Best Things to do in and Around Central, FL
In Buffalo, NY, where Scuba Jay is from, winters are long. And this winter has been longer than most. So I decided to get out of town for a few days to get some sun and warmth and scratch my diving itch. I have an old family friend who lives in Mims, Florida that I thought it was high time to pay a visit.
Never heard of Mims you say…well neither had I. It is in Central Florida, or what is referred to as the “Space Coast” due to its close proximity to the Kennedy Space Center. Join me as I head to destination unknown and we’ll see how it is…
Location
Mims is located on the East coast, close by Cape Canaveral (more on that later). It is nicely situated for some ocean and inland diving, as well as tourist attractions like the Kennedy Space Center, Disney World and Universal Studios (Drive time from Mims to Disney and Universal is about an hour).
Getting there
For our trip, we flew into Orland, MCO. From there it is about a 45 minute drive to Mims. Other options to get there include Orlando Sanford International, SFB (about a 40 minute drive to Mims), Daytona Beach International, DAB (about a 45 minute drive to Mims) and Melbourne International, MLB (about a 60 minute drive to Mims).
Once we arrived, we picked up our vehicle from Alamo and hit the road. Oh, and we picked a Mustang, you know, to get there a little quicker.
Scuba Diving
Diving in Central Florida gives you a few choices. There is the Atlantic Ocean, inland springs and the Gulf. During our trip we hit two of the three; the Atlantic Ocean and inland springs.
Ocean
We were having some difficulty finding any boats to take us out diving right in and around the Mims area, so we headed down to Jupiter Dive Center in Jupiter, FL. This two hour drive took us out of Central Florida and into the Southeast Coast, but it was worth the trip. Here we were able to do a reef and wreck dive. Please note that these dives had strong current and are typically advanced dives.
For our two tank dives we did the Wreck Trek and Capt. Kirle’s Reef. Both were excellent dives with a wide rage of marine life!
Wreck Trek
The wreck Trek is made up of three wrecks – Zion Train, Miss Jenny and Esso Bonaire – that were sunk on purpose to create an artificial reef. The wrecks are at a depth of about 90ft and can all be swam to in one dive. However, in our case the current was ripping so there wasn’t much swimming required.
This was a challenging dive with the current, especially with trying to get down quick so as to not miss the first wreck. On the Wreck Trek you can see a variety of marine life including barracuda, spotted eagle ray, nurse sharks, sea turtles and various schooling fish. The schooling fish were really hanging around the last wreck of the trek, the Esso Bonaire.
Capt. Kirel’s Reef
Just when I thought the first dive on the Wreck Trek would be the best dive of the day, we went over to Capt. Kirel’s Reef and the day got even better.
Once again the current was moving us along at a good clip. We covered a lot of ground, and in doing so, saw a vast array of aquatic life including schooling jacks, sting rays, lemon shark, angelfish and the largest loggerhead turtles I’ve ever seen. Seriously, I though I was seeing a baby dinosaur. This was a fantastic dive!
The maximum depth at the reef is about 80ft and – like mentioned above – the current can be pretty strong here. For those that get here, you won’t feel like you are diving in one aquarium, but four or five aquariums! Capt. Kirel’s Reef is a must do dive in Jupiter.
I highly recommend diving with the the folks at the Jupiter Dive Center. Our crew was great, well trained, prepared and skilled at keeping us safe and showing us a good time. They offer two and three tank dives and offer just about all the rental gear you could ask for, if you don’t want to bring your own.
Inland
Inland you have some springs to choose from. These include the Blue Grotto and Devil’s Den in Williston, Alexander Springs in Altoona, Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon and Paradise Springs in Ocala.
For our trip we went to Devil’s Den. This is an underground spring inside of a dry cave. For the entrance, you have to descend into the cave via a narrow staircase.
As you descend the stairs the cavern opens up. There is a platform to put on your fins and for easy entrance into and out of the water. Up above, you will notice a hole in the top of the cave where vines hang down. Very Indian Jonesish!
Once inside, you will see stalactites and fossil beds that date back 33 million years. The water is clear and 72 year round. With a maximum depth of 54ft, you should get plenty of bottom time. Make sure to follow rules and do not wonder into the caves leading off of the main cavern, unless you don’t want to return alive.
This was a really cool dive in a different environment. There are nice amenities here also, including a camping area, pool, changing rooms and a shop for any gear rental you may need.
