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PARKS & GARDENS
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BIG TREE PARK
is home to one of the oldest and largest trees in America. This 3,500-year-old,
138-foot (41.4-meter) bald cypress tree is named "The Senator" after Senator
H.G. Overstreet who donated the tree and the surrounding land to Seminole County.
407-788-0405
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BLUE SPRINGS
STATE PARK, located in Orange City, has a 72-degree Fahrenheit (22-degree Celsius)
spring that is home to endangered manatees. The pine forest park also features camping,
hiking and canoeing. 904-775-3663
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BOK TOWER
GARDENS features a 255-foot (76.5-meter) Singing Tower with 57 bronze bells
in the center of the sanctuary set among reflecting pools and winding pathways.
The 128-acre (51.2-hectare) gardens are located on Iron Mountain, the Florida peninsula's
highest point at 298 feet (89.4 meters). 941-676-1408
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HARRY P. LEU
GARDENS boasts 50 acres (20 hectares) including the largest camellia collection
and formal rose garden in the South. Guided tours through a restored house museum,
reflective of the lifestyle of the farmers during the period of 1910-1930, are available.
407-246-2620
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HONTOON ISLAND
STATE PARK in Deland along the St. Johns River invites visitors to discover
its natural wonder and its common inhabitants: alligators, osprey, snakes, turtles,
monkeys, raccoons, deer and eagles. 904-736-5309
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KELLY PARK
in Apopka has many activities for a day of fun and sun including tubing, swimming,
camping, as well as nature trails, volleyball courts, horseshoes and pavilions with
picnic tables and barbecue grills. 407-889-4179
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TURKEY LAKE
PARK offers 125 picnic tables, a three-mile (4.8-kilometer) bicycle trail, hiking
trails, two beaches, a swimming pool, camping areas, a 200-foot (60-meter) wooden
fishing pier, canoe rentals and a petting zoo on its 300 acres (120 hectares). 407-299-5594
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WEKIVA SPRINGS
STATE PARK features many recreational activities on its 6,900 acres (2,760 hectares)
including canoeing, boating, camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, picnicking and
tubing. A dip in the river's cool spring is always refreshing. 407-884-2009
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WILDLIFE REFUGES & ZOOS
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BREVARD ZOO,
located in Melbourne, features more than 400 animals and a walk-through aviary.
"Paws on" provides a unique interactive learning adventure for children
and adults. 407-254-9453
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CENTER FOR
BIRDS OF PREY is one of the state's oldest and largest conservation organizations.
At its Audubon House, visitors view live eagles, owls, hawks and vultures and picnic
at tables provided. An outdoor aviary has 22 species of birds of prey. 407-539-5700
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CENTRAL FLORIDA
ZOOLOGICAL PARK, with 21 acres (8.4 hectares), is part of a 109-acre (43.6-
hectare) forest with palms, cypress trees and oaks. The zoo houses hundreds of native
and exotic animals, including birds, primates, mammals, felines, reptiles and amphibians.
407-323-4450
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DISCOVERY
ISLAND ZOOLOGICAL PARK, operated by Walt Disney World, is an 11-acre (4.4-hectare)
sanctuary inhabited by more than 120 species of animals and 250 species of plants,
including some threatened with extinction. 407-824-3784
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ON THE WATER FRONT
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Fishing
- Largemouth bass, catfish, bream and other denizens of
the deep are waiting to take the bait in the more than 300 named lakes in the Greater
Orlando area. Anglers who prefer the saltwater variety can cast their lines from
piers, the shore or deep sea fishing boats in the West
Coast or East Coast waters that are just under an hour's drive.
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Oceans of
Fun - Sandy beaches, rolling surf and warm, tropical breezes beckon sun worshippers
to the nearby Atlantic and Gulf Coast beaches. Nearby beaches include Daytona Beach,
Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Clearwater Beach, and St. Petersburg Beach.
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Swimming
- Water enthusiasts have unlimited options when they want to swim or skim the water's
surface on skis, airboats, kneeboards or other watercraft in Orlando's lakes.
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Slipping &
Sliding - The area's six world-famous water parks
take guests to new levels of drenching fun as they splash, spin, turn and twist
through the exciting water rides.
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Boating
- From romantic dinner cruises down the St. Johns River, boat tours through Central
Florida waterways and Winter Park lakes to serene houseboat vacations and canoe
rides down winding rivers, visitors can unwind while exploring Florida's natural,
unspoiled beauty.
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