Carrollwood, FL Outdoor Activities

At Champagne Stables, riding paths wind through five scenic acres, beckoning trail riders and students alike. The stables’ patient teachers pair their pupils with steady, reliable steeds before guiding them through the basics of riding, including proper posture, and more advanced techniques, such as how to navigate the swimsuit portion of equestrian competitions. Instructors correct and encourage students as they and their mounts prance around the stables’ show ring during lessons and summer camps.

The Alafia River slowly flows along the edge of Misty Farms, where 15 acres of woodsy terrain serve as an idyllic training ground for horses and their owners. As steeds sleep in 12'x12' matted stalls or search for misplaced lottery tickets in the fenced-off grass jumping fields, the staff of trainers teaches lessons that foster camaraderie between riders and mounts with topics ranging from basic care to more complicated jumps and show maneuvers. Outside the paddocks, visitors hop on the saddle for trail rides along the river, enjoying the slow gait of a quiet trek in the woods or a speedy gallop of a train-robbery getaway.

Standing atop a board, a paddler rhythmically dips an oar into Old Tampa Bay's sparkling waters, smoothly skimming the surface while soaking in views of the sun sinking beyond the horizon. Tampa Bay SUP's team welcomes the uninitiated and veterans alike to experience this for themselves via paddleboard lessons and rentals. Their lessons last 20 minutes before students are free to enjoy leisurely paddling, which affords lofty vantage points from which to gaze upon marine wildlife and boosts core strength so that students may wrestle the animals into submission. Once they are ready to go out on their own, paddlers can request that staffers bring boards to various launch sites around the Tampa/Clearwater region, or pick them up at Tampa Bay SUP's beachside shops. Tampa Bay SUP also rents kayaks with all the necessary equipment included, sells paddleboards, and gives tours.

Tampa resident and history lover Lonnie Herman’s longtime fascination with the haunted has evolved into a broad expertise about the area's vibrant streets where newspapers are printed in three languages. The personable former executive also has the gift of being an evocative storyteller. This convergence of interest and talents resulted in Lonnie's company, Ybor City Historic Walking Tours. Lonnie's upbeat narration carries small groups down vibrant 7th Avenue with detailed anecdotes that reveal the complex past behind Ybor City's cigar factories, Columbia Restaurant, and the story of the eponymous Vicente Martinez-Ybor, who founded the city as a place to store his statues of himself.

Dunedin WaterSports sets visitors sailing past fluffy clouds and gentle wakes on the Gulf of Mexico on jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards, and jet boats. With rental sessions lasting from 30 minutes to a full day, staff members equip renters with the means to paddle out to the likes of Caladesi Island State Park and its mangroves or zip along the tranquil coastline. Jet-boat rentals speed groups to fishing locations, and when the water is right, visitors may try paddleboarding with Poseidon's trident. The team can also provide fishing gear for angling trips or sets of snorkeling gear to get visitors close enough to swim alongside fish.

The newest addition to the fleet is the jet-pack-like flyboard, which uses hydraulic water pressure to create forceful streams that help to propel participants from the water’s surface and through the air. Not keeping solely to the Dunedin beachfront, the team also delivers speedboats and watercraft to customers’ launch sites.

State Representative Helen Gordon Davis founded The Centre in 1977 to help women attain self-sufficiency through a variety of services, including professional counseling, job placement, and substance-abuse treatment. She based The Centre in the renovated Ward-Taliaferro House, a turn-of-the-century home with neoclassical architecture and a warm environment.

Since its founding, The Centre has gradually added additional programs to assist other demographics, such as providing home repairs for senior citizens. Today, its programs serve more than 3,000 women and families every year.