Another Question For The Floridians Here...or Anyone Who Knows I Guess.

Bump

Its also called the Everglades.

Air Boats are fun. Once in a life time experience. They whip around the corners, skimming over the surface of water, grass, and stop so you can get shots of gators. Just be sure to get a small one - two passenger instead of a big tour bus like one.

Thanks Edward, but this is not the "real" everglades right? This is right near Orlando.
When I looked on their web site it showed the air boat rides, but for the small boat, which I wold rather have it says minimum of 4 people, we will only have 3 people with us, do you know if they would do that? Or would we just pay for a 4th person?
Thanks again Edward for your reply!!!

Terry
tlmair.com

I think they would go with less than four and not charge. You've seen one swamp, you've seen them all they say. I don't know where the everglades offically starts.

Probably be hot and muggy in July.

Another idea is driving over to the coast and visiting Kennedy Space Center.

Also a great book about Florida to read is "The Swamp" (The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise)

Terry - I checked out Wild Florida - look good. Lots of animals to snap. I'll have to keep it in mind next time I'm in the area. It was years ago when we took a few rides down in Everglades. I just remember the smaller boat being more thrilling. Have fun!

There's lots of airboat tour operators. I doubt anyone could corner the words "Wild Florida" . I have been on most of the airboat rides and have led and narrated hundreds of airboat tours. The big ones are fine. Actually they are usually quieter. I like the tours of the St.Johns River best. The one on a lake in Kissimee isOk butnot the best. I think I posted about this in the other thread. Gators don't bask in the sun in July and can be hard to see.
Typical photos would be of a cypress or group of them. Sunsets are nice. Occasionally you can get close to a bald eagle but you still need a long lens. It's a fun addition to the day. If you really want to do serious photography charter a boat for the early morning and tel them what you want to do. But I would do a few commercial ones first.
I recommend the Lone Cabbage Fish Camp on 520 in Cocoa. If the waters are high you can get up in a Cypress swamp.
You will cool down fast but may get slammed with bugs. They give you goggles.

Where's Rich when you need him? He lives in the land of flowers.

Thanks again Edward.

Bradford, I think you did mention places in my last "trip to Florida" thread, which I appreciate, but I read about a place, at least I think it's a place in or near Orlando called Wild Florida, http://wildfloridairboats.com/ so I figured since we will be in Orlando, I would ask about it ahead of time, I know I won't have time to travel to the Everglades, and this looked close to the same, but of course I have no idea not being there. Thanks for your input on the other places, and I recall what you said about gators sunning themselves, or lack of that in July which is partly why I am asking, don't want to waist my time if it won't be good at that time of year.

Chuck, yes but Rich helped out a lot on the last thread with other ideas.

Thanks again to all.
Terry
tlmair.com

I miss the old honky tonk roadside Florida that is disappearing under the thumb of shopping malls and golf courses. My parents are in Fort Myers and recently the Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs closed.

Keep your mouth closed on those airboats!

How odd. I live in Orlando (since 1986) and have never heard of this place. So, I checked out the map on the site. I wouldn't really consider it Orlando. It's about an hour away. More like "Central Florida", which is a pretty broad term/area.

Sounds like fun, http://wildfloridairboats.com/, be sue and wear ear plugs - and if that boat doesn't "slow down" not much by way of taking pictures in a speeding airboat full of people.


Off topic sort of - if you ever do go to Flamingo - in the Everglades - take the canal tour - don't take the bay tour - nothing much out there but water.

I think it's kind of a zoo

http://tripstapix.com/travel/location/wild-florida_216671100

Have never heard of that, but while we were staying in Kissimmee last summer we ventured over to the coast to Cocoa Beach. My wife and son-in-law fished off the pier, while I kicked-back and had a cold a beer from the little open-air bar that was located out on the end of the pier. I was content. :)

Ok I looked it up. It must be fairly recent. That's down on Lake Cypress in Keenansville in Lee County. I wouldn't call that close. But it is a great area. If you go there check out Forever Florida. It is a conservation area and old ranch developed for tours, My friend started it years ago. Not sure who runs it now as they were pretty old. I did tours around there and a favorite photo place. Also there are whooping cranes in the area. One of the few places to see snail kites also. And lots of Osprey nests. When I first went there were no tours at all. Here's the link to Forever Florida. It was started by a retired eye surgeon and gentleman rancher and birder. Great place.
http://foreverflorida.com/overview/

To be honest Kenansville is not where you want to be in July. The heat, skeeters and storms would be insufferable. Like I said before. Go to the beach. Do an airboat ride at the Lone Cabbage or along route 50 early and get on the coast. You can even do Merritt Isalnd NWR and drive through photography. I have other places I can tell you when it gets close.

Wow they are calling this "Orlando". That should be illegal. It like 2 countys over. There are other airboats in St,cloud Kissimmee area on Lake Toho. I guess that would be the closest to the theme parks. I did tours there too. It's Ok but the St.Johns River is the best airboat experience in Central Florida.

Nothing like a "Real Florida" experience on a swamp buggy tour where the tour guide tosses out marshmallows to attract "wild" raccoons over to the vehicle. Yea haw! That was down in the glades.

Also be on the look out for the Swamp Ape! Snap a picture of one of these exotic creatures and you'll be golden. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_ape

Edward I'll be on the lookout for that guy, or gal...how do you tell?

Bradford thanks for the heads up on the time of year, I was afraid of that, some of our friends are down there now, they posted this place on Facebook so I looked it up, but can't tell a lot from a web site for different times of year, probably scrap that idea and stick to the coasts, I think we can make both of them. I wish I could have chosen the time of year, but am at the mercy of the organization.
I will be contacting you in June before we go.
Thanks again to those who helped, it was a lot of help!!!
Terry
tlmair.com

The females are the ones giving you the eye! '-)

So I take it not a lot of males!! :-D

Terry
tlmair.com