Cocoa Beach – the local billboards say it all – this is Orlando’s Closest Beach. It is just 45 minutes drive away from Orlando International Airport.  Take the aptly named Beach line Expressway (528) straight east, keep driving and arrive.  Buy a souvenir at Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, and then head to the beach – fantastic and not crowded at all.

Kennedy Space Center - is just north of Cocoa Beach.  It has an amazing museum of space exploration (known as the KSC Visitors Complex) and is well worth a full day visit. If you plan to catch a shuttle launch, be prepared to sit in traffic for several hours driving back to Orlando, but the spectacle of an actual launch will be well worth it.  Our whole family loved the day.

Daytona Beach - if all you are looking for is sun, sand and surf, then a quick trip Cocoa Beach will get you there a bit quicker and give you all you want.  However, Daytona Beach is less than two hours away, and it has a special appeal to Spring Breakers, bikers, and NASCAR fans. If you stay until sunset, the brightly colored Ocean Walk Shoppes and Movies offers a fantastic ocean view.  The beach is really hard and many cars and pick ups drive along it (slowly of course)

Tampa area – is less than two hours drive away from Florida on the West coast.  Check out Florida’s Gulf Coast in the historically rich city of Tampa. Nearby at St. Petersburg there are upscale shopping areas and museums while Clearwater Beach offers warm waters and powdery white sand.

Silver Springs – is another “Old Florida” icon.  It is famous for its glass bottomed boat rides, animal exhibits, and jeep safaris through the Florida forest. Silver Springs was opened in 1878, and is Florida’s oldest commercial tourist attraction.  It is where Johnny Weismuller filmed some of the earliest Tarzan movies.  A little drive away from Orlando but well worth visiting for the crystal clear springs.

Ocala National Forest – is not far from Silver Springs. It is the world’s largest sand pine forest and covers around 366,000 acres. Hiking, fishing, and canoeing are popular activities in this natural attraction.

Mount Dora - with its Victorian architecture, boutique shopping, and lovely lakefront, Mount Dora is one of the most genuine small towns in Central Florida. You can even see some of the few remaining citrus groves on the outskirts of this well preserved village.  My wife just loved Mount Dora with its fantastic quaint shops.  You can also go on a boat ride on the lake.  Well worth a visit.

Sebring – is a sleepy town less than two hours due south of Orlando, Sebring has a charming downtown district, and is home to the Sebring International Raceway, which is the oldest permanent road racing track in North America. Nearby Highlands Hammock State Park offers campsites and hiking trails.

Blue Spring State Park - with the water temperature at a constant 68º F, Blue Spring State Park in nearby Volusia County (where Daytona Beach is located) is a winter refuge for manatees between November and March. In the warmer months, human visitors enjoy snorkeling and canoeing.

This is great because you can pitch your gazebo to protect you from the sun and you can also set up a bar-b-que for lunch.

There are numerous food and beverage outlets along the shore and restroom facilitys. Every 15 minutes or so an ice cream van goes up and down the shore stopping when you flag it down.

You don’t even have to take chairs and umbrellas’ because they can be hired when you’re there. Bikes can be hired to go along the beach and small quad bikes. The one thing i like to do is watch all the custom and classic cars go by, some are amazing but sometimes there music blasters are a bit too load but then again this creates a good friendly atmosphere. There is probably one big down side to some people and that is there’s no alcohol allowed on the beach and they do have patrols going up and down checking.

If you’re worried about safety don’t because when you enter the beach they give you a leaflet which explains about the different currents along the coast line and what you can do and what you’re not allowed to do. When you drive onto the beach they mark out lanes on the sand with cones which makes sure you don’t go too near the sea. There are life guards about every 200 yards so you can be sure your children are watched, the guards are trained to spot when the dangerous currents are approaching and they sound there whistles and shout for people to get out of the water until the danger as passed.

Overall Daytona Beach is a great day out for all the family, its clean, safe, the waters lovely and warm especially during the summer period and you will get a fantastic tan but be sure to put plenty of suntan lotion on.

