Let me tell you about the time my wife casually turned a normal "drop our daughter off at college"…read moretrip into what felt like a deleted scene from a survival movie... destination: Solomon's Castle in the absolute middle of nowhere. And when I say nowhere, I mean NOWHERE. I'm driving waiting for streetlights... nothing. Gas stations? Nope. People? Questionable. Cows? Plenty. Motorcycles flying by like we accidentally entered a post-apocalyptic biker convention? Oh yeah. At this point, I'm looking at my wife like, Babé are we visiting a castle or auditioning for The Walking Dead: Florida Edition?" Then suddenly... BOOM. Out of nowhere... like a mirage built by a very creative pirate appears this shiny, aluminum-covered CASTLE. Now I'm confused. Because one minute I'm dodging cows... and the next minute I'm like: Did we just teleport to medieval times sponsored by Home Depot? But here's the thing this place is AMAZING. Inside? Pure genius. Art everywhere. Sculptures made out of stuff you probably threw away last week. It's like if creativity, humor, and a junkyard had a baby and that baby became a castle. And then there's the restaurant. Yes. A restaurant. Inside a boat. Inside a castle. In the middle of nowhere. At this point, I've stopped asking questions and just accepted that I'm in someone else's dream. If you want the backstory, go ahead and Google it because it's wild. But honestly, just go. Don't overthink it. Would I have ever planned this stop? Absolutely not. Did my wife once again prove she's the CEO of random but incredible detours? 100%. Final verdict: Unexpected Slightly suspicious drive in Completely worth it If you're ever near Ona, Florida--or even if you're not take the detour. Just make sure your gas tank is full... and maybe say a quick prayer once the streetlights disappear

On our drive from St Augustine to Tampa, we made reservations to see Solomon's Castle in the middle…read moreof nowhere on beautiful land here in Florida. This castle was built by Howard Solomon, a high school dropout, with his bare hands and his own designs with whatever scraps of metal he could find or that were donated to him by others. He had friends and neighbors who helped him build. He built vertically because his land was more narrow than wide. So there are stairs to climb. Everything including his unusual artwork inside the Castle was donated or built by Solomon. He also had a 1930s collection of cars and trucks that are displayed at the Castle. His personal story is very interesting which will be told during the tour. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the auto collection nor anything inside the Castle. There is no cell service/wifi there on the property. They do not use computers so everything is paid by cash: the tickets (we paid about $40 in cash for the castle tour and the classic car tour), the food, and souvenirs. They are dog-on-leash friendly, which is nice. The staff is very welcoming and fun to interact with! The tour is very interesting with funny jokes thrown in. Food is served on the boat and reviewers have been favorable about the meals offered. Remember, it is cash only. Parking is free and at the entrance before you get to the Castle. Wear comfortable shoes. I was happy that we got to do the tour. I don't know that I would go back because it is so out of the way but it was worth the trip.

We went on this boat, the boat tour guide guy was great, and friendly.. had a great time on the…read moretour.. hope to come back soon..

We did a two-hour sunset cruise on the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven yesterday, and it was…read moreabsolutely wonderful. The scenery alone was worth it, but what really made the experience special was Captain Sage. Her knowledge of the lakes, the area, and the wildlife was incredible, and the way she shared it made everything feel relaxed and engaging, not scripted or rushed. She has a great presence and genuinely loves what she does, which made the whole cruise even more enjoyable. I will ask for Captain Sage every single time and will definitely be back. Highly recommend this experience, especially at sunset.

Outstanding! Not sure what I was expecting but Kenny and his tour far exceeded expectations. We had…read morea "bad" day due to high winds and still saw so many more gators than we thought we would. Really cool trip and highly recommend. Super family friendly too.

Kenny is the best! We had such a great time on our ride. He is very knowledgeable and friendly. We…read morecould not have asked for a better ride or guide.

John was a tour guide and was Great!! He took me and my family to some very cool snorkeling spots,…read moreand provided us with all the gear and water.

We had the best time ever! We saw tons of dolphins. Went to Egmont Key and then went snorkeling…read more The kids had a blast and our captain was so nice!

Wow, what a deal as a Florida resident! For $25, you get entrance to the drive-thru safari…read more(unlimited laps) and complimentary visit to the gator zoo down the road. Giraffe feeding is $5/person which is so worth it even if it takes the giraffe a split second to eat the lettuce. The full lap of the safari takes about an hour, depending on the traffic before you or animals crossing the path. You basically see all the animals listed in the pamphlet they give you at the beginning. You are able to roll down your windows but no feeding, or petting. There are plenty of patrol trucks to monitor the area. I recommend coming around noon when it's feeding time for the animals. We didn't take advantage of the shows at the zoo, but I'm sure it was spectacular. All the animals are super healthy and love being in their respective enclosures. Can't wait to come back when it's cooler outside! We didn't eat at their quick service. We bought sandwiches and ate it in our car.

