ProRodeo Sports News - March 23, 2018

HOT-AIR BALLOON TOURS If you’d rather get a bird’s-eye view of central Florida, the area offers spectators the chance to rise above the swamps and marshes in hot-air balloons. • Both Orlando Balloon Adventures and Bob’s Balloon Rides share the experience of gliding through the air beneath a hot-air balloon, viewing the wildlife, theme parks, lakes and swamps. Orlando Balloon Adventures typically floats around the southern corners of Walt Disney World. Private charters and shared gondola flights at sunrise are available. • Bob’s Balloon Rides, as others, flies from the treetops to about 1,000 feet, often offering great views of parks, lakes and skylines around central Florida. FISHING With so many swamps and lakes around Kissimmee and the greater-Orlando area, fishing is one of the region’s most popular attractions. And for good reason, with Kissimmee on Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho for short). Lake Toho is known for its bass fishing, with trophy seekers flocking to the region in search of the Big One. • Guided Bass Tours in Kissimmee helps anglers experience Florida’s famous wild shiner fishing for big bass on Lake Toho. • Orlando Fishing Guides , also in Kissimmee, offers fishing guides to multiple area lakes, including Toho. You can also book an airboat tour through the company’s website. There are plenty of other choices if you’re looking for guides, so check out experiencekissimmee.com. GOLFING With more than a dozen golf courses in and around Kissimmee, competitors and fans alike who enjoy taking to the links have plenty of options. With courses designed by Johnny Miller, Rees Jones and Gary Koch, the variations offer challenges to players of all skill levels. • Falcon’s Fire Golf Club (designed by Jones) boasts a 7,000-yard course from the black tees. • Mystic Dunes Golf Club was designed by Champions Tour Player and NBC golf analyst Koch. It received 4.5 stars from Golf Digest . • At Harmony Golf Preserve (billed as the only Johnny Miller Signature Designed Course in central Florida), the course is not only nearly 7,500 yards long, but also built on a 260-acre wildlife preserve. • Prices vary, with some courses, such as Royal St. Cloud Golf Links, advertising visitor rates as the same as resident rates. Check out experiencekissimmee.com for more courses. DINING Every level of dining is available in Kissimmee, from fast food to exquisite cuisine. Culinary adventures can be as diverse as the area’s attractions. • There are nationally known chain restaurants to breweries and eateries specific to Kissimmee. The famed Columbia Restaurant has been owned and operated by five generations for more than a century. It also owns the distinction as Florida’s oldest restaurant (founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr.) and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. If it’s Italian cuisine you’re looking for, Café D`Antonio could be on the list. The ristorante’s website boasts the menu as a blend of old-world tradition with modern innovation. • There are also places to catch dinner and a show, such as Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament , Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows and Capone’s Dinner & Shows . • Satisfying a group of people with one restaurant can be a challenge. Both Universal CityWalk and Disney Springs offer combined shopping and dining experiences separate from their respective parks, giving visitors plenty of choices to satisfy their taste buds. SHOPPING And speaking of shopping, in addition to CityWalk and Disney Springs , the region has several options for shoppers seeking deals at outlet malls. • Orlando Premium Outlets-International Drive , Orlando Premium Outlets-Vineland Ave and Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlets give deal-hunters options for great value on premium products. • Celebration Town Center in nearby Celebration, Fla., claims to have the finest selection of traditional shops and boutiques, as well as a business district, “all modeled after those found in small American towns.” • The LOOP in Kissimmee, is an open-air mall that has nearly everything a shopper could want, including a 16-screen, state-of-the-art movie theater.

Animal Parks

Photos courtesy Experience Kissimmee

Fishing

Dinner & Show

Zip Lines

ProRodeo Sports News 3/23/18

ProRodeo.com

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