http://RealAdventures.com/vacations/185111_articles-florida.htm Check out some of the recently updated travel & vacation listings on RealAdventures. Be inspired, go explore! en-us Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:09:26 GMT Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:09:26 GMT http://RealAdventures.com http://RealAdventures.com/vacations/185111_articles-florida.htm 100 100 http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1197895_NBA-City-A-Theme-Restaurant-for-Sports-Enthusiast http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1197895_NBA-City-A-Theme-Restaurant-for-Sports-Enthusiast Articles Florida Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:04:20 If you are in Orlando with your kids or if you have some sports enthusiasts in your family then spending an evening dining at NBA City will be a big hit. Established in 1999, NBA City has twice been voted the best Theme Restaurant by the Orlando Sent -
If you are in Orlando with your kids or if you have some sports enthusiasts in your family then spending an evening dining at NBA City will be a big hit. Established in 1999, NBA City has twice been voted the best Theme Restaurant by the Orlando Sent


If you are in Orlando with your kids or if you have some sports enthusiasts in your family then spending an evening dining at NBA City will be a big hit. Established in 1999, NBA City has twice been voted the best Theme Restaurant by the Orlando Sentinel and this praise is also echoed by many visitors to the restaurant.

It is easy to see the appeal. You dine in an atmosphere that is rich with sports memorabilia and with flat panel TV screen showing either live action sports or choice videos from the NBA archives highlighting exciting moments, performances and rivalries from Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant.

If your kids, or you, want to test basketball skills then there is an interactive area where there are games for all ages. Yes, you can shoot some hoops at this place.

The restaurant's menu features a mix of American cuisine, including grilled steaks, hamburgers, fresh pastas, brick oven pizzas, salads, and sandwiches. The desserts are made from scratch. The price is moderate with the average price for a meal coming in under $15.

Although the menu sounds ordinary, the cuisine has garnered a lot of praise from ordinary customers and connoisseurs alike. The respected Fodors Review said "The NBA memorabilia and video games are great, but the food is actually the real draw here."

The restaurant is 17,500 sq. feet and seats up to 352 on two levels. Private party space is available from an intimate VIP room for 25 to a cocktail reception for 800.

If you really want to watch sporting events in style then you should try the SkyBox Lounge. With a good view of Universals CityWalk area. The SkyBox Lounge is an upscale lounge serving cocktails and showing nonstop sports action on 20 different TVs.

Before you leave from NBA City you may also want to get an NBA jersey or other gear from your favorite basketball team. You can get your hearts desire in the wellstocked merchandise area.

NBA City is great for family outings but it is also attractive for group events as well, and they host numerous parties throughout the year as well as a variety of corporate events, youth group outings, team functions, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, church outings and much more.

In case you are wondering about the location of NBA City, it is in the heart of Universals CityWalk area. This is an entertainment, dining and shopping complex loaded with night clubs, restaurants and theme restaurants.

Here is the exact address and phone number NBA City Orlando, 6068 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819, P (407) NBACITY . The restaurant is open daily from 1100 AM and the closing time is flexible depending upon the business.

So, if you are going to spend some time at the theme parks in the Orlando area this year and are looking for an interesting dining spot, then save some time for NBA City. You and your sportsloving family and friends will be appreciate it.

Mark & Whichard writes frequently on Orlando Tourism and is a specialist in Orlando vacation home rentals. Visit his website http// www.orlandosfinest.com for information about condos, vacation homes and villas for rent in the Orlando, Florida area
Details & Reservations: NBA City A Theme Restaurant for Sports Enthusiast
RealAdventures | Florida Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025961_Daytona-Beach-getaway http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025961_Daytona-Beach-getaway Articles Florida Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:09:19 Daytona Beach has 23 miles of beautiful beaches. The atmosphere is casual, so leave your fancy clothes at home. You can enjoy the arts and culture scene with flip flops and a sunhat. - US $100 Per Night
Daytona Beach has 23 miles of beautiful beaches. The atmosphere is casual, so leave your fancy clothes at home. You can enjoy the arts and culture scene with flip flops and a sunhat.




Daytona Beach A Place to Relax and enjoy the Sun

Leave your fancy clothes at home

By Arvin Steinberg



Leave the world of chauffeurdriven limousines, tux and tails behind and enter the laid back world of Daytona Beach, where you can don blue jeans, wear flipflops and eat at the fanciest restaurant in town without a jacket.

Daytona Beach is a Florida getaway that doesn't' put on airs. It's a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself at your own speed. It's also a place you can enjoy the finest beaches, worldclass sports attractions, excellent museums, and firstclass restaurants.