The more that the theme parks put their prices up the more that people are looking for cheaper alternatives to enjoy their stays in Florida - and to keep the kids happy.

During our Guest’s successive wintering in the sunshine we have built up a valuable ‘store’ of trips to make to places where the admission price was often only a dollar - or maybe just a few dollars more. The greatest source of these is the wonderful resource of Florida state parks and recreation areas and historic sites.

Here are just a few that we have visited and enjoyed ourselves.

Blue Spring State Park
2100 W. French Ave.
Orange City, FL 32763

Named Florida’s best manatee observation point. Blue Spring produces 105 million gallons of crystal clear water a day. Fishing, canoe and kayak rentals, picnic areas, scuba diving, swimming, camping, nature trails and the historic Thursby House. A designated manatee refuge, Blue Spring is visited by numerous West Indian manatees during the winter months. (Best avoid weekends and holidays - very crowded then)
Directions: I-4 W. to Exit 114 in Deland. West to U.S. 17, south to French Ave. in Orange City. West on French Ave. to Park Entrance.

Rock Springs Run Reserve State Park
Off State Road 46 (at entrance to County Road 433; County Road 433 not marked) Sorrento, FL32776

Rock Springs Run State Reserve is approximately 14,000 acres of a variety of plant communities typically found throughout Central Florida’s landscape. The reserve is located approximately 30 miles north of Orlando and easily located off of I-4 at the exit for S.R. 46; then follow S.R. 46 west for almost 10 miles. The property was purchased in March 1983 for habitat preservation, for watershed protection and to provide recreational opportunities in the Central Florida area. Directions: Off S.R. 46, 3 mi. W of Wekiwa River Bridge.

De Leon Springs State Park
601 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
De Leon Springs, FL 32130

Native Americans visited and used these springs as long as 6,000 years ago. By the 1880s, the springs had become a winter resort promising “a fountain of youth.” There is excellent swimming in the spring, which remains at 72 degrees year round. Canoe, kayak, and paddleboat rentals are available for exploring the springhead and spring run. Visitors can enjoy an outdoor picnic or dine at the “Old Spanish Sugar Mill” Restaurant where guests can make their own pancakes at the table. (Great fun for the whole family!) Directions: From I/4 N. of Orlando take SR.17/92, then S.R. 17 to De-Leon Springs, turn onto Ponce de Leon Blvd. The park is located at the corner of Ponce de Leon Blvd. and Burt Parks Rd.

Since we bought our villa at Davenport 10 years ago there has been all sorts of development on the US 27, even so, there are still vast open spaces to visit.

Driving along the 27 towards Clermont one day we spotted a sign for Lake Louisa State Park. We stopped to pick up a leaflet and decided to come back another day. There are log cabins in the park so you can actually stay there, there is also an RV park - we were amazed at the size of some of those vehicles but what a fabulous place to stop.

We were just out for the day though to go walking. Obviously being on holiday we didn’t have our walking boots, we were just in trainers but the trails were well defined, flat and easy to walk in trainers. You just need a back pack of some description to carry drinks.

We were there for about 8.30am which was a good move because some parts of the trail were out in the  open and it was very hot as the morning went on. There are a number of routes to choose from depending on how far you want to to go.

We parked at the head of Lake Louisa and walked for a couple of hours from there. The trail takes you through woodland, close to streams and smaller lakes and the scenery is lovely. It was also very quiet and peaceful, we didn’t see another soul all the time we were out.

The trails are clearly signed and easy to follow. When we got back to the car park we went out to the edge of the lake and found that there was a beach and picnic area which would have been really nice, we’ll know for next time. There are also toilets and water fountains there. There are primitive campsites in the park, you can also go horseriding, cycling, fishing and canoeing or just hiking as we did.

While you are taking your vacation in one of the many Disney villas, Florida villas, Orlando villas, Florida vacation rentals and villas near Disney that are available to rent, and feel you have a great need to cool down, then we strongly recommend you try one of Florida Water Parks.

As we all know, Florida is HOT, VERY HOT especially during the Summer months.

They have some of the wettest and wildest rides around for a fantastic day out !!.

