Most people visiting the Orlando area don't get past the resorts and theme parks to realize how many things there are to do outdoors in Central Florida.
Here is a list of some of the more popular activities to get outside and enjoy what the area has to offer: 1.
Go see gators - nothing screams 'Florida' like going out and seeing a gator.
You have a number of options to do this.
You can go to one of the attractions such as Gatorland where they have a staggering number of alligators.
You can get very up close and personal with their 'rookie wrestling' or 'trainer for a day' offers.
If seeing alligators in captivity is not your style, then you could always try an airboat ride.
I've been on airboat rides in the everglades (at the Everglades Holiday Park made more famous recently by the TV show Gator Boys) and near Orlando on the St John's river, and preferred the St John's hands down - more gators, bigger gators, and prettier scenery.
I personally recommend Midway Airboat Rides.
Still another option if you are looking to ditch the crowds is the Orlando wetlands park on the east side of Orlando.
It is a small, uncrowded park off the beaten path a bit.
There are great hiking trails and we've seen gators every time we've been there (and a huge variety of water fowl, and even an otter).
If you are planning to head to the coast, try the Black Point Wildlife drive in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
It is a fairly well groomed dirt road loop surrounded by coastal marshes and canals.
2.
Go see dolphins - Here again you have a few options to pick from.
First off you have the more commercialized Discovery Cove where you can swim with trained dolphins.
I haven't done this, but friends that have, raved about it.
You could also go on a guided boat tour on the Indian or Banana River and see dolphins in the wild.
There are also options for renting a boat or kayak to head out on your own.
Ask the rental agency for times and locations to increase your odds of a sighting.
Even less expensive is to hang out on the beach and keep your eyes peeled.
Very early in the morning is your best bet, but this one is definitely not a guarantee.
3.
Go see manatees - My top pick for manatees is Blue Springs State Park.
The manatees head to the warm water of the spring in the winter time.
Make sure to check out their website or call and ask if manatees are in the spring if you plan to make a trip up (even if there aren't any there the park is beautiful and worth the trip).
The water is gin clear so viewing is top notch.
Another option would be a guided boat tour, or boat/kayak rental as mentioned above for dolphin viewing.
There are also a couple of viewing areas in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Walking along the jetty and pier at Jetty Park on Cape Canaveral is also a great location (you may see dolphins here as well).
4.
Fishing - If you love to fish, you've come to the right place.
Around Orlando there is world class bass fishing in the many freshwater lakes.
If you head to the coast, you can try flats fishing - sight fishing redfish and trout while poling across ankle to knee deep water of the Indian River or world famous Mosquito Lagoon (it isn't as bad as the name sounds).
You can also head offshore, and depending on the time of year you can target king mackerel, barracuda, amberjacks, grouper, mahi-mahi, sailfish...
the list goes on and on.
One of my favorite trips to date was a night shark fishing trip out of Cape Canaveral.
5.
Surfing - It isn't Hawaii or even California, but the east coast of Florida can have some pretty good surfing.
Your best bet for a quick trip from Orlando is good ol' Cocoa Beach (just follow all the billboards for Ron Jon's and you'll have no problem finding it).
Depending on where you are in Orlando, you can probably get there in just over an hour.
In Cocoa Beach, there are a number of places to rent a board and/or get lessons.
The touristy Ron Jon's Surf Shop is worth a quick stop if you haven't been there as well.
North of Cocoa a bit is New Smyrna beach, which is a laid back beach community.
In my opinion it is cleaner and less commercialized than Cocoa Beach.
Don't let the nickname of "shark bite capital of the world" scare you.
Although it does have the highest number of incidents reported, most are fairly minor, and there has never been a fatality (I think locals brag up the title to keep tourists from crowding their beaches) 6.
Air boat ride - yes, yes, I know we mentioned air boat rides up above but it warrants its own heading.
There are many options for airboat rides near Orlando, some have more scenic/natural settings than others so choose wisely and make sure you don't just choose the one closest to your resort.
Of course the main draw of an airboat ride for anyone visiting Florida is typically to see gators, but the scenery and other wildlife just adds to the experience.
7.
Kayaking - We touched on this above a bit as well when mentioning that you can rent a kayak on your own or even take a guided kayak tour in the Indian River, Banana River, or Mosquito Lagoon to fish, see manatee or dolphin, or just get out and enjoy the scenery.
You can also take the kayak to the beach and play in the surf (some people even use the kayak to carry baits out past the breakers for shark fishing...
and yes, you can catch sharks right from the beach).
Closer to Orlando you can kayak or canoe at Wekiwa Springs, Blue Springs State park, or the Econlockhatchee river to name a few.
8.
Wakeboarding - Orlando is considered the mecca of wakeboarding, so what better place to get out for a session.
You can try the cable park for a unique experience hitting rails and sliders (they have a boat there for the traditional method as well), or you can pick from a host of camps in the area for anything from a quick session to a week-long training camp.
9.
Hunting - As with fishing, you can choose from an impressive list of quarry.
You have the more traditional deer, turkey, and water fowl to the more unique Florida experience of wild boar and even alligator.
There are many guides in the area to set you up with everything you need for the trip of a lifetime.
There are also full service ranches within driving distance where you can target even more exotic species.
10.
Skydiving - This one is a bit more extreme, but what better way to see the beautiful Orlando countryside or the scenic coast then taking a plane ride up, plummeting face down towards the earth, and then floating gently down to the ground after your shoot pops open? I hope this gives you a few more options when looking for things to do in Orlando or Central Florida.
With any outdoor activity, make sure you bring plenty of water, sunblock, and sunglasses because it can get hot out there.
Most people drag their kids to Florida in the dead of summer when school is out and if you are from up North (as I am originally) the heat and humidity can really ruin your day, and if you're not careful, your entire trip.
