Explore a Different Side of Kissimmee, Florida

Kissimmee, Florida, is more than just roller coasters. Family travelers can explore its nature’s playground side this year and experience glassy waters, blooming wildflowers and sandhill cranes crossing trails. Here’s how:

Florida’s Wild Waters

Skip the theme park lines and head for the Everglades, where airboats slice through the marshes to spot alligators basking in the sun and egrets lifting in flight. Reputable operators include Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures; Wild Florida; and Shingle Creek, a dream for kayakers with moss-draped tunnels.

© Experience Kissimmee

Scenic Trails

Trade city streets for wooden boardwalks and oak-canopied trails at places like Disney Wilderness Preserve, more than 11,500 acres of protected land with blooming wetlands and longleaf pine forests. Or take a horseback ride through Kissimmee’s open prairies with Lazy H Ranch.

© Experience Kissimmee

Florida’s Wildest Locals

There is a wealth of fascinating wildlife in Kissimmee, including gators, panthers and capybara. At Gatorland, adventurers zip line over gator-filled marshes, while birdwatchers will enjoy a more laid-back time at Kissimmee Lakefront Park spotting native species in their natural habitats.

A Fisherman’s Paradise

Maybe you prefer a rod and a reel? Trophy bass fishing awaits at Lake Tohopekaliga, aka Lake Toho. Chase the catch or just catch the sunset, but either way, enjoy a peaceful retreat from the every day.