Our Story 

From a single borrowed airboat to Orlando’s most-loved airboat tour adventure.

How Boggy Creek Started on Lake Tohopekaliga in 1994

Our adventure began more than three decades ago at a little-known fish camp on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee — East Lake Fish Camp. Airboating was just how we spent our weekends back then: family, friends, and the sound of a propeller cutting across the marsh at sunrise.

Campers staying at the fish camp would watch us climb off our personal airboat grinning ear to ear and ask if we’d take them out too. It turned out they loved the wild side of Florida just as much as we did.

So in 1994, we asked our family to lend us the money for our first airboat. They were crazy enough to say yes. One six-passenger boat on the headwaters of the Everglades — that’s how Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures began.

Seven-day weeks built the original Orlando airboat tour

For the first two years, we didn’t take a day off. Not weekends. Not holidays. We lived walking distance from the fish camp, which meant we’d often bring guests home for dinner — strangers at lunch, friends by dessert.

There were days no one showed up. Days we packed sandwiches and ate them on the dock, wondering if this dream was going to work. Our kids grew up at that dock — doing homework behind the desk, fishing off the edge, catching frogs and minnows between customers.

We weren’t sure we’d make it. But we kept showing up.

Putting the Everglades headwaters on the map

It took years of cold-calling journalists, courting travel agents, and convincing tourists that the headwaters of the Florida Everglades actually start right here in Orlando — not down in the swamps you see on TV. Slowly the word spread, and visitors started coming for what we always knew was here: alligators sunning on the bank, eagles overhead, cypress trees draped in moss, and the kind of quiet you can feel.

The Real Florida. Right where we’d always been — just 30 minutes from Walt Disney World and 25 minutes from Orlando International Airport.

2016: From Kissimmee airboat rides to a full adventure park

By 2016 we knew Boggy Creek had grown into something bigger than a tour. We changed our name to Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures and built out the park: a Gem Stone and Fossil Mine, Alligator Oasis, covered pavilions, a tiki bar, the swamp photo shack, and our very own restaurant — Boggy Bottom BBQ.

What started as a Kissimmee airboat tour became one of Central Florida’s most complete outdoor attractions — all in one location.

2025: Welcome to Mini Moo Land

Last year we welcomed a herd of miniature Highland cows to the family and built Mini Moo Land, where guests can feed them by hand. Fair warning: they’re impossibly cute. You’re going to want to take one home.

And we’re nowhere near done expanding.

Orlando’s original airboat tour — 30+ years later

Three decades in, Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures is a “must-see” Orlando attraction for travelers from around the world. Our fleet of 12 airboats has taken several million nature lovers into the wetlands of Kissimmee and the Central Florida Everglades.

We know you have choices. New airboat companies have popped up all over the Orlando area. But you won’t find another with our knowledge of these waters, our safety record, or our years of experience guiding guests through the same marsh we grew up on.

Thank you to our Boggy Creek family

We could never have built any of this without our family, our friends, and especially the hardworking team who became family along the way. Every captain, every host, every cook at Boggy Bottom — thank you.

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” — Vincent Van Gogh

Come find some with us.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures family-owned?

Yes. Boggy Creek has been family-owned and operated since 1994. We started with one six-passenger airboat and a loan from our family, and three generations have helped grow it into the airboat adventure park you see today.

How long has Boggy Creek been in business?

Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures has been operating in Kissimmee, Florida since 1994 — over three decades of guiding visitors through the headwaters of the Florida Everglades.

Where is Boggy Creek located?

We’re located in Kissimmee, Florida, on Lake Tohopekaliga — the headwaters of the Florida Everglades. We’re approximately 30 minutes from Walt Disney World, 25 minutes from Orlando International Airport (MCO), and about 35 minutes from downtown Orlando.

How far is Boggy Creek from Disney World?

Roughly 30 minutes by car. We’re one of the closest authentic Florida wildlife experiences to the Disney parks, which is why we’re a popular half-day trip for families staying in the Orlando theme-park area.

Do I need a reservation for an airboat tour?

Reservations are strongly recommended, especially in peak season and for larger groups. You can book online or by calling us directly. Walk-ups are welcome when seats are available.

What makes Boggy Creek different from other Orlando airboat tours?

Three things: experience (since 1994), our fleet of 12 airboats, and the fact that we’re not just a ride — we’re a full adventure park with Mini Moo Land, Alligator Oasis, the Gem Mine, Boggy Bottom BBQ, and more, all on-site.