We loved the safari! So many different animals! The other ones too in the park awesome!…read moreWe did the airboat also! Fantastic! Saw alligators! Great experience and beautiful day!! Not that expensive for 4 people!! Definitely do it again!

We had an amazing time with Capt Steve at the helm ! 830 Tour in Saturday Oct 18th We had a crew of…read more6 so we had our own Air Boat.. The boat ran excellent with no complaints, plenty of power coming out of that Big Block Chevy ! Heads sets were awesome so we can talk to everyone.. Steve was very knowledgeable on all of the wildlife around the lake.. Seen plenty of gators and birds.. Including a pair of adult bald eagles! Thank you again KST !

This was our second time experiencing this tour and it is so worth the drive…read more Steve, our guide was very knowledgeable and knew where to go first the alligators, various birds and the eagles nests. Thank you Steve for a memorable time.

So impressive from the moment you called to make a reservation, clear instructions on where to…read moremeet. The captain of the Airboat showed up on time very pleasant great since of humor and filled with knowledge. I have for years been going all the way to the Everglades and only to see maybe one alligator if you're lucky however, on this one there were plentiful we saw at least five. Plus learned so much about the ecosystem and the lifestyles of the alligators. Absolutely amazing company and and highly recommend.

We had a great time on the Peace River and saw an abundance of alligators. Captain Henry was a…read moreknowledgeable guide.

Captain Al is great guy. We really enjoyed our cruise with him. It was a lovely 2 plus hour ride…read morealong the beautiful Peace River.We saw alligators and a variety birds. If you're looking for a pleasant boating adventure with a very nice gentleman, this is your cruise.

Had a beautiful day touring with Captian Al! Great ride and…read moreeven better conversation. Capital was knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife! We loved the dolphins and ALL of the birds in the mangroves! Thank you thank you! This is definitely a recommended excursion for your trip! Thanks from the PA ladies and our sleepy baby girl

My husband and I were visiting from Pennsylvania, and this was our first time on an airboat. It…read moreturned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of our trip. The captain was fun, knowledgeable, and made the entire ride unforgettable--we'll definitely be talking about it for weeks. If you're in the area, I highly recommend giving it a try!

I can honestly say that visiting this place and riding an airboat were among the most enjoyable…read morethings I have done in many years. Wow! My family, friends, and I had such a great time and wish that we could have remained on the airboat much longer. This place is located at the end of a very long road. The drive to the property is very quiet and relaxing. The property itself was well-maintained, everything was clearly marked, and the venue itself was fun. There is a gift shop, a snack shop, a food trailer offering hot food, a beverage hit, clean bathrooms, gold mining, and so much more. The employees went out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. The real reason why you would visit this place is the airboats. Each guest boards the large boats, which can seat 12-15 people at a time. To the rear of the boat sits this huge fan, which controls the boat. Each guest is required to grab a headset or ear protection, as the boats are noisy and loud, and I mean LOUD once they get going. The purpose of the boats is to have fun, of course, but the objective is to look for alligators as you speed through the swamps. During our visit, we spotted nine alligators, and the boat operator stopped so guests could see and experience them up close. The alligators are never disturbed, and they do not seem to mind being watched. Back to the airboats, these things are FAST! The boat operator will have you going so fast on the water, then pull into a complete 360-degree turn when you least expect it. The first time the boat operator sped away from the dock at the start of the tour, you were a tad nervous, similar to riding a roller coaster. After this initial nervousness, you could not get enough of this airboat and only wanted to go fast on the water. I might add that there was a group seated in front of us with a boy between 8 and 10 years old and a young tween girl, and they appeared to enjoy the airboat ride just as much as we adults. This is definitely a fun place for all ages

Excellent. The best time ever on last St Patrick's Day with the family! The hosts are absolutely…read morefantastic.

From the owner: The Freaky Tiki is a 30 ft, double decker floating tiki with a water slide. Guaranteed fun with…read moreblue tooth sound system to play all your favorites. Perfect for any occasion, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, family get togethers or just a day on the water. We cruise around the beautiful waters and enjoy the sandbars. Dolphins, Manatee and many exotic birds are a bonus. We aim to please with longer tour times and hospitality! The water slide brings laughter and long lasting memories.! Come drop in the blue water with us--Captain Rob and First Mate Sherry. You won't be disappointed! The freaky tiki party boat