When you visit Orlando you should definitely visit some of the amazing theme parks and other attractions that have made this area a tourist Mecca. However great the theme parks are the natural attractions of Central and Southern Florida are not to be missed. One of the best ways to get a first hand experience of the beauty provided by Mother Nature is to take a ride on the airboats along the headwaters of the Everglades.
There are a few agencies in the Orlando area that will book your rides in an airboat and at the end of the article you will find a good list of the most important operators. However, in case you are wondering what we mean by an “airboat” then let me fill you in on the details.
Airboats are vehicles that do not penetrate deeply in the water and thus are able to navigate in shallow marshy areas. They have big propellers in the back and in the smaller boats six people and a pilot sit on the deck. In some of the larger boats as many as thirty passengers can enjoy the ride through the swaps, marshes, lakes and rivers of Central and Southern Florida.
The big attraction here is to view all the birds and animals that make their home on these waterways. Keep your eyes open and you will see many species of birds as well as turtles, wild turkey, wild boar and alligators. Seeing an imitation alligator in Disney World is one thing, and seeing a real alligator in the water next to your boat is another experience altogether. For those who live in Florida, alligators are no big deal, but for visitors like me and you, it is something to talk about when you get home!
The routes of the airboats vary according to which company you choose. There are several airboat operators using the St. Johns River and other popular locales for the airboats are Lake Kissimmee and Lake Toho.
You can ride for 30 minutes or book a longer ride up to 90 minutes. The cost currently around $45 for a 90 minute ride, but you can check with the airboat companies to get the exact cost. In case you are wondering, most of the airboat company points of departure are within a one hour’s drive from Orlando, so they are not out of the way.
If you would like to try out an airboat, then here are a airboat operators that you can contact:
Old Fashioned Airboat Rides of Christmas, Florida provide 90 minute guided tours on the St. Johns River. They feature both day and night rides, but reservations are required for all of the rides. Christmas, Florida is 45 minutes from Orlando and only 15 minutes from the Kennedy Space Center. You can call them at 407 568 4307 for more information.
Boggy Creek Airboat Rides located at 2001 East Southport Road, Kissimmee, Florida take pride in being “Orlando’s closest airboat tour” and they offer six passenger airboat rides. Their boats glide through the Central Florida Everglades and in addition to the 30 minute daytime rides, they also feature sixty minute nighttime airboat rides as well. Call them at 407 344 9550 to make your reservation.
There are several more airboat operators in the Orlando area and you can find them in the local yellow pages as well as online. If you love nature and wildlife and want a unique experience, then set aside some time to ride on the airboats when you visit Orlando.
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