Let’s be honest, most of us taking a trip to Orlando are there for the twin delights of Disney or Universal, with a bit of sunbathing and shopping thrown in.
But you’d be foolish not to include at least one non-theme park thrill during your stay, and we highly recommend an airboat ride on the St John’s river.
Why take an airboat ride in Florida?
It’s exhilarating, and you can get up close and personal with the wildlife of the Everglades.
Our lunch break on a muddy bank left us stunned – as one by one the ‘gators came to see what was going on. Staring eyeball-to-eyeball with one of the world’s greatest predators is a chilling and thrilling experience.
There are dozens of companies to choose from – so many that you fear the river will be overcrowded and feel just like the theme park you’ve escaped for the day.
But amazingly it’s not – and the experienced pilots know exactly which backwaters will give you the chance to stop and watch to see what happens.
We chose Captain John of Old Fashioned Airboat rides, and I admit I was a little worried as I was handed my ear defenders and given a short safety briefing.
Just how fast was this thing going to go, and was I going to fall off and get a little too close for comfort to one of the denizens of the swamp?
Fast, furious and fantastic fun
After a gentle meander through the narrow waterways near the meeting point we reached more open water and I soon found out!
Yes, it was fast (up to 35mph).
Yes, it was noisy (even with the elegant earmuffs)
But it was fantastic fun!
The boats skim across the open water, but can also scoot over mud banks and grassy areas – and that’s where it really gets interesting.
Cutting the engines, you drift into shady lagoons or sit still on a mud bank and just wait.
What wildlife will you see on an airboat ride in Florida?
Each 90-minute ride is different. The captains use their vast knowledge of the area to take you to the best places depending on the time of year, time of day and weather conditions.
As this is nature wild and free there are no guarantees, but we were lucky to see a bald eagle, dozens of wading birds and black skimmers.
And as we stopped for a quick snack, a whole posse of alligators appeared slowly, bobbing up one by one, in the water in front of us.
Of course, it’s safe (ish) but it felt like one false move, and we’d be on the menu!
Where are the best airboat rides in the Everglades?
If you choose one of the smaller outfits for your trip, you will need to make direct contact to arrange where and when to meet.
If your party is less than four you may have to share your ride, but most of the boats seat only 6 or 8 people, so you are guaranteed a great view.
One of the best areas is over near the Cape Kennedy space station, and going early in the day or at dusk usually means more wildlife.
But whenever you go, you are guaranteed a thrill that challenges even the best roller coaster.
And you get to see alligators. Lots of ’em
Looking for an airboat ride in Florida? Visit Florida lists more than a thousand operators! Take a look on their website.
Where to next?
• 13 beautiful and inspiring ghost towns around the world
• Legends of Languedoc
• Global Convoy – on the road to adventure