Beyond the Parks Florida Fun Tips | Florida Fun outside of Theme Parks

Summer Fun at Wild Florida

There may be affiliate links in this post. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Are you looking for a way to go on an adventure this summer? You don’t always have to go to the “main” attractions everyone brags about. In fact, you might find that you can have more fun from the comfort of your own car in the air conditioning! Located just outside of Orlando you can find the Wild Florida Safari Park. Read on to find out how you can enjoy the summer fun at Wild Florida!

Summer Fun at Wild Florida - Tips for enjoying the wild florida park with teens in the summer

Wild Florida Gator Park and Drive Thru Safari

Visit Wild Florida Safari to see zebras from the comfort of your car.

Go on a Wild Drive-Thru Safari

Wild Florida has recently extended their drive-thru safari which means you get the chance to drive thru a vast expanse of some incredible animals you don’t want to miss out on seeing! They have a huge selection of animals and they roam freely walking in front of your car or stopping to snack right out the window. Even better, you can enjoy all of this while staying cool and comfortable in your own car. Take the drive-thru safari at your pace and try to spot every animal!

Tips for Having Fun on a Wild Florida Drive-Thru Safari

Go to the bathroom before your safari. – The bathrooms are down a bit from the safari but a restroom pit stop before the safari will let you take things slowly and fully enjoy the safari.
Pack Snacks and Drinks – Drinks and snacks aren’t necessary but they make the experience more fun. Bring your favorite snacks to enjoy as you check out all of the animals.
Make sure to grab a scavenger hunt. – When you check-in at the safari, make sure to grab enough scavenger hunts for everyone. It will help you to know which animals you are looking at. It can also help to have pens to fill this out if you want to.
Clean your windows before you go.- You’re going to want tons of pictures. Make sure to clean your windows so you can get all the shots you really want!
Go early in the day. – As it gets later in the day, animals can hide from the heat. You also run a higher risk of running into a Florida afternoon thunderstorm. Start your morning early and enjoy seeing a variety of animals.

Hand Feed Giraffes

As you exit the drive-thru safari, park and go on a new adventure. Feeding the giraffes only costs $5 per person! Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your kids! You can have fun snapping pictures while feeding a few of the giraffes on the giraffe feeding platform. You may find that you want to come back and experience this more than once as it’s so much fun to get up close and personal with giraffes. Don’t be surprised if your children laugh and scream as a giant giraffe tongue licks them in the process.

Feed birds in the aviary

The aviary is a nice shaded area filled with birds. We bought the bird sticks as part of our feeding package while there and the kids had a blast. Don’t let the picture above fool you. By the end of it, they were holding three and four birds each. One of the girls even took the time to teach a little girl about birds. It was definitely a highlight of our night.

Visit the petting zoo

I’m normally not a fan of petting zoos at any attraction. Wild Florida is definitely the exception to the rule. If it weren’t hot outside, we probably would have sat in this petting zoo with the baby goats for our entire day. The kids just loved getting the chance to interact with so many animals. The large tortoise was also a hit. Whether you bring money to feed them or not, you’re sure to love the petting zoo at Wild Florida!

What about the summer heat?

I’m not going to lie to you. Florida gets HOT in the summer months and it can less enjoyable to be outside. It might be wise to do all your outdoor adventures early in your visit to see the animals and some of the native Florida wildlife and then save your afternoon for the drive-thru safari. You can also stay hydrated by buying drinks there or bringing a cooler full of drinks and snacks in your car. Keeping hydrated is the most important part of your Wild Florida adventure for sure!

Find more Wild Florida Tips and Tricks Here!

Looking to see alligators in Orlando? Here are more places you can find them.

Gatorland – Florida All Day Gator Experience

Mar 4 by Meagan 1 Comment

There may be affiliate links in this post. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

When visiting the Central Florida area, many people will want to see alligators! There’s just something about these larger-than-life carnivores that grabs people’s interest. While you can go to some of the gator experiences in Orlando and spend half a day, there’s one attraction that you can spend an entire day at and still have an amazing time! In fact, you might even find you want an annual pass so you can keep coming back to the gator capital of the world! Let me share more about Gatorland – Florida’s all-day gator experience where you can see thousands of alligators!

Gatorland Orlando - Orlando's All day alligator attraction complete with alligator feeding, zip lining over an alligator enclosure, and over 3000 alligators!

