Unique Florida Adventures in Orlando, Sarasota, Jupiter & Ocala

There’s so much to do within the state of Florida, especially when it comes to adventure. The state is full of thrilling activities along both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast, in addition to plenty of action within the springs of Northern Florida, and even some surprises inland.

Orlando
Orlando is known, of course, for being home to Walt Disney World. The resorts are mostly based around Disney and visits to the park. Disney is incredible and has a lot to offer adults and children, with special foods around the parks for their 50th anniversary. That being said, there’s so much more to the area than just Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
1200 Epcot Resorts Blvd, Orlando, FL, 32830

Regardless of your price point, Walt Disney World has a really good resort option for you, with shuttles and ways to get to the parks for free, so guests don’t have to worry about paying around $25 to park a rental car. The Swan and Dolphin have been a loyal option for many years, giving visitors comfortable rooms and suites. That being said, if visiting the area child-free, or looking for an adult-friendly option, head over to the brand new Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.

The Swan Reserve just opened up recently and has more of a mature feel with an adult-centric crowd. The hotel still has shuttles over to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom and plenty of incredible restaurants like Amare for Mediterranean cuisine. Their prawns were outstanding, in addition to their excellent flatbreads and salads. If visiting the parks while in town, I highly suggest a park hopper pass and the purchase of the genie for $15. For newer rides, the rules are a little strict, but the genie allows you to look up wait times and reserve your spot occasionally for certain rides. This is a great option that helps to avoid wait times when possible. Plus, with the 50th anniversary going on, there are a lot of wonderful specialty food options throughout all the parks.

Wallaby Ranch
1805 Deen Still Rd, Davenport, FL, 33897

Near Orlando in Davenport, visit Wallaby Ranch about 20 minutes from the Swan Reserve. Malcolm Jones, the owner, will bring guests up for tandem hang gliding flights that generally last around 15 minutes. The weather needs to cooperate, and cloud coverage can’t be too abundant, but if the wind conditions are good to go, riders will head up to the sky, being pulled behind another plane by a tether. Once high enough, the tether is released, and the glider will soar through the sky. Malcolm is even great about letting guests fly the glider planes and experience what it’s like to steer.

Famous Bird’s Underwater Manatee Dive Center
320 US-19, Crystal River, FL, 34428

Guests can actually swim with manatees for about an hour outside of Orlando. The boat will take the small group out and spend time searching for the right area to observe the manatees. Once found, guests will gently and quietly get in the water with snorkels, wetsuits, and noodles to help them stay afloat and out of the manatee’s way while observing them as they graze on the underwater grass and float slowly through the water. The group had a special opportunity to observe a mom and her baby, even seeing the baby nurse.

Williston
It’s a bit of a hike, but a quick stop in Williston to see Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring at 5390 NE 180th Ave, Williston, FL 32696 is an experience you won’t want to miss. Although in an area kind of off on its own, a little bit south of Orlando, Devil’s Den, the prehistoric spring, is worth visiting to experience swimming inside. Whether visitors are scuba certified or snorkelers, they can sign up to view this incredible natural spring, deep within the cave, or simply snorkel at the top to take a refreshing dip in the crystal blue waters.

Sarasota
Sarasota is filled with adventure and has one of the best beaches in the country. It’s an incredible area to soak in the hot sun, swim in the clear blue waters, and find thrilling activities from parasailing to feeding flamingos.

The Sarasota Jungle Gardens
3701 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL, 34234

The Sarasota Jungle Gardens offers a really unique experience. When guests arrive, ask the attendant for food for specific animals, like the flamingo food. As visitors are observing the animals free roaming in the park, they’ll notice the animals are friendly and excited to be fed. The flamingos literally surround guests, interacting with them.

Siesta Key
Explore the local landscapes by laying on the sand of Siesta Key Beach. The sand is so clean and fluffy due to it being about 99 percent quartz. It literally feels like somebody dumped cooking flour all over the beach. It’s incredibly soft, and stays fairly cool, unlike other sand. On the beach, visitors can rent stand-up paddle boards and floats when staying in the condos nearby, like Midnight Cove. Another great option is the Carlisle Inn and Conference Center at 3727 Bahia Vista St, Sarasota, FL 34232 with nice amenities like an outdoor pool to cool off in and a complimentary breakfast.

