ORLANDO, Fla. – As more visitors prioritize outdoor experiences as part of their vacation plans, Orlando offers fun open-air activities that take advantage of the famous Florida sunshine and incredible weather. From soaring through the air and skimming over the water to hiking or biking on solid ground, outdoor enthusiasts can find an adventure in Orlando to match their preferred pace in nature.
FOR THE EASY-GOING TRAVELER
While Orlando is well known for its thrilling theme parks, there’s no shortage of scenic, easy-going attractions to explore by air, land and water.
Floating Through the Wild
- Spirit of the Swamp Airboat Rides, Wild Florida and Boggy Creek Airboat Rides offer a classic Florida airboat experience, with up-close views into the beauty of the headwaters to the Everglades, alongside native wildlife like bald eagles and alligators.
- Viking Ecotours offers pedal kayak tours at the most beautiful natural springs and waterways in Florida.
- The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour provides an entertaining pontoon boat tour through the Winter Park Chain of Lakes, which are linked by a series of beautiful Venetian-style canals. The daily guided tours provide a brief history of Winter Park, Central Florida’s oldest community, originally founded by wealthy Easterners in the 1800’s.
- Epic Paddle Adventures offers a variety of one-on-one tours along with guided group experiences featuring bioluminescence paddle tours, paddleboard-in paradise tours on spring-fed waters, night glow paddle tours and floating night glow yoga adventures on beautiful Lake Ivanhoe near downtown Orlando.
- Get Up and Go Kayaking offers several immersive kayaking tours in their fleet of clear kayaks. Kayakers will revel in the surrounding landscape of Rock Springs Run, home to playful otters, fish and a variety of native bird species, while observing the crystal-clear spring water directly below.
- Just an hour east of Orlando, the Brevard Zoo offers a guided kayak tour around animal exhibits.
- Adventures in Florida offers day tours with qualified tour guides, as well as extended expeditions and lodge trips. Options range from manatee encounters and bioluminescent tours to opportunities to view rocket launches aboard a kayak.
- With Real Florida Adventures guests can experience a guided manatee adventure tour with local experts who offer unique day trips and private tours in the greater Orlando area. Snorkel with manatees at Crystal River, kayak natural springs, explore Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and uncover more eco-attractions, with transportation from Orlando included in every tour.
Strolling in Nature’s Beauty
- For hiking enthusiasts, Orlando offers many trails and nature preserves including the Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve, featuring a butterfly garden, picnic area and various hikes and trails; The Florida National Scenic Trail, featuring pine flatwoods, freshwater marsh, oak hammock and more at Crosby Island Marsh Preserve, Moss Park and the Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area; and the Cady Way Trail, 7.2-mile paved corridor, stretching from downtown Orlando to Winter Park which feature water fountains and sheltered rest stops with dining and shopping opportunities along the way.
- Harry P. Leu Gardens includes a butterfly garden, three miles of paved scenic sidewalks and the largest camellia collection outside of California.
- Explore local towns like Winter Garden, with a bike rental from West Orange Trail-Bikes and Blades Co. Follow the West Orange Trail to Plant Street Market for a lunch break on the expansive outdoor patio.
Adventures in the Great Outdoors
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort’s archery experience allows guests ages 7 and up to learn how to hold and fire a compound bow during a 75-minute session.
- Gatorland’s Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure takes riders in monster-style, off-road vehicles to experience Florida’s natural beauty and various ecosystems.
- In addition to airboat rides, Wild Florida offers up-close animal encounters at its Alligator Park. The attraction also offers a Drive-thru Safari Park spanning over 85 acres, offering the chance to see more than 100 native and exotic animals roaming freely.
Eco-Friendly Activities
- Wildlife and birdwatchers can check out more than 360 species of birds – including bald eagles, snowy egret’s anhinga and more. Some of the most popular places to visit are the Gatorland Bird Rookery and the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail with 16 viewing sites in Orange County. Every winter, bird-lovers won’t want to miss the North Shore Birding Festival at Lake Apopka, which offers free birding and nature tours.
- At Discovery Cove, guests can experience the Explorer’s Aviary where they can have up-close bird encounters with hundreds of colorful birds.
Catch & Release
- At The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes professional guides lead visitors on a private guided fishing excursion to catch Florida strain largemouth bass and teach the ropes of fly fishing through fly casting instruction for beginner, intermediate and advanced casters.
- Walt Disney World Fishing offers guided bass fishing excursions, which include a 21-foot Sun Tracker pontoon boat that can accommodate up to 5 guests, and a tournament-style NITRO bass fishing boat for up to 3 people.
- Rosen Shingle Creek provides an inclusive saltwater fishing excursion that takes guests along Florida’s Space Coast and is led by coast guard captains on two of their Skeeter bay-style boats. All trips include necessary tackle, equipment and licenses to experience a day of adventure and salt air.
Experience Orlando from Above
FOR THE THRILL-SEEKER
While Orlando is best known for its world-class attractions with roller coasters catering to thrill seekers, it is also filled with unforgettable adventures outside of the theme parks.
Thrills from the Sky
- Visitors can take in Florida’s lush scenery from Seminole Aerial Adventures at the Central Florida Zoo, soaring through the treetops from an animal’s perspective while navigating through obstacles that will challenge their body and mind.
- Fly high at Wallaby Ranch Hang Gliding Flight & Park, with year-round Discovery Tandem Flights and hang-gliding instruction using the latest Tandem aero towing techniques to provide the safest most enjoyable experience.
- Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park, an aerial obstacle course set atop the trees in a natural pine forest, offers four adult courses and two kid’s courses with challenges including zip lines, Tarzan ropes, suspended bridges and climb ladders.
Extreme Outdoor Rides
- The Hidden Lake mountain bike trail at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes offers guests a two-mile mountain bike adventure at their own pace or on a guided ride scouting for wildlife along the way.
- Revolution Adventures is home to many off-road experiences including ATVs, Dune Buggies and ARGO amphibious Mucky Ducks. Expert riders serve as guides through more than 200 acres of tracks and trails.
- Just east of downtown Orlando, Tank America offers guests the opportunity to drive a real military tank through a half-mile course over obstacles like barrels, mud holes and even crush a car.
Adventures on the Water
- A great option for watersport novices and aficionados is Nona Adventure Park, featuring a floating aqua park; cable park for water skiing and wakeboarding; 60-foot climbing tower; and ropes course.
- Buena Vista Watersports at Paradise Cove offers Jet Ski Rentals and free lessons on Lake Bryan – a 450-acre, natural, spring-fed lake surrounded by cypress trees and tropical foliage.
- With Catboat Escapes visitors can captain a personal catamaran across scenic waterways.
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