| Orlando, Florida is more and more becoming a | | | | enthusiast, you can play a round each day at a |
| mecca for vacationers. There are many reasons | | | | different course for, oh, say about 5 straight |
| for this, and one I want to explore now is the | | | | months, since Orlando has about 150 golf courses |
| sporting or active side of the Orlando holiday. | | | | with all of them reputed to be essentially world |
| Now, talking to a friend recently about sporting | | | | class facilities. Some resorts are just for golf. |
| holidays I almost didn't bring up Orlando's | | | | ChampionsGate Golf Club, for example, provides |
| numerous sporting attractions. He was talking | | | | two 18-hole championship golf courses, said to be |
| about going hiking in the Rockies for a week or | | | | among the best in the US. The resort hosts |
| two. And he also mentioned distance bicycling | | | | several tournaments including the popular World |
| holidays as a great way to spend the summer | | | | Points Father/Son Challenge. But if you're not up |
| (and he meant the whole summer, not just a | | | | to championship play yet, most courses have |
| short holiday!). Marathon running? Sure, why not. | | | | professional coaches to help you improve your |
| (Although even he agreed that running a | | | | game. The city even has six golf instruction |
| marathon is not exactly a holiday. But he did insist | | | | academies that use personalized teaching |
| that when you travel to a city to run a marathon | | | | methods and state of the art equipment. And if |
| you get to visit great cities that you may have | | | | you want a change of pace from big time (and |
| never otherwise seen.) Orlando's active side can | | | | big course) golf, many resorts here also feature |
| include such intense activities, but for the family, | | | | miniature golf courses. For example, one new |
| or for anyone who wants activity but doesn't | | | | adventure style miniature golf course is designed |
| want to feel they're in training for the Olympics, it | | | | as a Hawaiian oasis. Fire and lava pour from a |
| can be ideal. One famous active attraction is | | | | fifty-foot volcano. Hawaiian Rumble Adventure |
| Boggy Creek Airboat Rides. Started by a couple | | | | Golf attracts people with their rhythmic music and |
| in 1994, it's blossomed into one of Orlando's top | | | | sophisticated design. Holes range from beginner to |
| 10 attractions, according to the Orlando Business | | | | advanced, and are thematically designed. There's |
| Journal. They offer high speed airboat rides on | | | | also the Congo River Adventure Golf course |
| Lake Tohopekaliga (or "Sleeping Tiger Lake") a | | | | where you can take the whole family high atop |
| 12,000 acre lake where you can board a | | | | giant waterfalls and rocky summits or deep down |
| 6-passenger or 18-passenger boat and really take | | | | to mysterious caves. You mean you've never |
| off on that lake. Like up to 65 mph. That may | | | | golfed your way through tropical rainforests, |
| not seem so fast on the highway, but in an | | | | jumping over river rapids, and thoroughly enjoying |
| airboat it can thrill you or chill you (both, actually, if | | | | yourself regardless of how high your score is? |
| you go out early in the morning). Speeding along | | | | Well, maybe then Orlando is the place to golf (or |
| on the lake you can glimpse a wide variety of its | | | | mini-golf) like you've never dreamt of. There's |
| wetland birds, such as bald eagles, cranes, egrets | | | | much more to the sporty side of Orlando than |
| and ospreys. Which brings up an important point: | | | | this, but for golf enthusiasts, maybe I've said |
| the airboats virtually float on the water so they | | | | enough and I should just let you make your |
| are less invasive to the lakes plant and wildlife | | | | reservations for this grand, beautiful city. |
| inhabitants than regular propeller driven boats. For | | | | Mark Whichard is an Orlando Vacation Homes |
| something a bit more mundane, how about a | | | | expert. |
| round of golf? Or if you are really a golf | | | | |