There’s more to Orlando than a certain beloved mouse and larger-than-life theme parks.

            Take gators for instance.  Our adventure begins with an airboat ride at Boggy Creek– www.bcairboats.com. The waterways here are the start of the Everglades, ‘a river of grass’ that flows all the way down to the south of Florida.

We’re not going that far on our 30-minute tour though. We’re here to see wildlife, especially Florida’s most famous reptile.

The engine thunders into life and we’re off, gliding effortlessly through the grassy marshland. A few minutes later, it’s silent again and we look around expectantly. An alligator? No. Wayne points out a graceful Sandhill Crane, one of the many birds that can be found here. It seems unbothered by our presence and doesn’t ruffle a feather as the boat takes off again.

The next time the boat stops we see him – the alligator- or is it her?

“It’s a her,” Wayne says confidently. “She’s winking at me.”

The alligator basks in the sun unfazed by all this sudden attention. She’s a little one and Wayne tells us she’s five years old.

“I’ll just start the air-conditioning,” Wayne jokes as he re-starts the loud engine. The wind on our faces does cool us down as we once again slice through this striking half-land, half-water landscape.

 At our next stop, in front of us, very close to the boat is a much bigger specimen. This guy (he wasn’t winking) is enormous. I move closer to the centre of the boat.

“He’s probably about 30 years old,” says Wayne, “but don’t worry; he only eats fish…..and ex-wives.”  He explains that there aren’t many this size since people hunt them for meat. How does it taste?

“It’s okay, but I prefer steak,” Wayne replies.

            Thankfully, the giant alligator must have had its fill of ex-wives and continues to grin at us contently until the cameras stop clicking and we take off once more, this time to dry land.

            These enigmatic reptiles have now gripped our imaginations so we head over to Gatorland-www.gatorland.com –, a 110-acre Everglade habitat and theme park that is home to over 1200 gators and crocs.   This pre-Disney classic Florida attraction may seem a bit cheesy with its alligator teeth entrance, but it’s a whole lot of fun and the perfect place to learn more about these prehistoric creatures — including what they taste like.

At the park’s restaurant we try gator nuggets. Not bad but a bit too chewy. Like Wayne, I’d rather have a steak.

A train ride, petting zoo, shows and exhibits keep us entertained all afternoon.  Our final activity is the ‘swamp walk’. The raised boardwalk takes us through the everglade habitat.  The cypress trees tower over us, providing shade and a glimpse of what Orlando looked like before the neon lights took over. It’s a remarkable landscape, an unexpected side to the theme park capital.