10 things you must do in Central Florida in summer

10. Crash a pool. It's hot as Hades here in the summertime, and if you don't have a pool, you probably spend a lot of your time trying to figure out how to get access to one. Get creative. Find a way to sneak into your favorite local hotel pool, like this amazing beach pool at Loew's Portofino Bay.

The pool at the Hard Rock Hotel is also rather nice, and we've heard of a few daring folks who've charmed their way in. (via orlandinformer.com)

Embassy Suites downtown has a pool with a pleasant view. They also have a decent happy hour. Have a few drinks, make friends with a guest at the bar and get yourself invited up for a swim.

We won't name this popular local hotel pool because last time we did, they got mad ad us. But intrepid Orlando hipsters have already staked out their prime poolside spots for summer. See our 2012 summer guide story "Chlorine Dreams" for more info on local pools.

Ride a swan boat at Lake Eola, which has a surprisingly diverse array of wildlife in its waters, considering it's such a heavily trafficked urban body of water. Here's a bit of trivia for you: The Dave Matthews Tribute Band once got drunk in Orlando, stole a swan boat in the middle of the night and sunk it. Authorities were not amused. True story.

8. Kayak someplace where you can see alligators. It's very cool and if you don't harass the gators, it's pretty safe because alligators are naturally shy.

There are probably tons of alligators in the waters where these kayakers are paddling (via visitcentralflorida.org)

Technically, there's probably a gator lurking in just about every body of water in Florida, including this pretty stretch of the St. John's River, which is perfect for paddling.

If you dare go out into the while, you get to catch awesome, dramatic sunsets like this one.

And you'll stumble across spectacular landscapes, like this one on the Little Econ River. So don't worry about the gators. They know where all the good spots are.

7. Drive on the beach in Volusia County. (via nbcnews.com)

They say it's a Florida tradition to drive along New Smyrna and Daytona. It might be dangerous, but it can be quite the scene on summer afternoons. (via volusia.org)

So you might as well cruise the strip at least once in your life, right? (via vice.com)

6. Play mini golf at one of the various Congo River mini golf courses. They're ridiculous, elaborate, more fun than they deserve to be, and many of them have live gators on display, too. So Orlando.

5. Eat a gelati from Jeremiah's Italian ice. It's got layers of homemade Italian ice and creamy frozen custard, and it's insanely addictive. This one is a half mango, half green apple. (via yelp.com)

The black raspberry gelati is to die for. (via tastychomps.com)

4. Have a cocktail at the Eden Bar at the Enzian. It's outdoors, it's lush and laid back ... and it is therefore one of our favorite places to be in summertime.

3. Check out a TheDailyCity.com Food Truck Bazaar. Tons of gourmet food trucks, tons of people, tons of fun.

Want to find out when the next food truck gathering is happening near you? Check out our listings online.

Mmmmm, chicken and waffles from a truck.