Apopka, FL Outdoor Activities

Scotty Bumbalough was first introduced to standup paddleboarding while living in Maui. Having mastered various other watersports, he sought a new way to navigate the shoreline—one that leant itself to leisurely exploration as well as a great workout. As soon as the island’s locals told him about paddleboarding, he was in the water learning from none other than the sport’s originators. An enthused Scotty decided to share his new discovery with fellow Floridians, and, upon returning home, he founded Maui B’s. With lessons available in locations such as Orlando, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Cocoa Beach, Maui B's continues to spread Scotty’s appreciation for paddleboarding across the Sunshine State. The company’s experienced instructors are always seeking out new ways to utilize their paddleboards; along with lessons for beginners, the crew regularly leads eco tours, on which groups can take in the region’s natural splendor while spying on manatees or Dan Marinos snoozing in the sun. Fitness classes and paddleboard yoga get bodies in shape for solo adventures with rented boards and paddles.

At Castaway Scuba Adventures, owner Marta Mullen and her team of underwater aficionados have stood as gatekeepers to the ocean for the past ten years. Amongst her many personal accolades, Marta is a platinum instructor through Scuba Schools International (SSI), a globally recognized organization on par with the likes of PADI or NAUI. This means that Marta and her staff can effectively train students of all experience levels, including those seeking certification and those planning a blind date with a svelte piece of coral. Aside from instructional programs, every month Castaway Scuba Adventures organizes two or three local diving trips to complement its pair of annual international getaways.

Placed in the top 10 among the nation's new golf courses by Golfweek and Travel + Leisure Golf, Sugarloaf Mountain sends golfers up and down elevation changes of more than 250 feet. The design by Coore & Crenshaw—Crenshaw, as in 1984 Masters winner Ben Crenshaw—takes advantage of the site's natural characteristics, wandering through verdant oak forests and at one point reaching the highest point in the state. The designers were so loyal to the landscape that they even decided to use native sand in the bunkers rather than trucking in moon dust.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 7,076 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 74.3 from the back tees
• Course slope of 133 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

Based out of Orlando Executive Airport, Flight Training Professionals puts students behind the steering column of a 2011 Cessna Skycatcher C-162 aircraft alongside certified flight instructors during flight-training exercises. As trainees soar toward a sport, private, or commercial pilot license, they’ll divide their time among scenario-based learning in the flight simulator, ground schooling, and actual flying time in the cockpit. In the air, they can enjoy the user-friendliness of the plane’s Garmin G1000 flight deck, which synthesizes relevant flight data into one easy-to-read format, information such as air traffic or whether there is a very large gorilla clinging to the control tower.

At WestWood Farms, hunter horses and ponies roam four grass paddocks, setting a scene so peaceful and bucolic, no one would ever guess the farm is located just 15 minutes from the bustle of Orlando International Airport. That same sense of calm permeates WestWood's riding lessons, where trainers time their students' progress not by a watch, but by whether or not their goals for the day have been accomplished. Open to riders aged 5 and older, the farm's lessons focus on the English style of riding, which involves the letter u more frequently than other styles and emphasizes the hunter-jumper discipline.