If you’re thinking about taking the family on an airboat ride, chances are, you’ve got some questions. Beyond wondering how much fun your kids will have and the kind of wildlife you’ll see, you’ll need to know just how safe these attractions are. Luckily, you don’t have to personally test each one to find out. Here’s how to make sure you book a tour with the safest airboat ride in the area.

Pick Certified Captains

With an experienced captain at the helm of your airboat ride, safety always comes first. But what kind of experience should you look for in a captain? Other than a license to legally operate the vehicle, make sure your airboat captain is certified through an accredited institution, like the United States Coast Guard. To earn this type of recognition, captains must pass rigorous courses, training, and tests.

Check for Safety Gear

Your airboat tour guide should provide proper gear before you get started, including lifejackets and headsets. Younger passengers or not-so-strong swimmers can wear their lifejackets throughout the tour. For adults who prefer to ride without, however, lifejackets will still remain close by for easy access in case of emergency. Furthermore, to protect your ears from the loud noise during the tour, most captains will pass out noise-reducing headphones.

Read Online Reviews

When searching for the safest airboat ride, you don’t have to test them out yourself. Instead, go online and check the reviews of previous passengers. To get the best picture of just how safe this adventure is for your family, check for reviews from parents and first-time airboat passengers. Depending on which website you use to find reviews, you might even be able to chat more with the people who shared an opinion.

Look for Locally Owned

While commercially owned airboat rides can still be safe, they often operate under far more relaxed regulations when compared to locally owned ones. If you’re looking for a locally owned airboat ride with USCG-certified captains, top-of-the-line safety gear, and an unbeatable reputation, book your airboat ride with Grape Hammock Fish Camp. We’ve taken children and adults of all ages on the waters and across the vast landscape of Lake Kissimmee. To get answers to all of your airboat ride questions, contact us today.

Of all the reasons you just can’t wait for summer — warm weather, blooming wildlife, and even more time outside — your upcoming Central Florida vacation is probably the biggest one. This year, instead of sharing your season with crowds, long lines, and lots of traffic, spend your time at some of the area’s locally owned and history-rich attractions.

Here are some activities that you can enjoy with your family, friends, or significant other this summer in Central Florida.

Sample a Few Delicious Sweets

No summer vacation is complete without some sweet treats. Satisfy your cravings and try some all-new flavors at Webb’s Citrus Candy Factory. Famous for their goat milk fudge and array of chocolate confections, this candy factory is favored by locals. Or, get your hands on some old-fashioned marmalade, jam, and jelly made locally at Davidson of Dundee. Sample some gourmet citrus chocolates and swipe some jars of your favorite fruity spread to take home.

Take a Stroll Through the Local Gardens

Central Florida is full of natural wildlife and nature preserves, some of which are personally grown and raised by local botanical experts. Visit Harry P. Leu Gardens to see acres of exotic plants, trees, fruits, and vegetables. If you’re in the mood for even more nature, head over to Mead Botanical Garden. This 47.6-acre public park features everything from a bike trail to a butterfly garden.

Beat the Heat at a Nearby Museum

If you’re looking for a unique way to take a break from the outdoors, spend part of your trip taking in local art, history, and art history at one of Central Florida’s nearby museums, including:

• Orange County Regional History Center – Explore 12,000 years of rich Central Florida history spread throughout the center’s four flours and countless exhibitions.  
• Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art – Delicate, fine works of glass art decorate this museum along with paintings, pottery, and historic architecture.
• Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens – Journey through the sculpture gardens to get a first-hand look at the works of Czech sculptor Albin Polasek.

Embrace Adventure on an Airboat Tour

Do you want to add some adventure to your itinerary? Look no further than the one and only Grape Hammock Fish Camp. Known as one of the top airboat tours in the state, Grape Hammock’s airboat rides take passengers on a trip to experience the “real” Florida right on the waters of Lake Kissimmee.