If you are looking for a place full of holiday spirit, you must visit Christmas, Florida. It is a lovely town located between Orlando and Cape Canaveral. It was given the name “Christmas” way back in 1837 during the Seminole War that took place during Christmas Day. Spend your holidays in this unique and cozy town! The locals make sure that they never lose their holiday spirit by doing fun activities all year round. At the post office, everyone is welcome to write letters with their Christmas wishes and send them to Santa. County Craft ‘n Christmas even updates its countdown to the days before Christmas every day. Some of the streets in the town are named after saints and the eight reindeer of St. Nick. Aside from the holiday vibe, the area is also well-known for being the home of Swampy, the longest alligator building. Christmas is full of many beautiful parks, historic sites, and natural habitat. Keep reading below and find out the best things to do in Christmas, Florida.
1. Visit the old but gold Fort Christmas Historical Park
If you want to learn about the history of Christmas, Florida, visit Fort Christmas Historical Park. The main attraction at this park is the reconstructed fort that was built on Christmas Day of the year 1837 by U.S. Army soldiers and Alabama volunteers. It now serves as an exhibit showcasing the history of the Seminole Indian Wars that took place in the town. The park itself has picnic areas accessible for families who want to enjoy the outdoors. You can cook some barbecue on the provided grills, and children can play on the playground, basketball court, and baseball field.
Fort Christmas Historical Park
Address: 1300 N Fort Christmas Rd, Christmas, Florida
Website: Fort Christmas Historical Park
Opening hours: 8am - 6pm (daily)
2. Grab a beer and play some pool at Hard Racks Inc
After a long day of exploring Christmas, drop by Hard Racks Inc with your friends and enjoy some beer and pool for the night. There are always different events that you can join in too! Some of the famous ones include acoustic, ladies’ karaoke, and poker nights. The spacious nightclub houses four pool tables and two dartboards. Everyone is welcome to play their favorite songs on the jukebox. You can also park your car in the spaces available for free.
Hard Racks Inc
Address: 24636 E Colonial Dr, Christmas, Florida
Website: Hard Racks Inc
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 1pm - 2am; Sat - Sun: 12pm - 2am
3. Meet Swampy, the world's largest alligator, at Jungle Adventures
Jungle Adventures, A Real Florida Animal Park is one of the main attractions of Christmas, Florida. It is famous for being the home of Swampy, the world’s longest alligator-looking building, which is 200 feet (61 meters) long. You will get the chance to see rare wildlife, which includes white-tailed deer, panthers, black bears, wolves, and many more! You can also encounter more animals in activities like Wildlife Show, Gator Feeding, and Jungle Swamp Cruise. Take a break at Jungle Café, or bring your own food and eat in the oak-shaded picnic area.
Jungle Adventures, A Real Florida Animal Park
Address: 26205 E Colonial Dr (St Rd 50), Christmas, Florida
Website: Jungle Adventures, A Real Florida Animal Park
Opening hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm (daily)
Price: 18 to 26 USD
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
4. Play soccer at East Orange District Park
East Orange District Park is a place where you can bring the whole family. It offers a picturesque view and a refreshing ambiance, most especially during sunset. You can run around the fields or play soccer. There are lots of activities for children at the recreation center. These activities include archery, held every Wednesday. Join the Parents Night Out event, where you can enjoy some alone time while your children are also busy having a fun night of games and crafts.
East Orange District Park
Address: 22023 E Colonial Dr, Christmas, Florida
Website: East Orange District Park
Opening hours: 8am - 9pm (daily)
5. See the largest cypress forest and oldest slash pines in Florida
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area in Christmas, Florida, is home to several species of trees and wildlife. Nature lovers will definitely enjoy strolling around the place. Here you will see the largest cypress forest and oldest slash pines in Florida. Experience a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, which include hiking, bird-watching, biking, kayaking, and many more. You can also take a relaxing walk around the forest and appreciate the surroundings. The area is being preserved by biologists to make sure that the habitats are always healthy.
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area
Address: 3365 Taylor Creek Rd, Christmas, Florida
Website: Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area
Opening hours: 8am - 7pm (daily)
6. Experience a fun and extreme 90-minute airboat adventure
Softshell Sandwich
Posted by Backwoods Airboat Adventures on Friday, 23 March 2018
If you are looking for a fun and extreme experience to witness the gators up close, you have to look up Backwoods Airboat Adventures! The company arranges activities that are perfect for first-timers as well since you will be guided by a captain and tour guide during the whole 90-minute airboat ride. Your group will depart at East Colonial Drive, and your ride will go along St. Johns River, where you will see lots of gators, birds, and cows. It is definitely something you should not miss!
Backwoods Airboat Adventures
Address: 28500 E Colonial Dr, Christmas, Florida
Website: Backwoods Airboat Adventures
Opening hours: 12am - 12pm (daily)
7. Enjoy hiking and bird-watching at Orlando Wetlands Park
Orlando Wetlands Park is the perfect spot for all nature lovers. Here you can enjoy hiking on a 5-mile (8-kilometer) trail while watching the birds and alligators in their natural habitat. Only activities like photography, viewing, hiking, biking (non-motorized) and horseback riding are allowed. Noisy activities that will disturb the habitat are prohibited. These include vehicular traffic, boating, swimming, and hunting. After your hike, you can visit the Education Center, wherein you will see an exhibit of live animals and informative displays about wildlife in Florida. Do not forget to bring some water and sunscreen most especially during hot days.
Orlando Wetlands Park
Address: 25155 Wheeler Rd, Christmas, Florida
Website: Orlando Wetlands Park
Opening hours: 6am - 6pm (daily)
8. Have an exciting and educational airboat ride with Switchgrass Outfitters
Switchgrass Outfitters offers a wide variety of airboat tours you can choose from—a day, night, lunch, or dinner and birding tour. You will go on a six-passenger airboat, which will give you and your family a more comfortable ride. As months go by and seasons change, there is always a different and unique experience along the river of St. Johns. Switchgrass Outfitters recommends rides from June to September since it is nesting season for alligators. During the tour, you can see several unique habitats, adding to your collection of picture-perfect memories to cherish forever.
Switchgrass Outfitters & Airboat Tours
Address: 1320 Cupid Ave, Christmas, Florida
Website: Switchgrass Outfitters & Airboat Tours
Opening hours: 8am - 8pm (daily)
Price: 45 to 50 USD
Have a great time in Christmas, Florida
This is a place where you can enjoy the great outdoors with the whole family. The festive ambiance of the town adds to the fun of your vacation too. Do not forget to check this list of things to do in Christmas, Florida, as your guide during the holidays.
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
-
-
-
-
-
Top 10 Date Night Ideas In Orlando, FloridaRyan Joshua -
-
-
-
Create an account to