| When you visit Orlando you should definitely visit | | | | which company you choose. There are several |
| some of the amazing theme parks and other | | | | airboat operators using the St. Johns River and |
| attractions that have made this area a tourist | | | | other popular locales for the airboats are Lake |
| Mecca. However great the theme parks are the | | | | Kissimmee and Lake Toho. |
| natural attractions of Central and Southern Florida | | | | You can ride for 30 minutes or book a longer ride |
| are not to be missed. One of the best ways to | | | | up to 90 minutes. The cost currently around $45 |
| get a first hand experience of the beauty | | | | for a 90 minute ride, but you can check with the |
| provided by Mother Nature is to take a ride on | | | | airboat companies to get the exact cost. In case |
| the airboats along the headwaters of the | | | | you are wondering, most of the airboat company |
| Everglades. | | | | points of departure are within a one hour's drive |
| There are a few agencies in the Orlando area | | | | from Orlando, so they are not out of the way. |
| that will book your rides in an airboat and at the | | | | If you would like to try out an airboat, then here |
| end of the article you will find a good list of the | | | | are a airboat operators that you can contact: |
| most important operators. However, in case you | | | | Old Fashioned Airboat Rides of Christmas, Florida |
| are wondering what we mean by an "airboat" | | | | provide 90 minute guided tours on the St. Johns |
| then let me fill you in on the details. | | | | River. They feature both day and night rides, but |
| Airboats are vehicles that do not penetrate | | | | reservations are required for all of the rides. |
| deeply in the water and thus are able to navigate | | | | Christmas, Florida is 45 minutes from Orlando and |
| in shallow marshy areas. They have big propellers | | | | only 15 minutes from the Kennedy Space Center. |
| in the back and in the smaller boats six people | | | | You can call them at 407-568-4307 for more |
| and a pilot sit on the deck. In some of the larger | | | | information. |
| boats as many as thirty passengers can enjoy | | | | Boggy Creek Airboat Rides located at 2001 East |
| the ride through the swaps, marshes, lakes and | | | | Southport Road, Kissimmee, Florida take pride in |
| rivers of Central and Southern Florida. | | | | being "Orlando's closest airboat tour" and they |
| The big attraction here is to view all the birds and | | | | offer six passenger airboat rides. Their boats glide |
| animals that make their home on these | | | | through the Central Florida Everglades and in |
| waterways. Keep your eyes open and you will | | | | addition to the 30 minute daytime rides, they also |
| see many species of birds as well as turtles, wild | | | | feature sixty minute nighttime airboat rides as |
| turkey, wild boar and alligators. Seeing an imitation | | | | well. Call them at 407-344-9550 to make your |
| alligator in Disney World is one thing, and seeing a | | | | reservation. |
| real alligator in the water next to your boat is | | | | There are several more airboat operators in the |
| another experience altogether. For those who live | | | | Orlando area and you can find them in the local |
| in Florida, alligators are no big deal, but for visitors | | | | yellow pages as well as online. If you love nature |
| like me and you, it is something to talk about | | | | and wildlife and want a unique experience, then |
| when you get home! | | | | set aside some time to ride on the airboats when |
| The routes of the airboats vary according to | | | | you visit Orlando. |