It may be hard to believe, but it’s true: Florida is more than beaches and theme parks. While Disney and other amusement parks are prominent in the tourist industry, there are many other activities for the vacation seeker. Florida holidays can consist of a wide range of activities. Here are five to get you started!
Visit The Kennedy Space Center
Most people don’t realize that the Kennedy Space center in Titusville, Florida, has been the launch site for every U.S. manned mission into space since 1968. See for yourself with a visit to the museum and exhibits, which offers you an inside look into the space program. Interactive displays, an IMAX theater, a rocket garden, and even a flight simulator await guests.
See A Live Basketball Game
The Miami Heat have been NBA champions twice and are the defending champions, they have the reigning MVP in Lebron James, and just so happen to play in their home games in downtown Miami. Watching professional basketball up close is an experience. You don’t realize how large and fast these guys are until you see the action taking place right in front of you. These guys are real athletes!
Explore The Everglades
Deep in southern Florida lies a stretch of wetland that goes on for miles and miles. Its inhabitants include diverse wildlife such as alligators, crocodiles, panthers, and even some black bears for good measure. You can experience the Everglades in all their glory by touring it on an airboat, where you’ll coast through the water at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour, all with the backdrop seemingly plucked out of a movie.
Go Fishing
Ever catch a marlin? Do you want to? If so, you can try your luck in the waters of the Florida Keys. Here fishing is an art form, with a wide range of fish just waiting for you to reel them in. You can fly fish in waist deep water for snook, deep sea fish for a blue marlin, or just sit on one of the many piers and see what comes your way. It’s no wonder Ernest Hemingway made this paradise his home.
Play With A Dolphin
In Grassy Key, there’s a 90,000 square foot area, carved out of the shoreline and it’s home to bottlenose dolphins and sea lions alike. The Dolphin Research Center was created in 1958 as a roadside attraction: today it’s one of the top dolphin research facilities in the world. Visitors can interact with the dolphins, or just watch them glide through the water, all the while learning about the majestic creatures.
If you’re looking for theme parks, yeah, you’ll find them in Florida, that’s for sure. It’s also just as certain that if you’re looking for something other than theme parks to entertain you, again you’ll find it. Sport, nature, science and technology… just a few of the many options open to you in Florida. Let’s face it, with or without theme parks, Florida was born to entertain!
Images by texxsmith and Stig Nygaard, used under Creative Commons license.
