Thanksgiving in Orlando

We spent Thanksgiving in Orlando with my family.  Along with spending time with each other, we did the typical tourist things...

• Went to Legoland - super fun and awesome.  Kids did their first ever roller coaster without parents!

• Went to Disney Animal Kingdom.  Again, lots of fun, and a FULL day.
• Swam in the (heated) pool as much as possible.
• Gawked and took pictures of the wild alligators on the way to the swimming pool from the hotel room... he was only a little guy - about 3 feet from snout to tail. 

But one of the coolest things we did was a bit off the beaten path.  I highly recommend it for those looking for a little nature!  Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, north-northeast of Orlando.  It's a winter refuge for manatees.  We saw many swimming in the water (they count the number each morning and that morning they had counted over 120 manatees in the spring!) and listened to a presentation by a park ranger.  We were able to hold a manatee bone!  There is also a nice pathway to walk from the start of the springs down to the St. Johns River.  Can you see the manatees in the center of the photo up near the opposite bank? 2 of them.

We also went on a hike in the Isle of Pine Preserve in east Orlando.  While fun and neat, not quite as cool, but also cheaper (read Free, unless you account for the gas spent while driving around avoiding the toll roads!)  Although we did find some carnivorous plants!