Archive for June, 2010

Imagine the scenario, you want to have a large family get together in Orlando or one of the other beautiful Florida destinations. You have tried several hotels some can accommodate you some can’t, those that can accommodate you can’t guarantee you will be in the same part of the hotel complex let alone the same floor.

Even if you are traveling as a family, many offer 2 Queen sized bedrooms or a King. So if you are taking kids with you it’s going to be Mom & Pop in one Queen and the kids in the other. Not much privacy there. Once the kids are asleep and you want to watch a bit of TV you have to keep the volume down low so as not to disturb the kids.

So what’s the solution?

Simple, take a look at the many vacation properties available in Florida and particularly the Orlando Area. These luxurious vacation homes are equipped with everything you need to make it your home from home. Almost all of them have private heated pools, some with hot tubs and Jacuzzis. Many have large screen TV’s, games consoles such as xbox and PS2 along with games. Others also have games rooms with pool and foosball tables. So after a tiring fun filled day at the theme parks if the kids have any energy left there is something for them to do. Mom & Dad can have some quality time too once the kids are all tucked up in bed. If you wanted to cook some meals instead of eating out all the time, even if it is Breakfast the choice is yours. All the facilities are there at your disposal. Some villa communities have communal areas with a pool, kids play areas, hiking trails and clubhouses too.

What about the cost?

Many times the cost is comparable or cheaper than hotel rooms, depending on the number of travelers. If you take in value for money then Vacation Villas are cheaper than hotels every time. The average cost of of a vacation home that has 4 bedrooms and can sleep up to 10 people (many have sleeper sofas), is around $900 per week. If, lets say, there were 8 people traveling in your group and you stayed in hotel rooms, it could easily cost more than the $900 especially if you had 4 rooms! Bedroom sizes can be as many as 7, often with more than one master suite. These huge villas can sleep up to 16, if you would want that many! For the privacy alone it’s got to be worth the money.

When choosing a vacation villa online from a website such as Perfect Florida Villas you can rest assured that you will be dealt with in an honest and professional manner. All villas have been verified by the site owners as being registered with the state and hold a Hotels license and do indeed exist and are owned by who they say they are. All villas have a competent Management Company that provide any assistance that may be required by you throughout your stay.

When visiting Perfect Florida Villas you are able to view the property you like see many pictures of it and ask the owner for answers to any questions or requests you may have.

So it’s time to break the hotel habit and give vacation villas in Orlando and Florida a try. You wont regret it!

When you mention the words “Orlando vacation” to most people they think of Disney World and the other theme parks in Central Florida. The imagination and creative effort that have been put into the theme parks is amazing and has attracted visitors from around the world. However, reality is sometimes just as exciting as imagination, and nowhere is this more evident than at the Kennedy Space Center.

If you are visiting Orlando, then you should certainly set aside some time to visit the Space Center. Let me introduce some of the attractions that have made the Kennedy Space Center a big hit with visitors to Florida.

The expeditions to the moon in the early 1970s are an historic milestone for humanity and you can get a first hand view of the technology that made these flights possible at the Saturn 5 center. Here you can look at a full scale rocket which measures more than 360 feet high and weighs in at 6.2 million pounds. You not only get a gaze at the mammoth rocket but can also take a simulated voyage to the moon and get up close to everything with a detailed exhibition.

You can even go further into the history of space travel in the Early Space history section of the Space Center. The early Mercury and Gemini space capsules are on display along with the control panel that the mission controllers used to guide the early space flights.

Almost everyone is fascinated by Earth’s neighbor, the red planet Mars, and a section devoted to the Viking landings of 1976 let’s you take a trip to Mars in a simulated visit that retraces the route followed by the unmanned Viking probes. You can even touch a piece of Mars because a meteorite that originated from Mars is also on display.

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be an astronaut on a shuttle flight? If so then make sure you visit the Shuttle Launch simulator. The whole room vibrates as the Shuttle takes off and when you “reach orbit” you will get an astronauts-eye view of the Earth.

