Orlando, Florida is one of the best vacation destinations for families. Sure, there’s Tahiti, Bermuda, Europe- all beautiful places to visit. But the amount of family activities and sights to see in the Orlando area are endless. It’s hard enough for a couple to choose a vacation destination, but add in [...]]]>

Space Shuttle Launch

Orlando, Florida is one of the best vacation destinations for families. Sure, there’s Tahiti, Bermuda, Europe- all beautiful places to visit. But the amount of family activities and sights to see in the Orlando area are endless. It’s hard enough for a couple to choose a vacation destination, but add in a child or two and pleasing everyone becomes next to impossible.

Some people think that if they’ve been to the big theme parks that the Orlando area has to offer, then they have done all that there is to do. Wrong. There are new attractions popping up in the Central Florida area almost every year, even in this economy. Sea World added a new water park this year called Aquatica. Universal’s Islands of Adventure is currently working on a new park within a park called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

But besides the parks, there are so many other things to do in the area. Have you ever been on an airboat ride? An airboat is different from a regular boat in that it hovers above the water instead of sitting in the water. Why this is key is that it allows the airboat, filled with passengers, to take you to places that a boat could not, because of the depth of the water. As a matter of fact, airboats can hover over land, too.

My first airboat ride was awesome. Yes, the engine is loud, but you get earplugs to help diminish the noise. But with hearing somewhat disabled, your other senses become more acute, especially the eyes. And boy, what sights can be seen on those everglades and other wetlands of Florida. I have seen alligators up close and personal, in the wild. I also watched the space shuttle launch from an airboat one time and it was a moment I will never forget. We were surrounded by nothing but nature- no telephone poles or wires, no satellite towers, nothing manmade visible except for the boat we were riding in. And then, suddenly, a blast of light appears on the horizon and you see how far we have come as a species. The contradiction of nature untouched by man and the advanced technology of space flight was a real trip for the mind.

So don’t put off coming back to Orlando because you have been. With airboat rides, Kennedy Space Center, Fort Christmas, Port Canaveral and all of the cruise ports it can lead to, you could come back every year and not see and do it all. And I haven’t even mentioned the beach. Orlando can be your every year vacation destination. It was for my family as a child and I have so many wonderful memories because of it.