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Daytona - 50 Year's Feb 2008 : 2nd April 2007

Celebrate the 50th running of the world’s most famous stock car race – the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 17, 2008. The 50th Daytona 500 will mark a golden moment in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series history and Daytona International Speedway is already preparing for what’s sure to be a history-making event in many ways. Don’t miss out on the festivities as Daytona recognize the history Daytona 500.
The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap, 500 mile, NASCAR race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. In stock car racing, it is the most important race of the year.
The Daytona 500 attracts fans from all over the world to participate .This is one of the most exciting things you can do on a Florida holiday.

Right Whales spotted off Florida Coast : 1st March 2007

One of the rarest creatures on the planet was spotted in Brevard County Florida on Thursday afternoon.

The 50-foot whale was alive and well about 300 yards off the beach. On average, the whales weigh about 70 tons.

Rolling over on its back, looking almost playful, and flipping its tail above the waves, the right whale put on a show for miles as it swam slowly southward.

Right whales give birth off the coasts of Florida and Georgia but spend winters in colder waters off the coast of Canada. Female whales breed once every three to five years.

Whales are rarely seen for that long, that close to shore and by that many people.

There are only 300 northern right whales in existence.

Ginn Golf Tournament : 1st March 2007

The 2007 GINN Golf Open tournament, which runs April 12-15 at the Ginn Reunion Resort Davenport, begins two weeks earlier than last year. It has a larger purse, too, up $100,000 to $2.6 million, which is the third-largest purse on tour. And the organizers once again are promising a star-studded field. Tickets are available for spectators.

NASCAR Daytona Pepsi 400 Race Night : 28th February 2007

The 49th Annual Pepsi 400 returns on Saturday Night, July 7, 2007. See all the stars and cars of NASCAR' S top series as they battle Daytona's famed 31 degree banking in this mid-season racing classic. Start time 8.05pm.
Fans can also visit DAYTONA USA while here for Speedweeks. The 60,000 ft. interactive motorsports attraction on the grounds of the speedway features hundreds of multi-media attractions including the Pepsi IMAX Theater showing "NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience" and the award-winning "DAYTONA 500 Movie" on a four story high screen.
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Visit Celebration for an delightful upmarket experience : 25th February 2007

Downtown Celebration is a great place to visit for a wonderful day away from the parks. Walk around delightful lakeside / park area - all beautifully maintained. Celebration has several restaurants, coffee/tea shops, and snack shops.

Barnie’s Coffee, 715 Bloom Street, Suite 110, 407-566-1284: This coffee shop sells delicious hot and iced beverages, wine, and pasteries. It also sells a variety of ground coffees, coffee pots, and other items.

Cafe D' Antonio, 691 Front Street, 407-566-CAFE: Upscale Italian food.

Celebration Town Tavern, 721 Front Street, 407-566-2526: Seafood and New England clam chowder.

Columbia Restaurant, 649 Front Street, 407-566-1505: Spanish/Cuban fare and three kinds of Sangria.

Herman's Ice Cream Shoppe, 671 Front Street, 407-566-1300: An ice cream shop that also serves light fare, including soup, salads, and sandwiches. Located right next door to the movie theater.

Market Street Cafe, on the corner of Market and Front Streets, across from the lake, 407-566-1144: Art Deco-style diner with American fare from burgers to meatloaf.

Seito Japanese Restaurant, 671 Front Street, 407-566-1889: Sushi, stir frys, and tempura are among the offerings.

Sherlock's of Celebration, 715 Bloom Street, Suite 130, 407-566-1866: An English tea room that also offers pasteries, wine, and a selection of Sherlock Holmes merchandise. Right next door to the bright red British call box.

Upper Crust Pizza, 606 Market Street Cafe, 407-566-1221: Serves pizza for pick-up or delivery.

Finish off as many younger people love to in the fountains at night. Bring a change of clothing as they get drenched!

Orlando's juicy fruit parade : 12th December 2006

Sports fans travelling to Orlando this festive season will be able to see the spectacularly fruity show that is the Orlando Citrus Parade.