Speaking of astronauts, you can meet an astronaut at the space center. Throughout the year astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the Shuttle eras meet with the visitors.

During the 50 years of the Space Age our astronauts and space probes have taken dramatic footage of outer space. You can see the best shots in a spectacular fashion at the IMAX 3D Theater and really get a feel for what it is like to be an astronaut.

There is a lot to see at the Kennedy Space Center and the best way to make sure that you see it all is to take a guided tour of the facility on a bus ride that stops at all the major installations of the Center. The first bus leads at 9:30 AM and there are continuous throughout the day.
As you leave the center you can pick up a souvenir at the Space Shop. You can choose from over 8000 items of space memorabilia.

This is only a sampling of what you can expect at the Space Center, so be sure to visit this entertaining and educative attraction during your stay in Central Florida.

Originally settled by the Calussa Indians, the Spanish conquistadors tried to take over this prime real estate in the Southwestern Keys.  The beaches became the burial grounds for many of the natives, thus giving the Island the name of Bone Island; Cayo Hueso in Spanish. The English Anglicized this name to Key West.

John Simonton, and American businessman, purchased the island from Juan Pablo Salas and developed the island with the help of Greene, Whitehead, and Fleming.  They encouraged the Navy to open a base to combat piracy in the area.

The island prospered because the coral reefs brought many ships to Davy Jones Locker.  Many became millionaires from salvaging the numerous shipwrecks. At one point the people of Key West became the richest city per capita in the United States.

Henry Morrison Flager, against all odds and better judgement, built a railroad from Homestead to Key West.  The first train arrived on January 22, 1912.  This connected the mainland with Key West.  From Key West, Havana Cuba was only ninety miles away. Considered the Eighth Wonder of the Modern world, the Overseas Railroad spanned 42 stretches of sea with causeways and bridges, the longest being seven miles.  From 1912 to 1935 Key West exploded as a tourist and business center.  A major Class five hurricane destroyed much of the tracks in 1935.  Once again Key West had been cut off from the mainland.

The State of Florida purchased the Overseas Railroad right-of way and turned it into the Overseas Highway in 1938, using the roadbed and bridges Henry Flager built.

World War II brought new prosperity to the island with the Naval Base. Ernest Hemmingway and Tennessee Williams resided and visited the island.  Cuban tobacco became hand rolled cigars.

In 1981 the Us Government set up road blocks near Key Largo, cutting off the tourist trade to Key West.  Not too sure why this happened.  The citizens of Key West decided to secede.  They formed the Conch (Pronounced conk) Republic.  Many still fly the flag today.  They demanded billions in reparation and foreign aide.  The US Government ignored their wishes; but they did remove the roadblocks.

Today Key West thrives primarily on tourism. Arrive by driving the 128 miles along the Overseas Highway on the old railroad bed, or fly into Key West Airport, or take the Key West Express ferry from Marco Island or Ft. Myers Beach.  To acquaint yourself to the island take the 1½ to 2 hour Conch Tour Train.  Tickets can be purchased at the booth at the Flager Train station or at The Old Town ticket booth near Mallory Square.  The guided tour travels just about every street in Key West: a great orientation to the island.  Other forms of transportation on the island are electric cars, bicycles, mopeds, taxicabs, and bicycle carriages for two.  Walking the streets, perhaps, is the best way of seeing the island, which is four miles long and one mile wide.  Traffic can be a real challenge, especially along US 1, which has its terminus at mile marker 0.

Looking for action? Duval Street is your goal. Stop and have a beer at Hemingway’s watering hole, Sloppy Joe’s bar and restaurant (the original bar is ½ block away at Capt. Tony’s Saloon).  If your interests lean toward Jimmy Buffet, go to Margaritaville, only four short blocks down the street.  Up and down Duval restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, and people watching beckon everyone to the narrow sidewalks.  You might even come across one of Key West famous chickens strolling the street.

