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Florida: Kissimmee, Earth-Friendly Family Vacation Ideas -  Lakes,  Airboats, and the Fish That Got Away. Tranquil and welcoming, Lake Tohopekaliga glistened under the mid-morning sun as our group cautiously assembled on the Boggy Creek Airboat dock. Embarking took only minutes as we filed past the young captain, received headsets to protect our ears and stepped aboard. The sun felt comfortably warm; a gentle breeze offered by the lake was ideal; the iridescent white clouds above reflected their demeanor along the water’s edge. It was a million dollar day perfect for an airboat adventure near Kissimmee, Florida.
 
With the mandatory safety issues declared our waiting was over. Our headsets in place the roar of the engine signaled the start of our water adventure. Within seconds we were skimming across the lake weaving between the reeds and lake grass barely touching the surface. The sense of speed was thrilling by itself.  

We spent the next 30 minutes maneuvering between channel markers and circling around floating flower beds. The idea of an airboat is to roar wind-in-your-face, full-speed ahead and then glide in almost stealth mode. When roaring we caused birds to take flight and when gliding we had time for photos. It was the best possible combination.
 
While the roaring was a thrill, the most rewarding part of the excursion was the glide time. Ear caps off, we received a mini nature commentary from our skilled captain. He identified birds, pointed out alligators and alligator nests, provided interesting facts about the lake and its residents, gave us fishing insider tips and explained local lore. We counted turtles; saw a hawk soar above; stared down an alligator; watched fish jump for breakfast and enjoyed the remoteness of the lake. We learned that the word “kissimmee” means long water in the indigenous dialect of the Ais Caloosas and that Florida actually has a hunting season for alligators as well as wild hogs. Everyone seemed to enjoy the moment. No one wanted our airboat time to end.    

Our trip was the perfect airboat introduction, just the right amount of time to make us want to return for more. But is it for families? Absolutely, of course the activity is most thrilling to those who do not have access to an airboat channel in their neighborhood. For parents with safety concerns, not to worry, everyone has a life jacket, the lake is shallow, and each captain must be US Coast Guard certified. I think it is an experience for children between four and 12. It is essential that children are able to listen to the captain and follow instructions. The airboat engine is very loud so wearing head gear is essential. For teens the day excursion may not offer enough thrills but I learned that Boggy Creek Airboats also offers a night airboat excursion, a match for anyone nocturnal. In addition to the thrill of roaring and gliding, the night version is more thrilling because alligators are nocturnal and spend their nights seeking prey. It is wild kingdom in the first-person with the lights off.

As we returned to Kissimmee’s Main Street for lunch we compared our mid-morning airboat adventure with the delightful sunset cruise we had taken the previous evening, same lake yet two very different excursions. The Kissimmee/St. Cloud area is definitely a “Green Spot” in Florida -- secretly wild and simply splendid. It is still true that not far from I-4 Mother Nature still offers many ways to enjoy nature.
 
Make it happen. The Kissimmee CVB website showcases oodles of vacation ideas often with savings.  Many hotels offer transfers to the major attractions either for free or for a small fee. The special family vacation offers change frequently, so to stay in the information loop sign up for the free e-newsletter, checkout Kissimmee on Facebook or follow the latest news on Twitter. See what others are saying about Kissimmee at Kissimmee's blog, i.SeeKissimmee.com and to explore all of the options log on to www.VisitKissimmee.com.
 
Content created by FTF staff and images provided by Kissimmee/ St. Cloud CVB. Copyright 2010
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