I just heard about an event that sounds like a lot of fun in Leesburg involving hot air balloons (read on for details). That got me to thinking about a rather odd topic for this week - ways that you can fly in Lake County Florida! Yes, it may a bit of an exaggeration, but there are ways to get you off the ground and into the air here in Lake County!
Take a Seaplane Ride with Jones Brothers & Company Air and Seaplane Adventures! Flights take off from Wooten Park in Tavares or from the Lakeside Inn dock in Mount Dora. They offer a variety of sightseeing tours (they call them flightseeing tours) and excursions that you can enjoy solo or in a small group. Their least expensive tour around Lake Dora lasts ten minutes and runs $89 for one passenger, $54 each for two passengers, or $49 each for three+ passengers, with the total group weight limit being 700 pounds. There's a Lake Harris and Long Island tour that lasts 20 minutes and promises a trip south to Mission Inn and Long Island with a Splash and Dash. This tour is $139 for one, $79 each for two, or $74 each for three+ passengers. This sounds fun - The Gator Tour, a 45 minute journey to Lake Apopka and Clermont flying at low levels along the western shore of Lake Apopka spotting massive gators. Passengers will get to see the Citrus Tower and the lakes in Clermont for $319 for one, $169 each for two, or $149 each for 3+. There are eight tours listed on their website, so there are plenty of choices. They also offer excursions which combine a seaplane flight with an activity like kayaking, a meal, a bar hopping journey, or a Dora Canal Cruise. They offer flights designed for weddings and proposals as well. If you are interested in becoming a seaplane pilot, they offer a High Performance / Complex Single Engine Seaplane Rating package for $2495 (2-3 day course with approximately 5 hours of flying time). If any of their tours or packages sound like an interesting Christmas gift, they offer gift certificates as well.
Take a Glider Ride with Seminole - Lake Gliderport out of Clermont! They offer single passenger glider rides for guests with a maximum weight of 240 pounds flying in either the Grob 103 or the Super Blanik L-23. An Intro to Soaring Ride to approximately 3,000 feet lasts 15-20 minutes for $140. A Scenic Adventure Ride to approximately 4,000 feet lasts 25-35 minutes for $180. A Mile High Ride to approximately 5,000 feet lasts 30-50 minutes for $220. Prices do not include taxes. You can have your entire flight filmed with a GoPro camera for an additional $30. If you'd like to become a glider pilot, they offer that as well. Students as young as 14 can fly solo but licensing requires students to be at least 16.
Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride at Leesburg's Balloons on the Lakefront from November 8-10 from 6-9 pm! Each evening, there will be live music, a free kids play zone, beverages and foods for purchase, and you'll get to see hot air balloons light up the lakefront at Venetian Gardens at sunset. Admission is $5 per person or $1 for children ages 2-9. Parking is free or there is limited reserved parking for $10 per vehicle. Can't resist the opportunity to go up in the air yourself? They are offering tethered balloon rides for $20 per person!
Sound a little too adventurous for you but you still want to get off the ground? There are options for you too!
Sky Zone in Clermont offers massive wall to wall trampolines promising for endless aerial action with friends of all ages! 30 minutes of open jumping time is $14 and 60 minutes of time is $18. Add $4 per additional 30 minutes. They also offer other packages including a Dodgeball League for kids aged 6-10 or 11-15, Glow (a three hour long jump session with glow lights; jumpers wear a glow shirt for jumping in the dark), a Lock-In for ages 9-15, Parent's Night Out, and a Sky Camp for kids aged 6-15.
Rebounderz Apopka offers 26,000 square feet of jumping fun, including a basketball slam jumper, a 4 lane foam pit, a dodgeball jumper, and a combo jumper for guests of all ages! 60 minutes is $14 or unlimited all-day jump time is $16.
Kid's Corner at VIA Entertainment in Leesburg offers an indoor playground for kids up to 55" tall. There are bounce houses, play houses, toys, an an interactive ball pit. Kids under 35" tall are $7, and kids 35-55" are $10. A parent or guardian must be there to supervise and there are comfortable couches there for you.
If flying just isn't your thing, I get it... I prefer to keep my feet solidly planted on the ground as well! There's still plenty of choices for things to do here in Lake County, Florida!
Why Live in Lake County Florida (spotlighting lakes, parks, trails, & a boardwalk)
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