Gatorland – Florida’s All Day Gator Experience

We did receive tickets for the family and a few behind-the-scenes experiences to facilitate this post. However, all views are 100% our own.

Did you know Gatorland has a zipline?

The Screamin Gator Zipline 1200 feet of zip lines flying high over alligator ponds! You can launch from heights up to 65 feet. You can soar across five zip lines ranging in length from 230 feet to more than 500 feet! You can even walk across a swinging bridge over the main walkway. Speeds can reach up to 30 miles an hour! All equipment is included in the price and you can often find discounts on the Gatorland website.

This experience can take up to two hours and requires you to book ahead. Even better, your zip line experience includes park admission to Gatorland for the day which makes it an incredible value!

Inside the Gator Swamp at Adventure Hour Gatorland

You can also get into a gator swamp to hand feed gators!

That’s right! In the Adventure Hour you can pay $10 per person to go behind the fence and feed the alligators. The alligators will be a mere 6-10 feet away from you as you feed them. Even better, there is a guide on hand to answer your alligator questions! This is one of the best-priced animal encounters I have seen at an attraction of its kind in Central Florida!

Alligator at Adventure Hour Gator feeding

You will want to reserve this experience at admissions when you arrive or any time before 12:30 PM. Each group will be given a specific time to arrive in order to maintain safe social distancing. You will also be given gloves to handle the gator food with.

Ask before you leave and you can post for a photo with the gators you just fed. This is an amazing photo opportunity and a memory you won’t soon forget.

What did we think?

My daughter was a bit hesitant at first but soon joined in. There’s something so amazing about being this close to these beautiful animals and getting the opportunity to feed them and learn more about them. I HIGHLY recommend adding this to your Gatorland agenda!

Gator Feeding as part of the Jumparoo Gator Show

There are a variety of shows!

Shows will run throughout the day and offer different focuses on alligators and how they live. Check with Gatorland when you arrive to find out which shows are currently running. Due to current conditions, some shows may be canceled to maintain social distancing. There are three shows that typically run at Gatorland and you will want to check out all of them if you are able as each has its own fun to be had!

Leucistic alligator at Gatorland Florida

Have you ever seen an albino or leucistic alligator?

These unique alligators can be found at Gatorland! In fact, Gatorland owns 3 of the 4 leucistic alligators that are in captivity at this time!

These beauties are believed to be good luck and have a nice shady enclosure where you can cool down in the shade while enjoying these beauties!

Rattlesnake in the Snakes of Florida Exhibit

See snakes up close!

The snakes of Florida exhibit has some incredible Florida snakes you can see as part of your day at Gatorland. These snakes are behind glass and safe but able to be seen easily through the glass. They are definitely worth stopping by to see.

Visit the petting zoo!

I have to be honest. I love the way this petting zoo is set up! While you can feed the animals for an added fee and you can pet all animals, there is a small fence between you and the animals. This gives the animals the opportunity to choose when they are comfortable with interacting and when they would prefer not to. I will say that if you have feed in your hand, you won’t be short on animals coming after your attention. That said, you don’t have to buy feed to enjoy the petting zoo. You will still have an opportunity to pet a few animals.

Alligator Breeding Marsh

One of our favorite areas in the park was the alligator breeding marsh! This area has 60 alligators you can see from this relaxing walkway. Gators large and small are highly visible as you walk along this bridge throughout this 10 acre pond.

You will see quite a few larger gators lounging and enjoying the day in this area. You can not feed the gators in this area but you can enjoy a nice walk or sit on a few of the covered benches in the shade and watch the alligators move around in the water. I know that I found it so interesting to see how they simply float in spite of their large size!

One fun fact I learned while in this area is that the birds pictured above actually coexist with the alligators beautifully. The protection of the alligators keeps predators from going after the bird’s eggs. If you look close at the picture you can see some tiny eggs in that nest! When you visit Gatorland, make sure to look at these nests which you can see from the walkway easily. You might see eggs.

Gatorland Train

For $2 per person, you can ride this Gatorland Express through all of Gatorland and get a tour of the different areas of the park. This is a great option for letting kids cool off on a hot day or as a way to get a different perspective on the park.

