Things to Do in Sanford

Most people don't get business calls from Walt Disney World. But, two decades ago, Glass Addicts owner Denise Hurley received just that—along with a request to design and build Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa's carousel horse. In the years since, orders have continued to pour in from Kohl's, The Mirage hotel, and other businesses and collectors seeking Hurley's Tiffany-style stained-glass and art-glass designs. Hurley also builds masterpieces on a smaller scale, restoring and repairing customers’ already existing pieces and building custom panes for homes and offices. Intent on sharing her talent with others, Hurley teaches classes on formats ranging from mosaic picture frames to stepping stones to dentists' mirrors overlaid with your favorite Metallica album covers. No previous experience is necessary, as classes accommodate beginners and master artists alike. Sessions take place in spacious, well-lit rooms filled with materials, and students and customers can study from books inspired by Hurley's designs or observe the installment skills of her professional staff.

Growing up, Butch Finnigan frequented the Atlantic Ocean with his father and grandfather, reveling in the rush of netting a big catch. Matt Riley found similar solace atop the ocean's seemingly endless bounty, where he and his family enjoyed each other's company as they fished. More than two decades later, the veteran anglers have become captains and co-founders of Xtreme Saltwater Angler. They assemble all necessary components for fishing excursions into the big blue, including signature lures and apparel, portable lighthouses, and the expertise needed to guide fishing charters and eco-tours.

The captains and their staff switch up their charters from brief inshore jaunts into the famed Mosquito Lagoon, Canaveral National Seashore, and Indian River Lagoon system to lengthier saltwater fishing trips into the Atlantic. Close to shore, anglers snap up species such as red and black drum, sea trout, and famished free divers, while deeper waters teem with cobia, kingfish, grouper, and yellowfin tuna. The sailors also nurture relationships with nature on eco-tours that explore more than 2,100 plant species and 2,200 animal species, including some of the U.S.'s most diverse flocks of birds.

The crack of firearms reverberates at Trained 2 Conceal, where no one shoots without a firm grasp of firearm safety and responsibility. This philosophy pervades the business's firearm courses, where seasoned instructors cater to marksmen of all skill levels with professional, hands-on training. Lessons in handling weapons front-end courses and are followed by proper shooting techniques and an inspirational talk with Annie Oakley's ghost.

Expedition Florida Adventures’ guided kayak tours explore the placid, pristine backwaters of Blue Spring State Park, less than an hour away from downtown Orlando. As CPR-trained guides describe the complex ecosystems, boaters may witness sand cranes wading in tall grasses, gators soaking up sun, and turtles discussing the housing market. Prior to each kayak outing, adventurers receive equipment such as state-of-the-art kayaks, paddles, and life jackets equipped with whistles or tambourines.

Surrounded by 9,000 acres of conservation land, the Wekiva Falls KOA campground immerses visitors in nature and wildlife, and maintains controlled water-recreation areas and modern amenities. Staffers block out sites for large camping trailers, and also reserve tent sites nestled in view of the river and picnic tables that are kept primitive to facilitate a rough wilderness experience or decked out with electric and water hookups. The campground also rents canoes and kayaks so visitors can paddle up and down the adjacent Wekiva River taking in the lush shoreline scenery. In a separate swimming area fed by a large sulfur spring, guests can frolic around a 40-foot waterfall or plunge down dual tube slides, and they can also lounge in a heated outdoor pool in the event of cooler temperatures. Alternative forms of entertainment are also available including a full bar; crafts sessions; themed parties and dinners; and day trips to local golf courses to cartwheel down the fairways.

Renowned golf-course architect Bobby Weed aims to fill his courses with the kind of rich details typically produced only by Mother Nature herself. His 2008 overhaul of The Deltona Club completely transformed the course: today, blowout-style native-sand bunkers bear roughly scalloped edges that call to mind a raw desert landscape, and the elevation rises in craggy steps as the course progresses, giving players a sense of conquering the land itself. The course's resulting beauty, sense of challenge, and secret bonus level snagged the club a spot on Golfweek's list of best Florida courses in 2012.