Category: Things to do

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Christmas – Florida

What better place to explore than the town where it’s Christmas year-round? About 20 miles from Orlando a city called Christmas is located along Highway 50.  A small, post office is on your right right after seeing the green “Christmas” sign that marks the entrance to the town. It is decorated for the holidays year round with a holiday wreath on the outside and a tree in the lobby. During summer it is a quiet place, but prior to the holidays, they line up for the post office to mail their holiday cards and letters with the unique postmark of “Christmas, FL.”.

FortChristmas-01The city has been named after Fort Christmas a 25-acre park that features a traditional Florida “Cracker” house, a school house and lunchroom, seven pioneer homes, a sugar cane mill and historical farming equipment. Visitors will uncover a wealth of historical information. The historical park also includes several picnic pavilions, a unique themed children’s playground, a baseball diamond, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts.

LargestGator-01Also located in the area is Jungle Adventures Nature Park. The larger-than-life alligator marks the entrance to the park where a number of exotic animals call home. Besides the animal displays, the park advertises jungle adventure shows, a jungle cruise and more. They are open everyday of the year from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm rain or shine.

Besides the small X-mas gift shop, there really isn’t too much to do but it is always fun, especially in during the holiday season, to bring a visit to the city of Christmas.

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Wet ‘n Wild

Just minutes away from Universal Orlando, Wet ‘n Wild gives you more rides and more multi-person slides than any other Orlando waterpark. Share the excitement with family and friends while you experience park favorites. Race head-to-head on Aqua Drag Racer the tallest and fastest ride of its kind in Florida. Share a dance on Disco H2O. Have a blast in Blastaway Beach, Florida’s largest water play area.

Only opened for 6 more month’s because the doors will close on December 31st. So, don’t miss your last chance to share the fun, share the memories, Share the Rush! Wet ‘n Wild is permanently closing on December 31, 2016. Weather permitting, operating calendar subject to change without notice.

Get tickets here:
Wet ‘n Wild Water Park – SAVE BIG!
or
Wet ‘N Wild Water Park – Save 25%!

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Gatorland

Gatorland is a theme park and wildlife preserve in Florida, located along South Orange Blossom Trail south of Orlando.

Gatorland was opened 67 years ago in 1949 and has been privately owned, as the first major attraction in central Florida. Billed as the “Alligator Capital of the World,” Gatorland features thousands of alligators and crocodiles, a breeding marsh with boardwalk and observation tower, reptile shows, aviary, petting zoo, swamp walk, and educational programs. The park is known for buying and rescuing nuisance alligators from trappers that would otherwise be killed for their meat and skin. The Breeding Marsh area of the park was used in the 1984 movie, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

In the summer of 2011 a new attraction was added: a zip line that travels across a pool of alligators and past several of the existing attractions. The ride is 1,200 feet long and several stories high.
Gatorland opened Gator Spot at Fun Spot America Theme Parks’ Orlando park in 2015. The $1 million attraction allows Gatorland to extend their brand to the I-Drive tourist area, with visitors able to hold, take photos with, and feed alligators. The star of the attraction is a leucistic alligator named Bouya, a white gator with blue eyes.

Catch the shows with humans interacting with gators, including the classic Gator Jumparoo, where huge American alligators leap from the water to chomp chickens dangling from lines. Alligator wrestling and creepy critter shows educate their audiences with reptile trivia while performing amazing stunts. Take a relaxing train ride through the swamp, make some cuddly friends at the petting zoo or cool off from the Florida sun in the Gator Gully Splash Park, where you’re sure to get soaked.

 

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Bok Tower

Bok Tower Gardens is centrally located between Tampa and Orlando in Polk County, Florida. Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark, contemplative garden, and bird sanctuary located north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States. It consists of a 250-acre garden, the 205-foot tall Singing Tower with its carillon bells, Pine Ridge Trail, Pinewood Estate, and a visitor center. The tower is built upon Iron Mountain, one of the highest points of Florida, estimated to be 295 feet above sea level.

The gardens were opened in 1921 when Edward W. Bok, a Dutch EdwardBokimmigrant, and his his wife were spending the winter beside Florida’s Lake Wales Ridge and decided to create a bird sanctuary on its highest hill, 298 feet above sea level.

The first year was spent digging trenches and laying pipes for irrigation. The plan included the planting of 1,000 large live oaks, 10,000 azaleas, 100 sabal palms, 300 magnolias, and 500 gordonias, as well as hundreds of fruit shrubs such as blueberry and holly.

The Singing Tower is the centerpiece of the gardens and was built at the highest elevation of the site. The tower is 51 feet square at its base, changing form at 150 feet high to an octagon with 37 feet sides that include sculptures. The tower’s interior is not open to the public.

