Ask Joan: Easter adventures for the family, and Eastertide in London

We are a family of four, two adults and two girls (14 and 12) who would like to go on a special holiday next Easter. We have mostly holidayed at home but we would like to be adventurous for this holiday. We would like decent weather, have a healthy budget and are open to all suggestions? ES, Dublin. One of the best family holidays for a mixture of sun, fun and adventures is Florida. It is very commercialised but great fun and the weather will be 29-31 degrees. Adults usually enjoy it more than they expect.

The main area for exploring the big name theme parks is Orlando. There you have Universal Studios, with the Harry Potter Wizarding World, Gringotts Bank and the Hogwarts Express features. Universal Studios have exciting 3D rides like The Simpsons, Transformers and Spiderman.

Disneyland is usually a big hit with girls and the centrepiece is Sleeping Beauty's castle and the daily parade. During the holidays the parks are specially themed to reflect the season.

Meet animals up close at Discovery Cove, where you can swim with dolphins and walk underwater. Busch Gardens near Tampa recreates the African Plains and you can see wild animals up close. There are more than 12,000 animals, and it is the largest zoo in the US. A visit to the animal hospital is interesting. In Seaworld you can see all the creatures of the deep in recreated habitats.

A holiday in Florida can combine all the fun of the theme parks with relaxing time by the coast staying in maybe a rental house or apartment and enjoying living like a local. This holiday is best arranged with a travel agent and I can recommend Touramerica.ie, Sunway.ie and AmericanHolidays.ie. A budget for two weeks in Florida should be about €8,000.

For something adventurous and close to nature, a trip to Costa Rica would be amazing. March/April is a great time to visit, the weather is dry and not so humid.

This trip from Families Worldwide, a British travel company is called Waves, Whales and Waterfalls. It is 13 days exploring Costa Rica by land and sea. There will be visits to volcanoes, mountain biking and zip-wiring, treetop walks to see tropical birds. There will be hiking in the rainforest to visit amazing waterfalls and rafting along the Tenorio River.

Part of the trip will be driving the Pan American Highway, visiting national parks, staying by the beach and watching humpback whales and dolphins and maybe some iguanas. This trip costs from £2,499 for adults and £1,499 for children. familiesworldwide.co.uk.

My wife and I would like to spend Easter weekend in London. We would like to attend the Easter Vigil Service in Westminster Abbey. Can that be booked? Have you any advice about flights, accommodation, or other interesting activities in London? RD, Dublin.

The details of Easter services will be released during January by Westminster Abbey, watch Westminster-abbey.org. Keep in mind the other cathedrals such as St Paul's and Southwark services on Good Friday. Combine a visit to Southwark with Borough Market, great for ethnic food. Check London-city-churches.org.uk.

Book flights early for Easter – Cityjet.ie to London City Airport has the best views of the city. The doylecollection.com has three very nice well-located hotels. The Emirates Cable Car is a great way to view London. Visit Londontown. com for what's on.

Send your queries to jscales@irishtimes.com