This article is a follow up to the articles I wrote ' The Conversion of a Florida Holiday Sceptic ' parts one and two.
The article was written by the aforementioned sceptics Sue and Paul and has been submitted for publication with their full permission.
Orlando For Adults Without Children.
One would think Orlando is all about theme parks and is a destination primarily for families with children, but as 2 fifty year olds visiting twice within 18 months I can assure you there is plenty to keep us adults entertained.
To start with, our good friends have a beautiful villa, we have been their personal guests on one occasion and have rented their home on the second, the pool is private with lush vegetation behind, it' s incredibly quiet without being isolated and a wonderful place to spend some lazy hours.
The supermarket is 5 minutes drive down the road and the quality of the food there is superb. There are lovely restaurants, our favourites are ' Bonefish Grill, D' Antonio' s and for a special meal Season' s 52. We also had some simple meals in the villa to let our bodies recover.
Celebration is about 10-15 minute drive and this Disney designed town is like stepping in to a film set - think of ' Back to the Future' or ' Desperate Housewives' . The houses are set around a collection of lakes with paths around for easy walking and admiring the decorations on the porches (the first time we went we arrived on Halloween). The local shops are mainly set along Market street and are a treasure trove of craft, clothes and restaurants/cafe' s. The town is wonderfully clean and the locals are very friendly.
There are other shopping opportunities at several retail outlets within 20-30 minute drive and some lovely shopping malls with American chains, some we get at home and some we don' t.
Bok Tower Gardens are an unexpected delight about 45 minutes drive. You can easily spend a day here exploring the gardens, watching the wildlife or just looking at the view (it is set in one of the highest points in Florida) and if you have children with you there are activities for them to stay occupied. The tower is stunning marble structure but unfortunately not open to the public. Also adjacent to the gardens is Pinewood Estate with an amazing 1920' s Spanish style house which is well worth the admission fee.
Winter Park is about an hour' s drive, this tree lined street with shops & cafe' s is beautiful and the Morse Museum which specialises is Tiffany glass. We didn' t leave enough time to explore all the rooms but a return visit will definitely be on the agenda.
Kennedy Space Centre & the Astronaut Hall of Fame needs several trips to explore fully for any child of the sixties!
Still lots more to see and do!
The article was written by the aforementioned sceptics Sue and Paul and has been submitted for publication with their full permission.
Orlando For Adults Without Children.
One would think Orlando is all about theme parks and is a destination primarily for families with children, but as 2 fifty year olds visiting twice within 18 months I can assure you there is plenty to keep us adults entertained.
To start with, our good friends have a beautiful villa, we have been their personal guests on one occasion and have rented their home on the second, the pool is private with lush vegetation behind, it' s incredibly quiet without being isolated and a wonderful place to spend some lazy hours.
The supermarket is 5 minutes drive down the road and the quality of the food there is superb. There are lovely restaurants, our favourites are ' Bonefish Grill, D' Antonio' s and for a special meal Season' s 52. We also had some simple meals in the villa to let our bodies recover.
Celebration is about 10-15 minute drive and this Disney designed town is like stepping in to a film set - think of ' Back to the Future' or ' Desperate Housewives' . The houses are set around a collection of lakes with paths around for easy walking and admiring the decorations on the porches (the first time we went we arrived on Halloween). The local shops are mainly set along Market street and are a treasure trove of craft, clothes and restaurants/cafe' s. The town is wonderfully clean and the locals are very friendly.
There are other shopping opportunities at several retail outlets within 20-30 minute drive and some lovely shopping malls with American chains, some we get at home and some we don' t.
Bok Tower Gardens are an unexpected delight about 45 minutes drive. You can easily spend a day here exploring the gardens, watching the wildlife or just looking at the view (it is set in one of the highest points in Florida) and if you have children with you there are activities for them to stay occupied. The tower is stunning marble structure but unfortunately not open to the public. Also adjacent to the gardens is Pinewood Estate with an amazing 1920' s Spanish style house which is well worth the admission fee.
Winter Park is about an hour' s drive, this tree lined street with shops & cafe' s is beautiful and the Morse Museum which specialises is Tiffany glass. We didn' t leave enough time to explore all the rooms but a return visit will definitely be on the agenda.
Kennedy Space Centre & the Astronaut Hall of Fame needs several trips to explore fully for any child of the sixties!
Still lots more to see and do!