The Pine Ridge Nature Preserve and Trail is an ecosystem typified by an over-story of Longleaf Pine. The trail is located on one of the highest points in Florida and long ago the Ridge was a chain of islands. The plants and animals found on the Ridge are unique because they evolved on the chain of islands, which is why the most rare plants and animals can be found in this area.

8 acres of the Gardens include the Pinewood Estate, which features a twenty-room Mediterranean Revival mansion. This mansion was built as a winter residence. Its original name was “El Retiro”, and it has been restored to its 1930s appearance.

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Legoland

Legoland Florida is a theme park in Winter Haven, Florida and opened 2011. The park is the second-largest after Legoland Windsor in the UK. The park was built on the site of the former Cypress Gardens theme park. The botanical park was preserved and the waterpark was redecorated into a Lego theme as well as the roller coasters.

The park has more than 50 rides, shows, attractions, restaurants and shops and is great for families with children between 2 and 12. The hotel was opened in 2015 and build on Legoland property.

Click to get your tickets

Four of the rides were kept, but renamed, from the time it was still Cypress Garden, the Triple Hurricane wooden rollercoaster, the Okeechobee Rampage family coaster, and Swamp Thing, a Vekoma family inverted coaster.
Further more, the park is divided into 11 sections, all with their own rides and attractions:
The Beginning, Lego Kingdoms, Duple Village, Fun Town, Imagination Zone, Land of Adventure, Lego City, Mainland USA, The World of Chima, Pirates’ Cove and Lego Technic.

LEGOLAND Florida a 150-acre interactive theme park dedicated to families with children between the ages of 2 and 12. With more than 50 rides, shows and attractions and the all-new water park, LEGOLAND is geared towards family fun!

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Cocoa Beach

In less than 1,5 hour you can see the beautiful atlantic ocean.
Bring your cooler and towel with you and enjoy the day at the beach.
Don’t forget to bring your sun lotion.
Cocoa Beach, Florida… It’s been called the quintessential beach town, and Cocoa Beach, an hour’s drive east of Orlando on Florida’s beautiful Space Coast, offers endless ways to enjoy recreation and leisure. Whether you are planning a family beach vacation, leisure travel, a business trip, a weekend getaway, or just a day at the beach, you’ll find everything you need in Cocoa Beach and the Space Coast area to make your stay one to remember. And if that isn’t enough, in addition to being the CLOSEST BEACH to Orlando, you can always visit the now world famous Ron Jon Surf Shop. Visited by surf and beach lovers from around the globe, Ron Jon Surf Shop is recognized world-wide as an icon of the surf and beach lifestyle.

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Kennedy Space Center

The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on the east coast of Florida, is one of ten National Aeronautics and Space Administration field centers, and is NASA’s Center of Excellence for launch and payload processing systems.

Kennedy Space Center has been NASA’s primary launch center since December 1968. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center. Since 2010, the center has worked to become a multi-user spaceport through industry partnerships, even adding a new launch pad (LC-39C) in 2015. There are about 700 facilities grouped across the center’s 144,000 acres. Among the unique facilities at Kennedy Space Center are the 525 ft tall Vehicle Assembly Building for stacking NASA’s largest rockets, Operations and Checkout Building which houses the astronaut crew quarters, and 3-mile-long Shuttle Landing Facility.

KSCMap
Click to enlarge

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, has a variety of exhibits, artifacts, displays and attractions on the history and future of human and robotic spaceflight. Bus tours of KSC originate from here. The complex also includes the separate Apollo/Saturn V Center and the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, is only six miles west near Titusville. The high-tech attraction entitled “Heroes and Legends”, is to be opened late in 2016.

Only 70 miles from our Villa it will be a trip worthwhile and will not be forgotten anytime soon!

And when you happen to be at our Villa when another launch is planned just step outside the door and look and you will see it right there!

12-05-2014 TheOrionTestFlightLaunches-04
Live on TV
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Outside
Live into orbit
Live into orbit

Click here to get your tickets in advance:

Kennedy Space Center – Save Over 10% on Tickets!
or
Kennedy Space Center – Save Big on Tickets!

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Downtown Disney

Disney Springs is the new name given to the complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando. Formerly known as Downtown Disney and prior to that as Disney Village Marketplace and Walt Disney World Village it was officially changed as per September 2015.

The complex is divided into three areas: West Side, the Landing, and the Marketplace. As was Downtown Disney, Disney Springs is open  all year and there is no admission or parking fees charged. Visitors of Walt Disney World resort can use the free transportation, buses and water taxis, to and from Disney Springs.

West Side

The Disney Springs West Side has many full service restaurants, large stores, and entertainment venues. Planet Hollywood opened in December 1994. Jenny, the shrimping boat used in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, is located on the northwest corner of that restaurant. Characters in Flight opened in early 2009 and features a giant tethered balloon that rises 400 feet.

