Central Florida theme parks offer wild rides and close encounters with animals but these are usually in controlled and oftentimes manmade environments. Head south to find Mother Nature’s paradise at Forever Florida where black bears and alligators roam free. Only an hour from Orlando, the 4,700-acre wildlife conservation area offers nine Florida ecosystems and opportunities for tree huggers and city slickers to wrangle up a cow on the Crescent J Ranch, tour the working cattle and horse ranch by coach and soar like an eagle above the treetops on the new Zipline Safari. These activities are offered by Florida EcoSafaris.

The Zipline Safari is Florida’s only zipline and the world’s first flat ground course meaning the elevation is created by towers rather than mountains or hills. Talk about a rush! Zip across high tension cable up 50 feet above Florida wilderness at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. Go ahead and scream like Tarzan, it’s hard not to.

Read on for tamer safaris…

Join a cow hunter (the politically correct term for cowboy but don’t call them cowboy, ‘pardner’) for a half day rawhide roundup by horseback or perhaps just hop on a horse for a one, two, or three-hour journey. Other Horseback Safaris are offered including overnight camping trips.

For smaller kids, the Coach Safari is appropriate for its scenic animal viewing and the excitement in riding in an open air safari coach that’s elevated 5 feet above the ground. See Spanish Colonial Cattle and Florida Cracker horses. It’s also possible to see turtles, alligators, and turkeys, to name a few critters.

On site is a delish restaurant serving home cooked meals. Breakfast and lunch are served Saturdays and Sundays (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and lunch Mondays through Fridays (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). It’s a great place to unwind after whichever Forever Florida safari you choose.

Giddy up!