Other highlights include Hemingway’s home, with guided tours running $12.00 at this time.  Views from the exterior are free.  Across Whitehead Street stands the old lighthouse and keepers quarters.  The lighthouse was moved inland to protect it from hurricanes.  A couple more blocks down the street is the Truman White House.  President Truman used this resident and the many outbuildings during his time in office.  Other dignitaries also followed his lead: John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Colin Powell.  Talking about President Truman, not to be missed is the Margaret Truman Laundromat.  Rumor has it that it was named for Margaret Truman, the president’s daughter.  Its location is at the corner of Margaret and Truman Streets.  Thus its named.

Along Truman Street sits the convent of Our Lady of the Sea.  Many survivors of the hurricane of 1935 were treated there.  The nuns erected a grotto next to the church in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes.  When hurricane season approaches many candles light the grotto as a prayer to keep Key West free and safe.  A marker designates the Southernmost spot in the Continental USA.  Tourists love to have their picture taken by it.

We ate lunch at Pepe’s Restaurant on Caroline Street, near Flager Station.  This eatery, established in 1909, features American food in abundance.  I had a hard time finishing my open faced meatloaf sandwich.

A trip to Key West is taking in the numerous water sports: parasailing, jet skis, snorkeling, riding glass bottom boats, deep sea fishing, or just relaxing on the beaches on the Atlantic Ocean side.  A day trip to The Dry Tortugas National Park (Fort Jefferson) leaves daily from Key West.

Above all people-watching, the climate, and the laid back atmosphere draws people, young and old, to the Conch Republic.  It beckons you too.

Blizzard Beach is a water park which features the tallest and fastest water slide in the world. Experience the high drops water slides with your friends and family. The inner-tube speed slide Downhill Double Dipper, speed slide Slush Gusher, world’s longest family raft rides Teamboat Springs, get round and round through the entire park by the help of inner tube Cross Country Creek, and Tike’s Peak a snow covered area especially for kids to play within the small scale slides. This prominent water park and ski resort of Disney World Resort is situated in Lake Buena Vista and known as first ski resort of Florida.

If you want to be in Blizzard Beach buy Blizzard Beach Tickets and also experience other attractions like Summit Plummet, Snow Stomers, Melt Away Bay, Purple Slope, Toboggan Racers, Chairlift, Ski Patrol, and Runoff Rapids.

However, you can dine at Blizzard Beach where gastronomic menus, snacks, full meals, desserts, cocktail and mocktail drinks are available at request.

The Busch Gardens is the place where every entertainment finds a unique place. World’s top roller coasters, live stage shows, botanical gardens and above all magical children’s area are the main features of this theme park of Florida. This park is also known as one of the most beautiful theme park of Florida.

Perfect as a family adventure park Busch Gardens offers all kinds of fascinating attractions based on exotic encounters with the African continent. Have a close encounter with 2,800 exotic mammals, birds and reptiles. Moreover, shopping places and restaurants can also be found in various numbers.

Get the Bush Gardens Tickets and experience the thrilling roller coaster rides such as Montu, Kumba, etc. These well known world famous roller coasters rides are the ultimate attractions of the theme park. Further, the visitors can also watch a variety of birds in its Bird garden and explore the Edge of Africa by safari rides to see hippos, elephants, vultures and many more. Rhino Rally is also another breathing experience amidst the forest of Africa.

Explore Florida with Florida attractions Tickets. There are many new things to see and that always proved as exciting attractions for the tourists.

If you are looking forward to visiting Disney World or other attractions in Orlando, planning the trick with a little information could help save you money. Instead of opting for the first package that comes your way, its best to get some more knowledge of hotels and other kinds of lodgings available might be a good idea. Even if you are from Florida, some tips form this article may help you in getting your required and budgeted accommodation.

A popular misconception is that the resort exists in Orlando. In fact, the entire Walt Disney World property is outside Orlando city limits; the majority sits within southwestern Orange County, with the remainder in adjacent Osceola County to the south.

