- ORLANDO ATTRACTIONS: KAYAK, SPACE, SPRINGS, COWBOYS
Q. My 10-year-old son and I are planning a summer adventure (emphasis on "adventure") in central Florida. We want more than the usual Disney-like tourist options. Any advice for off-the-beaten-track things that would appeal to a young boy (and his dad)?
JP, Falls Church
A. Who needs Disney? Mother Nature can hold her own quite nicely when it comes to special effects, and for a lot less money. At Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, about 35 miles east of Orlando, you and your son can take a NIGHTTIME BIOLUMINESCENT KAYAK TOUR on the Indian River. That's right: You don't have to travel to Puerto Rico to experience this eerie phenomenon, in which organisms in the water emit blue-green lights with each dip of your paddle. A Day Away (321-268-2655, http://www.adayawaykayaktours.com) offers 2 1/2 -hour tours at $32 for adults, $24 for children.
As long as you're in the neighborhood, you could always do the whole Space Coast thing (Kennedy Space Center, 866-737-5235, http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com).
But back to the nature theme: State parks are a great way to experience the real Florida, with all kinds of ways to get wet. At RAINBOW SPRINGS State Park in Dunnellon (352-465-8555, http://www.floridastateparks.org), about an hour and a half northwest of Orlando, there's tubing on the Rainbow River, swimming, canoeing, hiking and bird-watching. Camping is available at $19 a night.
Another option: PLAY COWBOY. One idea is the Westgate River Ranch Resort, just over an hour south of Orlando (863-692-1321, http://www.wgriverranch.com), where the two of you can go horseback riding and attend a rodeo; there's also hiking, fishing, boating and swamp buggy rides. Camping is available, or you can stay in an inn room for about $90 a night.
For more ideas, go to http://www.visitflorida.com or call 888-735-2872.