For me, Daytona Beach was like a tranquilizer. The beach itself is world famous. I couldn't wait to experience it. As soon as I put on my swimsuit and stepped on the white sand, I was in a different world. Everything seemed so calm.

The beach was superwide &8211 so wide and flat that cars and trucks rode on it. Many years ago automobiles actually raced on it. The ocean near my hotel was unbelievably calm and very shallow when you first entered. I didn't have to fight the waves.

There are 23 miles of beautiful beaches in the Daytona Beach area. As I looked down the beach in either direction, it appeared that all of the waves were breaking in unison. This symmetry was intriguing. The waves breaking slowly over and over created a calming, relaxing effect.

However, for those who to like to surf there are beaches where the waves are high and robust.

There is also a boardwalk on the beach with some exciting rides. I could spend everyday of my vacation on the beach and many visitors do. But there is so much more to do and see in Daytona Beach.

The Daytona International Speedway was a mustsee on my visit to Daytona Beach. The Daytona 500 race is the most watched motor sports event in the world when attendance at the track and television viewing are combined. Estimated attendance for the Daytona 500 is 200,000 and more than 29 million watch it on television.

I had heard they had tours of the Speedway, but that's only a small part of it. Located at the Speedway is DAYTONA USA, an interactive motor sportsthemed attraction. This is an interesting and exciting entertainment experience for hardcore race fans and casual observers. It offers lots of fun for the whole family. In addition to the thrilling interactive features, there are historical exhibits such as the Goodyear Heritage of Daytona history walk.

A good place to start your visit to DAYTONA USA is by taking a 30minute guided tour of the Speedway. The tour takes guests on an openair tram through the Speedway's garage area. The tour is narrated and you see Pit Road, Victory Lane and the worldfamous 31degree high banks where cars race at over 200 miles per hour.

There are two new motion simulator rides at DAYTONA USA&8212&8220Daytona Dream Laps&8221 and &8220Acceleration Alley&8221. &8220Daytona Dream Laps&8221 is a ride that seats 32 guests for a fullrange motion experience racing at the high banks of the Speedway. On the &8220Acceleration Alley&8221 ride you hop inside a racecar, buckle up and take a simulated ride at high speeds that combines motion, video, and sound.

Other activities include going over the wall at Ford's 16second pit stop challenge to test your skills in a live pit stop.

One of the most popular attractions is the Daytona 500 movie, a largescreen format film presented on a screen 55 feet wide and almost three stories tall in the Pepsi Theater. You see the movie in the realism of 3D, and with the accompanying sounds you feel as though you are behind the wheel of one of the racing cars.

Tickets for DAYTONA USA including the Speedway tour are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for children 612.

If you want the real thing, for an additional charge of about $130 you can first don a racing outfit including helmet. Then climb through the window of a racing car on the Speedway track, strap yourself in, and ride next to a race driver at high speeds around the track. I saw many racing enthusiasts waiting in line for their chance to be a semiparticipant in this highspeed sport.

Whether or not you are a baseball fan, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark is an interesting place to visit in Daytona Beach. This is where baseball legend Jackie Robinson played in the first integrated baseball game. The ballpark was built in 1908, seats 3800 fans, and is the Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

It is also a museum with plaques and photos documenting the life of Jackie Robinson. It explains Robinson's childhood, how he excelled in many sports in college, and the humiliating experiences he faced as the man who broke the color barrier in major league baseball. It also lists many of his accomplishments such as playing in six world series and being voted MVP in 1949 in the National League. But for me the one that tells it all, was that after Robinson's retirement from baseball, his &8220number 42&8221 was also retired by every major league baseball team. It's a real pleasure to visit this historical ballpark and watch the Daytona Beach Cubs play. Tickets are only $5.

Another fun way to see Daytona Beach is by an amphibious adventure on a trolleyboat. It leaves daily from the Ocean Walk Shoppes and takes you on a drive through historic Daytona Beach. It then enters the Halifax River where you are given a narrated tour of the history and wildlife of the area with great views of the riverfront mansions. The trolleyboat then leaves the river and drives you back to the Ocean Walk Shoppes.

At the Ocean Walk Shoppes there's lots to do. There's a new Bandshell featuring concerts with an ocean view and a beachside theater showing ten movies. There's also a delightful Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant for some casual fun, good food, based on the Forrest Gump movie with plenty of Forrest's favorite fixins.


A visit to the Museum of Arts and Sciences is a wonderful way to spend some relaxing and interesting hours in Daytona Beach. All six permanent collections are excellent. I especially enjoyed three of them.