Most of Walt Disney World’s Central Florida land and all of the public areas are located in the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, located southwest of Orlando and a few miles northwest of Kissimmee. The land within Walt Disney World Resort is part of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which allows the Disney corporation to exercise quasi-governmental powers over the area.

Hotels always come across to be trifle expensive on the agenda whenever you travel irrespective of the destination. The alternative is vacation rentals that offer far cheaper rates than most hotels. Vacation rentals may come to include various kinds of lodging like privately owned cottages, condos or large and luxurious villas that can be directly rented or leased from their owners, their agents or through vacation rental agencies. A lot of variety is available to choose from and they are ideal for families looking forward to make use of Disney vacation rentals.

Florida Disney vacation rental lodgings offer cheaper prices resulting in huge savings in costs compared to staying at a hotel. Most of these privately owned accommodations are listed directly by their owners, resulting in saving more money by avoiding middle men. Orlando being one of the most popular vacation destination in the USA because it has something for everyone – Disney with its four theme parks – MGM Studios, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom in addition to the 3 water parks and more than eight golf courses, not to mention many other attractions.

The Walt Disney World resort also includes six world-class golf courses. The five 18-hole golf courses are the Magnolia, the Palm, Lake Buena Vista, Eagle Pines, and Osprey Ridge (the last two are part of the Bonnet Creek Golf Club). There is also a nine-hole walking course called Oak Trail, designed for young golfers. Together, they are known as Disney’s “99 holes of golf.” There are two miniature golf courses, Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland.

Walt Disney World paved the way for many other theme parks and attractions in the area, including SeaWorld and Universal Studios, and helped make Orlando a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world.

Since the best time to visit Florida and its attractions is from October to April, it is best to get reservations at least 2 months in advance. If you are a regular Disney buff, you may even consider owning a vacation home there which can be rented out as and when not required by you. Investment, return and appreciation along with the pleasure of a Disney holiday is a reality.

www.ski-insurance.com.au gave away a sweet customised snowboard at the Melbourne Snow Travel Expo to the person who could most closely guess how many lollies were in the jar at our booth. The lovely Chrystal got it exactly and was happy to walk away with the board for her upcoming Canada trip. Part of our Ski Travel Insurance promotions.

Millions of people visit Disney World in Orlando, Florida every year. And every year, the local hotels make billions of dollars from those millions of tourists. But while most tourists are rushing to get a room at crowded hotels that must be booked months in advanced, the smart traveler knows the secret to a stress-free Orlando vacation.

Booking an Orlando vacation rental doesn’t have to mean renting out a hotel room. Check your options and you will realize, like many seasoned travelers have, that booking a Florida vacation home has benefits that you can never get with a hotel.

Do more than just Disney World

So ditch the hotels and plan a stay in a Florida vacation home, where your Disney World vacation can also be an Orlando beach vacation, a golf vacation, a luxury cruise vacation, and much more. Rather than renting a room at a busy hotel right next to Disneyland that is overpriced and overcrowded, renting a vacation home allows you the freedom to travel to all of Orlando’s hot spots, hassle free.

The perfect vacation home for the whole family

With vacation home rental agencies like Zonder (www.zonder.com), finding the perfect vacation home for the whole family in Florida is a breeze. And I do mean the WHOLE family. Bring the dog, cat, bird, lizard, or whatever family pet you have. Thanks to Zonder, you can find a pet-friendly Florida vacation home in seconds. Try that with a hotel!

Furthermore, you can quickly and easily search for a vacation rental home with a private swimming pool, as many or few rooms as you desire, homes with game rooms supplying billiards tables and big screen TV’s, on site staff, a full kitchen, and much more. Once you know the advantages of a vacation home rental, you’ll never want to stay in a hotel again.

