Having done a good number of holidays to Florida we realise that having a rough idea of what you want to do on each day is a good way of making sure you get time to do all the amazing things you want to do. I am not saying it is something that needs to be stuck to regardless but having a rough idea we find makes things easier.
The below is a possible Itinerary for a 14 day holiday:
Day 1: Arrival. Other than arriving, finding your car hire then finding your villa, that will be pretty much it for that day. If you do get the time then take a trip to your local supermarket to get some supplies so that you can start tomorrow feeling fairly organised.
Day 2: Orientation/Recharge. Quite often tour reps organise orientation meetings on your first day in Florida. We haven’t actually attended one of these meetings but I think Continue reading “Suggested Itinerary For a 14 Day Holiday” »
Animal Kingdom is the newest of the Disney World parks and one of my favourites. The park is dominated by the enormous ‘Tree of Life’ which is a sight to behold. It is a 14 storey tree that has a trunk that has 325 different animals carved into it! You could spend a whole day just trying to spot them all! Inside the Tree of Life is a show about a Bug’s Life. It is a great show with effects such as bugs running under your seats and many more which you will have to discover for yourself.
As the name ‘Animal Kingdom’ would suggest there are plenty of animals to see all through the park. There is a lovely train ride through the safari park where you can see all types of animals. There are walks where you can Continue reading “Animal Kingdom – Much More Than Rides” »
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been a long time coming, but has finally opened 13 YEARS after the first book was published back in 1997. The books have sold over 400 million copies in 67 languages and with a film series that is the highest grossing series of films of ALL TIME, this of course means that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has a lot to live up to and so when it finally opened on the 18th June 2010 it was to much award having taken 6 years from idea to the doors opening.
A trip to Universal is a must and a visit to the Universal Studio Website is also a must trip to see the official information on the new Wizarding World. Here is a great site to visit to see to read some more information as well as there being video of people walking around the new part of the park.
As far as I am concerned, this is Disney! Each time I have been to Florida the first thing we have always done is go to Magic Kingdom. This always gets us into the perfect mood and gets you ready for what must be your best holiday! Where else can you arrive at a park and on arrival to get to the gate you can either go by mono-rail or paddle steamer! We have yet to go on the monorail as ‘It Has To Be The Steamer’. On arriving at getting through the gates you arrive in the square at the bottom of Main Street. If you have ever seen the photos of a friend that has been to Florida, there is a picture of main street and the mighty castle at the far end, I still look at the photo from the first time I ever went there and remember the buzz and enjoyment of finally being there! You can even sit on a bench with Walt and Mickey mouse for a photo, albeit a bronze version (Mickey is busy after all).
This square is the start of the Magic Kingdom and the location for hiring pushchairs and the like for your day, you can of course take you own or hire them. At the far end of Main street in the mighty castle. This plays as centre point of the park with the 4 lands of Magic Kingdom as paths from this point. The 4 lands are .. Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland. Each land has Magic Kingdom Continued……..
Most people think of Florida and all the modern day things like the theme parks but if you go to St Augustine, just off the I 95 on the Atlantic Coast you will discover the roots of America. It was a Spaniard who named Florida “La Florida” meaning Land of Flowers in 1513. In 1545 when another Spanish expedition landed it was the Feast of St Augustine and so the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the US was named after the saint. They also gave thanks with a feast and so it could be said that the first “thanksgiving” was held in Florida.
Luckily a lot of the old buildings have been preserved – many given to the local historic society by past owners and the whole area looks much more Spanish than American. The cobbled narrow streets (many pedestrianised) are a real shock after the wide highways. The streets are filled with antiques shops, art galleries and places to eat as well as bed and breakfast establishments if you need more than a day. You really could be in any old european settlement. St Augustine grew with the arrival of the railroad and became “the place” for the rich to spend their vacation – and a whole near era of building began.
There is good signage to car parking just on the edge of town and the easiest way to see the whole area is on a road train that allows you to get on an off at the various spots. These include the oldest home, the oldest wooden school and the authentic jail house. Other highglights include Flagler College – once a swanky hotel for the rich – which has some magnificent stained glass windows – book the tour as that is the only way to see beyond the entrance lobby. The Lightner Museum is housed in another former hotel. The Castillo de San Marcos and the Lighthouse (climb to the top for fantastic views)- plus they have a Fountain of Youth (no guarantees on that). There is also a local winery so you can taste their latest vintage. It is really a case of deciding what you can see in the time you have.
If you fancy a change from the theme parks it is really worth the trip – check out the “whats on” on the various dedicated web sites. It really shows that the US can do history.
Jean
Golf Courses in Florida are something a bit special. The courses all over Florida benefit from great all round weather, and space. This means the benefits of going round the course warm. It is common place to have a buggy to go round golf courses in Florida making the experience a much easier and more pleasurable experience, some golf courses run a drinks buggy that keeps rotating around the golf course in the reverse direction so that you should meet them a few times on each round. They carry water, soft drinks and alcohol and so you can even have an ice cold beer in the buggy between shots. A Villa on a Golf Community in Florida is a golf players dream with the many benefits such as nice weather, near Disney, home from home, private swimming pool and more.