The Center for Florida History collection tells the story of Florida's historical and cultural development from prehistory to the present complete with interactive features. It centers around a 13foot tall skeleton of a Giant Ground Sloth which was excavated in 1975 in a fossil site called the Daytona Bone Bed. This huge vegetarian could have weighed three to five tons and eaten a daily ration of 300 pounds of plants abundant in the area.

The Cuban Museum collection is the largest Cuban Museum in the world outside of Cuba. It contains rare 18th, 19th, and early 20th century maps, documents, lithographs, paintings, furniture, sculpture, and ceramics arranged chronologically. Rare photographs help establish a sense of time and place.



The Root family's collection is not only interesting, it brings back a lot of memories. This is an astounding display of more than 800 Teddy Bears, ranging from seven feet tall to only a few inches in height. Each Teddy Bear represents a different time period or theme, and portrays everyday scenes such as a &8220Teddy Bear Wedding&8221, complete with bridesmaids, groomsmen, and a minister.

The Root family has also amassed one of the most historically important anthologies of the American soft drink, CocaCola, on which their family fortune was founded. The collection includes just about every conceivable item relating to bottling, advertising, and consumption of CocaCola.



The Root's collection also includes an impressive array of decorative arts, china, silverware, and glasses collected from 85 of the nation's railroads, hotels, and restaurants. Two actual railroad cars are also displayed in this permanent collection.

There are still lots of other fun things to do in Daytona Beach. You can spend an hour or two at the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, and climb to the top if you wish. It's the tallest lighthouse in Florida.


Not far from the lighthouse is the Inlet Harbor Marina & Restaurant. The seafood is fabulous. There is a lot of freshly caught fish on the menu. It's a nice place for lunch or dinner (they have sunset specials if seated by 6 p.m.) with a lovely waterfront view. You can dine inside or on the riverfront outdoor deck. It's casual dining. A live band playing on the outdoor deck added to the festive Caribbeanlike setting.

Greyhound racing is also another exciting attraction in the area. They race at the Daytona Beach Kennel Club. Children are welcome with a parent or guardian.







Details & Reservations: Daytona Beach getaway
RealAdventures | Florida Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156857_Florida-Beach-Vacations http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156857_Florida-Beach-Vacations Articles Florida Tue, 20 May 2008 15:05:55 Florida beaches are some of the best in the world and ideal for relaxing vacations in the sun. With over 1,100 miles of beaches, the florida coast has the perfect beach for every visitor. -
Florida beaches are some of the best in the world and ideal for relaxing vacations in the sun. With over 1,100 miles of beaches, the florida coast has the perfect beach for every visitor.


With over 1,100 miles (1760 klms) of beaches that stretch along the Atlantic and Gulf Of Mexico shorelines, the Florida coastline has a beach to suit every visitor. No matter what your interest, whether it be surfing, treasure hunting, shelling, birding, people watching, snorkeling, Florida history or romantic getaway, you can rest assured that Florida has a beach that's perfect for you.

So pump up the beach ball, get ready to build an awardwinning sand castle, put on your favorite bather and have some family fun on the beaches of your choice. Don't be surprised if a dolphin or two goes bobbing past just a few metres away as they cruise the shallow Gulf Of Mexico waters searching for their dinner.

The standard of Florida beaches is so high that when we describe any as "the best", it can easily do an injustice to the others. In the following descriptions of Florida regions and their beaches, is is probably best to talk of these beaches as being "most popular" for visitors to Florida.

Each beach is unique in its own way. Some Florida beaches are exposed to the ocean swells, some are on the ocean side of barrier islands while others lie on the leeward side of barrier islands. Some are famous for the abundance of shells, others for finding prehistoric sharks teeth. Some beach locations attract holiday makers looking for bright lights, glamor and action while others seek peace, quiet and tranquility.

** Top Florida Beaches Destinations

South East Coast
Fort Lauderdale Miami Beach South Beach West Palm Beach

North East Coast
Amelia Island Daytona Beach Melbourne Beach

Florida Keys
Marathon Key West

South West Coast
Bonita Springs Captiva Clearwater Marco Island Naples Sanibel Island St Petersburg

North West
Destin Fort Walton Panama City Beach

Details & Reservations: Florida Beach Vacations
RealAdventures | Florida Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1026060_Detroit-is-a-great-place-to-spend-a-family-vacatio http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1026060_Detroit-is-a-great-place-to-spend-a-family-vacatio Articles Florida Thu, 02 Sep 2004 00:09:00 Detroit offers many ways for families to have fun. You can take a tour of the Ford Rough plant and see a truck built from the bottom up, visit the Motown Museum where Diana Ross used to hang out, go to a Detroit Tigers baseball game and more! -
Detroit offers many ways for families to have fun. You can take a tour of the Ford Rough plant and see a truck built from the bottom up, visit the Motown Museum where Diana Ross used to hang out, go to a Detroit Tigers baseball game and more!



