Other than Orlando, what hidden gems are up and down the I-95 corridor (or a decent side trip therefrom) starting NC down to Ft. Lauderdale, FL…for kids 9-16? Any “must sees” that should be on our bucket list?
The Kennedy Space center?
Stop at South of the Border when you get to the NC/SC line. 
They sell fireworks there, so the kids can blow stuff up.
You’ll see all the corny billboards on the way there such as “Pedro Say: Weather forecast is CHILI TODAY and HOT TAMALE!”
St. Augustine might be educational.
Ft. Lauderdale is reasonably close to the Everglades, which is pretty interesting. Agree on St. Augustine. I don’t think there is much more along the way of interest. I’ll add Savannah, GA, which is a nice historic town.
Go canoeing on a spring-fed Florida river. I went to a neat one north of Orlando, forgot the name. Crystal clear water, thick jungle-like forest on either side. Canoe rental places will give you life vests and paddles, and handle the logistics. They will either drive you upstream and drop you off so you can float back to the office, or they put your canoe in at the rental place and you float downstream to a specific point where they pick you and the canoe up and take you back.
Technically not Orlando: LEGOLAND is in Winter Haven, about 30 miles south.
Huh, autocorrected to all caps.
I’ll third St. Augustine. Very historical and quaint and kinda funky. Daytona Beach is fun, if a bit shady at certain times of the year. Other than that, I got nothing. If you ever want to know about St Petersburg (on the west coast) though, I’m your girl.
Jacksonville, FL, used to have a really nice zoo- and as far as I know, they still do. We left the area 11 years ago, which is why I can’t be more definitive. But we were members and loved going there. We got to see it transformed from a crappy, 50’s era disgrace to a really impressive facility.
Also another vote for St. Augustine.
We had friends who loved Savannah. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard good things about it.
Those natural springs were one of the best parts of my trip to Florida. There are a bunch of State Parks that feature springs that have a neat, kind of retro vibe with Conservation Corps-style buildings and walkways. I had a blast snorkling around in the deep pools and floating downstream with the current…very very cool.
Besides Savannah, which is worth a stop, I-95 runs through some pretty rural parts of Georgia. Brunswick is on the route, but doesn’t offer much to see or do outside the ordinary. If you have time to swing over to Cumberland Island it’s certainly worthwhile. It would be a full day, though.
I also vote for St Augustine. It’s a neat, historic city. Kennedy Space Center is not cheap (about $50 per person, IIRC) but it is AMAZING.