DisneySpringMap
Click to enlarge

Expansion of the existing AMC Theaters Pleasure Island 24 opened with Downtown Disney West Side in 1997. In late 2010 it was refurbished  and created so that theaters could be offering food service. The complex was renamed AMC Downtown Disney 24. In 1997, there were plans to open a Planet Movies by AMC entertainment complex at this location by combining the Planet Hollywood restaurant with a re-branded AMC megaplex. However, these plans never took place because of Planet Hollywood’s continued financial problems. The complex has now been renamed AMC Disney Springs 24

The Landing

The Landing was formerly Pleasure Island, a nighttime entertainment complex with two comedy clubs and four dance clubs. These clubs were all closed permanently in September of 2008. Pleasure Island was ready to undergo extensive renovations and re-theming to transform it into the early twentieth century wharf-themed entertainment area. New shopping and dining locations would have also been added. However all plans were cancelled in favor of Disney Springs with the area currently known as Pleasure Island, along with part of the current parking lot, eventually becoming The Landing.

Marketplace

The Marketplace has many shops and restaurants. The first restaurant in the Earl of Sandwich chain is located here. T-Rex Cafe is a dinosaur-themed restaurant, which features dinosaurs. It opened on October 14, 2008. Rainforest Cafe is also located at this location. A walkway spanning the Village Lake and connecting Rainforest Cafe with the Lego Store – The Marketplace Causeway – was constructed and opened in 2015.

 

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International Drive, better known as I-Drive

International-Drive, better known as I-Drive, serves as Orlando’s main tourist strip and has it all from hotels to shopping to entertainment. And of course the I-Ride-trolley which comes along every 20 minutes. The I-Ride takes you to the 6 great theme parks that are located at International-Drive or to one of the other 30 attractions that I-Drive has. And when that is not enough you can either shop at one of the 500+ designer, brand-name or outlet stores. Or look for a restaurant of your choice, with 200+ restaurants there should be one that holds your favorite food. Before exploring the area it might be a good idea to visit the Official Visitor Center in a city that has so much to offer. Staff is waiting for you to come in and help you plan your holiday. They will tell you about The Orlando Eye as one of the newest attractions in ‘City Beautiful’, as Orlando is also known, and the largest observation wheel on the East Coast! So take a moment to escape, and discover the magic and natural wonder Orlando has to offer from above.

I-Drive
(Click to enlarge)

Or maybe you’d like to go shopping, located at the north end of International Drive is Orlando International Premium Outlets which is filled with 180 stores offering everyday savings. Make sure to sign up first so you are able to receive additional coupons and saving offers and make shopping even more fun!
When dinner time comes along, maybe you can sit down at Bahama Breeze, the restaurant that brings guests the feeling of a tropical escape by inviting them to the food, drinks and vibrant atmosphere found in the Caribbean.
For those looking to spice up their visit, Mango’s Tropical Cafe has live music and entertainment, colorful drinks and food all with a some Latin flare, so get ready to dance the night away at the newest hotspot for nightlife in Orlando on International Drive!
Then when sun rises again the next morning it is time to enjoy another beautiful day at unforgettable I-Drive!
Look for more information and things to do at I-Drive in the upcoming blogs!
But those who can not wait, here are already some ideas, just click here:
I-Drive 360 Attractions – Save up to 45% on Tickets!

WonderWorks & The Outta Control Comedy Dinner Show – Save Over 25%!

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando – Save 20% on Admission!

iFly Indoor Skydiving – Save over 20%!

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Fun restaurants to have breakfast

One of the fun restaurants to have breakfast at, is the Waffle House® where they serve fresh prepared food. All food is cooked to order and served on real china in the kitchen that is in full view. All regular customers are welcomed by name and interact with the servers andWaffleHouseMenu other customers. When all orders are taken all is “shouted” to to the cooks who then start preparing your order. Besides the Waffles, which can be ordered in different flavors, some menu favorites are: The All-Star Special, Cheese ‘N Eggs and Texas Bacon, all can be served with the well-known hashbrowns. Since all restaurants are open 24 hours a day it would be unfair to only have breakfast here since lunch and dinner are also being served at The Waffle House. Some fun facts about what has been served at The Waffle House since 1955:
2,501,866,574 – Eggs
29,898,595 – Slices of Ham
1,800,286,157 – Hashbrown Orders
1,684,212,442 – Bacon Strips
1,359,881,590 – Orders of Grits
1,289,801,887 – Cups of Coffee
877,388,027 – Waffles
729,065,401 – Glasses of Coca-Cola
661,031,274 – Sausage Patties
264,925,814 – Omelets
201,228,687 – Hamburger Quarters
164,980,986 – Orders of Cheese N’ Eggs
134,842,441 – T-Bone Steaks
32,215,481 – Slices of Pie