Details & Reservations: Detroit is a great place to spend a family vacatio
RealAdventures | Florida Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1026055_St-Augustine-Florida-Where-It-All-Began http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1026055_St-Augustine-Florida-Where-It-All-Began Articles Florida Thu, 26 Aug 2004 00:08:00 - US $99 - 399




Details & Reservations: St. Augustine, Florida, Where It All Began
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]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1026027_A-Change-of-Pace-in-Sunny-Central-Florida http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1026027_A-Change-of-Pace-in-Sunny-Central-Florida Articles Florida Thu, 05 Aug 2004 00:08:00 In Central Florida, you can enjoy nature and a variety of attractions in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. There is lots to see and do, but in a more relaxed ambience than many others regions in the Sunshine state. - US $79 - 299
In Central Florida, you can enjoy nature and a variety of attractions in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. There is lots to see and do, but in a more relaxed ambience than many others regions in the Sunshine state.


.
Wonderful Attractions in Central Florida


All Within an Hour's Drive of Walt Disney World Resort

By Arvin Steinberg


Most of us think of central Florida as an agricultural area having miles and miles of orange groves often extending as far as the eye can see. It also is known for its world class theme parks and the incomparable Walt Disney World Resort (Disneyworld).

But Central Florida also has many excellent, interesting, firstrate attractions that offer a wonderful change of pace from Disneyworld's fantasy land. In Central Florida, you can leave the fastpaced world of Minnie and Mickey behind and explore some of the beauty of nature and the countryside in Central Florida, with less than an hour's drive from Disneyworld.

One special Central Florida place is Historic Bok Sanctuary where time seems to stand still and a sense of peace and tranquility prevail. This picturesque sanctuary is situated on 250 acres of land and is located 45 miles southwest of Disneyworld near the city of Lake Wales.

1. Entrance to Bok Sanctuary.

The founder of this sanctuary was Edward Bok, who came to America from the Netherlands at the age of six. Through determination and hard work he became a successful publisher and Pulitzer Prize winning author. He always wanted to improve the welfare and happiness of mankind. He was an advocate of world peace.

Bok was awed by the tranquility of this area in central Florida. He wanted to create a special place that would &8220touch the soul with its beauty and quiet&8221. He also believed it would be a perfect setting for a bird sanctuary.

Bok purchased lots that would otherwise be used for residential sites. He commissioned the most renowned landscape architects to create a sweeping landscape of lush gardens with a Singing Tower with a carillon. In 1929, Bok presented this extraordinary gift for the American people to visit as an enduring token of his appreciation for the opportunities that he had been given.

I had seen pictures of the Bok Tower, but I knew little about it or the Bok Sanctuary. But the moment I set foot on these grounds, I realized that this is a place soothing to both the mind and the senses.

The grounds, a National Historic Landmark, include landscaped gardens, native plant habitats, and a wildlife population that includes 126 different species of wild birds.

The historic landscape garden is a maze of paths that took me past blooms of azaleas, camellias, and magnolias. They took me to tranquil areas where I saw many species of birds up close. I stood next to squirrels and other wildlife all living and playing in harmony with each other and with the picturesque surroundings. In the background there are varieties of ferns, palms, oaks, and pines. I strolled through one of America's few remaining longleafpine forests.

Bok remembered the music of the carillons from his childhood in Holland. So, he created the Singing Tower and worldclass carillon. The carillon has 60 bells ranging in weight from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons. Recorded carillon music fills the Sanctuary every 30 minutes, and live recitals are usually performed each day at 3 p.m. The 205foot neoGothic and art deco carillon tower was built using coquina stone and pink and gray marble. The tower is surrounded by a 15foot wide moat where colorful fish and lovely white swans swim.

I happened to stand in one spot where the tower could be seen in a reflecting pool. The view was like something you would only see in a child's storybook.

While you are on the grounds of this historic Sanctuary, you can also tour Pinewood Estate, a 20room manor. It is an excellent example of Mediterranean Revival architecture.

Another interesting attraction in central Florida is &8220Fantasy of Flight, World's Greatest Aircraft Collection&8221. It is located in Polk City, about a 20 minutes drive west of Disneyworld.

As you enter the Fantasy of Flight building there is a restaurant on your right. It is the Compass Rose diner, typical of what airport restaurants were like in the 1930's. I had a great breakfast there (and my cup of coffee was served with the spoon in the cup).

The attraction begins by taking you back in time. It tells the story of aviation through the ages through a series of experiences.

