Tired of the theme park rat race? Ready for something a little more refreshing? Check out the Disney Wilderness Preserve down in Kissimmee.
This place, managed by the Nature Conservancy, really doesn't have anything to do with Disney. You won't find the Mouse branded on anything in the park. It's a wide open swathe of preserved wetlands, plain, and forest with primitive trails and an environmentally friendly nature center.
There's a variety of trails - varying in length from one to three miles. My friends and I hiked a couple of the trails with a 7-year-old and a baby in a stroller and had a great time. It's quiet; you can hardly hear a sound except for the birds.
If you go, be sure to take the trail across the boardwalk in the wetlands to the lake. Perfect Florida blue and utter peace. There's a lot of beauty in Florida, if you know where to look.
A lot of the trails are out in the open, with no shade, so the park is best in the spring or winter when it's cooler.
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