It doesn’t matter if you live in Newport Beach or Sunshine State – Florida. They may be great places to live. But they are also great places to do laser hair removal as well. In the Sunshine State, most of the people love the beach and those who do are used to wearing swimming suits or even light clothing that reveals more than covers the body because of the warm climate that this beautiful state has throughout the year round. Women and men
today enjoy the smoothness of silky hairless skin.

For the reason that we all naturally have some hair growth or other, we need to appeal to several forms of hair removal in order to obtain the silky, velvety skin. Those traditional ways of hair removal still are popular such as shaving, which is cheap and fast, but will also at some point irritate your skin and worse it will promote hair growth as well. Waxing is great but it is very painful and messy, and at times it can leave you with some pretty bad rashes. Laser hair removal thus has remains as the best option to remove hair, firstly because it is painless, and more importantly because it is permanent.

Laser hair removal is a definitely a great option that you have and it is a procedure that can be used in order to keep the hair away for an extended period of time, consequently that you do not have to worry about constantly shaving or waxing the hair away, and so thus laser hair removal is a very great option and you will certainly want to at least consider it. Getting Your Laser Hair Removal in Florida There are an enormous amount of Florida laser hair removal places for you to choose from because it is a state situated in a warm climate. Tourists from all over the world travel to visit year round and very much often find themselves in the need to remove some undesired hair.

It is not suitable to undergo laser hair removal on vacation, especially if you live far away from Florida, because you may need to do some follow-ups that may not be as easy if you are not in town. In order to find the right Florida laser hair removal for you is easy with a little research, which can be done online or even locally. If you are from Florida and have your family and friends there, try asking them if they know and can recommend a Florida laser hair removal clinic where they have been. That is how you will be able to have confirmation that the services of the clinic are satisfactory.

What You Can Look for in a Florida Laser Hair Removal Clinic The location of the Florida laser hair removal clinic is significant for the reason that you will need to attend a few sessions to remove the hair completely. The popularity of the clinic will tell you that they are professionals and good at their jobs. Ask for references at the clinic, and take a minute to confirm them out before you begin a laser treatment in any Florida laser hair removal clinic. Due to the high demand many have thus opened a laser hair removal business but don’t have the professional staff to carry out the services.

Last of all are the prices practiced by the Florida laser hair removal clinic and what you can do to get the best offered on the market without compromising on the services delivered. Check and evaluate with several clinics before you commit to ensure that your laser hair removal treatment will be a success. Nevertheless some laser hair removal centers are going to be less expensive than others, and therefore if money is a concern for you, next you are going to want to make sure that you take the time so that you can hit upon one that is really going to give you the best worth for your money. One of the best things that you can carry out here is read reviews on different centers, so that you can take notice of about what other people have to say about the available laser hair removal centers.

Traveling very soon to Miami? Then be forewarned that taxis are one of the most famous when it comes to rip offs and cons on tourists and other travelers. A rip off could take place the moment you land on the airport and hail the first cab that you happen to spot. Sure, you could say that you are a pro in traveling and that you are wise enough to sense a con when you see one but, then again, you can’t be up on your toes at all times!

The most common problem that taxis cause is overcharging. Tourists (especially the ones who are not aware of the current rates) are usually charged 20-50% higher than the regular taxi fare. If you are on your well-earned vacation or a business trip, for example in Miami, a taxi rip off is the last thing that you would ever need—and you don’t have to go through all that hassle just to learn how to deal with such con artists.

First, during hotel reservations, make it a point to know what the current taxi rates are. If you are well-informed, you are less likely to be victimized by opportunists. Also, if you fear that the taxi industry is not the most trustworthy way to go, they you have every right to feel that way. There is one other type of vehicle service that you might want to consider—just be prepared to shell out a few more dollars.

One other choice is to hire a limo service. In Florida, Miami limo services readily help their clients with their airport transfers. There are many major differences between taxis and limos when it comes to dealing with their clients. Limo services treat their customers like royalty (they provide a chauffeur) and they also insure their clients. Although they cost higher than a taxi service, at least they charge you upfront and you could see all the benefits that you would get by paying for them. Taxi cons charge you impossibly just by taking you to your destination.