The sounds of a plane flying surround you as you enter the fuselage of a C47. You get the feeling of soaring though the clouds when you view the unusual &8220cloud chamber&8221. You then walk through an area depicting the trenches of WWI in France. Later you enter an English airbase where you become an imaginary member of an elite bomber squadron complete with briefing room and video. You then board a B17 with all the sights and sounds as you are bombing enemy territory in WWII.

All of this puts you in the mood to then enter a hangar to view what is billed as the &8220World's Greatest Aircraft Collection&8221 of vintage aircraft that was personally assembled by lifelong aviation historian and enthusiast Kermit Weeks, founder and creator of Fantasy of Flight. Weeks has flown each of the planes you see at Fantasy of Flight.

Some of the aircraft on the grounds include the following the Ford TriMotor featured in he movie, &8220Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom&8221 an accurate replica of the renowned Ryan &8220Spirit of St. Louis&8221 Japanese Zero Corsair F4U B24 Liberator B26 Martin Marauder P51 Mustang and the Short Sunderland, the last airworthy fourengine civilian flying boat in the world.

As you walk through this amazing display of vintage aircraft, you hear wonderful background music of the 30's and 40's songs like &8220Drinking Rum and Coca Cola&8221 and &8220Don't Fence Me In&8221. I told one of the attendants that I could spend an entire day at Fantasy of Flight just listening to this nostalgic music.

There are also flight simulators that allow visitors to feel the sensation of piloting an F4U Corsair and other WWII aircraft in midair combat with enemy aircraft over the blue water of the South Pacific.

You can also go on Back Lot and Restoration tours through five bays to view additional pieces of this fabulous aircraft collection.

All of the aircraft here actually fly or will be restored to flying condition. Weather permitting, there are flight demonstrations using vintage aircraft.

Another outstanding attraction in central Florida that is a mustsee, is the worldfamous Cypress Gardens. It is located in the city of Winter Haven and less than an hour's drive from Disneyworld. This is Florida's first theme park. It has been revitalized and is now known as Cypress Gardens Adventure Park.

I took a hardhat tour of the park that is nearing completion of its new additions and revitalization. It is expected to reopen in October 2004.

Cypress Gardens Adventure Park is fantastic. It blends its storied past with thrilling new adventures for a unique family experience. You can visit nature at its most glorious in the historic botanical gardens and famed butterfly arboretum. You can stroll along a boardwalk over a magnificent sea of vibrant flowers. Of course, the famous waterski shows are back at center stage, and the graceful Southern Belles stroll the picturesque grounds. You can visit Snively Mansion and a turnofthecentury working village.

New adventures include 37 exciting rides, including four roller coasters and the world's tallest spinning rapids ride. You can come facetoface with native Florida animals and enjoy allstar concerts and a dazzling lineup of daily shows, including an ice skating extravaganza.

An upscale Best Western Admiral's Inn is located across the street from Cypress Gardens Adventure Park. Antonio's Restaurant on the second floor of the hotel is one of the area's best kept secrets. The locals are often seen dining there on special occasions. It has excellent Italian cuisine and a pianist that plays romantic dinner music. Every woman gets a gift of a rose to take home as a souveneir.

A notice to sports fans who might be traveling in central Florida during the month of March. The city of Lakeland, also located in Polk County, Florida as are all the attractions described above, is and has been for decades, the spring training camp for the Detroit Tigers American League baseball team.
















Details & Reservations: A Change of Pace in Sunny Central Florida
RealAdventures | Florida Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024819_Great-Golfing-in-Miami http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024819_Great-Golfing-in-Miami Articles Florida Wed, 14 Jan 2004 00:01:00 Miami has some of the best golf courses in the nation. In this article, travel writer, Arvin Steinberg, gives RealAdvent -
Miami has some of the best golf courses in the nation. In this article, travel writer, Arvin Steinberg, gives RealAdvent






GREAT GOLFING IN MIAMI

Challenging Courses and Tropical Surroundings

By Arvin Steinberg

I recently took a tour of Miami&8217s finest courses, and this is what I discovered on my golfing holiday. Miami, FL offers some of the best and most challenging golf courses you could ask for. And that&8217s only part of the fun. Miami also has magnificent hotels that complement your golf getaway experience, and, of course, South Beach, with its fine restaurants and exciting nightlife.

I started my tour at Crandon Golf Course, a public course on picturesque Key Biscayne, which is rated by Golf Digest as &8220One of America&8217s top 75 upscale courses&8221. Playing Crandon Golf Course is like escaping from civilization, and it&8217s only ten minutes from downtown Miami. The first thing that impressed me was the beauty of the course. It&8217s surrounded by water, mangrove forests, and lush, tropical foliage. You also see lots of wildlife egrets, ibis, and colorful iguanas in their natural habitat.

