On a recent trip to our villa we were looking for something a little different to do and settled on a helicopter trip over the Disney area. We thoroughly enjoyed the view from the air and one place that the pilot pointed out to us was Gaylord Palms. ...
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Florida offers many good days out and if you are staying in Orlando you are not far from many of them. Being only 1 hour from both coasts offers you plenty of opportunities to go and explore. One of the best places to visit is Daytona Beach on the Ea...
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One of the joys of my trips to Florida is the ability to try out different vehicles and experience motoring that can be too expensive to enjoy in the UK. In the summer months, when I get to spend more time in Florida than during the rest of the year,...
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Imagine a cold, wet, wintry day in February in England and then being transported to this beautiful, hot, sunny, palm tree fringed paradise. That was my experience when I visited South Beach Miami one year. It was like dying and going to heaven. The ...
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If you want to get away from it all and enjoy a little bit of peace and tranquillity then take yourself down the 27 to Bok Tower and Sanctuary. I must stress that this is a very gentle day out and may not be suitable for lively teens accustom...
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We were introduced to Carrabba’s on our first visit to Orlando when we were buying our villa and we have returned there at least once each visit since then. We generally go to the one on the 192 just west of the Formosa Gardens area. It is popular so...
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If you are staying on the Florida Gulf Coast something which will be enjoyed by all members of the family is the Ringling Museum in Sarasota. Just off the 41 opposite University Parkway, it is a short walk from the car park but there is plenty of roo...
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Rome is a legendary city, which, over the course of 2, 000 years, arose from humble beginnings to become a formidable axis of political power, military might, religious authority, artistic innovation and wealth.
Today it is a breathta...
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Sarasota
The Sarasota area was originally identified in the mid-1700s as Zara Zote. The area is south of Tampa and north of Fort Myers on the western coast of the Florida.
Within Sarasota Bay is a group of barrier isla...
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It was several years ago that we first visited Key West, on our first cruise aboard the stunningly beautiful Royal Caribbean ship ‘Enchantment of the Seas,’ in her inaugural season. As we boarded the launches to take us to the town, we could see befo...
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Black Canyon Of The Gunnison is located in Colorado and is 124 sq km in size. The park was created in 1999 and is best known for its spectacular lookouts and rim trails.
This park doesn’t have quite the scale of the Grand Canyon so wh...
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If you would like a change from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks I would suggest a day trip to the coast. The closest coast to our villa at Orange Tree is the west coast, with its lovely white sands and tropical beaches. I have visited Clearw...
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If you are in need of a little “retail therapy” while down at the Gulf Coast you will be spoilt for choice! Fifteen minutes south on the Tamiami Trail and you are in Port Charlotte. You can visit: Port Charlotte Town Center Mall 1441 Tamiami...
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During our last trip to Florida during the summer of 2008 we chose to organise the rental of a mid sized SUV from Thrifty car rental, bookable via this website (http://www. orlandovillas. com/car_hire. aspx) . We organised for a collection at the Rad...
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I am often asked what time of year is the best to visit Florida. Well, I decided I would discuss it with you and see if we can get a consensus.
Let us go through the months one by one
JANUARY So nice to get away from the U. K. ...
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Day 4
Another lovely sunny and warm day!
We had breakfast on the pool deck watching the amazing sunrise over the lake (we were up early, still in the British time zone) and told the girls we were going to see the animals at Dis...
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When to go can be a hard decision to make and will depend a lot on if you want to see any special events. Despite its freezing winters, you will find that you can get city breaks year round to Moscow. Temperatures often fall below zero ºC between Nov...
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It was some years ago that after spending some time in the Gulf Coast resorts of Sarasota and St Petersburg we came across the charming little town of Tarpon Springs with its unmistakable Greek influence. Situated just north on Clearwater off SR19 Ta...
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After months of anticipation and planning we are finally waking up for our first day at our villa. I am never sure whether it is jet lag or sheer excitement but it is unusual for any of the family to sleep after 6. 00am.
If fact one year...
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Sarasota is situated in the gulf coast about a good one and a half hours drive away from Orlando To get there you would talk the I 4 towards Tampa then the I75 south Sarasota has lots to offer. For a start the beach at siesta key has f...
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Fort Myers is located in Lee County (named after General Robert E Lee) on the south east coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Fort Myers is generally low-lying terrain bounded on the north by the Caloosahatchee River. It is approximately a 3-hour drive fr...
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As we stayed a few days in Louisville at both the start and end of our trip we had time to check out a few different types of restaurant. Listed below are some places that we tried and were recommended to us.
Proof on Main is a culina...
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I didn’t really know what to expect the first time we decided to go to Chili’s for a meal. I am not a great lover of spicy food and would normally avoid anything with chili’s in it, so I was slightly apprehensive to say the least. We decided ...
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If you find yourself feeling hungry and you are near to Orlando Premium Outlets (just off the I4) take a visit to Bahama Breeze. The tasty Caribbean cuisine (although all the usual steaks and burgers are served here) makes this restaurant gro...
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One thing we hadn’t realized on our first trip to Bradenton was just how proud the city is of their history and that the Manatee Village Historical Park provided a lasting legacy to those early pioneers of the nineteenth century. Probably the...
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