June 24, 2009 - 4:39 am
Florida is known for its excellent golf courses and year round golfing weather. But nowhere in Florida has more golf courses than Orlando. There are dozens that range in difficulty from mediocre to world-class. Many Orlando golf courses are now ranked as some of the best in the world.
The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is unlike other golf courses in the area on looks alone. It’s a Mediterranean style resort with two championship golf courses. ChampionsGate is ideally secluded and private, yet mere miles from Orlando’s major attractions. It’s the perfect place to retreat after dropping the kids off at Disney. This course is still new but is already one of the most popular gold destinations in Florida. The greens are well kept, the fairways perfectly smoothly. Creator Greg Norman showed a lot of imagination in his design by using the landscape to create unexpected challenges.
The Celebration Golf Club is one of those old-world Orlando golf courses that just don’t seem to be around anymore. Two masters of golf, Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior, designed the courses. The championship layout was designed to not only look breathtaking but also be just as challenging. The fairways vary from being very generous and wide open to tight and difficult to maneuver.
The Eagle Creek Golf Club is conveniently located about five miles from the airport, making it one of the most attractively placed of Orlando golf courses. The club’s management boasts, “Great green are a given, great service is also a given.” They seem to be accurate as the course is consistently rated with 4.5 stars and is one of the best courses in Orlando. World-renowned golf course architects Ron Garl and Howard Swan designed the 18-hole course. The two seem to have taken their respective styles and meshed them into a challenging but enjoyable par 73 course. It has been open to the public since 2004 and has consistently lent itself to golfers of all skill levels. From beginner to master this is truly a must play course.
Falcons Fire Golf Club has not only the distinction of being one of the finest golf courses in Florida; it is also considered one of the most women-friendly golf courses. This Rees Jones Signature Designed golf course is just feet away from the Orlando Airport and Disney. The greens are expertly designed to be large and relatively flat, but may not always be easily managed. Most golfers agree the toughest hole is number 5, the par 4 has a forced carry over a marsh that is very intimidating and can be difficult to manage. It is perfect for a golf retreat year round and shouldn’t be missed.
June 23, 2009 - 4:55 am
Every city has those little known places that all the locals know are the best ways to spend time. No matter how big the tourist attraction it is they always know about those things that seem to be overlooked in typical vacation plans. A vacation in Orlando is no different.
The Orlando Museum of Art is not typically a place one would hear about. But it really should not be missed. This is a varied museum that is always featuring something new. From watercolors of Aesop’s fables to an exhibition of South American sculpture, their guest exhibits change frequently. Not only that, they always have a special program to enjoy. The Florida Artist of the Month celebrates a gifted local artist that may get no other exposure. The annual Antiques Show and sale directly benefits the educational programs of the museum.
Another great spot to vacation in Orlando is the Orlando Science Center. It’s fun for the kids and you’ll likely still learn something even when you’re eighty. The Science Center does boast visiting exhibits that tend to change every few months, but are most renowned for their regular exhibit halls. For example their NatureWorks exhibits has been the most popular attraction since it began. The DinoDigs attraction is also very popular and comes complete with a replica fossil dig where you can uncover your very own replica fossil. And if it all becomes a bit too complicated for the little ones head on over to KidsTown. Specially designed for kids, all the interactive experiments and exhibits are ideally placed just at their eye level. The water table is likely to keep one entertained for hours by itself. Truly a good time for the whole family and something that is definitely worth a visit.
Another great way to spend a vacation in Orlando is the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour. Winter Park is a small town outside Orlando, but their 17 lakes are a perfect way to spend the day. Not to mention this one-hour boat tour will be very easy on your wallet. There is plenty of wildlife to see, just as in all of Florida. Three different tours are available and with the price, why pass any of them up? On one tour you can be perusing the many birds and small mammals. On the next you will be getting some serious real estate envy as you see the wonderful lake front properties of the area. On the third you can travel between the lakes through narrow canals that were once used for logging in the 1800s. Who knows, you might learn something while relaxing and enjoying yourself.