Cool off at the splash pad

Are the kids looking to run off some energy and cool off a bit? Don’t forget to make a stop at the Gatorland splash pad! Plenty of fun can be had by the kids in this water play area.

Feed young alligators

For an added fee you can buy feed and use a fishing pole to feed younger alligators. This can be a really fun activity for children. This is a great opportunity for children to feed smaller gators.

There’s even more!

Gatorland has more fun available for you when you visit. There are some opportunities for an added fee such as meet a gator, trainer for a day, and even a stompin’ gator off-road adventure. Within the park, there are restaurants, bird feeding, and a variety of other animals to be seen!

Does Gatorland work with homeschoolers?

I spoke with the amazing people at Gatorland and they shared the following information about their homeschool offerings.

1st option:

Price by age:
3-12 $14
13-18 – $17.50
Adults- $16.00 ($19 with animal food)

Includes:

Admission
Train Ride – Unlimited rides all-day
Animal Chow – 4 croc chow nuggets to feed the Gators and 1 cone for each Child to feed the goats in the petting zoo (does contain peanuts in petting zoo pellets; substitution available upon request)
Free 15-minute education show at 10:45 am

2nd option: Full animal Experience
Ages:
3-12 $15
13-18 – $18.50
Adults – $16.00 ($20 with animal food)

Includes:

Admission
Train Ride – Unlimited rides all-day
Animal Chow – 4 croc chow nuggets to feed the Gators and 1 cone for each Child to feed the goats in the petting zoo (does contain peanuts in petting zoo pellets; substitution available upon request)
Jr Jumparoo – Help us in conditioning the 2-5-year old gators to jump out of the water for food. You will receive 1 fish on a pole (larger options available)
MAX of 120 students ^^
Free 15-minute education show at 10:45 am

3rd option: Science and Animal Education

Ages:
3-12 $17.50
13-18 – $21
Adults – $16.00

Includes:

Admission
Train Ride – Unlimited rides all-day
Education Show – a private 45-minute show that talks about all native and exotic species. At the end of the show, they will have a hands-on experience with 1 of the animals.
Chaperones are FREE Show starts at 11:15 am

Add-ons:
Snake and Gator family photo: $5+ tax per 4×6 photo -or $17 for a USB – Max of 15 people per photo Meet & Greet: $5+ tax per person

Come meet a 3-year Alligator and a few of his friends. You will be able to hold them and ask questions. This option will last up to 30 minutes and is also limited to a max of 75 people. Larger groups will require split times.

Grunt Package: (admission included)

●Child (ages 3-12) $26.99 + tax
●Child (ages 13-18) $30.49 + tax
●Adult $31.99 + tax Package includes: Admission, Train, a pack of croc chow to feed the Gators and get your picture with a LIVE 6ft – 8ft Gator after the Legends show – PHOTO INCLUDED

Check out our Gatorland Florida experience

Looking to see alligators in Orlando? Here are more places you can find them.

Is there a gift shop at Gatorland?

There is a very large gift shop with a variety of items to purchase.

Does Gatorland have white alligators?

Gatorland owns 3 of the 4 leucistic alligators that are in captivity at this time! There isn’t a white gator swamp but there is an area where you can see the leucistic alligators.

Best Mini Golf Courses in Orlando

Feb 18 by Meagan Leave a Comment

There may be affiliate links in this post. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Over the last few weeks, our family has had a lot of fun visiting some of the Orlando mini golf courses. It is a socially distant activity that is outside so we were able to feel safe while having fun. Many of the attractions in Central Florida offer a ton of fun but we loved the competitive side of mini-golfing. After visiting multiple locations we wanted to share the ones we consider the best. Check out the best mini golf courses in Orlando based on our experiences.

Best Mini Golf Courses in Orlando

Which mini golf courses are best?

Everyone will look at it in different ways. For us, it would definitely fall in the below order.

Congo River Mini Golf
Pirate’s Cove Mini Golf
Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf
Winter Summerland Mini Golf
Lost Caverns Adventure Golf

Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Miniature Golf

Fantasia Gardens is located on Disney property and is a Disney-owned mini-golf course. The course is themed to Disney’s Fantasia movie. You will find differing obstacles, water features, and other fun interactive experiences throughout the course. Here are a few things to know about Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf.

Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf Pricing – The course is $14 for adults and $12 for children 3-9.
Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf Hours – 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Hours may vary. Be sure to check their website.)
Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf Difficulty – There are two courses available. There are a family-focused simpler course and a more intense golf-styled course that is a small version of golf with things like sand traps, bunkers, and water hazards. The simpler course is family-friendly and will be able to be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf Theming – The theme is Disney’s Fantasia movie so you will see a variety of features focused on different elements from the movie. You can enjoy this course and a view of Hollywood Studio’s Tower of Terror from the course.
Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf Amenities – There was a small Disney gift rack at the entry. Otherwise, there were no additional amenities offered.

What did we think of Fantasia Mini-golf?

We went during covid protocol so there was a short wait to enter in order to maintain social distancing. However, everything was clean, and felt safe. The course is very well-themed and we really enjoyed the experience. There was just something special about golfing right near the Hollywood Tower of Terror.

If you love Disney, this is definitely a course you won’t want to miss out on!

Winter Summerland Miniature Golf

Winter Summerland is located on Disney property and is a Disney-owned mini-golf course. The course is themed to Winter meets Florida Christmas. You will find differing obstacles, water features, and other fun interactive experiences throughout the course. Here are a few things to know about Winter Summerland Mini-Golf.

Winter Summerland Mini-Golf Pricing – The course is $14 for adults and $12 for children 3-9. (Course is currently closed as part of covid closures. Check their website for updates. )
Winter Summerland Mini-Golf Hours – 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Hours may vary. Be sure to check their website.)
Winter Summerland Mini-Golf Difficulty – There are two courses available. They are both about the same level of difficulty. These courses are designed to be family-friendly and can be enjoyed by a variety of ages.
Winter Summerland Mini-Golf Theming – The theme is around a Winter wonderland. One course will focus on a more traditional Christmas with snow and ice. The other is a Florida Christmas with sandcastles and Santa in a bathing suit.
Winter Summerland Mini-Golf Amenities – There was a small Disney gift rack at the entry. Otherwise, there were no additional amenities offered.

What did we think of Winter Summerland Mini-golf?

This course was fun to play through and offered some fun theme elements that add to the experience. The course is challenging enough to be fun but not so challenging that younger players won’t have fun. Everything was clean and well maintained.

Pirate’s Cove Miniature Golf

Pirate’s Cove offers two courses focused on pirates. Both courses are themed to a pirate adventure. However, each course will look different and challenge you in different ways. This course adds in historical elements and tells you more about the stories of different pirates. This course has two sides and is sure to be enjoyable for many people.

Pirate’s Cove Mini-Golf Pricing – The course is $14.50 for adults and $12.95 for children 4-12. Sometimes this course will have Groupon pricing available. It can help to watch Groupon for discounts.
Pirate’s Cove Mini-Golf Hours – 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Hours may vary. Be sure to check their website.)
Pirate’s Cove Mini-Golf Difficulty – There are two courses available. Each course will have a different level of difficulty both as a course and for the physical exertion required when walking it.
Pirate’s Cove Mini-Golf Theming – The theme is focused on pirates and you will find signs throughout telling you the story of a few famous pirates. Read these to yourself before reading them aloud to younger children. (Some pirates do die or have affairs. If this is a theme you don’t want younger kids to know, don’t read those signs to them.) The course itself has pirates, a ship, and more that is sure to be fun for anyone.
Pirate’s Cove Mini-Golf Amenities – There was a small gift shop, snack machines, and a variety of good seating options at this location.

What did we think of Pirate’s Cove Mini-golf?

This course packed in the fun, the history of pirates, and a challenging course. We loved that it had added safety components to make sure the ball didn’t float away down a stream. Some of the handrails near the stairs felt a bit weaker. I definitely recommend taking it slow going up and down the stairs.

This is a really fun course and definitely worth the cost.

Congo River Miniature Golf

Congo River minature golf offers an adventure golf you don’t want to miss! It’s filled with fun elements to add to the appeal of the course. There are even alligators out front you can pay an added fee to feed. There are three locations in the Orlando area that offer fun for the whole family. Even better, there are some added experiences you don’t want to miss.