Experiencing the natural splendor of the course is a real treat, but the course itself presents a true test of any golfer&8217s skill. It&8217s a challenge from the first hole, a dogleg par5 that requires a drive over water and mangroves, through the 18th hole, another par5 with Biscayne Bay on one side of the fairway and a saltwater lake on the other. I guarantee that your skill will be tested on the fourth hole at 638 yards, one of the longest par5s in Florida or the seventh hole, touted as one of the greatest holes in golf, a par4 that doglegs to the right over water.

Only five minutes from Crandon Golf Course is the RitzCarlton, Key Biscayne oceanfront resort that opened in July 2001. It&8217s Miami&8217s only luxury resort built in the last three decades. In addition to the usual amenities expected at a RitzCarlton hotel, this hotel offers a 1,200foot golden sand beach. There are also two ocean view pools including one with a waterfall and adjacent whirlpool, and a &8220tranquility pool&8221. Near the pools is an oceanfront &8220Ritz Kids&8221 pavilion and pool for the youngsters. The hotel has a spacious fitness center with modern equipment and personal trainers, a 20,000 squarefoot spa offering more than 60 treatments, and an 11court Tennis Garden.

Another way to enjoy a wonderful golf getaway in Greater Miami, is to play the scenic Biltmore Golf Course, a public golf course, adjacent to the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, and, incidentally, one of former president Bill Clinton&8217s favorite golfing spots. An early morning round of play on this carefully manicured course with clustered shade and palm trees is a tranquil setting that would please the most discriminating golfer. This 18hole championship golf course was designed by Donald Ross who is considered &8220golf&8217s alltime greatest golf architect&8221, according to Golf Digest magazine.


The Biltmore Hotel is South Florida&8217s only National Historic Landmark resort and its rich history dates back to the roaring Twenties. In its heyday, the Biltmore played host to royalty, from both Europe and Hollywood. The Biltmore&8217s swimming pool is considered the largest hotel pool in the Continental U.S. and it is one of the most beautiful in the world.

In keeping with traditional European grand hotels, Old World charm permeates throughout the property. The Biltmore also offers a spa and fitness center, and fine restaurants, including a newly opened upscale French restaurant.

Turnberry Isle Resort & Club situated within the lush surroundings of Aventura in North Miami, offers two championship golf courses. Both courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. are masterpieces. Both courses are exceptionally wellmaintained, have firm green fairways, gracefully sculpted bunkers, and scenic tropical surroundings. The 18th hole on the South Course features Turnberry&8217s famous &8220Island Green&8221.

Turnberry&8217s two courses have won numerous awards, but I think one award really gives credit where credit is due. Golf Digest ranked Turnberry resort among the top ten golf courses in the country for outstanding service. I have personal experience that Turnberry offers outstanding service with a capital &8220S&8221 from the minute you enter the proshop until you finish your round of golf.

In addition to the championship golf courses, Turnberry Isle Resort & Club is a stunning Mediterranean style hotel secluded on 300 tropical acres. Turnberry recently opened a 25,000 square foot stateoftheart spa and fitness center. The spa&8217s three floors are connected by a grand spiral staircase. There are 26 treatment rooms and a 3,650 square foot fitness center.

Also, for fine dining, don&8217t miss the Veranda, the resort&8217s gourmet restaurant.

Don Shula&8217s Hotel and Golf Club in Miami Lakes, named for the legendary Miami Dolphins coach, offers a fantastic golf getaway.

Don Shula&8217s Golf Club features an 18hole &8220split personality&8221 championship course. The front nine holes resemble northern courses with long narrow treelined fairways. The back nine holes offer some great Florida attractions &8211 plenty of water and marsh traps and dense foliage with tropical birds and other wildlife. The Golf Club also offers a lighted Par 3 18hole Executive Course that is open nightly until 11 P.M. A driving range and practice area are also lighted and are open until 11 P.M.


Don Shula&8217s Hotel has a program based on Coach Shula&8217s philosophies of physical fitness and team building sports to help its guests stay healthy and fit. If exercising is in your plans, the hotel&8217s 44,000 square foot Athletic Club will accommodate your needs. Also, you won&8217t want to miss dinner at the original Shula&8217s Steakhouse. The 1972 Miami Dolphins landmark perfect season is the theme of the restaurant. A special feature is the 48ounce Angus steak. If you can consume this enormous steak, you become a member of the 48Ounce Club, which boasts having thousands of members. I tried, but I just couldn&8217t finish it. Maybe next time, but the night course was one of my memorable evenings spent in Miami.

