Who knew Epcot lets you dive with their sharks. Outside of the obvious (Disney) I’ve not found that much to do in Orlando.  I’ve searched (and searched) for stuff to do that is different, doesn’t involve lines (if possible) and hopefully is outside (or underwater). This is what I’ve found:

DIVE DISNEY

Who knew you could dive in the giant fish tank at Disney? Reading about it I was skeptical. But all the reviews on Yelp seemed positive. I thought this was going to be at the bottom of my dive experiences, but it seemed better than the alternatives and it actually ended Top 5.

It was surprisingly good. The staff takes you through the back door into the aquarium and you get a staff’s view of the facility that most marine biologists would enjoy much less a pedestrian/diver. Disney staff is well trained and you get a complete introduction to the facility — 2000 animals, 65 species, in a 200 foot wide enclosure with over 6 million gallons of water (salt water) flowing through it, etc – intro takes an hour – Disney provides all equipment except for your bathing suit.

Only the most jaded and experienced divers would find diving with sharks less than exciting. Sure there are 64 other types of fish, but sharks are special and being that close is worth the price (somewhat steep) of admission. Will post a movie clip when I rip the DVD.

GO FISHING

Spend a day out on the water with one of the great local fishing options. I went out with Tom Carver of Flataddicted.com and had a great time. Quick video of the ride out here.

Tom is a great guide and has reasonable rates. You’ll enjoy it.

GO KAYAKING

Again, worth getting away from the City to see the other side of Orlando. Been a while since I kayaked Orlando, but if I had to do it today Florida Kayak Company looks like a good fit.

LEARN TO DIVE

I dove Lake Denton in Orlando and it was cold. The outfit I dove with is no longer there but The Dive Station is a Padi 5 Star facility. If I had to do it all over again I would go with Naui as opposed to Padi as a dive certification organization, but they’re both good organizations.

Still looking for more options, that’s a few that I’ve found. Am sure there is a great nightlife, music and art scene somewhere, but still looking for that. Open to suggestions

I had passed TAD Gear several times on the Internet. Its dense pages, black background and camo-inspired introduction kinda leaned a little too heavy towards the military for me. But I had the chance to stop by the store while in San Francisco and I’ve got a whole new perspective.

But backing up a bit, even military-like gear is cause for pause. In Panama, I got dropped off in the San Blas Islands, on Por Venir which about the size of three square city blocks. But since it had an airstrip it also had 6 heavily armed and extremely bored/surly/dangerous looking Panamanian soldiers. And while Panama is “friendly” they didn’t exude much sense of welcome.

I needed to spend the night on Por Venir as I had missed the days flight and I needed to get my passport stamped.  I began to understood why sailors tend to not recommend wearing camouflage anything.  If I was mistaken for military I think my already tense/suspicious interaction would likely have ramped up one very uncomfortable notch. Miles from a paved road and sharing a strip of land with a few of the native Kuna I think my side of any story would have sorely lacked corroboration. Long story less so,  “military” gear is not always the best international travel apparel.

That said, TAD is much, much interesting in person than on the Internet. The staff was great and seeing the gear in person made me understand just how well made it really is. It’s top notch. Some of the best I’ve seen. Much of unique, most designed right there and manufactured in the USA. The apparel and the packs would rate as some of the best you could buy.

I paid for some pants (without the cargo pockets) and I will def keep an eye on the site. It’s worth stopping through if you’re in San Francisco. It’s on the industrial side of the Mission District, and parking was/is challenging (understatement).

T.A.D Gear

660 22nd Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

(415)318-8252