I  had the pleasure of spending a week and a half in the sunshine state with DH and friends and boy was it a much needed break. Our first full day in Florida we were greeted with 90 degree plus temperatures. At first I figured we would waste the day away lounging by the pool but it was even too hot for that. I love river tubing and a lazy river is always the best cure to a hot summer day but who wants to pay $100 bucks to go to a water park and float around in a tube all day while fighting with the other 2 million people that had the same idea. I sure don't. I rather put that towards a cute pair of shoes. (We all know where my priorities lie). 

So here is where I got creative. With some research and a brief consultation with the bff we decided to head 45 minutes north of Orlando to Apoka where we found a place call Kelly Park (best time to go is during the week to avoid crowds).   For a whopping $9 total we were able to rent two inner tubes for the day and gain admission to the park. We floated down the lazy river 4 times (with breaks in between), got to swim with an otter, caught a deer spying on us and still had money left over for snacks at the concession stand. Needless to say it was a great day. No fighting with a million people to float around a man made chlorine filled pool. No walking 80 miles from the car to the park entrance. And plenty of money left over for shopping.