Adventures in Florida
There is more to Florida than theme parks and beaches. Did you know that in Florida you can take a scenic country carriage tour throughout some of Ocala's finest horse farms? Or go skydiving, scuba diving, enjoy a hot air ballon ride, eco-tours, airplane tours, canoeing and kayaking, bird watching, take powered parachute flights, have the privilege of swimming with the manatees, go to auto racing school, and take a airboat ride to see the alligator in their natural environment! Surprised? Florida has more opportunities for family fun than any other destination.
Top Florida Family Adventures
Swim with Manatees (Crystal River) - Bird's Underwater (www.birdsunderwater.com) manatee tours are educational as well as enjoyable. Each tour lasts approximately three hours and The Captain will join you in the water to supervise your experience snorkeling with the manatees. Kids learn about and how to respect these endangered creatures.
Take a Water Safari (Port St. Joe) - Seahorse Water Safaris (www.seahorsewatersafaris.com) offers a 3 hour water safari where you can snorkel in waist deep water and help catch and release seahorses, starfish, conch, scallops, several types or crabs, shrimp, octopus, sanddollars and more.
Swim With Dolphins in the Wild (Panama City Beach) - Water Planet (www.waterplanetusa.com) programs combine the natural beauty of a dolphin encounter with education for an one of a kind experience. The staff has years of experience with facilitating children and dolphins programs both on board the boat and in the water. The Dolphin swim cruise includes Dolphin encounters and a walk on Shell Island, marine ecology wet lab where Water Planet staff dives for different forms of sea life and brings it back on board for viewing and identification before release.
Horses-Drawn Carriage & Trolley Rides (Ocala) - Ocala Horse Farm Tours & Horse Drawn Trolley Service (http://ocalacarriage.com) offers tours of "Horse Capital of the World". You can enjoy a horse-drawn trolley or a carriage ride through some of the finest horse farms. You will see Thoroughbreds, Paso Finos, Tennessee Walkers, Quarter Horses and much more. You'll see hundreds of beautiful horses as they are running and playing. You will see mothers and babies in their natural setting. The ride lasts more than an hour...don't forget a camera!
Hot Air Balloon Rides (Lake Buena Vista) - Orange Blossom Balloons (www.orangeblossomballoons.com) provides Hot Air Balloon rides in the Disney World area of Orlando at sunrise 7 days a week. Enjoy a 3 hour Adventure including Pre-flight briefing, One hour flight, Champagne toast, full buffet breakfast and first flight certificate.
Theater of the Sea (Islamorada) - Theater of the Sea (www.theaterofthesea.com) is an educational and entertaining marine animal park. They offer several animal interaction programs enabling guests to get up close and personal with dolphins, sea lions and stingrays. Swim programs take place in a 10 to 15 feet deep natural salt-water lagoon.
Paddle the Blackwater (Milton) - Adventures Unlimited offers the opportunity to experience canoeing or tubing down clear and fast flowing streams past secluded, white-sand beaches, through the Blackwater River State Forest of Northwest Florida. Blackwater River State Park is considered to be one of the purest sand-bottom rivers in the world. The river's sand bottom, dark tannin waters and contrasting large, white sandbars have drawn worldwide attention and provide the perfect setting for this 590- acre park. The river attracts paddlers from far and wide and has been designated a Florida canoe trail.
Airboat Tours (Miami) - Gator Park (www.gatorpark.com) is in the heart of the Evergaldes National Park. Take the famous airboat ride down the river of grass to see alligators as well as turltes, fish, snakes and exotic wading birds. See Jumbo an impressive 6-foot alligator that likes to greet guests.
