacation homes. Pick-a-Day tickets start at $39.50, but the real deal is the Super Splash Pass at $39.99 for unlimited visits all season. Slides include Live Streaming (the world’s only looping video-embedded waterslide) and Drop Down, a trapdoor body slide where the floor disappears (check the website before visiting as it closes occasionally for maintenance). Little ones (36 inches and up) can splash at Candy Stripe Cove and Pelican’s Paradise. Family Foam Parties run Saturdays and Sundays in May and August. See our Island H2O experience guide for guest tips.
5. Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures
Thirty-minute Boggy Creek airboat tours start at $34 (walk-ins welcome, reservations recommended), and hour-long tours go deeper into the wetlands and marshes of Lake Tohopekaliga for $54 to $61. No age minimum. Babies ride free under 3. The night tour ($67 to $79) is the only one that guarantees an alligator sighting. After the ride, kids can crack open geodes at the hydraulic Geode Station, feed Highland cows at Mini Moo Land, and dig for gems at the 70-foot mining sluice ($7 to $50 per bucket).
6. Wild Florida Adventure Park
About 40 minutes southeast of Kissimmee in Kenansville, Wild Florida is worth the drive. The 170-acre drive-through safari ($35 adults, $25 kids, FL residents $25/$20) lets you loop as many times as you want in a single day. Giraffes, zebras, bison, and camels roam freely. The Gator Park is included free with safari tickets and has 200-plus animals including Crusher, a 1,000-pound, 13-and-a-half-foot alligator. Kids 3 and up can try the Giraffe Painting Experience ($145) where they paint alongside a real giraffe. Closed Sundays. Read our Wild Florida experience guide for what to expect.
7. Shingle Creek Regional Park
Free admission, free parking. This 1,000-acre preserve sits at the northernmost headwaters of the Florida Everglades. The Steffee Homestead Trail is a 1.3-mile loop on concrete and boardwalks (stroller-friendly). Kayak rentals are available at Steffee Landing through a self-service kiosk ($19.99/hour single, $39.99/hour tandem). The 6.2-mile paved regional trail runs through the preserve, with planned connections to Kissimmee Lakefront Park, making it one of the best free things to do in Kissimmee for active families.
Insider Tip
The Boggy Creek night tour is the only one that guarantees an alligator sighting. At Wild Florida, your safari ticket lets you loop the 170-acre drive as many times as you want in a single day.
Fun Things to Do in Kissimmee for Younger Kids
8. Kissimmee Lakefront Park
Another free pick. This 22-acre park on Lake Tohopekaliga has a brand-new mobility-enhanced playground (opened 2024) with a 360-degree loop ramp, a splash pad with nature-themed fountains, a fishing pier, and shaded picnic areas. The 50-foot Monument of States is a fun photo stop. Walk across to downtown Kissimmee for lunch at Susana’s Cafe, voted Best Breakfast in Orlando two years running. Easily one of the top free Kissimmee activities for families.
9. Green Meadows Petting Farm
Reopened in April 2025 at Lancaster Ranch Park, this hands-on farm has dozens of animals including cattle, alpacas, donkeys, pigs, chickens, and bunnies (who enjoy an air-conditioned habitat). Admission is $18 per person (under 2 free). Pony rides are $4 (75-pound weight limit). Open Wednesday through Sunday only, and credit card only (no cash). The tractor-pulled wagon ride through the old Florida landscape is included with admission. Best for ages 2 to 8.
10. Congo River Golf
Two 18-hole Congo River mini golf courses winding through jungle caves, waterfalls, and a crashed zebra-striped airplane. Ages 10 and up $18.99, kids 9 and under $16.99 (one child 4 and under free per paid adult). The Kissimmee location also has paddleboats, and kids love the live gator feeding. Ask for the free Exploration Game scavenger hunt at check-in. Open until 11 PM Sunday through Thursday and midnight Fridays and Saturdays, so it’s a great evening activity after a park day.
Kissimmee Activities for Older Kids and Teens
11. Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park
Six aerial courses with 97 challenges set 10 to 60 feet up in a pine forest canopy at Orlando Tree Trek. Kids ages 6 to 8 start at $40, juniors 9 to 11 at $55, adults $65. Height is measured by fingertip reach, not body height. The finale is twin 425-foot zip lines. Book the 8 AM slot and use code RISE for 25% off. Florida residents get 15% off with code FLRES. Reservations required. Plan for 2 to 3 hours.
