# Air Boat's, Awesome Beach And A Gator Park?



## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

We're heading to Disney World in a couple of months and I'm looking for information regarding a reputable air boat tour company within a two hour drive of Disney World. Any recommendations from a personal experience? Also, having never been to Florida before, is there a 'must see' beach? And since we are doing the full on tourist thing, how about a 'gator' park too?

Thanks for the suggestions!


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## Jimmie (Jan 7, 2008)

There is a fish camp located east of Orlando about an hour on the way to Cocoa that has Airboat rides that are pretty cool. Haven't been there in a while but I do know that they still have them. If you want to see gators up close, check out Gatorland. It is also located east of Orlando but much closer, kind of between Orlando and Kissimee. I was there a couple of years ago with the local photo club and got awesome pictures of gators up close. As far as a beach, I guess Daytona Beach would be the beach of choice if you've never been to the east coast. Daytona Beach is northeast of Orlando about an hour and half and pretty much an easy drive. Good luck with your travels!

Jimmie


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## Texas Friends (Feb 12, 2006)

Herb,

The beaches I would recomend would depend if you are driving out there or flying into the Orlando area... If you were driving I would recomend the Gulf Coast as you enter Florida... The Destin/Fort Walton Beach area or Pensacola area. I grew up there and the white sugar sand beaches are beautiful!
But since you are coming from California not sure if you are driving or not!

Bryan


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

Jimmie said:


> Herb,
> 
> The beaches I would recomend would depend if you are driving out there or flying into the Orlando area... If you were driving I would recomend the Gulf Coast as you enter Florida... The Destin/Fort Walton Beach area or Pensacola area. I grew up there and the white sugar sand beaches are beautiful!
> But since you are coming from California not sure if you are driving or not!
> ...


Hi Bryan, I forgot to mention we are flying. We have a rental car lined up for two days kind of in the middle of the trip so we can check out some local sights. The Kennedy Space Center is a possibility too. Are there any of those white sugar sand beaches nearby?


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## AK or Bust (Nov 22, 2010)

Herbicidal said:


> Also, having never been to Florida before, is there a 'must see' beach?
> 
> Thanks for the suggestions!


For beaches, I highly recommend going to Honemoon Island State Park and then taking the ferry to Caladisi Island for the day. Very beautiful natural beaches and was rated as the number one beach in the nation in 2008. There's also hiking trails in both parks. There's concession stands at both parks and they are very well maintained. Not far from Orlando and you also have a good chance of seeing dolphins on the ferry ride.

If you decide to go to Caladisi, I recommend you read "Yesteryear I lived in Paradise: The story of Caladisi Island" by Margaret Sharrer. One of my favorite books about the family that homesteaded the island in the early 1900's.	A great book even if you don't visit the island. I kayak around that area a lot and one thing that stands out in the book is where the 9 year old girl would row a boat across the bay to the city of Dunedin by herself to go school. It's quite a distance. If she didn't return, her dad would assume that she stayed in town because the weather was poor. Things sure have changed in the last hundred years !

If you want to see gators, go north to Silver River State Park (great campground btw) and rent canoes and go up river to Silver Springs. I guarantee You'll see dozens of gators sunning themselves on the banks along the way.

Enjoy your Florida trip.


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

If ya want to go to Kennedy Space Center , there are several nice beaches all along that coast . Just keep driving past Kennedy and there are several there that you will run into .
Alligators in the wild will be all over Kennedy , sorry that I can not remember the name of the road , but off of Rt. 3 , in that area is a dirt road along the river that is loaded up with Gators . I am going to New Smyrna tomorrow and will try to find that name . Lots of beaches and gators between Kennedy and Titusville . Also New Smyrna has a nice beach . As I lived in Daytona for 60 some years I stay away from that beach . I remember it as it was when they were racing on the beach and now its loaded up with Yankees and other low critters .


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

Thanks *AK or Bust* and *Sunnybrook29* for the 'local' info! So many choices, so little time.


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