If you aren&8217t exhausted after playing fabulous golf at the above courses, the world famous Doral Golf Resort & Spa and its 99 holes is in Miami to challenge your skills. There is the Blue Monster, home of the DoralRyder Open, the new Jerry Pate Silver Course, the Raymond Floyd Gold Course, the Red Course and The Great White.
The Doral is also a good place for families with many amenities including a zero entry pool, a plunge pool, a children&8217s pool and a supersplasher, 125foot Blue Monster waterslide. There&8217s also Camp Doral where kids can enjoy all sorts of fun activities while you take off for the course. And there&8217s the spa for mom or the woman in your life.

If you like golf, there is no better place than Miami to enjoy some of the best golfing in the nation.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, 701 Brickell Avenue, Suite 2700, Miami, Florida 33131, Phone (305) 5393084 Fax (305) 5392911







Details & Reservations: Great Golfing in Miami
RealAdventures | Florida Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024984_Enjoy-Sea-and-Sand-on-Sanibel-Island http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024984_Enjoy-Sea-and-Sand-on-Sanibel-Island Articles Florida Wed, 14 Jan 2004 00:01:00 Sanibel Island has white powdery, beaches, lots of seashells, beautiful natural wildlife and foliage. It is a perfect island of tranquility. By Phyllis and Arvin Steinberg -
Sanibel Island has white powdery, beaches, lots of seashells, beautiful natural wildlife and foliage. It is a perfect island of tranquility. By Phyllis and Arvin Steinberg



Details & Reservations: Enjoy Sea and Sand on Sanibel Island
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]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025187_Great-golfing-at-the-new-Ritz-Carlton-Naples http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025187_Great-golfing-at-the-new-Ritz-Carlton-Naples Articles Florida Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:09:00 The new Ritz Carlton Golf Resort in Naples has two championship courses, The Black and The Gold, designed by Greg Norman, the courses offer golfers a real challenge.Guests at the golf resort which is located 3 miles from the Ritz Carlton in Naples - US $200 - 500
The new Ritz Carlton Golf Resort in Naples has two championship courses, The Black and The Gold, designed by Greg Norman, the courses offer golfers a real challenge.Guests at the golf resort which is located 3 miles from the Ritz Carlton in Naples



Details & Reservations: Great golfing at the new Ritz Carlton Naples
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]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025295_Pritikin-Longevity-Center-offers-better-health http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025295_Pritikin-Longevity-Center-offers-better-health Articles Florida Tue, 05 Aug 2003 00:08:00 Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa now located in the plush Turnberry Isle Yacht Club offers guests an opportunity to lose weight in style and address other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease through education. -
Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa now located in the plush Turnberry Isle Yacht Club offers guests an opportunity to lose weight in style and address other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease through education.


Lose weight in luxury at Pritikin

Learn a healthier lifestyle while on vacation

By Arvin Steinberg


Most of us go on vacation, have a good time, overindulge a little, probably put on a few pounds, and when we return home, it's back to the old routine. So, just for a moment, imagine a vacation in a luxurious setting, where you have a good time, eat good food, exercise and lose weight. And when you return home, you feel energized, have a new lifestyle, and you're no longer back to the old grind. That's how I felt after just one week at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura, Florida.

Pritikin moved to new surroundings two years ago. The former facility, a hotel in Miami Beach has been torn down and now Pritikin is situated in a lush tropical setting at the luxurious Turnberry Isle Yacht Club. The building is magnificent. You enter into a regal marble lobby. The main lounge and dining areas are constructed of dark, rich woods, with parquet wood flooring and elegant carpeting. Floortoceiling windows afford views of the intracoastal waterway, where expensive yachts are docked, and an inviting pool area, with a bridge across and a waterfall. Tennis and golf facilities are nearby.

My large room in the Marina Hotel had a separate dressing area and walkin closet. The bath was immense and included a huge whirlpool bathtub, with enough room for two large people, and a separate shower. My room also had a balcony where I could sit and overlook the intracoastal waterway.

Since Pritikin is committed to improving your health and lifestyle, one of the first things I did was to meet with a Pritikin doctor. As everyone knows, a main rap on doctors is that they are inadequately trained, if at all, in the areas of nutrition and exercise. But at Pritikin, that is what they specialize in. I had a friendly discussion with my Pritikin doctor about my health and medical history. I was given several tests so that the doctor would know such things as my heart rate, blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels. The doctor used this information to set up my exercise program and to advise me about specific nutritional information that would benefit me. He told me he would monitor my progress during the week and would meet with me again at the end of the week.