Here are some of the main ones:

Aquatica - SeaWorld Orlando

Aquatica is Florida’s newest water park which opened in April 2008.

This park offers a new twist in water play with animal interactions, as in the Dolphin Plunge which is the most popular ride in the park.  Two side-by-side enclosed tube slides send you racing through an underwater world that is home to a playful pod of beautiful black-and-white Commerson’s Dolphins.

Try the Taumata Racer if you are looking for the biggest thrill in the park.  This is a high speed competitive mat ride where eight racers rip down a staggeringly steep hill, head first.

Loggerhead Lane – take a load off your feet and hop on a lazy river ride down Loggerhead Lane.  This leisurely raft ride takes you through an underwater world colored by exotic tropical fish.

Tassie’s Twisters is one of the wackiest rides ever imagined. In fact, getting there is part of the fun.  From the Loggerhead Lane lazy river, you’ll make your way to the island in the center and climb to the tower.  Once you get to the top, lightning fast tubes shoot you into a giant bowl, where you’ll spin, and spin, and spin, until you’re finally spun back out into the lazy river. You’ve never seen or felt anything quite like it.

Whanau Way is a quadruple slide tower and is one of the most popular rides in the park.

Walhalla Wave & HooRoo is a is a thrilling ride for the whole family, zooming you through a 6-story maze of twists, turns, and tunnels before you surge back out into daylight.

Walkabout Waters is one of the most talked about places in the park for children. This towering, 60-foot-tall rain fortress is bursting with color, excitement, and adventures waiting to begin.

Cutback Cove & Big Surf Shores - one thing or should we say two things that makes Aquatica so unique are the giant, side-by-side wave pools you won’t find anywhere else in the U.S.  At Cutback Cove, the waves are always rolling, and the action’s always high. At Big Surf Shores, the surf can be high or slow and easy. What kind of wave do you feel like catching today? Two separate pools let you decide.

Roa’s Rapids race you along an action river ride through the white waters of Aquatica.  Get ready for an awesome adventure through a roaring sea of high tides, swirling whirlies, and gushing geysers- all at speeds that leave ordinary river rides eating this one’s wake.

Aquatica is located across the street from SeaWorld Orlando on International Drive and is open year round.

Blizzard Beach at Disney World - Kissimmee

Blizzard Beach is one of Walt Disney World Resort water parks and has a Winter theme.

For a really “cool” time, this 66-acre water adventure park has all the atmosphere of a major ski resort – but it is strictly tropical.

Here, visitors can slip and slid down “snow-capped” mountains amid a snowy scene (a visual effect only – temperatures actually remain a controlled tropical level year-round,).  Waterslides look a lot like slush cascading down the mountainside, and a “ski lift” takes guests to the top of Mt. Gushmore. Disney’s Blizzard Beach.  It contains 21 slides, a wave pool, and a separate area for pre-teens and children.

As you enter the park, the first thing you see is the 90-foot snow-capped mountain, Mt. Gushmore. It is home to the newest waterslide called Downhill Double Dipper, a side-by-side racing water slide that stands 50 feet high and 200 feet long. Riders travel up to 25 mph as they twist and turn before shooting out through a blast of water.

Other adventures at Mt. Gushmore include slalom courses, toboggan and water sleds and the 120-foot high Summit Plummet, a breathtaking 60-mph plunge straight down to a splash landing at the base of the mountain.

The Teamboat Springs is the world’s longest family white water raft that ride takes six-passenger rafts down a twisting 1,200 foot series of rushing water falls.

The Toboggan Racer is an 8-lane water slide that sends guests racing over exhilarating dips as they descend the “snowy” slope.

Snow Stormers has three flumes descending from the top of the mountain and following a switchback course through ski-type slalom gates.

Runoff Rapids is an inner tube run, where riders can careen down three different twisting, turning flumes.

Chair Lift is where wooden bench chair lifts carry guests over the craggy face of Mt. Gushmore, from its base at the beach, to its summit.