The event is held on December 30th in downtown Orlando and is one of the largest sports parades in the US.

It traditionally celebrates the holiday season and serves as the precursor to the Champs Sports Bowl and the Capital One Bowl, both college American football games.

Tens of thousands of people line the streets of the city to witness the astonishing sight of floats decorated with all manner of citrus fruits, including oranges, tangerines and grapefruits.

These floats travel along a two-mile parade route and are accompanied by a celebrity grand marshal, performing college and high school bands, and a range of other entertainment for all the family.

With thousands more sports fans watching the event on television across the globe, the parade is extremely high-profile and is set to be even more popular in its 26th year.

Check out the Orlando Citrus Parade website for more details.

2006 Daytona Turkey Run : 23rd November 2006

Don't miss the largest car show and swap meet in the South! The Daytona Turkey Run takes place at Daytona International Speedway November 23-26 and features more than 5,000 special interest vehicles including street machines, customs, street rods, classics, sports cars, muscle cars, race cars and trucks. Plenty of related activities throughout the area complement the event

Orlando Magicard Savings : 22nd September 2006

Orlando's Preferred Visitor Card Saves You Money Year-Round. Just Like Magic.
With more entertainment and fun-in-the-sun activities than anywhere else, Orlando is the place to visit again and again! The Orlando Preferred Visitor Magicard offers great savings on a variety of area attractions, accommodations, restaurants and shops. So make your next visit to Orlando the best ever... use the Orlando Preferred Visitor Magicard and save!

Step 1 - Get your free card!
Get a Magicard. If you don't live in Orlando, you can download and print a Magicard or request a Magicard online and we'll send you one, along with our comprehensive Destination Guide so you can plan your trip. If you're in town, pay the Official Visitors Center a visit to pick up your free Magicard. The Official Visitors Center will also provide you with all the vacation planning information you need including maps, tickets and more. Click here for restrictions and qualifications. See www.orlandoinfo.com for details

Step 2 - Save with your Magicard!
Present your Magicard to any of the participating members at the time of your purchase. You'll find a variety of offers from which to save:

Accommodations Attractions & Activities
Dining Nightlife Dinner Theaters
Eco-Tourism & Cultural Arts Golf Courses
Shopping Transportation
Visitor Services

International Savings Card Macy's : 21st September 2006

At Macy's (Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia)go to customer service desk with your passport and ask for an International savings card. This will give you an 11 per cent discount on most goods in the store(not makeup and perfume) even on top sale prices.

Escape to Orlando for Fabulous Fall : 11th August 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. – Before the hustle and bustle of the holidays set in, friends and family can make the great escape to enjoy all that Orlando’s Fabulous Fall has to offer. Fall is the perfect time to get the friends together and plan that much needed girlfriends’ getaway, guys’ adrenaline adventure, golf getaway, culinary & culture exploration or Halloween adventure at one of Orlando’s world-class attractions. Friends can plan their trip easily by gathering information and booking exclusive fall packages online at orlandoinfo.com/fall.

Girlfriends can satisfy the mind, body and spirit during a fall escape to Orlando. With more than 52 million square feet of retail space including upscale malls, unique specialty shops and a variety of outlet stores, the mind is sure to get a workout while finding the perfect additions to any girl’s wardrobe. To successfully soothe the body, a trip to one of Orlando’s 11 destination spas is next on the list. Guests can indulge in numerous relaxing experiences from body massages to skincare with a tropical twist, including a refreshing sweet-orange body wrap, a pineapple body scrub or an invigorating citrus-zest massage. To add the perfect end to the perfect escape, downtown Orlando transforms into a trendy nightlife destination with nightclubs, restaurants, live theater and galleries sure to raise the girlfriends’ spirits.