June 21, 2009 - 4:15 pm
Orlando has been one of the premier vacation spots in the country for generations. On average the city hosts 48 millions visitors per year. There are a dozen of so theme parks and hundreds of other attractions. Many factors can affect you vacation and ultimately your enjoyment of the Orlando area. It’s important to know all Orlando vacation information before you go, so you can plan wisely.
First, you should consider the weather that is typical to the Orlando area. On average the temperature doesn’t usually drop below about 50 degrees. There are certainly some exceptions, but as a general rule it is a very balmy region. There’s a reason that Florida is home to the only tropical forest in North America. The three hottest months of the years are typically June, July and August. The temperature range in these months normally ranges between a low of about 70 degrees to a high of about 92 degrees.
While this may not sound like a lot if you are currently living in Arizona, remember that the humidity is usually in the seventy percent range as well. This can make it seem a lot hotter than it actually is. The months of summer are not only the hottest but have the highest average number of rainy days. This can greatly put a damper on your vacation if you are planning lots of days in the open-air theme parks. Also be aware that if you plan your trip in late summer or early fall there’s a slight chance you may run into a tropical storm or hurricane.
Knowing about the typical tourist seasons is also important Orlando vacation information. March to April, mid-summer and the end of the year are usually the busiest tourist seasons in Orlando. While the beginning of the school season and right after spring break is the least busy time of the year. This by no means indicates Orlando will be empty, just less chaotic. This is also a good way to judge when the theme parks and other major attractions will be the most crowded and the lines the longest.
The first general rule is whenever the kids are out of school; the theme parks will be packed. The same holds true of major holidays as well. Other less known but important Orlando vacation information is the crowds during seasonal special events. For example, the Disney World marathon or Universal’s Mardi Gras.
While Orlando doesn’t really slow down much, there are times when you may encounter more closures. Water parks need maintenance, theme park rides need to be maintained, animals in the parks need a break from the intense crowds. The attractions usually use low tourist seasons to take care of these things. So while booking your vacation during this time will be the cheapest, don’t be surprised to find a few rides closed here and there.
June 15, 2009 - 3:28 am
When someone hears the word Orlando obviously one of the first things that comes to mind is Walt Disney World. That is a great way to spend a day or two on a vacation in Orlando, there has to be other things to do too. This list is a great place to start.
Seaworld is a wonderful escape from the sometimes muggy Florida summers. Walk around at your leisure to see some animals and learn something new. And when the afternoon sun gets to be a little too much, head for the auditoriums and get yourselves thoroughly splashed compliments of the killer whales. This is a great place to spend some of the latter half of your vacation in Orlando since it is a very relaxed activity compared to come others.
Another great way to spend a day is just to hang around the beach. Any of Orlando’s beaches will be beautiful and stunning, just watch out for spring break time if that is not really your type of fun. If you are a surfer or kayaker, then you will have plenty of avenues available to you. Snorkeling and free diving are also great ways to spend your time. But even if all you do is take an ice cooler out there with soda and some sun tan lotion, your vacation will be off to a perfect start.
Universal Studios is another popular spot to vacation in Orlando. Again, it’s a little more leisurely and you can take your time walking around the place. Make it a half day or two day event, you’ll still see a lot and have great deals of fun. Be sure to stop by the Nascar Sports Grill for a pink lemonade.
A definite must on your to-do list would be visiting NASA. Not only is the place world renowned, it is a fascinating place to visit. It can make for a long day with the sheer size of it, so be sure to pack lots of water and energy bars. It also has a tendency to get very hot since most of NASA is located on flat and open land. Getting there earlier in the day will make the trip most pleasant for everyone.
Now just to get over that long and hot day at NASA there’s one perfect solution for people of all ages. Make sure to pay a visit to the Wet and Wild Water Park. This is much more exciting and exhilarating than the beach, but can be overwhelming with the large crowds. If it gets to be too much excitement, retreat to the beach chairs and relax in the shade for a little while.
The most important thing to remember is that it’s your vacation. If you’re having a good time and taking your time to enjoy the sights then you can’t possibly go wrong. You’ll give yourself something to write home about and come back for next year with plenty more things to see.
