LEGOLAND Florida

LEGOLAND Florida opened in 2011 on the former site of Cypress Gardens, one of Florida's oldest theme parks. It is aimed squarely at children aged 2–12 and is one of the better family theme parks in the state outside Orlando — smaller, less crowded, and easier to navigate than the mega-parks up the road.

The historic Cypress Gardens botanical area is preserved within the park and is a genuinely pleasant place to walk regardless of your interest in LEGOLAND itself. The formal gardens, large banyan trees, and old Florida atmosphere contrast sharply with the surrounding LEGO constructions. The park also features a water park section, a LEGO Movie area, and a detailed scale model of Florida landmarks built from LEGO bricks.

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Cypress Gardens, the predecessor park, opened in 1936 and became famous for two things: the most elaborate botanical garden in Florida and the first professional water skiing show in the world. At its peak in the 1950s it was the most visited tourist attraction in the state after Silver Springs. The botanical garden section — now preserved within LEGOLAND — is genuinely historic and contains plants that have been growing here for nearly 90 years. LEGOLAND kept the gardens and built around them, which is a more interesting approach than simply paving the site.

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