At Cross Country Creek, you can float on a tube along a lazy river that encircles the entire park. On the way, you will float through a cave where you’ll be splashed with “melting ice” from overhead. “Melt-Away Bay” is a 4,000 square foot (one-acre) wave pool that is nestled against the base of Mt. Gushmore and is constantly fed by “melting snow” waterfalls.

Tike’s Peak is a smaller version of Mt. Gushmore, just for children. It includes short water slides, a snow-castle, fountain play area and a squirting ice pond.

The Ski Patrol Training Camp is designed for pre-teens; equipped with inner tube slides and a challenging ice-flow walk along floating icebergs.

Typhoon Lagoon at Disney World - Kissimmee

Typhoon Lagoon is Walt Disney World’s 56-acre water park that includes a man-made watershed mountain and eight twisting, turning water slides and roaring streams. It is also home to a two-and-a-half-acre wave pool, one of the worlds largest (where the waves are as big as six feet and come at you every one and a half minutes)

The park features a water playground for children, a white sand beach and a lazy stream that surrounds the 95-foot Mount May Day.

Mount Mayday, is the 95-foot volcano on top of which is perched a shipwrecked shrimp boat.  At the summit of Mount May Day, guests can choose from several exciting water slides. At the base of the mountain is one of the world’s largest wave pools, complete with a white sandy beach and some of the most powerful artificial waves in Orlando. Also bordering the Lagoon is Castaway Creek, a 2,100-foot river that carries guests leisurely around the perimeter of the park. You can even go snorkelling amid tropical fish and other exotic marine life.

Typhoon Lagoon is the main wave pool that is two-and-a-half- acres, and holds 2.75 million gallons of water. There are two sets of waves that are produced in this pool. The first set are gentle bobbing waves that come on a continuous basis, like a normal wave pool. However, every half hour a loud horn will sound and that means that the waves will be changing.  At this point, get ready for waves as large as four feet that come at you with a lot of speed and force, every 90 seconds.

Castaway Creek is the lazy river that travels around the park. Take an inner tube and float along. The river is only 3-4 feet deep and runs on a slow current. As you float down the river on this 2,000-foot journey, you will see banana trees, palm trees, tropical birds and flowers. You will slowly drift through caves, under waterfalls and cool mists, and through tropical forests, and around all the other attractions at the park. If you choose, you can get off Castaway Creek at one of the many stops along the way.

Disney’s first ever water coaster, the Crush n’ Gusher is a thrilling experience that defies gravity as powerful jets propel passengers on rafts through every surprise filled turn until they splash land in the pool below.

Three water slides await you at Humunga Kowabunga, which sends you zooming through enclosed tubes at 30 mph to a splashing surprise ending.

Storm Slides is another set of three slides where you will twist and swirl through caves and tunnels.

Mayday Falls is the longest waterslide in the Park that takes guests aboard their own personal inner tube down the side of the mountain in the shadow of the famed shrimp boat.

One of the most dramatic attractions at Typhoon Lagoon is Shark Reef, a massive saltwater pool and manmade coral reef, where you can snorkel among swarms of exotic marine life. For those who don’t want to get wet, there is a sunken tanker with portholes that provide stunning views of the underwater activity.

Ketchakiddie Creek is Typhoon Lagoon’s play area, especially for children aged two to five. There is a small pool and water slide, fountain and bubblers, interactive water boats, and even a pint-sized white water rafting adventure. An adult must accompany all children.

Wet-n-Wild

Wet-n-Wild in Orlando, was voted by the Amusement Business Magazine as America’s “number one water park,” and also honoured by Aquatic’s International as the country’s “first true water park.”

Wet ‘n Wild is, indeed, the oldest water park in the area, but it is continually adding new rides and is loaded with slides and other attractions for the entire family. It includes a 7-story water slide, various tubes, wave pools, and a Lazy River tube ride around the park and more, including a rather elaborate children’s area.

Over a dozen thrill rides in all at Wet ‘N Wild (including several multi-person/family rides) will keep even the most discriminating amusement park aficionado entertained. Wet ‘N Wild is also fully staffed with certified lifeguards and all the pools are seasonally heated.

