Tuesday, May. 01, 2012

Go Play Outside

Many travelers only associate Orlando with its iconic theme parks, travelers who venture outside the park gates will discover a slew of other fun ways to spend a vacation. Ziplining is a popular activity: outfits like Zip Orlando and Gatorland, which calls its ride the "Screamin' Gator," let you sail between the trees over alligators and other wildlife. And then there's the Rattlesnake, which Kim Orlando, author of the blog TravelingMom.com, describes as "next generation ziplining." Part of Forever Florida's EcoSafari offerings, the Rattlesnake is billed as a "zipline roller coaster" that launches from 65 feet in the air and sends the rider sailing on a 20 mile-per-hour ride.

If you want an adrenaline rush and the weather's not cooperating, iFly Orlando has indoor skydiving — the trick is a vertical wind tunnel.

Want even more altitude? Mauiva Air Tours lets you get a birds-eye view of greater Orlando with airplane tours. Ever wondered what the Magic Kingdom looks like at 1,100 feet? This is your chance to find out. Mauiva also offers sunset flights, along with nighttime tours so you can watch the nightly theme park fireworks displays from a completely different perspective.

If you're not quite sure what you want to do, check out the Orlando Adventure Collection, a group of nine companies that coordinate all kinds of outdoor adventures, from swamp airboat rides to skydiving (the outdoor kind).