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The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I had a close call in alligator capital of the world with fantastic resort, great activities & €291 Aer Lingus flights
WHEN you think of a holiday to Florida you conjure up images of rollercoasters and incredible rides galore — but what if I told you that adrenaline junkies can get their fix outside of the major theme parks? With my bags packed to the brim and waivers signed, I hop on an Advertisement 4 Lauren enjoyed a night-time paddleboarding session with Epic Paddle Credit: 4 Before a close call with a gator 4 The Ritz Carlton is a great resort that's more than two times the size of Dublin's St Anne's Park Credit: PR Handout image I've been to The closest I get to After a not-so-early night at the five-star Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes Often called 'the Alligator Capital of the World' Gatorland is a 110-acre wildlife and theme park located just south of Advertisement READ MORE IN TRAVEL The park is not only a After meeting the team, I get suited and booted for ziplining with a major twist. The Screamin' Gator Zip Line does what it says on the tin as I hold on for dear life 1,200 feet above alligators and crocodiles. Delighted with myself, I decide it's time to relax for a bit while looking at the reptiles from a very safe distance. Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN Breaking But I am so wrong. Next up, it's off to venture into an alligator pit for feeding time. As Gatorland's Brandon Fisher closes the gate behind us he shouts: 'Bogie, Turnpike, Buddy… let's go, let's go!' And like a scene from ADVENTURE RIDE I put my hand into a bucket of chicken legs and hope that the gators would be more interested in those ones over my own. Advertisement After all that excitement, it's now off to the Stompin' Gator Off-Road Adventure ride, and a 12-foot-high custom-made monster truck takes us around the swamps and we meet some wacky characters on the way. After working up an appetite, we go to the on-site cafe to try some gator bites. They are surprisingly nice and At this point, Brandon is quick to let us know that we aren't eating Turnpike's friends. The gator bites are actually shipped in from elsewhere. We leave Gatorland and head for a guided airboat ride through Orlando's wetlands. Advertisement The Spirit of the Swamp trip is an excellent whistle-stop tour of Florida's Everglades — Captain Dale helps us search for gators in the wild and we spot a rare bald eagle sitting in a tree on the way back. The next morning the group head to Harry P Leu Gardens for the Origami in the Garden experience. SPIRIT OF THE SWAMP The outdoor exhibition showcases over 20 monumental metal sculptures inspired by the The unique sculptures, crafted from aluminum, bronze and steel, bring to life intricate designs of butterflies, ponies and winged horses and celebrate themes of transformation and harmony with nature. Advertisement And as we walk through the serene spot that feels like Snakes — as they rustle through the grass near the trees. We also spot baby turtles having some fun in the sun on a lake. In the evening, we dine at Russell's on Lake Ivanhoe before a night-time paddleboarding session with Epic Paddle. Advertisement With blue and red lights on our boards, we tread water in the dark passing under city bridges and take amazing photos. Afterwards, we go back to the Ritz Carlton's Club Lounge for a few Whispering Angels to finish up the day. RESORT PERKS Born and raised in North Dublin, I feel like Annie staying in Daddy Warbuck's house for a few days. With its own waterpark, luxury swimming pools, golf course, spa with a robot masseuse, fishing, bikes, tennis courts, pickleball, falconry experiences, eco-tours, sunrise safaris and top restaurants, you don't need to leave the resort that's more than two times the size of Dublin's St Anne's Park. Advertisement But there's one activity I'll remember forever — kayaking at the resort's beautiful Shilling Creek. After a trial run on land, our activity leader warns that we might meet 'Mrs Margaret' — a six-foot alligator that hangs around the creek. At this point, I think that Margaret is like the Boogieman, either she didn't exist or we wouldn't see her. But I was wrong again. I hop in the boat and float downstream. All is going well until I start to head for the marsh and get stuck. Advertisement FACT FILE GET THERE: Aer Lingus operates daily flights from Dublin to Orlando International Airport. Fares start from €291pp each way as part of a return journey, including taxes and charges. STAY THERE: The Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Hotel May rate for standard RC room €476.01 (incs Club access). DO THERE: Try paddleboarding with Epic Paddle Adventures: €55 ($65) Take a spin on The Orlando Eye: €25 for an adult ticket online ($29.99). A day ticket for Gatorland to see Turnpike and his pals: €29.82+tax ($34.99+tax). Ziplining price includes full day in the park: €59.66 ($69.99+tax) per person. Spirit of the Swamp airboat ride — one-hour private airboat tour: €46.88 ($55pp). Harry P. Leu Gardens, adult ticket: €12 ($15. Trying not to panic, I hear a big splash. I hit 'Mrs Margaret' with my kayak. In mating season. She freaks, and ventures under the water. At this stage, I think I'm a goner. The kayak moves downstream, and I don't know where Margaret is until I see her in the flesh on the other side of the creek as if nothing had ever happened. Maybe my late granny Margaret was with me. I am just lucky I didn't meet her pal, 'Dinosaur', on the golf course. While it was certainly a trip I'll never forget, I'll leave you with this advice: 'How do you know there's an alligator in the water in Florida? If it's wet, then yes.' Advertisement 4 Lauren went to Gatorland, a 110-acre wildlife and theme park
