I'm a complete Disney World nerd. I keep a running tally in my Notes app of how many times I've been on every single ride in each of the four parks (Splash Mountain: 48), I proudly wear a shirt that says "Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas" and when I lived in the UK, a major goal of mine was to visit every European country represented in Epcot's World Showcase. In 2012, I completed the Disney College Program while working on the world famous Jungle Cruise. I wore high-waisted khaki pants and told the most groan-inducing puns you've ever heard, and I loved every second of it.

While living in Orlando for seven months, I took a lot of day trips around Central Florida – accessible from Orlando. I swam with manatees, rode horses, visited the most beautiful beach I've ever seen and avoided alligators like it was my job. All of the following adventures are within two-three hours of Orlando by car. So next time you get sick of waiting in line to meet princesses, or when you've had one too many Butterbeers at the also-awesome Universal, consider taking a day trip to another nearby destination.

Swim with Manatees

Cost: $65 (Silver Tour: includes mask, snorkel and wetsuit)

Did you know that manatees have no natural predators or prey? Their only defense mechanism is to swim away. They are gentle giants and to swim with them is truly an experience like no other. Manatees are also endangered and are often injured or killed by boat propellers, and while you may see them in the wild, it is not a good idea to disturb them in their habitats without proper precautions. 

I drove two hours from Orlando to Crystal River early one morning for a morning manatee tour hosted by Captain's Mike's Swimming with the Manatees. There are numerous manatee tour companies in the area and we saw other tour boats out at the same time as us, but we enjoyed our experience with Captain Mike's. The Crystal River has the largest concentration of manatees in the world, with approximately 600 manatees migrating to keep warm in the river each winter. The best time to visit is in the fall or winter because the water is clearer and there are hundred of manatees. These tours do not guarantee that you will see a manatee, but I visited in the summer and still saw a handful of the gentle creatures despite the lower population and murkier water.

There are a few things to know before considering a manatee tour. You will wear a wetsuit and swim in the Crystal River with a mask and snorkel (in order to look for manatees underwater while floating on the surface). If you cannot swim or do not want to swim, you are welcome to sit in the boat, but you won't be able to touch any manatees from there. I was told that it is fairly common to spot dolphins in the water and that no one in the history of the company's tours had ever seen a shark, but that there was no guarantee that there are not sharks in the river. I was also told that since it was a freshwater body of water in Florida, it is entirely possible that alligators are out there. My guide had only seen one once, chilling in the marsh, but there had never been an incident on any manatee tour in the area. Another note specific to Captain Mike's tours: the cancellation policy is strict. My friend and I tried to go back a second time, but there was an overnight medical emergency that prevented us from being able to go and we did not get our money back.

I am terrified of both sharks and alligators, but I still did the tour and I am so glad I did. I ended up touching a large manatee as well as a baby and it was amazing! Next time, I would be sure to go in the fall when the water is clear and there are more manatees, but I definitely recommend a manatee tour to visitors in Central Florida.

Siesta Key

Cost: FREE

I've always hated the beach. I don't like being in the sun for too long, the water freaks me out (because sharks) and lying on the beach gets boring very quickly. So when my friend suggested we take a day trip to Siesta Key in Sarasota, I begrudgingly agreed to go with her. Little did I know that I would be the one begging to go back as soon as possible!

Siesta Key is about a two-hour drive from Orlando. It consists of three beaches – Siesta Beach, Crescent Beach and Turtle Beach – along an eight-mile stretch of white sand, which is cool to the touch. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico, so the water is turquoise, clear and very warm. Activities are available at a charge from a number of local companies: parasailing, jetskiing, dolphin tours, paddleboarding, kayaking... the options are just about endless in Siesta! 

Siesta Key Village is a short walk or drive from the beach filled with cute shops, bars and restaurants with great, fresh seafood. Another friend of mine who visited Siesta also said that if you're staying overnight, there are free bike cabs (tip your driver – that's how they stay in business!) to get you back to your hotel in case you drink too much at Daiquiri Deck or Siesta Key Oyster Bar (the bar of which is covered in dollar bills and notes from foreign currencies – very cool).

For more information on Siesta Key, check out their visitor and tourism page. 

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Cost: $6/vehicle (2-8 people), $4/single passenger vehicle, $2/pedestrians/cyclists/extra passengers

Wekiwa Springs State Park is very close to Orlando, about a 45-minute drive from Disney and Universal. It is located along the Wekiva River with 13 miles of trails for walking, hiking or biking. In the park, you'll find the springs, which look kind of like a huge outdoor swimming pool, surrounded by plenty of space to picnic or just sit and chill.

Wekiwa offers a lovely atmosphere to roam around on foot and check out local wildlife: deer, wild turkeys and fox squirrels are just a few of the critters you might spot. For a fee, you can use the Wekiwa camping grounds or rent a canoe or kayak. I refused to kayak (I sound like a lot of fun throughout this page, don't I?) because there were alligator warning signs posted near the river – and a woman lost an arm to a gator in 2015. This being said, swimming is not permitted in the river, but is allowed in the springs, which are very clear and 72 year-round. 

For more information on Wekiwa Springs State Park, stop by its visitor page.