A visit to Kissimmee, Florida
Confession: the first time I saw an airboat was on the latest season of The Bachelor (my guiltiest pleasure!). I wasn’t quite sure what that silver boat with the giant propeller was, but swampy marshlands did seem a lot more beautiful and worth exploring on one. 
So when Experience Kissimmee reached out and asked if I was interested in learning how to drive an airboat AND try Go-Karting–two things that I’d never done, but that were constantly date activities on The Bachelor —I was an enthusiastic yes. And after recently reading Lauren Groff’s collection of short stories Florida and watching The Florida Project (not exactly a love letter to the area, but an incredible film nonetheless), I was even more interested in having an opportunity to explore a bit more of the state. And so! I popped over to the other side of the country for a jam-packed day of activities that (thankfully!) didn’t include any theme parks.
Driving an airboat
Another confession: I did not expect to love the airboat ride nearly as much as I did. It was a total adrenaline rush! I got to try out the “You Drive” option at Boggy Creek Airboat Rides: not only was it a private tour of the lake with a guide, but I also got to learn more about how airboats work and have the chance to pilot it myself. I don’t think I was the most stellar airboat captain, but we all came out alive, so I’ll count that as a win. A few fun facts about airboats: they were invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1905, the blades can produce hurricane-force winds, it’s a completely flat bottomed boat (so there’s nothing dragging in the water!), and they’re still used as emergency rescue boats across the nation because they can be easily navigated in water, ice and vegetation. And they can go up to 50 miles per hour: it truly feels like you’re flying across the water, even when you’re closer to 20 or 30 miles per hour!
Although the ride was an experience in itself, I was also totally captivated by all of the wildlife we saw: namely, American alligators! There are more than 2 million American alligators in Florida, and around 4,000 in Lake Tohopekaliga. They have such a prehistoric vibe about them, and they’re such masters of camouflage: they blend right into the mud islands and plants of the shallow lake. And they can also hold their breath for several hours: we often boated up next to one just to have them slip under the water not to be seen again. Although there are a lot of opportunities to see alligators in Florida–whether safely in captivity or by surprise in someone’s backyard–it was cool to see them in a natural environment where they’ve been thriving for generations upon generations.
Pro tip: either go for the first or last ride of the day, and don’t forget your sunglasses (a tough lesson learned on my part). Although it’s so still and serene early in the morning, the sunsets are (allegedly) spectacular: I would probably opt for the sunset ride if schedules allow. And even though it was really cool learning how to drive the airboat, I would totally recommend just going on a group ride as well: you’ll get to see all of the same wildlife and be able to enjoy the thrill of gliding across the water at high speeds!
Lunch in Celebration
After a morning airboat ride, I popped over to Columbia Restaurant for lunch. I have to get my full share of plantains in whenever I’m in or neat the Caribbean! Opened in 1905, it’s the oldest restaurant in Florida and well-known for Cuban and Spanish staples. It also has a lovely (and shaded) patio al fresco people-watching.
A stroll around Celebration
After lunch, I took a little walk around the town of Celebration. It was originally built to house workers at Disney World, but it now mostly caters to tourists: there are plenty of condos and houses for families and retirees to rent while visiting the theme park. The highlight for me was sampling a cone of cookie dough: so sugary sweet, but such a fun little vacation splurge!
Driving a Go-Kart
And then on my next behind-the-wheel adventure: driving a Go-Kart! I had actually never been Go-Karting before, and this was such a cool first experience. I’m a fairly cautious driver but I do love a good adrenaline rush, so it was super fun to be able to fire up the gas and see how fast I could go. Although the whole experience is only about seven minutes long, it feels both incredibly long and incredibly slow when you’re actually on the track: you can make your way around the course quite a few times. And it’s even more fun if you’re racing someone!
I was also really blown away by all of the options at Andretti Indoor Karting & Games: in addition to the indoor Go-Kart course, there is a bowling alley, laser tag, a ton of arcade games, an indoor ropes course, and a full-service bar and restaurant. It’s also indoor and air-conditioned, which is a nice respite from the intense Florida heat and sunshine.
Riding a Ferris wheel
And of course, y’all know if I see a Ferris wheel, I am DEFINITELY riding it. I spotted the Orlando Eye from miles away, and figured it’d be the perfect way to round out my day in Florida before heading to the airport. Crazy to see the sprawling Florida landscape from above: all of those trees and lakes and theme parks!
Special thanks to Experience Kissimmee for inviting me to have an adventure in Central Florida!