Parasail Siesta
1250 Stickney Point Rd, Siesta Key, FL, 34242

See Siesta Key beach from a different angle with Parasail Siesta. The fun and peaceful ride will give guests views of the beach and the city from the sky, while possibly seeing dolphins playing in the wake on the boat ride back in.

Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria
27 Fletcher Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34237

Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria is perfect if you’re looking for some Italian cuisine. The burrata Caprese and the meatballs are incredible and don’t forget to save room for dessert like a slice of their sweet pizza.

Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar
Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar is the perfect spot for raw clams, oysters on the half shell, giant Alaskan king crab legs, blackened grouper sandwiches, stuffed oysters, and incredible key lime pie. It’s a super casual spot where you can go to fill your stomach with delicious dishes and a beer after a long day at the beach.

Owen’s Fish Camp
516 Burns Ct #7030, Sarasota, FL, 34236

Owen’s Fish Camp is a great local spot, tucked away from the main strip. The wait can be a little long, but trust me, it’s worth it. They have fresh, locally caught fish served with a sauce of your choice, southern collard greens, cheesy grits, oyster shooters, and other fantastic options. Although their wait times can be long, they have a really nice back patio where they serve fire-roasted oysters with jalapeño butter and drinks, generally with live music, so Owens does a great job of entertaining guests while they wait for a table.

Jupiter
On the ocean side of the state in Jupiter, check into the Wyndham Grand Jupiter At Harbourside Place (122 Soundings Ave, Jupiter, FL 33477). It’s a great location, bringing you within walking distance to a bunch of local shops and restaurants, in addition to nearby adventurous excursions. They also have an incredible pool to soak in the views and cool off after a day of exploring, before heading back up to relax in the room.

Florida Shark Diving
1095 Florida A1A, Jupiter, FL, 33477

One of the most incredible things you can do in this area of Florida is going on an excursion with Florida Shark Diving. Not far from the hotel, Captain John will bring you out into the ocean with his team, including ocean photographers, where guests will get the chance to free dive with sharks and observe them ethically, in their natural habitat. Again, there is no cage for this excursion, guests will simply float at the top and watch as the sharks swim among them. It’s just important to stay calm, and relaxed, and just simply watch without touching them or getting in their way. During the excursion, our group saw bull sharks and silky sharks, but on occasion, they have seen hammerheads and other kinds of sharks, as well.

1000 NORTH
1000 US-1, Jupiter, FL, 33477

After the shark dive, stop at 1000 North. They have amazing crab soup with a drizzle of sherry, jumbo prawns with peanut sauce, and a huge waffle sundae loaded with pretzels, hot fudge, toasted marshmallow, and more. It’s the perfect end to an incredible day exploring Jupiter.

Ocala

World Equestrian Center
8601 SR 40, Ocala, FL, 34482

Ocala has a lot to offer in Central Florida, including plenty of adventure. Check into the World Equestrian Center Luxury Hotel where they have beautiful rooms with soaking tubs, restaurants and cafés right on the property, and views of the equestrian center from many of the hotel rooms.

Nearby, head to Rainbow River and Silver Springs to check out some of the local Florida clear blue springs. They are stunning to see and visitors out in the water can literally see down to the plant life on the spring floor, the wildlife like sea turtles and manatees, and even see the monkeys in Silver Springs. Yes, monkeys. Many people think they originally got there because movies have been filmed on that location, but apparently, they were released by a boat captain as a joke and their numbers have increased since then. Silver Springs (5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, FL 34488) have glass bottom boat tours if guests prefer to see the views while staying dry.

Canyon Zip Line and Adventure Park
8045 NW Gainesville Road (CR 25A), Ocala, FL

The adventure park brings guests through the gorge, zipping over beautiful canyons with views of the river below, before venturing over the swaying Indiana Jones-style rope bridges. Adventurous souls will even end the tour with a repel to the bottom, getting their heart pumping and testing their fear of heights.

For a bite to eat, there are a lot of great restaurants in the area. For delicious shrimp and grits, try Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille at 24 SE 1st Ave, Ocala, FL 34471. The Horse & Hounds at 6998 US-27, Ocala, FL 34482 has tender prime rib, baby back ribs, and beer cheese dip with salty soft pretzels. Swampy’s Bar & Grille at 19773 E Pennsylvania Ave, Dunnellon, FL 34432 right on Rainbow River is a great place to spot with otters and other wildlife while digging into their blackened shrimp or smoky seafood gumbo.