Orlando has long been recognised as the largest childrens playground in the world. The attractions of Disney world, Universal Studios et al have long been popular with families searching for a fun filled holidays for their kids. But increasingly the demographics of visitors to Orlando are changing and adults looking for a mix of entertainment and relaxation are looking to fly-drive holidays in Orlando as a way of sampling the best of both worlds.

Orlando is now the fifth most visited destination in the USA. Its balmy Florida climate and heady mix of theme parks and adventure experiences has been a major tourist draw over the past two decades. Traditionally, the city has been seen as a holiday destination for families and a place where the kids can run wild. But with the population of Western nations generally ageing, Orlando has become a playground for big kids and the respective attractions are catering for a slightly older audience these days.

Florida is highly accessible, both internally in the US and from Europe with an abundance of scheduled and chartered flights to Orlando arriving each day. The trend these days coming off the planes is not so much families, but rather young couples coming to Florida for two centre breaks. Fly drive holidays centred in Orlando are relatively straight forward with most of the major car rental firms offering car hire in Orlando. Orlando is the initial focus for holiday makers typically taking a week to sample the theme parks and generally act like big kids fort a week. This increasing trend has been directly addressed by the attractions themselves with Disney offering an adult themed park that springs to life after dark. Universal studios have recently added a similar attraction on International Drive.

Typically, a week is enough for the bigger kids and they set off for a more relaxed atmosphere at one of central Floridas beach resorts. St Petersburg and Clearwater are popular destinations for fly drivers with easy access via the interstate to and from Orlando. The pace of life at these resorts is in stark contrast to the vibrancy of Orlando and is seen by many as the perfect way to unwind following a week of hectic activity in and around the many theme parks. But, if you need one last top up on adrenaline, a quick visit to Busch Gardens, just outside of Tampa, should do the trick before packing up and coming back to reality.