Boston Globe
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Weird and wonderful Sunshine State hot spots
Devil's Millhopper — That sinking feeling The deepest point in Florida is a water-filled sinkhole called 'the Mystery Sink,' about 150 feet around and an estimated 500 feet deep. It sits at the north end of Orange County, close to Interstate 4, and is off-limits to tourists. But for the sinkhole-curious, there's Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park ( Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Researchers have discovered sharks' teeth, marine animals, and fossilized remains of extinct land animals here. Current wildlife includes the fox sparrow, gray treefrog, and golden-banded skipper — residents of an 'incredible ecosystem rarely found elsewhere in the world,' according to the park's website. Advertisement They've added lots of features since Gatorland opened as a roadside attraction in 1949, but it's all about the alligators. They're the true stars here. It's Florida-funky, and a whole lot of fun. Gatorland Gatorland — The OG O-town attraction As Orlando's theme parks become increasingly high-tech and glossy, there's something reassuringly timeless about Gatorland ( Opened in 1949 as a roadside attraction, Gatorland became famous for shows like the Gator Jumparoo, in which the animals lunge for lunch (snatch their snacks?) — pieces of raw chicken suspended above the water. That, friends, is solid gold entertainment. Advertisement Over the years, they've added a free-flight aviary, a petting zoo, animal shows, the Screamin' Gator Zip Line and the Stompin' Gator Off-Road Adventure (very Florida, very fun). Props to this place for surviving the onslaught of Disney and Universal, and for keeping this old-school attraction going (and charging $35 per person, instead of $100+ bucks, the price of a single-day ticket at one of the biggie parks). Come for the mermaid show, stay for a swim, a riverboat cruise, or a paddle in the Weeki Wachee River. And if you want to be Ariel for a Day, sign up for mermaid camp. Florida's Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau Weeki Wachee Springs State Park — See a mermaid, be a mermaid Mermaids! Florida's got 'em. (And we're not talking about West Indian manatees mistaken for mermaids by homesick sailors, although Florida's got manatees too.) Since 1947, generations of Mermaids of Weeki Wachee ($13; Cool as the mermaids are, the water they splish-splash around in is remarkable, too. The aquamarine springs of the Weeki Wachee River are a portal to the deepest-known freshwater cave system in the country, with new passages discovered by divers in 2007. Visitors can swim in Buccaneer Bay, take a river boat cruise, or paddle the Weeki Wachee River down the spring run. Not to mention, there's Sirens of the Deep mermaid camp, and a junior mermaid camp for kids ( You might say Linger Lodge has got game — the decor here is taxidermy. You'll also find alligator on the menu. Someone at the table should order their Deluxe Bloody Mary — it may or may not include frog legs. Linger Lodge Linger Lodge — Where you bite the gator This may be the most 'Florida' place in all of Florida. Set on the northern bank of the Braden River near Bradenton, Linger Lodge ( Advertisement Some of these critters — fresh, not road kill — also appear on the menu. Think frog legs, alligator bites, and alligator chowder. Alligator is also served as an entrée; the locally caught wild meat is marinated in buttermilk and spices and served deep-fried, grilled, or blackened. The menu also features more typical Florida fare like grouper and fried green tomatoes. Their Deluxe Bloody Mary is an eye-popping concoction garnished with crab, shrimp, and frog legs, or whatever else the chef fancies. In a landscape of franchised restaurants, this one-off is worth seeking out. 'It's a slice of Old Florida, tucked away from the hustle and bustle,' says Lori Kizer of Old Town, Fla. 'And the food is tasty. It's a true escape.' Forget the Psychic Fair at Salem's Haunted Happenings — in Cassadaga, Fla., you can consult with a psychic any time. People travel from around the world to meet with this community of spiritual mediums and healers. And the fairy trail in Horseshoe Park (shown here) is really cute. Handout Cassadaga — They knew you were coming File this one under 'unique,' not weird; we don't want to disparage anyone's beliefs. Welcome to Cassadaga, the 'Psychic Capital of the World.' Dotted with charming Victorian-era buildings, Cassadaga is home to the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association ( Advertisement Delve into the mysterious realm of Cassadaga on a historic tour. Or take an after-dark tour — it's like a ghost tour, if you've ever done that — to encounter manifesting spirits. For sheer cuteness, don't miss the Cassadaga Fairy Trail in Horseshoe Park. Possum Festival — For a marsupial moment The town of Wausau in the Florida Panhandle (population: about 400) is the self-proclaimed 'Possum Capital of the World,' with more possums than people, they say. We're talking opossums (possum is the colloquial term), not the possums found in Australia. The town is home a 12-foot monument honoring the possum, an important food source in this rural area during the Great Depression. Unveiled in 1982, the monument stands along Highway 77. The folks of Wausau celebrate this furry marsupial every year, for 55 years and counting, with the Possum Festival ( We're out of space, but there's more — so, so much more! And if you encounter something delightfully, unabashedly odd on your next trip to the Sunshine State, we'd love to hear about it. Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at
