Day to Night in Kissimmee, Florida: Shake Things Up Outdoors Style

A can’t-miss adventure in Central Florida is bass fishing in Lake Tohopekaliga, which the locals call Lake Toho. At more than 9,000 hectares and part of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, it’s one of Florida’s best-known places to catch largemouth bass. Sign up with an outfitter and feel like a pro as you reel in bass, bluegill, sunfish and crappie. Onshore, take children to the Lakefront Park playground and tour a miniature lighthouse.

Hitting the greens here is a cinch, with dozens of challenging golf courses and world-class resorts in and around Kissimmee. Sign up for private lessons with course pros, or invest in a multiday golf school experience at The Leadbetter Golf Academy at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Put new skills to use on top-rated courses including Falcon’s Fire and Celebration Golf Club.

Saddle up and wander off on a quiet trail ride or take off on a lively adventure at local ranches and riding centers. Make a reservation for a weekday ride at Lazy H Ranch and meander through prairies and oak hammocks near the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga. Several airboat operators take visitors on fast-paced rides, day and night, through swamps, canals, marshes and lakes at the headwaters of Florida’s massive wetlands preserve known as the Everglades. Put on a pair of noise-reducing headphones as the operator glides the flat-bottomed boat over the glassy waters, its powerful engine and propeller encased in a protective metal cage. See tropical birds, turtles and alligators in their natural habitat. Some of the tour operators offer land experiences as well, including parks, trails, restaurants and historic buildings.

Spend a fun-filled day and evening exploring Old Town in Kissimmee. Stay at one of the nearby hotels, and walk to shops, restaurants and amusement park attractions. It’s the perfect setting for the popular Saturday Nite Classic Car Show & Cruise featuring vehicles that are at least 30 years old. If you visit in October, check out vintage and new Chevrolet Corvettes on display for Vette Fest. Throughout the year, get a bird’s-eye view from the Ferris wheel, try to figure out a magician’s secrets, watch movies on the big outdoor screen at dusk on Sundays, enjoy outdoor concerts by an array of musicians and create your own show at Old Town Karaoke.

Fly in to Orlando International Airport (MCO), where you can rent a car or arrange for a ride service to take you the 25-minute drive to Kissimmee. Once here, you're only 10 minutes from Walt Disney World Resort, 20 minutes from Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld^® Parks and Resorts^TM Orlando, and 50 minutes from LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort. You can choose your pick from more than 70,000 local accommodation options including over 50,000 vacation home rentals.