Spring Hill, FL Outdoor Activities

With the 2011 season looming large, FC Tampa Bay will attempt to pass, tackle, and score its way to NASL glory at the club's new home at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg. Currently headed up by English coach and retired professional footballer Ricky Hill, the FC Tampa Bay team are chest-trapping, banana-kicking, and head-butting their way back into the world of black-and-white-spotted balls. Watch them take on the Puerto Rico Islanders, who are hungry to work their way up the 2011 standings, or root on the roster as the team guns for the fleet-footed Atlanta Silverbacks, slippery Carolina Railhawks, or northerly FC Edmonton. General-admission seats allow frenetic fans to observe the fantastic flairs of NASL soccer savants as they attempt to sneak the European pigskin between an opponent’s legs and through the goal zone. The $20 gift voucher can be put toward merchandise such as a jersey, a scarf, or an oversized foam yellow card.

Pedal into the sun and shine on the Pinellas Trail with today's Groupon, which gets you a day-long bike rental from Sun West Cyclery. Sun West is a family-owned-and-operated bike shop that rents comfort bikes, a limited number of recumbents and road bikes, and absolutely no bikes outfitted with road spikes and oil dischargers.“Bicycles. They seem harmless…but are they? Mostly yes, they are harmless…if being LAZY is harmless.

Tampa Bay Grand Prix puts you behind the wheel of a true European-style electric OTL Pro-Kart. These easy-to-handle, durable, and reliable karts were designed specifically for rental and can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour—packing enough excitement to make the family sedan feel like a golf cart tethered to a mountain by a chain made out of iron recovered from a shipwreck. The OTL Pro-Kart's unique steel-tube frame provides security from red koopa shells and banana peels, while the track's state-of-the-art barrier ensures extra safety.

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.

When Brian McInerney reflects on the humble beginnings of Wheel Fun Rentals, he points to his childhood passion for bikes. "As far back as I can remember, I had a real love affair with bicycles," he recalls. During a trip to Italy in 1987, Brian's affinity for cycling blossomed into a full-fledged obsession when he spotted locals' transporter of choice, the surrey. Inspired, he began importing the Italian four-wheelers to a rental business in the U.S. that eventually expanded into Wheel Fun Rentals, now a nationwide web of shops that also loans out bikes, electric cars and mopeds, and man-powered watercraft. Atop bicycles and surreys built for solo riders or entire families, patrons embark on self-guided tours of major U.S. cities. Led by maps and lists of nearby sites of historical or cultural significance, riders zoom down bike paths and safe, lightly trafficked streets. Adventuresome athletes can also compete in activities such as surrey scavenger hunts and blindfold obstacle courses navigated via shouted instructions from a seeing teammate or exceptionally long rounds of trial and error.

At Monster Mini Golf, putters navigate an eerie series of glowing greens that invert the sun-soaked cheer of conventional courses. Rimmed in black-lit, neon-green barriers, the 18 holes challenge the coordination of each mini golfer with winged monsters, scowling animated trees, creepy clowns, and opponents' shockingly dazzling smiles. Sheltered from searing rain and howling wind, each indoor course facilitates play around an array of neon gargoyles and animated props year-round. An in-house radio DJ station masks the sound of pounding hearts with haunting remixes and the latest releases. Golfers looking for additional glory can win prizes by participating in regular contests or playing at the onsite arcade.