Fancy a cheap day out, “how is that possible in Orlando?”, I hear you cry! Well….
If you would love to experience some of Orlando’s most famous wildlife, and when I say wild, I mean it, as these prehistoric creatures are not behind glass.
The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is an 11 mile drive that takes you through some stunning natural scenery with the added bonus of being able to spot not just native wetland birds in their 1,000’s but also gators, we lost count on our last trip and saw easily over 100!
For your best chance of seeing Gators go when the air temperature is above 70, as they will then bask on the banks and be easier to spot.
To get to the drive, it’s best to take the 429 Toll road which can be picked up from either the I4 or HWY 192, from most communities is going to be under an hour to the start of the drive. The full address for your sat nav or waze / google maps app is Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703.
The drive is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with limited facilities which include some porta loos for convivence, which are marked out on the map. Pack some drinks and snacks as once you are on the drive you can’t turn back or buy anything! It can also take a few hours to drive, as you will be taking frequent stops and may even wish to park up in certain areas and explore further on foot. Double check opening hours before you set off!
Following on from this you could go onto Mount Dora, a small ‘old town’ with many restaurants and independent shops to while away a couple of hours.