Congo River Miniature-Golf Pricing – The course is $13.99 for adults and $12.49 for children 9 and under. Sometimes this course will have Groupon pricing available. It can help to watch Groupon for discounts.
Congo River Miniature-Golf Hours – 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Hours may vary. Be sure to check their website.)
Congo River Miniature-Golf Difficulty – There are two courses available. Each course will have a different level of difficulty both as a course and for the physical exertion required when walking it.
Congo River Miniature-Golf Theming – The theme is focused on a plane wreck in the congo and offers a trip through the rainforest, caves, and rocky summits. You will see alligators, mining, and more!
Congo River Miniature-Golf Amenities – There are alligators that you can pay to feed or have a special photo opp with. You can also find mining, paddleboat rides, and even a scavenger hunt to win a variety of prizes!

What did we think of Congo River Mini-golf?

We had an amazing time at Congo River mini-golf. The theming, scavenger hunt, and difficulty of the course add to the fun. Not only can you enjoy a fun course, but you can also enjoy a scavenger hunt while you wait on other players to play through their turn. You can even win discounts on other experiences or discounts on a future visit.

Lost Caverns Adventure Miniature Golf

This course is a smaller course off of I-drive. It offers two courses with two different levels of difficulty. Water runs throughout this course and offers an added obstacle to the experience. This course also includes alligators and is themed to an adventure. Visiting the course will include a new experience for all.

Lost Cavern Adventure Miniature-Golf Pricing – The course is $12 for adults and $10 for children. Sometimes this course will have Groupon pricing available. It can help to watch Groupon for discounts.
Lost Cavern Adventure Miniature-Golf Hours – 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Hours may vary. Be sure to check their website.)
Lost Cavern Adventure Miniature-Golf Difficulty – There are two courses available. Each course will have a different level of difficulty both as a course and for the physical exertion required when walking it. This course involves multiple water features you will have to walk through or over. If you aren’t confident stepping over rocks that are in a stream, it may not be the course for you.
Lost Cavern Adventure Miniature-Golf Theming – The theme is not as easy to see in this one and feels more like a Florida experience with hints of adventure themes added in.
Lost Cavern Adventure Miniature-Golf Amenities – There are alligators that you can pay to feed.

What did we think of Lost Cavern Adventure Mini-golf?

This course is definitely a get what you pay for course. We paid $30 on a groupon for a family of four. It was a fun course and definitely challenged us. We were able to laugh a lot. This course is in walking distance of a few of the new Universal hotels. I don’t recommend spending the money on feeding the alligators as they seemed incredibly apathetic to the hotdogs they were offered.

This is a fun course though and a great way to spend some family quality time.

How to save on Orlando Miniature Golf

Groupon – Groupon is a great way to find discounts on your golf course fees. Some will offer discounted admission. Others will offer group rates or discounted add-ons.
Play the scavenger hunt – If you are hoping to play the course more than once, play the scavenger hunt included in some courses. Some will offer you a discount on a second play-through.
Look for posted discounts. – Some locations will have discounts on a second round of mini-golf on the same course or a different course.

Are there other mini golf locations in Orlando?

There are other golf locations in Orlando. Universal Orlando has a mini golf course as well as a few other offerings. We did not include them because we have not visited these locations at this time. We will update this post if we are able to visit any of these locations in the future.

Looking for more Orlando fun! Make sure to visit Wild Florida, Universal Orlando, or Disney!

Wild Florida Gator Park and Drive Thru Safari

Go on a Wild Drive-Thru Safari

Tips for Having Fun on a Wild Florida Drive-Thru Safari

Hand Feed Giraffes

Feed birds in the aviary

Visit the petting zoo

What about the summer heat?

Gatorland – Florida’s All Day Gator Experience

Did you know Gatorland has a zipline?

You can also get into a gator swamp to hand feed gators!

There are a variety of shows!

Have you ever seen an albino or leucistic alligator?

See snakes up close!

Visit the petting zoo!

Alligator Breeding Marsh

Gatorland Train

Cool off at the splash pad

Feed young alligators

There’s even more!

Does Gatorland work with homeschoolers?

Check out our Gatorland Florida experience

Best Mini Golf Courses in Orlando

Which mini golf courses are best?

What did we think of Fantasia Mini-golf?

What did we think of Winter Summerland Mini-golf?

What did we think of Pirate’s Cove Mini-golf?

Congo River Miniature Golf

What did we think of Congo River Mini-golf?

What did we think of Lost Cavern Adventure Mini-golf?

How to save on Orlando Miniature Golf

Are there other mini golf locations in Orlando?

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