Q: I would like to take my two girls, ages 11 and 9, to Florida for the 1st time, go to the Everglades and possibly Corkscrew Swamp, and to see manatees and dolphins if possible -- as well as take 1 day to see some of Disney World (not my idea!). What would be the best travel route and least expensive way to do this (spring break -- March 23-31, from Milwaukee)? Thanks! -- Janet

A: Whew! I'm exhausted, Janet, and all I've done is read your planned itinerary.

Coming from the north, you probably want to hit the coast first. There, you can look for manatees and dolphins. There are plenty of places to see these sea mammals, but because you are interested in visiting Corkscrew Swamp, I'd suggest somewhere close to there in southwestern Florida. You could stop first in Sarasota and visit Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium, a nonprofit research facility that invites the public to view some of the goings-on. Your daughters will appreciate the touch tank and seeing the sea life there, like manatees, sea turtles and sharks. From Mote, you can take a boat tour during which you can see dolphins in the wild and learn about marine environments.

From there, you can travel south on I-75 to the Naples area and visit the Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

It's not far south along the Tamiami Trail (Road 41) to Everglades City, where you can access one of the visitor centers of Everglades National Park and take another boat tour into the mangrove islands.

Your daughters will be on their best behavior (right?) in order for you to agree to take them to Disney World, back up I-75 to I-4, which takes you from the Tampa area right to Orlando. And after you visit Orlando, as you go back north, you may want to stop by Blue Spring State Park in Orange City to view manatees in their natural habitat. Keep in mind that these endangered animals are wild, so they come and go as they please. The temperature can affect whether manatees will be in the spring at the state park; if it's warm, they may be out in the nearby St. Johns River and not in the warm spring where you're more likely to see them.

Of course, there are a lot of ways you could make this trip. And there are a lot of other natural areas to see. While you're here, gather ideas for your next trip to Florida.

I'm not a travel agent, just an editor, so I can't speak about the least expensive way to travel. However, common sense tells me that staying in low-priced hotels and taking advantage of any deals for parents of young children will keep your expenses low. State park admission is inexpensive, and national park admission is good for a whole week.

Do you have a question? Contact the editor.