One of the newest attractions at Wet ‘N Wild is Disco H2O, a multi-million dollar retro slide that showcases the 1970s disco nightlife. Like other bowl rides, this one sends passengers on a four-person cloverleaf “raft” down a slide and into a large funnel where it swishes and spins to the sounds of the hits of the 70s, before splashing out the bottom. Inside the ride are flashing lights and a mirror “disco” ball.

Other rides include the Bubba Tub, a four-person raft that takes passengers on a rollicking ride on a triple dip slide.

The Surge sends five passengers at a time through a never-ending maze of twists and turns, and The Blast sends groups of two through a colourful maze with sound effects and then ends with a final plummet into the water.

Experience the thrill of The Bomb Bay, where the floor actually falls out from underneath you in a bomb-like capsule, 76-foot high vertical slide. (Get ready to feel your stomach drop to your feet in this one!).

Thrill seekers will want to try out The Flyer, which begins its’ descent from a vantage point located 40 feet above the park. This exhilarating ride sends passengers racing through 450 feet of banked curves and speedy straightways.

Another of the park’s most popular rides is the Blue Niagara, where you’ll race, twist and splash through 300 feet of intertwined looping tubes that start at six stores above the park and end with a big splash landing.

Wet N Wild also features a winding Lazy River where you can enjoy a relaxing ride as you drift slowly through bubbles to an enchanting spring with a waterfall spilling over a rocky hillside.

Wet ‘n Wild’s newly upgraded 17,000 square foot Surf Lagoon Wave Pool features some of the most powerful waves found at any water park.

Just for children, Kid’s Park at Wet N Wild, is complete with a giant sandcastle, kiddie pool and specially sized beach chairs. The Bubble Up is a large, multi-collared balloon that is crowned with a mushroom-shaped fountain that sprays water all over the balloon’s surface. Kids can climb to the top (with the aid of a rope) and then bounce down the side of the balloon into a three-foot deep pool below.

At Daytona Beach, you will enter a laid back world where you can don blue jeans, wear flip-flops and eat at the fanciest restaurant in town without a jacket.

Daytona Beach is a Florida getaway that does not put on airs and graces.  It is a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself at your own speed.  It is also a place where you can enjoy the finest beaches, world-class sports attractions, excellent museums, and first-class restaurants.

The beach itself is world famous.  As soon as you put on your swimsuit and step on the white sand, you will be in a different world.  Everything seems so calm.

The beach is super wide, so wide and flat that cars and trucks ride on it.  Many years ago cars actually raced on it.  The ocean is unbelievably calm and very shallow when you go in and so you do not have to fight the waves.

There are 23 miles of beautiful beaches in the Daytona Beach area. As you look down the beach in either direction, it appears that all of the waves are breaking in unison.  This symmetry is intriguing. The waves breaking slowly over and over create a calming, relaxing effect.  However, for those who to like to surf there are beaches where the waves are high and strong.

There is also a boardwalk on the beach with some exciting rides.  You could spend everyday of your vacation on the beach and many visitors do.  However, there is so much more to do and see in Daytona Beach.

The Daytona International Speedway is a must see on your visit to Daytona Beach. The Daytona 500 race is the most watched motor sports event in the world when attendance at the track and television viewing are combined.  Estimated attendance for the Daytona 500 is 200,000 and more than 29 million watch it on television.

There are tours of the Speedway, but that is only a small part of it.  Located at the Speedway is DAYTONA USA.  This is an interactive motor sports themed attraction.  This is an interesting and exciting entertainment experience for hard core race fans and also for casual observers.  It offers lots of fun for the whole family.  In addition to the thrilling interactive features, there are historical exhibits such as the Goodyear Heritage of Daytona history walk.

A good place to start your visit to DAYTONA USA is by taking a 30 minute guided tour of the Speedway.  The tour takes guests on an open-air tram through the Speedway’s garage area.  The tour is narrated and you see Pit Road, Victory Lane and the world-famous 31 degree high banks where cars race at over 200 miles per hour.

