Lealman, FL Outdoor Activities

In 1962, Charles Redington commissioned a 1,200-foot-long fishing pier to be built in the Gulf, one of eight others like it in the area. Today, this long wooden walkway represents the last of its brethren, preserved and restored by the current owners, the Antonious family, who treasure its historic significance and excellent fishing. The waters surrounding the pier teem with sea life, such as flounder, eels, sharks, dolphins, and kingfish who burble "checkmate" when they get hooked. The crystalline Gulf waters provide a view of the vibrant reefs below, best seen and fished from the very end of the pier, which is reserved for those who purchase VIP passes. Since The Long Pier requires no fishing license, both amateur and professional fisherfolk can enjoy its sunny lengths and salty breezes by simply renting a rod and buying bait from the onsite tackle shop.

It’s not uncommon to stumble upon fake alligators as you make your way around a mini-golf course. But at Smuggler's Cove's locations, live American alligators snap their jaws in exhibits nestled amid the miniature fairways—including a self-contained enclosure at Sarasota for Pearl, one of an estimated 40 albino alligators in the world. With an old-fashioned bamboo pole or a meat-scented golf club, players can dangle a piece of fried meat above 20–50 alligators, which leap from the water to snatch their treat. Between feeding frenzies, games take place across on Smuggler’s Cove’s 18-hole outdoor courses, where balls roll past rushing waterfalls, into caves, over mountainous terrain, and into a hole atop a pirate ship.