Random Florida Guide articles
Hot Air Balloon Ride (2)
We booked a balloon ride through the Orlando Villas site (Park Tickets) – and what a fabulous time we had! We decided to do it on our first day in Flo
From Clearwater to Homossassas: what's in a name?
Well, back again with some more place name origins. CLEARWATER Clearwater is a lovely seaside town on The Gulf of Mexico. originally called Cle
Driving Tips
When collecting your hire car at the airport make sure you have a full valid driving licence. Without showing your licence you will not be able to hir
Beyond Disney
Many of our guests come back year after year and it’s not just because they’re addicted to Mickey Mouse and his buddies, although of course many are!
Myakka River State Park
Myakka River State Park is not far from Sarasota. It is possible to drive there and back in a day from Orlando but as there is so much else to see in
HUNSADER FARM
If you are staying in the Bradenton area then you might want to make time to visit Hunsader Farm. It all started in 1967 when the Hunsander brothers l
Manny’s Chophouse Revisited
We last wrote about the wonderful food at Manny’s in 2006 and thought we would update our thoughts on this restaurant. It is now a firm favourite with
I’ve got that Florida Feeling – Diary of our annual journey to Orlando! Part 2
Boarding is very straightforward on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Manchester. You will be boarded according to the row you are seated in so there is n
DINING AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY
I definitely recommend a visit to DownTown Disney simply to take in the atmosphere, stroll around the shops (and obviously buy if you want to!) and th
Highway 192 – Almost as famous as Disney World?
Long before travellers realised that staying in a villa was absolutely the perfect solution for a family trip to Florida, especially when visiting Wal
‘Must do’s’ at Universal Studios
As villa owners our guests often ask us what are the ‘must do’ attractions at each of the parks. Obviously this does depend on the age and make up of
Getting Married In Florida
Ever thought about getting married in paradise? Well, help is at hand. Getting married in Florida is very popular, for very good reason. Firstly there
Mall at Millenia
For a couple of years I avoided this mall because I had been given the information that it was just too expensive. Luckily a friend dragged me along-w
Ghosts and Gravestones Tour
On one of the few cloudy evenings in St Augustine we decided to go on the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour thinking that the weather might add to the atmos
Allen Broussard: his contribution to Florida and it's conservation.
Allen Broussard had a keen interest in conservancy and animas from a very young age. He lived in the area now known as Forever Florida which is a non
Points make prizes: World points at BAA airports
Here is a new twist on an idea that has been around for a while.If you are like me, you have a purse full of reward cards to collect your points/coupo
A teen’s vital tips for a long plane ride to Florida
1. Layers One thing I learned while traveling from wet, damp Scotland in the slushy winter to sunny, beautiful Florida is if you don’t make sure yo
CHAMPION'S GATE GATOR FESTIVAL
The first Champions Gate gator festival was held in May 2006 at, of course, Champions Gate in Davenport, which was very handy as it was near our villa
MIami
There are some amazing places to visit in Florida. Most people head for the hustle and bustle of Disney and Orlando area, but around 4 hours drive fro
We have lift-off!!
As one of the newer attractions at Epcot, I am sure many have heard of the arrival of “Mission Space”. This amazing experience was opened in the summe
Winter Park (2)
We first visited Winter Park about 6 years ago in 2001 when we wanted something a little different away from the parks. This lovely location is situat
Jungle Queen Riverboat Tour, Fort Lauderdale
Just north of Miami is the fascinating city of Fort Lauderdale. and it is here that you can take a very special cruise, through the intercoastal water
Magic Kingdom – Frontier Land
This land has two of the best rides in Magic Kingdom with the third being Space Mountain in Tomorrow Land. These are Splash Mountain and Big Thunder M
Lunch in the villa.
When you are Florida you will certainly want to spend some days in the parks but there comes a time when the family clamour to have a day by the pool
Wal-Mart...possibly the greatest supermarket on earth!
OK so we all have popped down to our local Tesco or even Asda at some time in the past but if you are relatively new to the USA I can definitely recom