One other good way to reserve for a limo service in Miami or a taxi service (if you cannot afford the luxury vehicle), is to do the reservations way before the scheduled flight to the Sunshine state. This would give you ample time to find out if the taxi company is not a member of the great taxi monopoly and also to ascertain the ongoing rates.

If you only want the best to happen to your Miami trip, then you should choose the better option. It could be priced higher but remember that quality is highly important, too. Plus, you don’t want to be worrying on this important trip (business or vacation) that you are going to.

There are a number of companies that provide Miami car service. You have to choose the one that has wide range of limousines and also some option to choose from bundle packages so that it brings the overall cost down.

Families just can’t get enough of Florida, the sun city. Beautiful beaches and exciting theme parks are abundant in this part of the world. Family resorts are numerous that offer a variety of packages for you family.

Some of the places you must consider for that wonderful vacation you have in mind is Amelia Island. It has lovely beaches and a historical fort with actors playing period characters. Sea foods are oh-so-heavenly in this island. Kids’ Camps can also be found in Amelia Island plantation that would have activities planned out for the whole family.

Here are some other places the family will definitely enjoy. The Blizzard Beach Waterpark, Sea World, Discovery Cove and Universal Studios are all in this wonderful state. And of course, the world-famous Walt Disney World Resorts are must-sees. Your children will surely have the time of their lives in these places.

The Space Coast and the Kennedy Space Center are must-see places especially for your future-astronaut kids. Ecological tours will also serve to be educational and fun for your kids as you visit saltwater estuaries, wildlife refuges and marshes.

Hotels and resorts can be found at strategic locations that are accessible to most of the popular travel spots in Florida. Finding a home-base while at the area will not pose a problem for your family, there’s a lot to choose from.

If you’re looking for activities for you and your young ones, Club Med along the St. Lucie River may be the right place for you. Your family will enjoy waterskiing, trapeze, golf and wakeboarding. Snorkeling is available in the Florida Keys for your children as young as eight.

For the nature lovers, Sanibel and Captiva Islands are two beautiful spots that include unpolluted beaches with shallow shorelines. Captiva Islands also boasts of a mangrove forest that is a habitat of sea turtles and even hawks. You can go fishing, boating, hiking and parasailing in this beautiful spot.

There are many more beaches and spots resorts in Florida that you may want to visit like Clearwater Beach, Radisson Sand Key, Sheraton Sand Key and the Tradewinds Island Resorts.

Busch Gardens at Tampa Bay offer thrilling roller coaster and water rides with an African twist. Swimming with manatees is one of the highlights when you visit Crystal River Wildlife Refuge.

Since your Florida family vacation will not be complete if you don’t visit Disney World, make sure that you have the following in mind:

It is essential that you pick the best time of year for your visit. Note when is the time when it is not too hot for the kids and there are not too many people so you could truly enjoy all the perks.

Base your visit according to the Extra Magic Hour when one of the theme parks open early. If you cannot make it early, just don’t go there for the day because of the rush. This, therefore, necessitates the need to be early when visiting the theme parks. Don’t forget to consider their closing time as well, as this might affect your schedule for the rest of the day.

It is good to avoid the most heated part of the day. This would be the perfect time to take a rest at your hotel and just go back early in the evening to complete your adventure.

Fastpasses will save you a lot of time to avoid standing at long lines for the most famous rides. Just use these passes for the most popular rides.

Bring snacks and lots of drinks for the entire family to save on cash. Dehydration is a common problem when walking all day and enjoying. If you have to eat in the park, go for the power buffet meals, they may come out cheaper.

Advanced reservations at restaurants may be very helpful and very easy. To get that seat, reserve ahead of time.

Disney World has a transportation system that allows you to take the rides every hour of the day and night that will bring you from one park to another.

Most importantly, dress down. Use cool and comfy clothes and shoes while doing all your visits to the exciting places of Florida State.