Special Section - Central Florida
For families, couples, single travelers and friends, vacation means more than just getting away from home or work for a few days.

Vacation is a time to recapture the magic and awe of childhood, to take an adventure one never thought possible, to discover something new, to feel the excitement of a big city in the comfort of one incredible destination, and to rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit.

Discover... A New Activity
Visitors hoping to break out of their comfort zone and try something new will find plenty of opportunities in Orlando. At Discovery Cove, guests can learn about dolphin behaviors, enjoy a playful swim with them in a tropical lagoon, then snorkel with rays and tropical fish. The park's Trainer for a Day program offers guests an even more in-depth experience, including an enhanced deep-water dolphin interaction, behind-the-scenes tour and an exciting ride in front of two dolphins in a "double-foot push" behavior.
Or, at SeaWorld Orlando, visitors can see what it's like to be a marine mammal keeper for a day, caring for animals including manatees, dolphins, walruses, beluga whales, and sea lions. Each winter, gentle manatees migrate to the warm waters at Blue Spring State Park for visitors to admire. Kids and grown ups will fall in love as they hold a baby alligator at Gatorland or root for baby sea turtles as they make their trek toward the Atlantic ocean after hatching during a tour sponsored by the Brevard County Parks Department.
In fact, Walt Disney World offers a variety of behind-the-scenes tours, including Epcot DiveQuest, Disney's Keys to the Kingdom at Magic Kingdom, the Backstage Safari Tour at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Inside the Movies tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios, to name a few.
Those who have always wanted to learn a new skill but can't seem to find the time at home will be delighted with Orlando's educational entertainment options. Twenty-three golf academies, operated by golf legends including Annika Sorenstam, Brad Brewer, David Leadbetter, and others, help novice to experienced golfers improve their game. Meanwhile, water sports lovers can take wakeboard, water-ski lessons at Orlando Watersports Complex, or learn to surf in special instructional classes offered at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park.

Discover... The Arts
Discovery often begins within, and Orlando offers plenty of quiet places to reflect. Museums like Orlando Museum of Art, and The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of Art and botanical gardens like Harry P. Leu Gardens and Kraft Azalea Gardens provide hours of peaceful discovery. Dozens of galleries dot the Orlando and Winter Park landscape, as do regionally acclaimed theatres such as the Orlando Repertory Theatre and Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, in Partnership with UCF. The Orlando Science Center offers up the largest refractor telescope in Florida for star gazing.
To channel their creativity, vacationers can take painting, drawing classes at Crealde School of Art, take cooking classes at Truffles and Trifles, or learn the fine art of chocolate making at Farris & Foster's Famous Chocolate Factory. Or, they can test their artistic skills by learning how to draw a cartoon at The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Discover... A new taste
To discover new tastes and cuisines, Orlando visitors don't need to look far. The area's ever-growing dining scene includes restaurants from all over the globe including Africa, Morocco, Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, England, Ireland, Italy, Greece, France, China, Japan, Vietnam and India, to name a few. The restaurants at Epcot's World Showcase and at Disney hotels like Jiko-The Cooking Place at Disney's Animal Kingdom make visitors feel like they're setting foot onto another continent.
Upscale seafood and steakhouses are also Orlando staples, with new offerings like The Capital Grille and The Oceanaire Seafood Room at Pointe Orlando. Diners at Seasons 52 will be surprised to discover how great low-calorie entrees and desserts can taste - every item on the menu is 475 calories or less.
Orlando's diverse cuisine scene also features celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse of Emeril's Orlando and Emeril's Tchoup Chop; Todd English's bluezoo; Norman Van Aken of Norman's; Melissa Kelly of Primo; and Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's.
A dozen restaurants hold 2007 AAA Four Diamond honors while Victoria and Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa boasts Central Florida's only Five-Diamond dining experience.

Discover... The Entertainment
For visitors looking for world-class nightlife and entertainment, Orlando doesn't disappoint.
Orlando rivals the best of Broadway and Vegas with incredible shows like Cirque du Soleil's "La Nouba," which is performed 10 times a week at Downtown Disney, and the Blue Man Group, which recently found a permanent home at Universal Orlando. Some of Orlando's hottest nightlife can be found at the theme parks. At Walt Disney World's Pleasure Island, visitors can enjoy seven nightclubs for the price of one, ranging from classic rock 'n' roll to hip-hop and R&B. At Universal CityWalk, visitors can dance the night away to reggae, jazz, or dance tunes, sip martinis at the new ultra lounge, Red Coconut Club, or party New Orleans-style at Universal Mardi Gras, which normally runs February through April each year. Top recording artists frequently play the House of Blues at Downtown Disney's West Side and Hard Rock Live at Universal Orlando Resort.
Visitors who want to blend in with the locals should visit Blue Martini at The Mall at Millenia, a haven for young urban professionals, or check out the starry view from one of downtown Orlando's rooftop bars, Latitudes and Sky60. Downtown comedy shows at SAK Comedy Lab feature some of the nation's up-and-coming comedians.
Special events and festivals add excitement throughout the year, including Winter Park's Spring and Autumn Art Festivals, Winter Park Concours D'Elegance classic and luxury car show, and outdoor jazz and classical concerts at Harry P. Leu Gardens and the Historic Bok Sanctuary. Each spring, the Florida Film Festival brings together the work of top independent film makers from throughout the world, making it one of the world's top 10 film festivals.

