Things to Do in Lakeside

With an inventory of canoes and kayaks—as well as a choice launch point on the banks of the Santa Fe River – Santa Fe Canoe Outpost is a starting point for a wide range of aquatic daytrips. There are adventures of varying length, from the 7-mile downriver trip to Rum Island, to multi-day canoe-camping trips to their furthest destination, 39 miles away.

Under the tutelage of certified scuba instructors, pupils at the family-owned Scuba Monkey Dive Center explore underwater worlds during PADI, open-water, nitrox, and advanced courses. The center's regular dive trips gather together trained divers on jaunts to Venice Beach and Troy Springs, where they get up close with aquatic inhabitants and discarded pet rocks. At the shop, divers can stock up on brand-name equipment for sale and rent, refill tanks with nitrox and air, or hand over broken equipment to ace technicians, who swiftly identify and correct any problems.

Phobooth's team knows photography—its work has been cited in the New York Times, Wired, and Newsweek. So, when staff members set out to develop their photo booth, they upheld high standards, demanding that the booth produce magazine-quality images. Today, they transport their photo booths across the entire state of Florida with no travel fees. After setting up the fully automatic photo booth at parties or corporate events, they welcome guests to pop in and strum fluffy pink guitars while wrapping their friends in feathery boas. The prop box also includes items such as old-fashioned hats or oversize sunglasses, and photos print using an ink that's designed to last the shelf life of mayonnaise—100 years. Phobooth offers three packages: basic, which comes with a disc of all pictures taken; plus, which adds social-networking options; and premium, which includes custom velvet backdrops and screen graphics. A photo-booth attendant delivers and sets up each package and stands by throughout the event.

Skydiving. Parachute sales, and maintenance.

Conner's A-Maize-Ing Acres mixes agriculture with entertainment, dazzling visitors come harvest time with its slate of attractions. As the season changes from summer to fall, the farm rolls out family-oriented activities ranging from ambling hayrides to walks through the pumpkin patch. More than 100 barnyard animals lean toward outstretched hands, whereas a hay jump and corn box beckon kids with energy to burn. Amid all the hustle and bustle, an old barn—emblazoned with the greeting Howdy above its door—reminds folks to slow down, drink in the crisp air, and brainstorm Halloween costumes that will make neighborhood dogs whimper.

The seasoned jumpers on staff at Skydive Amelia Island have all successfully completed thousands of jumps. The dedicated professionals securely strap themselves to beginning skydivers and plunge from a plane to enter a freefall of up to 120 miles per hour. These experienced skydivers hope their enthusiasm for diving is catching, as one of them says: “The falling is so exhilarating, I just wanted to keep on doing it”.