http://RealAdventures.com/vacations/185214_articles-florida-disney-orlando.htm Check out some of the recently updated travel & vacation listings on RealAdventures. Be inspired, go explore! en-us Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:08:04 GMT Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:08:04 GMT http://RealAdventures.com http://RealAdventures.com/vacations/185214_articles-florida-disney-orlando.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/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/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

]]>