On florida premier villas we have a number florida golf rental villas which are villas that are located on villa communities that are part of a golf course. This means that you can still have the great benefits of a private florida villa but even be able to just walk to the golf course. The added benefit is that there are always more golf courses within a short drives distance and so you are not held to the one golf course.
Here is a list of the top 10 rental villas on golf courses that are featured on Florida Premier Villas
If you have a golf rental villa in Florida and would like to add it to out website golf section then feel free to join florida premier villas which is currently free. If you have playes any of these courses then please let us know your thoughts of it.
 The Winter Park Farmers’ Market is held at the old train depot, located at 200 West New England Avenue, that has been restored into an historical landmark that hosts this NUMBER ONE produce and plant market in Central Florida. The market takes place every Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is a popular community gathering place that provides fine produce, plants, baked goods and so much more.
Note: The Winter Park Farmers’ Market is closed each year on the third Saturday in March due to the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
We go every year on the first Saturday after we arrive in Florida, it’s such a lovely morning out. They sell freshly baked goods, lots of fruit and veg and unique stalls with quirky bits & pieces. Also there are lots of stalls selling plants, we purchased some for the pool deck and they are a bargain compared to the big stores.There’s an outside area where you can sit with a coffee and piece of cake and enjoy the ambience.
For a break from the theme parks, try a visit to Winter Park. (Just a few miles East on the I4 from Orlando) Take a boat ride on the lakes past all the millionaires homes. (This is a short hourly trip) Visit the Tiffany museum or just enjoy browsing the shops and botiques. Enjoy a coffee or lunch in one of the many cafes and restaurants. Children can have a run in the park and watch out for the very long trains passing through!
Information submitted by Susan owner of the – “Great Value Home Near Disney“Â
Typhoon Lagoon near Orlando Florida is a wonderfully themed water park located near the main attraction and close to pretty much any of the villas offered through Florida Premier Villas. The design is that of a paradise in the South sea islands with a nice selection of fast and slow rides water rides so that you can zip along… or float and meander. At the centre of the park is a Mountain with a boat perched on top called Miss Tilly, and when you hear the boom and see Miss Tilly rock then it is time to be in the main Lagoon as it is time for Wave Machine to fire.
This is a very large wave pool. It is intended really as a swimming area with nice lapping edge of the beach. When the trigger is fired for the wave machine then the waves can get up to six feet high. Some coves, built in to each side of the lagoon, offer some protection from the waves should you need. There are a number of life guard posts around the lagoon and from what I have seen they look to be very alert all the time.
Castaway Creek is a meandering stream that floats around the perimeter of Typhoon Lagoon. It is often used as a way to get round the park, rather then walk to a ride you want to go on you can simply jump on an inner tube that are found Continue reading “Disneys Typhoon Lagoon Florida” »
Cocoa Beach Florida some may say is not an attraction. I disagree with this statement as it is very much an attraction as much as the next place as it has its definate benefits and well worth looking at. Florida offers some of the best consistent weather as a vacation location and as such, beaches such as Cocoa Beach, offer a great chance for people to have a great day out.
When spending time in Florida people often only think about the parks and main attractions however it is also important to think about having quiet days otherwise people come back exhausted, the advantage of Cocoa Beach is that it is a great way to have a family beach day in Florida so that you can have some relax time, sunbathing and check out the sea as this is the closest beach to the Orlando area.
In addition to being the closest beach Cocoa Beach is also located close to the Kennedy Space Centre Orlando, therefore if you feel you are not wanting to spend a whole day on the beach then you could go to Kennedy Space centre in the morning (one of my Top 10 Florida Vacation Musts) .
Cocoa Beach also offers other things to do of course, for example this is the location of the first Ron Jon Surf Shop. Ron Jon Surf Shop (if you have not heard of it) is one of the most famous shops for all things surfing, you are able to buy all things surf including swim wear, Men and womens Surf Apparel, sunglasses and more. The shop is the Ron Jon flagship location with over 52000 sqaure feet making it a massive shop and worth a look.
Getting over to Ron Jon Surf Shop, Cocoa beach and Kennedy Space centre from the main location where most of the villas are located near Orland Florida. To get there depending on where you are you can get the I4 to the 528 which is known as the Florida Expressway but used to be called the Beeline expressway. This is a Toll road and therefore you will have to pay some dollars to use it but it is a direct, straight road that is perfect as traffic is quite light and the journey quick. From memory the speed limit was 70 which is slightly higher then interstates but as it is a long straight smooth road it is a nice drive in your american air conditioned car or van.
I have a strong memory from Cocoa beach as the time we went there is was where I went down on bended knee and proposed to my now wife as we are such Florida Fans. The slight problem I had after planning this for so long was to manage to leave the ring I had taken with me at the villa we were staying in and so had to buy a temporary ring at Ron Jon Surf Shop for the actual proposal and then repeat the moment back at the villa with the correct ring!
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