Other Things to do
The issue here is not finding things to do, but rather choosing from an almost endless list of fun and exciting activities. Below are some options for you to check out…although to get them all in you may need more than one trip.
Kennedy Space Center
If you are like me, you are interested in exploration. Usually for me that is under the waves, but space is pretty fascinating too. The Kennedy Space Center has been the heart of America’s space program since the launching of the Apollo 4 mission on November 9, 1967. This complex has seen the launching of the Skylab Space Station, all 135 Space Shuttle missions and now the Artemis Program.
The Space Center is only about a 30 minute drive from Mims, but you’ll want to plan a full day to really take in this amazing site. This includes an approximate two to three hour bus tour to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), launch pads and Apollo/Saturn V Center.
Other highlights at the Space Center include seeing the actual Space Shuttle Atlantis, the Rocket Garden and the Shuttle Launce Experience, where you get to experience an eight-and-a-half minute simulation of the Space Shuttle’s ascent into orbit!
And if you time your trip right, you can even watch a launch from inside the complex at a viewing location. I’d love to return to do just that!
Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld
As mentioned above, Orlando is about a 45 minute drive to Mims. This opens up many of the great parks in Orlando for a fun day trip. The Disney parks (Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom) are always a great time. For Star Wars fans, I highly recommend Galaxy’s Edge, where you can see a Lifesize replica of the Millennium Falcon and drink some blue milk (Star Wars fans will get that reference).
For some “classic” Disney fun, you’ll want to get the kids, big and small, to the Magic Kingdom. This is often considered the main park. It is dived into Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Some of the great rides in the park include Space Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain and , Scuba Jay’s favorite, the Haunted Mansion…”Welcome Foolish Mortals.”
Another great option is Universal Studios. Here you can take a stroll down Diagon Alley or hop a ride on the Hogwarts Express in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or meet Captain America and ride The Incredible Hulk Coaster in Marvel Superhero Island.
Other fun attractions at Universal include eating a Krusty Burger at The Simpsons’ Springfield, U.S.A., listening to a a talking fountain at The Lost Continent, or dare to take the 125ft drop of the Ko’okiri Body Plunge at Volcano Bay.
SeaWorld is great way learn abut some of the marine life you may see during your snorkeling or diving in Florida. Educational and entertaining, you can see sharks – and other marine life – up close in one of the world’s largest underwater viewing tunnels in Shark Encounter, or go on rides such as Expedition Odyssey and Journey to Atlantis.
Take in the nature
Nature lovers will also have many options to choose from including Buck Lack Conservation Area, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, and Chain of Lakes Park.
Beaches
I didn’t forget about you beach lovers. You can visit some popular beaches like Cocoa Beach, Canova Beach Park, Spessard Holland North/South Beach Park, and Playalinda Beach (located in Canaveral National Seashore).
Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum
If treasure hunting is your thing – and who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt – then you might want to take the hour drive South from Mims to Sebastian to visit the Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum.
Step into the museum and learn why the surrounding area of Vero Beach got the name, “Florida’s Treasure Coast.” The Mel Fisher Treasure Museum has on display some of the treasures discovered from the 1715 Treasure Fleet, which was a Spanish fleet returning to Spain loaded with all sorts of valuables that were lost in a hurricane on July 31, 1715. You can even purchase some of the found treasures…if you have the funds! Scuba Jay will just have to keep looking on his diving trips.
Golf
Of courser Florida has no shortage of golf courses. By Mims you’ll want to check out the Indian River Preserve Golf Club. The course has five sets of tees and has a bonus par 3 19th green shaped like the continent of Australia.
Surrounded by nature preserves and peaceful lakes, the Indian River Preserve Golf Club provides all level of golfers with plenty of challenges. FORE!!
Water activities
Finally, there are plenty of other water activities to be found that don’t include scuba tanks. Kayaking (which can also be done as a bioluminescent tour or to see manatees and dolphins), Fishing charters, relaxing sightseeing boat cruises, and exciting airboat rides are all available for an adventurous outing. Hit the water and don’t forget the sunscreen…unless you are going on a bioluminescent tour. you can skip the sunscreen on that.
Wrapping Things up
So there you have it. Scuba Jay was able to getaway from the long Buffalo winter and find some adventure in Central Florida. There really is so much to do and see for everyone there, that one trip is just not enough. I’ll be heading back and hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.
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“How boring would the world be if everywhere and everyone were the same. Safe travels and good adventures.” Scuba Jay