There are two new motion simulator rides at DAYTONA USA.  These are “Daytona Dream Laps” and “Acceleration Alley”.  “Daytona Dream Laps” is a ride that seats 32 guests for a full range motion experience racing at the high banks of the Speedway.  On the “Acceleration Alley” ride you hop inside a racecar, buckle up and take a simulated ride at high speeds that combines motion, video, and sound.  Other activities include going over the wall at Ford’s 16 second pit stop challenge to test your skills in a live pit stop.

One of the most popular attractions is the Daytona 500 movie, a large-screen format film presented on a screen 55 feet wide and almost three stories tall in the Pepsi Theatre. You see the movie in the realism of 3D, and with the accompanying sounds you feel as though you are behind the wheel of one of the racing cars.

Tickets for DAYTONA USA including the Speedway tour are around $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for children 6-12.

If you want the real thing, for an additional charge of about $130 you can first don a racing outfit including helmet.  Then climb through the window of a racing car on the Speedway track, strap yourself in, and ride next to a race driver at high speeds around the track.

Whether or not you are a baseball fan, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark is an interesting place to visit in Daytona Beach.  This is where baseball legend Jackie Robinson played in the first integrated baseball game.  The ballpark was built in 1908, seats 3800 fans, and is the Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

It is also a museum with plaques and photos documenting the life of Jackie Robinson. It explains Robinson’s childhood, how he excelled in many sports in college, and the humiliating experiences he faced as the man who broke the colour barrier in major league baseball.  It also lists many of his accomplishments such as playing in six world series and being voted MVP in 1949 in the National League.  But the one that tells it all, was that after Robinson’s retirement from baseball, his “number 42” was also retired by every major league baseball team.  It’s a real pleasure to visit this historical ballpark and watch the Daytona Beach Cubs play.  Tickets are only $5.

Another fun way to see Daytona Beach is by an amphibious adventure on a trolleyboat.  It leaves daily from the Ocean Walk Shoppes and takes you on a drive through historic Daytona Beach.  It then enters the Halifax River where you are given a narrated tour of the history and wildlife of the area with great views of the riverfront mansions.  The trolleyboat then leaves the river and drives you back to the Ocean Walk Shoppes.

At the Ocean Walk Shoppes there is lots to do.  There is a new Bandshell featuring concerts with an ocean view and a beachside theatre showing ten movies.  There is also a delightful Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant for some casual fun, good food, based on the Forrest Gump movie with plenty of Forrest’s favorite fixins.

A visit to the Museum of Arts and Sciences is a wonderful way to spend some relaxing and interesting hours in Daytona Beach.  All six permanent collections are excellent.

The Centre for Florida History collection tells the story of Florida’s historical and cultural development from prehistory to the present complete with interactive features.  It centres around a 13 foot tall skeleton of a Giant Ground Sloth which was excavated in 1975 in a fossil site called the Daytona Bone Bed.  This huge vegetarian could have weighed three to five tons and eaten a daily ration of 300 pounds of plants abundant in the area.

The Cuban Museum collection is the largest Cuban Museum in the world outside of Cuba.  It contains rare 18th, 19th, and early 20th century maps, documents, lithographs, paintings, furniture, sculpture, and ceramics arranged chronologically.  Rare photographs help establish a sense of time and place.

The Root family’s collection is not only interesting, but it also brings back a lot of memories.  This is an astounding display of more than 800 Teddy Bears, ranging from seven feet tall to only a few inches in height.  Each Teddy Bear represents a different time period or theme, and portrays everyday scenes such as a “Teddy Bear Wedding”, complete with bridesmaids, grooms, and a minister.

The Root family has also amassed one of the most historically important anthologies of the American soft drink, Coca-Cola, on which their family fortune was founded. The collection includes just about every conceivable item relating to bottling, advertising, and consumption of Coca-Cola.

The Root’s collection also includes an impressive array of decorative arts, china, silverware, and glasses collected from 85 of the nation’s railroads, hotels, and restaurants.  Two actual railroad cars are also displayed in this permanent collection.

There are still lots of other fun things to do in Daytona Beach. You can spend an hour or two at the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, and climb to the top if you wish.  It is the tallest lighthouse in Florida.

