Discovery Cove
Discovery Cove provides a one-day all-inclusive tropical experience. This 30-acre park limits admission so the environment is comfortable and relaxed, not busy and stressful. One area of Discovery Cove is Stingray Shallows, a coral reef, where you can wade and swim with majestic rays. The high point for most visitors to Discovery Cove is an opportunity to swim with dolphins. Dolphin encounter groups are limited to 6 to 8 people so that everyone is ensured one-on-one time.
Discovery Cove
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, FL 32821
(877) 434-7268
www.discoverycove.com
Boggy Creek Airboat Rides
An airboat, flat-bottomed and fan-powered, is perfect for accessing Florida's swamps, and a great way to get close to local birds and wildlife, including the alligator. The tour starts out at a slow pace so you can enjoy the environs, but before you turn for home, the pilot will take you for a spin at up to 45 miles per hour. Private trips are available for families and small groups. Kissimmee is about a half-hour drive from downtown Orlando, and a shuttle can be arranged with your tour package.
Boggy Creek Airboat Rides
2001 E. Southport Rd.
Kissimmee, FL 34746
(407) 344-9550
www.bcairboats.com
Captain Mike's Sunshine River Tours
Spend some time with one of Florida's most adored and endangered creatures, the manatee. Approximately two hours' drive west of Orlando is Homosassa, home to one of the state's biggest indigenous populations of sea cows. Captain Mike's offers several tour options on two different local rivers, including a first class tour with a boat with a lounge, and breakfast, snacks and lunch included. All of the tours offer an opportunity to swim, using a snorkel and wetsuit, with the manatees. Tours are kept small to limit the impact on the manatee's environment, and tours leave early in the morning, when the manatees are most active.
Captain Mike's Sunshine River Tours
5297 S. Cherokee Way
Homosassa, FL 34448
(352) 628-3450
www.sunshinerivertours.com