Here is a list of some of the more popular activities to get outside and enjoy what the area has to offer: 1.
Go see gators - nothing screams 'Florida' like going out and seeing a gator.
You have a number of options to do this.
You can go to one of the attractions such as Gatorland where they have a staggering number of alligators.
You can get very up close and personal with their 'rookie wrestling' or 'trainer for a day' offers.
If seeing alligators in captivity is not your style, then you could always try an airboat ride.
I've been on airboat rides in the everglades (at the Everglades Holiday Park made more famous recently by the TV show Gator Boys) and near Orlando on the St John's river, and preferred the St John's hands down - more gators, bigger gators, and prettier scenery.
I personally recommend Midway Airboat Rides.
Still another option if you are looking to ditch the crowds is the Orlando wetlands park on the east side of Orlando.
It is a small, uncrowded park off the beaten path a bit.
There are great hiking trails and we've seen gators every time we've been there (and a huge variety of water fowl, and even an otter).
If you are planning to head to the coast, try the Black Point Wildlife drive in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
It is a fairly well groomed dirt road loop surrounded by coastal marshes and canals.
2.
Go see dolphins - Here again you have a few options to pick from.
First off you have the more commercialized Discovery Cove where you can swim with trained dolphins.
I haven't done this, but friends that have, raved about it.
You could also go on a guided boat tour on the Indian or Banana River and see dolphins in the wild.
There are also options for renting a boat or kayak to head out on your own.
Ask the rental agency for times and locations to increase your odds of a sighting.
Even less expensive is to hang out on the beach and keep your eyes peeled.
Very early in the morning is your best bet, but this one is definitely not a guarantee.
3.
Go see manatees - My top pick for manatees is Blue Springs State Park.
The manatees head to the warm water of the spring in the winter time.
Make sure to check out their website or call and ask if manatees are in the spring if you plan to make a trip up (even if there aren't any there the park is beautiful and worth the trip).
The water is gin clear so viewing is top notch.
Another option would be a guided boat tour, or boat/kayak rental as mentioned above for dolphin viewing.
There are also a couple of viewing areas in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Walking along the jetty and pier at Jetty Park on Cape Canaveral is also a great location (you may see dolphins here as well).
4.
Fishing - If you love to fish, you've come to the right place.
Around Orlando there is world class bass fishing in the many freshwater lakes.
If you head to the coast, you can try flats fishing - sight fishing redfish and trout while poling across ankle to knee deep water of the Indian River or world famous Mosquito Lagoon (it isn't as bad as the name sounds).
You can also head offshore, and depending on the time of year you can target king mackerel, barracuda, amberjacks, grouper, mahi-mahi, sailfish...
the list goes on and on.
One of my favorite trips to date was a night shark fishing trip out of Cape Canaveral.
5.
Surfing - It isn't Hawaii or even California, but the east coast of Florida can have some pretty good surfing.
Your best bet for a quick trip from Orlando is good ol' Cocoa Beach (just follow all the billboards for Ron Jon's and you'll have no problem finding it).
Depending on where you are in Orlando, you can probably get there in just over an hour.
In Cocoa Beach, there are a number of places to rent a board and/or get lessons.
The touristy Ron Jon's Surf Shop is worth a quick stop if you haven't been there as well.
North of Cocoa a bit is New Smyrna beach, which is a laid back beach community.
In my opinion it is cleaner and less commercialized than Cocoa Beach.
Don't let the nickname of "shark bite capital of the world" scare you.
Although it does have the highest number of incidents reported, most are fairly minor, and there has never been a fatality (I think locals brag up the title to keep tourists from crowding their beaches) 6.
Air boat ride - yes, yes, I know we mentioned air boat rides up above but it warrants its own heading.
There are many options for airboat rides near Orlando, some have more scenic/natural settings than others so choose wisely and make sure you don't just choose the one closest to your resort.
Of course the main draw of an airboat ride for anyone visiting Florida is typically to see gators, but the scenery and other wildlife just adds to the experience.
7.
Kayaking - We touched on this above a bit as well when mentioning that you can rent a kayak on your own or even take a guided kayak tour in the Indian River, Banana River, or Mosquito Lagoon to fish, see manatee or dolphin, or just get out and enjoy the scenery.
You can also take the kayak to the beach and play in the surf (some people even use the kayak to carry baits out past the breakers for shark fishing...
and yes, you can catch sharks right from the beach).
Closer to Orlando you can kayak or canoe at Wekiwa Springs, Blue Springs State park, or the Econlockhatchee river to name a few.
8.
Wakeboarding - Orlando is considered the mecca of wakeboarding, so what better place to get out for a session.
You can try the cable park for a unique experience hitting rails and sliders (they have a boat there for the traditional method as well), or you can pick from a host of camps in the area for anything from a quick session to a week-long training camp.
9.
Hunting - As with fishing, you can choose from an impressive list of quarry.
You have the more traditional deer, turkey, and water fowl to the more unique Florida experience of wild boar and even alligator.
There are many guides in the area to set you up with everything you need for the trip of a lifetime.
There are also full service ranches within driving distance where you can target even more exotic species.
10.
Skydiving - This one is a bit more extreme, but what better way to see the beautiful Orlando countryside or the scenic coast then taking a plane ride up, plummeting face down towards the earth, and then floating gently down to the ground after your shoot pops open? I hope this gives you a few more options when looking for things to do in Orlando or Central Florida.
With any outdoor activity, make sure you bring plenty of water, sunblock, and sunglasses because it can get hot out there.
Most people drag their kids to Florida in the dead of summer when school is out and if you are from up North (as I am originally) the heat and humidity can really ruin your day, and if you're not careful, your entire trip.