Not far from the lighthouse is the Inlet Harbor Marina and Restaurant.  The seafood is fabulous. There is a lot of freshly caught fish on the menu.  It is a nice place for lunch or dinner (they have sunset specials if seated by 6 p.m.) with a lovely waterfront view.  You can dine inside or on the riverfront outdoor deck.  It is casual dining.  A live band playing on the outdoor deck added to the festive Caribbean like setting.

Greyhound racing is also another exciting attraction in the area. They race at the Daytona Beach Kennel Club. Children are welcome with a parent or guardian.

However there is a lot more to see, and Leu cleverly designed the gardens into separate zones to maximise their impact on the visitor.

On arrival a path leads to the Tropical Stream Garden, which was completed in the year 2000. Follow the meandering stream down to the shore of Lake Rowenta and marvel at lush vegetation and babbling natural spring. Here Harry P Leu has created a garden with the look and feel of the tropics with plantings of banana, ginger, tree ferns, and palms to name but a few.

The Wetland Garden and Wycoff Overlook on Lake Rowenta was replanted with native aquatic plants around ten years ago. Today it is teeming with all sorts of wildlife including wading birds, dragonflies, turtles, and even the occasional alligator.

From the boardwalk the visitor will come across not only native Florida aquatic plants but also water lilies and lakeshore mangrove.

For the amateur gardener there are two zones dedicated to plants native to Florida.

The Home Demonstration Garden showcases different plant groups including annual and perennial flowers, vines, ground covers, fragrant flowers, ornamental grasses and textured plants. For those short of space the Urban Patio Garden features tub plants and vines that can thrive in courtyard settings.

Then there is the Bird Garden with plants that attract a range of migratory and native birds including the Florida Scrub Jay and Hummingbird.

The Butterfly Garden is planted with flowers and plants that supply nectar and attract many different types of butterfly.

Additionally there is the Enabling Garden, which features a variety of plants on raised beds ideal for wheelchair users and the Evening Garden is full of highly scented flowers and herbs in pale hues which stimulate the senses.

There also separate sections for vegetables, wildflowers, grasses and herbs.

In summary Harry P Leu has created a horticultural masterpiece so diverse that it is guaranteed to attract all types of garden lover from all over the world.

A visit is highly recommended.

The Florida Aquarium is probably one of the finest aquariums in Florida.  It has been ranked by Parents Magazine as one of the top five child friendly aquariums.

This very large aquarium consists of more than 200,000 square feet of exhibits and about 20,000 aquatic plants and animals from around the world, in particular Florida.

Recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, The Florida Aquarium sits in Tampa’s Channelside District.  It opened in 1995 and last year welcomes around 675,000 visitors a year.

Galleries and Exhibits

The aquarium itself is divided into four “galleries” with many exhibits within each of those galleries.  Each gallery has a different theme for your enjoyment.

Wetlands – this section of the aquarium is very much Florida orientated.  Here visitors can explore fish, animals, and birds of the state’s marshes, streams, rivers, swamps, and mangrove forests.  Children will love the adorable river otters and be awed by the alligators.

Bays and Beaches – visitors to this gallery get the opportunity to observe the sea life typical of nearby Tampa Bay.  Exhibits show what is at the bottom of the bay as well as fish that typically attract recreational fishermen to the area, like snook.  The beach display presents a cross section of the sea life found at a typical Florida beach.

The Coral Reef – this colourful gallery brings guests close to the waters of the Florida Keys with a look at the sea life that inhabits the coral formations of the Dry Tortugas, near the Keys.  Guests can walk under a virtual tunnel to find out what’s inside a coral cave or peer through the Panoramic Window and watch one of several daily dive shows held at the site.  Visitors will also want to check out the Coral Farm, where biologists experiment with techniques used in coral reproduction.

Ocean Commotion – the Florida Aquarium’s newest gallery, Ocean Commotion invites visitors to explore the depths of the world’s oceans.  Very much an interactive, hands-on gallery, children can pick up phones and learn about their favourite creature and even play with a virtual dolphin.