12. Hot Air Balloon Rides
Sunrise flights over the Kissimmee countryside with views of Disney’s skyline. Aerostat Adventures ($165 per adult) is the best value, and kids ages 5 to 9 fly free with a paying adult. Bob’s Balloons ($275 per person) includes a champagne toast. Total experience is about 3 to 3.5 hours including the flight and post-landing celebration. Book well in advance. Call the night before between 5 and 7 PM for the weather check, or you might show up to an empty field.
13. Sunset Walk at Margaritaville
Free to walk. This open-air entertainment district at Sunset Walk has more than 20 restaurants, nightly live music, a 100-plus game arcade at GameTime, and escape rooms at Escapology (including a Scooby-Doo themed room). The Slingshot thrill ride launches riders over 360 feet at 100 mph ($35, minimum 50 inches tall). Studio Movie Grill has $6 movies every Tuesday. Little kids love the Pearl Express mini train. Combine with Island H2O next door for a full-day Kissimmee activities near Disney outing.
Insider Tip
At Tree Trek, book the 8 AM slot with code RISE for 25% off. Florida residents save 15% with code FLRES. And at Aerostat Adventures, kids ages 5 to 9 fly free with a paying adult.
Free Things to Do in Kissimmee With Kids
14. Downtown Kissimmee and Lakefront Park
Already covered above (#8), but worth calling out as a free half-day: splash pad, playground, fishing pier, free monthly outdoor movies (first Friday, October through March on a 50-foot screen), and the Latin Culinary Trail with 20-plus independent restaurants steps from the park.
15. Celebration Town Center
Disney designed this walkable town just off US-192. Stroll the lakeside promenade, let kids run through the interactive splash fountain, grab fudge at Kilwins (watch them make it in copper kettles), and browse the Sunday Farmers Market from 10 AM to 2 PM. All free. In 2026, Celebration celebrates its 30th anniversary with a Founders Day concert on November 7 featuring Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC. From November through December, the Now Snowing event drops machine-generated “snow” nightly on the streets. For more, check out our full guide to things to do in Celebration.
Why a Kissimmee Vacation Home Makes It Better
Every activity on this list is within 30 minutes of a Kissimmee vacation home. Cook breakfast in your full kitchen, spend the day exploring kid-friendly Kissimmee attractions, and come back to a private pool and game room instead of a cramped hotel room.
A 4-bedroom home sleeping 10 costs less per person than two Disney resort rooms, and the savings on dining alone can fund a Medieval Times dinner or a full day at Island H2O. FunStay Homes manages over 100 family-friendly properties across 17 resort communities in Kissimmee, Champions Gate, and Davenport, putting the best Kissimmee activities near Disney within minutes of your front door.
Private Pools
Cool off after a day of exploring
Full Kitchens
Save $75-125/day on dining
Game Room
Keep kids entertained at home
4-10 Bedrooms
Room for the whole family
Book Your Incredible Florida Adventure Today
These 15 Kissimmee activities for families go beyond the theme parks, from free splash pads to sunrise balloon rides. Every price, hour, and discount code in this guide has been fact-checked against official sources as of August 2026. A vacation home puts all of it within 30 minutes of your front door.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in Kissimmee with kids?
The top Kissimmee activities for families include Gatorland, Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures, Old Town and Fun Spot, Medieval Times, and Island H2O Water Park. All are within 30 minutes of Kissimmee vacation homes and offer experiences you won’t find at the theme parks.
What is there to do in Kissimmee besides theme parks?
Kissimmee Florida things to do beyond the parks include airboat tours, mini golf at Congo River, the Wild Florida drive-through safari, zip lines at Tree Trek, hot air balloon rides, and free spots like Kissimmee Lakefront Park and Celebration Town Center.
Are there free activities in Kissimmee Florida?
Yes. Kissimmee Lakefront Park (splash pad, playground, fishing pier), Shingle Creek Regional Park (hiking, boardwalks, kayak launch), Old Town (walking and car shows), Sunset Walk (live music nightly), and Celebration Town Center (splash fountain, Farmers Market) are all free things to do in Kissimmee.
Is Kissimmee good for families with children?
Kissimmee is one of the best home bases for family vacations in Central Florida. It’s minutes from Disney World and Universal, has dozens of kid-friendly Kissimmee attractions and fun things to do in Kissimmee for all ages, and offers vacation homes with private pools, game rooms, and full kitchens at a fraction of hotel costs.
What outdoor activities are in Kissimmee for kids?
Outdoor Kissimmee activities for families include airboat tours at Boggy Creek, kayaking at Shingle Creek, the Wild Florida safari, zip lines at Tree Trek, hot air balloon rides, fishing at Kissimmee Lakefront Park, and mini golf at Congo River. For the full list, see Experience Kissimmee and Visit Florida’s Kissimmee guide.
