In amongst the theme parks and days out involving trains, manatees and alligators, we did eventually manage to slow things down and actually relax. Not everything in Florida has to be loud, frantic or involve queueing — sometimes it’s just about killing a few hours, wandering, and letting the holiday do its thing.
Crazy Golf, Orlando-Style
One of our more light-hearted afternoons was spent playing crazy golf at Pirates.
As you’d expect in Orlando, crazy golf isn’t exactly subtle. Everything was bigger, louder and more over the top than anything you’d find back home in the UK — pirate ships, water features, dramatic obstacles and enough theming to make it feel like a mini theme park in its own right.
Ridiculous, good fun, and exactly what it should be.
A Stormy Drive to Clearwater Beach
We also took a two-hour drive from our villa in Davenport to Clearwater Beach.
The beach itself was very nice — white sand, calm water and plenty of space — but if I’m honest, it wasn’t anything particularly special or memorable in its own right.
The drive there, however, was something else entirely.
We were caught in absolutely torrential rain, so heavy that visibility dropped to almost nothing. At one point it became so bad that we had to pull over and wait it out, watching lightning strikes hit the fields around us.
It was a proper Florida weather moment — dramatic, intense and slightly unnerving — and far more memorable than the beach itself.
Malls, Music and Wandering
A fair amount of time was also spent doing very holiday-appropriate things: shopping in malls, browsing guitar shops, hunting for rare trainers (or sneakers), eating ice creams, relaxing in the pool and generally mooching about.
We also found ourselves driving up and down International Drive, soaking up the neon-lit madness, traffic and sheer scale of it all.
One Very Mad Evening
Then there was the Florida Westgate Saturday Night Rodeo.
I’ve been to some mad places in America over the years, but this was definitely near the top of the list.
It was loud, chaotic, brilliant, and completely bonkers — the sort of experience that feels uniquely American and utterly unforgettable.
That one deserves its own post entirely, so I’ll save the photos and videos for a separate page… because they really are more than worthy of it.
Final Thoughts
These quieter moments — the wandering, the weather, the silly activities and unexpected evenings — were just as important as the headline attractions.
They gave the trip breathing space, balance, and a chance to slow down between all the big days out.
Gatorland Orlando: Swamps, Sunshine and Prehistoric Beasts
Florida Westgate Saturday Night Rodeo: A Very American Evening
