Sports and Recreation in Orlando

Sports fans, as well as those who crave for other exciting forms of recreation, will not run out things to do in Orlando. Aside from the fact that the city is home to the most famous theme parks in the world, Orlando also boasts of great sports teams and abundant means of recreation for both children and adults. There is something for everyone in Orlando, from couples who want a memorable honeymoon to families who want the best vacation ever. Orlando is all about fun, and you will never run out of things to do here during your stay.

When it comes to sports, the city is famously known for being the home to Orlando Magic, one of the most popular teams in the NBA. The $480-million Amway Center, which will be finished in 2010, is being built to serve as the new playing ground for the team. In the women’s division, the city had Orlando Miracle for the WNBA, who played for four seasons. In 2003, the team moved to the north and became the Connecticut Sun.

Orlando played host to some of the most exciting sports events and conventions, such as the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, the NLF Annual Meeting, the MLB Draft and the MLB Winter Meetings. The city’s Citrus Bowl is a favorite location for numerous sporting events, both local and international. The stadium became the home to football and soccer matches in Orlando. In 2008, it became the venue for Wrestlemania XXIV of the World Wrestling Entertainment, certainly one of the biggest sports extravaganzas in the world.

Of course, no discussion on sports in Orlando is complete without mentioning golf. Orlando is one of the most famous golf destinations in the world, with more than 50 golf courses in the territory. Home to the most exclusive golf facilities such as the Champions Gate International, Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge and Falcon’s Fire Golf Club, Orlando guarantees an exceptional golf experience that will rival those in Europe.

Aside from the usual sports, Orlando provides lots of options for outdoor adventure guaranteed to get you an adrenaline rush. Daredevils will certainly find a lot of things to do here, whether on air, water or ground. The abundance of rivers, springs and lakes in the city is perfect for kayaking and airboat rides. There are lots of air boating tours offered here in Orlando, as well as snorkeling and scuba diving tours. Try Boggy Creek’s Wildlife Safari Tour and Fun 2 Dive Scuba and Snorkeling Tours.

If you want to enjoy Orlando’s breathtaking landscape, then you should definitely try hang gliding. You can go to Wallaby Ranch Hang Gliding Park and avail of their airborne rides, which lasts around 15 to 20 minutes. You do not need any hang gliding experience for this and you can be sure that your ride is safe, because the park will provide an instructor who will guide you through the do’s and don’t of hang gliding. Now if you prefer to stay in the air longer, then a hot air balloon ride is a must-try. You can get great packages for this activity. Aside from the ride itself, you also get free transportation to and from your hotel, as well as complimentary champagne.

For those who prefer to remain on the ground, then there are more activities in store for them. Nature lovers will definitely love the safari-eco tour offered by Forever Florida. If you have a need for speed, then head to the Daytona International Speedway. Famished after the all that driving action? Feast on the sumptuous chow at the Race Rock Supercharged Restaurant or the NASCAR Café Orlando.

Nowadays, Orlando is promoting another facet of its tourism, which targets men. There are lots of activities for guys getaways in the city, and they will never run out of vacation ideas. Those who want to feel like a kid again can check out Revolution: The Off-Road Experience. The guys can ride dune buggies and ATVs and drive across challenging tracks, which feature numerous twists, turns and hill climbs. If they wish to take it easy after a tiring day of off-roading, they can go bass fishing at Revolution’s private lake.

Naturally, no guys getaway is complete without them ogling and drooling at cars. Motor Wheels & More at Old Town is the perfect spot for this. Old Town features displays and car shows which will certainly satisfy even the most discriminating engine-heads. They can have their fill of classic cars at the Saturday Night Cruise, a weekly classic car show, where more than 300 hot cars and motorcycles are on display.

For men who want to combine business with pleasure, they can always head to the golf courses, where they can socialize with their colleagues and clients as they stroll through the greens.

Of course, theme parks are still the most popular recreation in Orlando. Most of the visitors who come to the city line up to get inside Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal Studios. Over the years, newer theme parks and attractions have sprouted in the city, drawing even more visitors from around the world. Aquatic and jungle animal lovers will certainly love going to Aquatica and Busch Gardens Africa. Aquatica is SeaWorld’s water park, which provides you the chance to encounter sea animals up close. Act like a kid again and try the park’s 36 water slides.

For a taste of the exotic, Busch Gardens Africa has a jungle area called Jungala, which features dense landscape and habitats for gibbons, tigers and orangutans. Rides are provided which allows visitors to view the jungle and its towering waterfall from above. The park has recently added two more restaurants, Orang Café and Bengal Bistro.

Fans of the hit cartoon series The Simpsons should not miss going to Universal Studios Florida. The park added a new ride based on the series, which guarantees a whole new adventure experience. Universal Studios also unveiled the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, one of the most technologically advanced roller coasters in the world. This multi-sensory roller coaster allows you to make your own roller coaster experience, where you can choose the special effects, lighting schemes and even the soundtrack.