#1: Go to a Wekiva vs. Apopka Football Game

There was only one high school, Apopka High School, in Apopka for 76 years, until they built Wekiva High School in 2007. I attended Wekiva and was part of the first class to graduate after going through all four years at the school. My favorite thing to do in Apopka, only comes around once a year, but it is to attend the Wekiva, Apopka Football game. The two schools are like sister schools, and everyone seems to know everyone. But the games are always so intense and so action packed. My senior year, a huge storm came during the first quarter of the game and two people got struck by lightning in the stands. So they postponed the game until the next morning. I wasn’t able to go because I was already scheduled to take the ACT’s. I was extremely upset.

#2: Visit the Haunted house on Sandpiper Road

On Sandpiper road right outside of downtown, there is an abandoned house that nobody has lived in for ten years. The last resident of the house committed suicide by hanging himself inside of it. That story is enough to creep anyone out. But to make it even worse, a year ago, a local resident took a picture of the front doorway at night. When they looked at the picture on the camera nothing showed up except for the dark doorway. But when they put the picture on the computer, you can see a faint outline of a white figure in overalls, standing in the doorway. I’ve seen the actual picture and it gave me goose bumps just looking at it. All the teenagers in Apopka like to test their courage and will go out at night with their friends to the house. You have to jump the fence, walk through the yard and climb up the front steps. There is a screened in front porch, and those who are brave enough will open the door and go in. Nobody has ever actually seen any unusual activities going on in the house, since the picture was taken, but it is still a thrill and rush of adrenaline.

#3: Spend a day canoeing down Wekiwa Springs River

Apopka might not be a very popular town, but one thing it is known for is the Wekiwa Springs State Park. It’s definitely the place to be on a hot summer’s day. Many people choose to spend a day at the springs with their friends, laying out on the lawn next to the chilly and refreshing water. Others like to go down the road to the marina to rent canoes and paddle their way down the Wekiwa Springs River, and then tie up their canoe and spend a few hours splashing around in the springs. I love to bring goggles, so I can dive down into the actual spring and look around. It’s really interesting and makes me feel like an underwater explorer every time I do it.

#4: Eat at Kiku's Japanese Steakhouse

A lot of people in Orlando know about Kobes Japanese Steakhouse. They cook spectacular food on a grill right in front of you, and put on a little show while they do it. But the prices are expensive. In Apopka, they opened a little place called Kiku. The food is almost exactly the same as Kobes. It tastes just as amazing too. The best part is though, that the prices are so much cheaper.

#5: Spend a day floating down Rock Springs

On the other side of town, there is place called Kelly Park. Rock Springs is located inside of Kelly Park. It’s not a State park, but I still have an awesome time whenever I go. At Rock Springs, it is really popular to bring inner tubes and jump in at the end of the springs. There’s a little river with a strong current, and it guides you down the river with your friends. It is extremely relaxing and it’s a great way to get a tan if you want one.

#6: Go over the Rolling Oaks speed bumps at 60 mph

There’s a big neighborhood right outside of downtown that everyone knows about. It is a great shortcut through the town, but there is only one thing that slows you down. The speed bumps. Rolling Oaks has a main road that is twisty and turny with speed bumps every five seconds. A very popular and amusing thing to do is speed over those bumps as fast as you can. Everyone who does it only goes in the middle of the night so nobody is put in danger, but I don’t know one friend of mine who has not at least once gone over those bumps way to fast. The goal is to get air in your car, which my sister and I have accomplished on a few occasions.

#7: Go out to breakfast with friends at Robinsons

Right on the outskirts of downtown Apopka, there is a little restaurant that, if you didn’t’ know any better, you’d think was shut down. Robinsons is thirty-nine years old and has been a family run business all thirty-nine years. They are truly the little breakfast diner that you picture when you think of small towns. Tons of the senior citizens meet there every morning at the crack of dawn to enjoy coffee and each other’s company. There are newspaper cut outs that line the walls of the local high school sports teams. But the best part of the whole restaurant is the food. The appearance of the building might be a little unappealing, everything on their menu is the best breakfast food I have ever tasted. The food is amazing, the atmosphere is quaint, and the prices are low. But you have to remember to bring cash only. They don’t accept cards.

#8: Play Trivia on Thursday Nights at Beef 'O' Brady's

One thing I love about Apopka is the small town atmosphere of it. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is one of those restaurants that everyone in the town always eats at. When you go to Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, you can definitely expect to see a familiar face there. Their busiest nights are always Thursdays because of Trivia. The whole restaurant is jam-packed. Every seat is occupied, and the crowd does not die down until the winner of the game is announced. Customers form teams with their friends, and at the end of the night, the top three teams get Beef ‘O’ Brady’s gift cards. Whether you win or lose, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.

#9: Go see a scary movie at the Sketchy Wekiva Riverwalk Movie theater

There is only one Movie Theater in all of Apopka, and that is the Wekiva Riverwalk Theater. There are other places to see movies, but they’re about twenty to thirty minutes away. Wekiva Riverwalk is an ancient movie theater and has not been renovated since its been opened. The movie quality is not that impressive, and the seats are less than comfortable. But this theater is the best place ever to see a scary movie in. Because of its poor quality, hardly anyone ever attends. So seeing a scary movie in an empty theater only adds to the atmosphere of being frightened! To see any other movie, I always drive the twenty or thirty minutes, though.

#10: Ride bikes on the West Orange Trail

When I was younger, my dad and I would wake up early on some Saturday’s, pack lunches in our backpacks, and spend a day on the West Orange Trial. This is a path that weaves throughout the towns around Apopka, and allows anyone to travel on it as long as they aren’t using any motorized means of transportation. I used to love spending all Saturday riding to various towns and just spending quality time with my dad. When I got older, my friends and I would sometimes spend afternoons on the trial. We’d always ride to the close by town of Ocoee and eat lunch at a small diner that was right off the trial. It’s just such an enjoyable activity to do, as long as you don’t try to do it in any of the summer months.