Discover... A New Sport
Orlando's 176 attractive and challenging golf courses and its year-round playing climate place it at the top of the list for golfing destinations - and one of the best ways for players to relax and get back to the love of the game.
Most of the industry's leading golf course architects have contributed to the Orlando golf scene including Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Rees Jones, and Greg Norman, among others. Numerous professional tour events are held in Orlando, including the PGA's Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in March, the Children's Miracle Classic in October and the LPGA's Ginn OPEN at Orlando's Reunion Resort & Club in April.

For information on visiting Central Florida contact the Florida Travel Center toll free 888-248-5711 or visit www.floridatravelusa.com.

While visiting Central Florida... May We Recommend...
A visit to Central Florida's Polk County. Florida residents enjoy the value of the Central Florida Play Pass with unlimited visits for seven consecutive days to Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Fantasy of Flight, Bok Tower Gardens and much more. Located within minutes of Orlando theme parks, visitors enjoy shorter lines, less stress and more time to connect with family and friends.
Start at Cypress Gardens, where roller coasters and world-famous ski show begin the excitement. The history of aviation comes to life at Fantasy of Flight, and guests marvel at the lush gardens and carillon tower on top the highest point in Peninsular Florida at Bok Tower Gardens.
Also enjoy unlimited visits to Explorations V Children's Museum, The Florida Air Museum, Polk Museum of Art and Water Ski Museum.
Florida residents - contact the Central Florida Visitor and Convention Bureau to start your family vacation today with the Central Florida Play Pass!
800-828-7655 | www.visitcentralflorida.org/sc

Spend the day at Wet 'n Wild! The waterpark, conveniently located along International Drive, is the hottest place in Central Florida to stay cool! Known for constantly adding on to and upgrading their rides, Wet 'n Wild recently added one-of-a-kind THE BLACK HOLE™: The Next Generation thrill ride. A two-person hydra capsule blasts off to new out-of-this-world thrills and offers visitors a unique and different experience with each journey.
The thrilling new space encounter is in addition to the already established collection of world-class rides and slides including the Brain Wash™, The Storm, Bubba Tub, Disco H2O™, and The Blast! Guests can drift under rope bridges and past breathtaking waterfalls on the Lazy River, and roll to four-foot high waves in the Surf Lagoon. Kids love the elaborate Kids' Park featuring miniature versions of Wet 'n Wild's favorite rides, plus a gigantic bucket that periodically fills with water and splashes into the pool below.
800-992-WILD | www.wetnwildorlando.com

For travelers with a historical interest in flight, Waldo Wright's Flying Service introduces the world of biplanes. Available at Fantasy of Flight in Central Florida's Polk City, flight enthusiasts don helmets, goggles, and scarves and head into a large front open cockpit, within the New Standard D-25, while pilots maneuver their historic aircraft through lazy-eights, steep and shallow 360-degree turns, and maybe even a few "whoopty-do's", all while flying over the lush fields and orange groves in Central Florida's Lake Country. For those who need to "take control", the biplane known as the PT-17 or N2S, have full controls in both front and rear cockpits.
863-873-1339 | www.waldowrights.com

Venturella Resort and Spa, a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotel group, is scheduled to open November 2008 and will be Central Florida's most sought-after vacation and business destination. Featuring 155 extraordinary guest rooms and extensive meeting facilities, the boutique resort (anticipated to rival Sobe's finest) will provide a personalized, exclusive experience, beckoning to every guest who wants or deserves special treatment.
407-239-9500 | www.venturellaorlando.com

South Beach Orlando Suites
Transform your next Central Florida getaway into a luxurious tropical escape - with a water view! The all suite resort, in tropical sherbet shades, epitomize a great Caribbean accommodation, while still providing its guests with a locale that's close to major theme parks. In fact, the resort offers complimentary transportation to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld.
Newly renovated the South Beach Orlando Suites feature a private lakefront beach, large swimming pool, sports court, and free Deluxe Continental Breakfast.
407-997-2700 | www.southbeachorlandosuites.com