Jimbo's (Miami): Located at the very end of Virginia Key, in Key Biscayne, on the lagoon where they shot Flipper, Jimbo's has become the quintessential, albeit hard-to-find, South Florida watering hole, snack bar, and hangout for a wacky assortment of colorful characters from shrimpers and yachters to politicos. Dollar beers and excellent smoked fish are sold from a cooler, vacant shacks serve as backdrops for films, and visitors are able to test their skills in a game of bocce ball.

Columbus Day Regatta (Miami): This unique observation of Columbus Day revolves around a so-called regatta in Biscayne Bay but always ends with participants stripping down to their bare, ahem, necessities and partying at the sandbar in the middle of the bay. There is a boat race at some point of the day, but most people are too preoccupied to notice.

People-Watching on South Beach and Worth Avenue (Miami and Palm Beach): As cliché as the notion of people-watching may seem, it's never the same old scenario on Miami's neon-hued Riviera, where equally colorful locals and luminaries proudly prance as if every day was the Easter parade. In Palm Beach, titled nobility, bejeweled socialites, and an assortment of upper crusties put on the ritz on the city's version of Rodeo Drive.

Swimming with the Dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center (Marathon): Of the four such centers in the continental United States, the Dolphin Research Center is the most impressive. With advanced reservations, you can splash around with dolphins in their natural lagoon homes. It's an amazing experience.

Underwater Stay at Jules' Undersea Lodge (Key Largo): Submerge yourself in this single-room Atlantis-like hotel that offers a surprisingly comfortable suite 30 feet underwater. Don't worry, there's plenty of breathing room.

Fantasy Fest (Key West): Mardi Gras takes a Floridian vacation as the streets of Key West are overtaken by wildly costumed revelers who have no shame and no parental guidance. This weeklong, hedonistic, X-rated Halloween party is not for children under 18.

Babcock Wilderness Adventures (Fort Myers): Experienced naturalists lead "swamp buggy" tours through the Babcock Ranch, including the mysterious Telegraph Swamp, where alligators lounge in the sun. Although the Babcock Ranch is the largest cattle operation east of the Mississippi (with bison and quarter horses too), it is also a major wildlife preserve inhabited by countless birds and other creatures.

Swimming with the Manatees (Crystal River, north of Clearwater): Some 360 manatees spend the winter in the Crystal River, and you can swim, snorkel, or scuba with them in the warm-water natural spring of Kings Bay, about 7 miles north of Homosassa Springs. It's not uncommon to be surrounded in the 72°F (21°C) water by 30 to 40 "sea cows," which nudge and caress you as you swim with them.

Dolphin Swims (Orlando): Spend a big chunk of your day and budget at Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive park where visitors can take a 3-minute swim with a dolphin, among other things, for $229.

Wrangle an Alligator (Orlando): Play trainer for a day and meet some of the toothy stars up close and real personal at Gatorland. You might even get to hop on "Pop," the 12-foot, 750-pound big daddy of the breeding march.

Learning to Surf the Big Curls at Cocoa Beach Surfing School (Cocoa Beach): Even if you don't know how to hang ten, this school will get you riding the waves with the best of them. It offers equipment and lessons for all skill levels -- beginner to pro -- at the best surf beaches in Florida.