The entire week was filled with healthy activities and was a real learning experience. I attended lectures which gave me life saving information on heart disease, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, cancer, stress and general wellness. My wife enjoyed the lectures on women's health issues.

And the food was wonderful. It was carefully prepared by chefs with the oversight of the professional nutritionists on the Pritikin staff. The low fat, low salt, no sugar diet was delicious, and I am still following it at home.

I loved the sumptuous lunch buffet with the dozens of fresh fruits and vegetables to choose from. There were also creative hot entrees made with heart healthy ingredients.

Pritikin recommends eating five or six small meals during the day, so at midmorning and midafternoon, it was snack time. There were always two delicious soups and specially prepared fruit and vegetable offerings to choose from. I never felt like I was on a diet. In fact, I felt as if I was eating considerably more than I do at home.

Before dinner we enjoyed a cocktail hour with live music provided by a talented pianist. Everyone gathered around the huge bar. No alcohol was served. Instead, I along with the other guests enjoyed complimentary Pritikin Mimosas made with tangerine tea, fresh squeezed orange juice, and peach water. The Pritikin Berry Frappe made with berry tea, assorted berries pureed, and berry flavored water was another delicious cocktail enjoyed by many of the guests.

There was no assigned seating at dinner. You could select a table for two or join a table of eight. After the first day you started to know almost everyone. The atmosphere throughout the Pritikin program was superfriendly and almost camplike, with everyone discussing how things went that day. The staff was not only friendly but always went out of their way to please you.

The morning exercise sessions began with cardiovascular exercises. You had the choice of working out on the aerobic equipment of your choice. The stateoftheart exercise room had many different types of exercise machines. Among them were treadmills, crosstrainers and bicycles. I chose the treadmill. The sessions were spirited with energetic aerobic type music. TV's tuned to different channels were on all sides of the large exercise room with headsets attached to every machine if you wanted to listen to a particular station. The staff was always present to assist you and give instructions as to when to increase or lower your speed and when to slow down to check your pulse rate, which was promptly recorded in your file.

On alternate days the aerobic workout was followed by either resistance training (weights) or by stretching and abdominal exercise sessions. I particularly enjoyed the resistance training. Using free weights we were instructed on how to properly do eight different exercises. After each exercise we recorded in our files the number of sets and repetitions we completed and the weight used. I kept this record and took it home with me and I am still doing these exercises two to three times a week.There were also sessions in Yoga and aquatics in the lavish Pritikin pool.

Some of my afternoons were spent at the new Pritikin Longevity Center Spa with its vast area of treatments from Swedish Massages to Craniosacral Therapy and Reflexology. Oh, how good it felt to get a massage after my morning workout. The spa also has some other treatments that aren't readily available at typical spas. The spa has bone density testing with a DEXA machine. The test takes just a few minutes and measures your exact bone mineral content and detects as little as one percent of bone loss, revealing your risk for developing osteoporosis and serious fractures. They also have a body composition test which tells you the location of your body fat. With this test you will be able to see just how much lean tissue is available to help you burn calories. The body composition test also tells you how much weight you need to lose to achieve a healthier metabolic profile.
Personal training services are also available to help you tailor your exercise program to your specific needs when you return home. Pritikin also gives you a complete looseleaf notebook of information about nutrition, health, recipes, and exercise including illustrations on how to correctly do each exercise, so you can refer to it after you leave Pritikin.

Afternoons and evenings after dinner were filled with outstanding seminars presented by highly trained health professionals. The seminars covered a variety of subjects such as nutrition what foods you should be eating and what foods you should be avoiding weight loss and weight control how to handle stress cooking instructions and demonstrations how to read labels on foods you buy at the grocery vitamin and mineral supplements and how to deal with specific illnesses you might have.

One of the health professionals who lectures at Pritikin is Jay Kenney. He has a PhD degree from Rutgers University and is a Nutrition Research Specialist. I attended several of his interesting, informative, and often humorous seminars. He explained that many years ago he suffered from serious health problems with his heart and high blood pressure, and that he was able to reverse these problems by basically following the Pritikin program.

Pritikin has added a family program that teaches kids how fun and rewarding exercise and a healthy diet can be. The family program is available July 5 through August 2.

Proper nutrition and exercise lead to a happy, healthy lifestyle, according to the health professionals at the Pritikin Longevity Center. Many people who come to Pritikin return year after year, sometimes for two or three weeks or more, to learn more about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For more information about the Pritikin Longevity Center, call 8003274914 or visit the website at www.pritikin.com

Photos by Phyllis Steinberg



Details & Reservations: Pritikin Longevity Center offers better health
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