Several additional and noteworthy exhibits also keep guests entertained and educated as they make their way through this excellent facility. They include:

Aquariumania – this fun exhibit tells guests how to go about setting up their own home aquarium at home and educates them about Florida’s fish farms, which grow more than 95 percent of all aquarium fish grown in the U.S.

Dragons Down Under – part of the Coral Reef Gallery, this exhibit provides the opportunity to view real Southern Australian sea dragons and fascinating dwarf seahorses, which are native to Florida. Absolutely awesome!

No Bone Zone – geared towards younger children, this section of the aquarium focuses on invertebrates.  The piece de resistance for little hands is the touch tank but there’s also an addition 400 gallon tank featuring more boneless sea creatures.  Children also love crawling in and out of human sized hermit crab shells.

Year of the Frog – not one but four exhibits outline the plight of the frog in hopes of encouraging amphibian conservation.  Visitors will view frogs native to Florida as well as their sisters and brothers from around the world.

Activities

No one is ever bored at The Florida Aquarium.  Aside from galleries and exhibits, there are plenty of scheduled activities and additional attractions to keep visitors of all ages busy.

Explore a Shore – at two acres in size, this outdoor water zone provides plenty of room for the kids to run around and cool off.  It features slides, geysers, water guns, and more, the Explore a Shore is a welcome break for little ones with short attention spans.

Penguin Promenade – a few times each day, guests can get up close and personal with resident penguins as they promenade across a red carpet lined with eager visitors.  Guests are asked to sit calmly around the carpet as the penguins travel through, often stopping to greet their visitors.

Behind the Scenes Tour – these fascinating one hour tours take guests to parts of the aquarium that cannot otherwise be explored, like the quarantine areas and the kitchen that prepares the meals for all the Florida Aquarium residents.

Dive with the Sharks – certified SCUBA divers age 15 and up are invited to experience close encounters with the aquarium’s sharks in hopes of dispelling the myth that sharks are man eaters.  Dive masters accompany each diver.  An additional fee is charged and reservations are suggested.

Wild Dolphin Ecotours – climb aboard the Bay Spirit, a 49-foot catamaran, for a 90-minute journey to view Tampa Bay’s bottlenose dolphins.  Ecotours run daily, with extra tours available during the weekends.

Prices are very reasonable and reservations are recommended.

Kelly Park is near Apopka adjacent to Wikiwa Springs State Park which is also very popular. Turn off the I4 at exit 60 for the 429 to Apopka take exit 33 for US-441 turn left at s. Park Ave and continue on Rock springs Road. Turn right at E. kelly Park Road and follow the signs.

Just before turning right into the approach road to the park, there is a grocery store on the left and a bar on the right. The bar also hires large balck rings for floaitng on the water for a few dollars. Entry to the park is also very cheap.

It was early January when we visited but the weather was very warm. We found ourselves almost alone in the park but I’m told that it is very popular in the summer. There is plenty of car parking amongst the trees and we made for the children’s play area at first where the boys had a wonderful time. There are plenty of picnic tables amongst the trees and there is also a kiosk where they sell snacks and drinks but not in the “off” season when we were there. The shop was in the centre of the park near the water where there are also changing rooms, showers and toilets, all beatifully clean.

We entered the water where there is a sort of pool near the changing rooms. This proved to be a mistake as parts of that area are deeper and my young grandson’ns arms weren’t long enough to reach over the side of the large ring to paddle. The best thing is to enter the water further upstream when the very slow current will take you along through the area where the pool is and further downstream. The stream itself is very shallow. After the initial mishap, I walked with my graqndson in his ring and the water was mainly around waistlevel and never got above my armpits and I am only 5 foot tall. It is a bit disconcerting at first to find oneself wading through the weeds but once I realized what they were I was fine.

We ended the day in the children’s part of the pool where there is a paddling area and also a sandpit. The water was beatifully clear and the children were able to see all the little fish swimming around. It was a lovely day that cost very little but just as much of an adventure for my grandsons and going on the rides in the theme parks.