Azalea Park, FL Outdoor Activities

In 1994, owners Chris and Margie Long established Boggy Creek Airboat Rides with a single, six-passenger vessel. Today, their fleet has grown to more than a dozen boats, and the business has whisked more than one million passengers through Orlando's nearby wetlands. From two locations, Boggy Creek's fan-propelled watercrafts launch into the Florida Everglades, exploring the swampy habitats of gators, turtles, eagles, exotic birds, and exiled Frankensteins. Four different tours offer varied experiences, including a night ride, during which participants observe red-eyed gators prowling for prey. US Coast Guard–certified captains helm every ride, which are safe for explorers of all ages—even infants.

At Combat Shooting Sports combatants are outfitted for controlled engagement using real weapons in a 40,000-square-foot, air-conditioned indoor arena housed in a converted Publix. Using Simunition, firearms are converted so that they cannot fire live rounds, allowing for realistic training involving customer's own service weapons. Conversion kits are available for customers who bring their own firearms, or they can use ones provided by Combat Shooting Sports. After briefing players on using the gear and the rules of play, the staff releases players into the arena, where they test their skills among rooms, corridors, and plywood houses. In addition to the indoor arena, Combat Shooting Sports has 180 acres of open and wooded terrain available to combatants.

Imagine for a moment diving into the ocean, resurfacing with not only memories of the sub-aquatic environment, but a full reel of photographs, too. Underwater photography is just one of the many courses offered at Scuba Quest, a family-owned company that has shown students how to safely explore the seas for more than 25 years.

Scuba Quest began as a single shop, but has since spread to seven locations across the state of Florida. At each, the company’s NAUI-certified instructors lead refresher courses, beginner classes, and comprehensive certification programs. Rather than climbing into fish tanks while pet-store clerks are on break, Scuba Quest's students can put their new skills to the test in unfamiliar waters during the company’s exotic diving excursions around the globe.

Kissimmee Go-Karts gets adrenaline flowing with its exhilarating go-kart track, game-crammed arcade, and gator pen. Speed-seeking individuals aged 11 and older can tackle the go-kart track solo or hop inside a double kart with a buddy for quick revolutions around the mile-long track. Riders who are at least 16 years old and have a valid driver's license can climb into an Indy kart, the faster and more powerful older brother of the park's regular rides. The speedway's two conjoined figure eights include high-velocity straightaways, bridges, and tricky curves. After zipping around the track, the facility's arcade tempts gamers with more than 50 machines, some of which dispense prizes when tickled. In addition, Kissimmee Go-Karts’ watery oasis is home to real, live alligators, which provide gator lovers with an up-close look at Florida's most famous reptiles.

Inspired by his own love of exotic cars, Joe Sabatini's Festivals of Speed has been parading a fleet of the world’s snazziest automobiles before crowds at several fancy Florida hotels and resorts for a full decade. His who’s who list of cars includes vintage and contemporary models from Porsche, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin, some so frighteningly aerodynamic that the wind refuses to blow on them. All rest in silent repose, waiting to be unleashed to qualified drivers through a special Ride and Drive program.

To complement the automotive elegance, the event planners have made arrangements for soft jazz, luxury lifestyle displays, and sumptuous snacks perfect for tossing to Bentleys as they hop up on their hind wheels. The festival also attracts speedy species of watercraft, aircraft, and custom motorcycles, as well as classic and restored cars submitted by local auto enthusiasts. Alongside its vehicle lineup, the festivals also showcase jewelry, fine art, real estate, and culinary gems to cater to all manner of luxury aficionado.

Trickling waters and shrieking giggles fill the air at CoCo Key Water Park’s tropical-themed playground, a Rube Goldbergian array of twisting slides, jungle gyms, and waterfalls. The 54,000-square-foot superstructure includes attractions for all ages, such as Coral Reef Cove, a pool hangout designed for teens, and Minnow's Lagoon, a Lilliputian playarea with a shallow pool, water cannons, and four slides tailored for kiddos. A trinity of signature slides awaits more daring visitors, including Over the Falls, an aquatic roller coaster that ends with a high-speed corkscrew, and Boomerango, a two-person tube ride with a near-vertical descent that will convert even the most ardent of gravity-deniers. As youngsters enjoy an adrenaline-filled respite from the Florida sun, adults can unwind at a poolside bar.