Forever Florida

Forget the Mouse for a moment, take a break from the buffet lines, and immerse yourself into primordial Florida with a journey back in time to a Sunshine State before theme parks and condominiums. Forever Florida is a 4,700-acre wildlife conservation area with nine diverse subtropical ecosystems that are home to alligators and black bears, white-tailed deer and hundreds of species of birds and even the endangered and elusive Florida panther. And for those of you less impressed by the myriad bird-watching opportunities, it's also home to the Rattlesnake: the first zipline roller coaster in the United States. While whizzing through the canopy is undoubtedly thrilling, there is also much to be said for exploring the terrain at ground level, particularly on horseback or in the comfort of the all-ages Coach Safari.