Fall in Orlando never leaves the guys longing for adventure. They can get up close and personal with the sea’s perfect predators during a Sharks Deep Dive Experience at SeaWorld. Or, for those who prefer wakeboarding and waterskiing adventures, the Orlando Watersports Complex is the only facility in the United States to have two cableways for unlimited riding time and increased skill building for riders of all levels. Other adrenaline boosters include hang gliding, airboat and swamp buggy rides or living the dream of a race car driver at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Those guys looking to take it easy on the sidelines needn’t worry as the NBA’s Orlando Magic will once again hit the floor this fall in their 17th season. After a day of play, the guys can hit the nightlife scene and discover where Wayne Brady, of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” got his start at the SAK Comedy Lab or take advantage of the many concert venues, from large to intimate, featuring today’s biggest names in music.

Also in the fall, the grass couldn’t get any greener on the 168 challenging golf courses in Orlando. When stepping onto many of the area’s courses, visitors find that the holes have been touched by golf legends. The game’s greatest, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Tom Watson, have played a part in building world-class layouts in Orlando. Golfers can plan their escape around the FUNAI Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort, Oct. 16-22. After being inspired by seeing the masters in action, visitors can take advantage of the area’s 18 golf academies sure to strengthen any golfer’s game.

For friends looking to explore culinary works of art or art itself, Orlando is the perfect destination to heighten the senses. For the 11th year, Disney’s Epcot will host the popular Food & Wine Festival, Sept. 29-Nov. 12, featuring tastings of food and wine from around the world. Visitors looking to explore other culinary offerings can choose from more than 5,100 restaurants in Orlando of which 20 can be found along Sand Lake Road’s Restaurant Row. The downtown area also offers unique dining experiences nestled among trendy nightlife, theaters and galleries. Between delectable meals, guests can explore numerous museums and galleries including, the Orlando Museum of Art, featuring traveling exhibitions and permanent collections of American art, African art and art of the ancient Americas; and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, featuring the world’s most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

And for those seeking spine-tingling encounters and ghostly haunts, very few destinations celebrate Halloween for the entire month of October quite like Orlando. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, now in its 16th year, and Hallowscream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay continue to bring visitors face to face with their deepest fears as they explore haunted houses and chilling scare zones throughout both theme parks. For those looking for a less intense Halloween experience, Disney’s Magic Kingdom offers Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and SeaWorld Orlando will once again host Halloween Spooktacular bringing the myth of the sea alive, with an incredible underwater FantaSea. Visitors can also take advantage of year-round ghost tours as they explore downtown Orlando’s historic structures in search of paranormal investigative experiences.

Orlando Offers Canadians A Variety of Winter Vacation Options : 20th July 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. – The winter season just might be the best time of the year to visit Orlando. Daytime temperatures, which hover in the low 70s F (22 C) during the day and the low 60s (16 C) at night, coupled with the destination's legendary theme parks and year-round recreational activities puts Orlando at the top the list for a Canadian winter getaway.

Thrilling Theme Parks
A visit to Orlando would not be complete without taking time to experience the newest attractions at the theme parks. SeaWorld Orlando opened a new Shamu show in May called “Believe,” which combines a “killer whale ballet” of grace and agility with an original music score. The park also unveiled three new additions to Shamu’s Happy Harbor play area including a family friendly roller coaster, a jellyfish-themed samba tower ride and a beach bucket-themed tea cup ride.
Universal Orlando Resort opened the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride in June at Islands of Adventure. The ride puts guests in the world of Dr. Seuss and his stories as it transports them throughout Seuss Landing. The park will also open a high-tech nightly lagoon show called Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular in July at Universal Studios. The show relies on 360-degree “cinespheres,” an original music score, 300 outdoor speakers, lasers and pyrotechnic effects to place guests in the midst of their favorite films.

Expedition Everest opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in April. The ride lets guests discover the fearsome lore of the yeti aboard out-of-control railcars that race forward and backward, sending adventurers swooping into the unknown to brave twists, turns and dropsinside and outside a mighty mountain. The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is open again after undergoing renovations to include new characters such as Captain Jack Sparrow from the hit movie series “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Unparalleled Golf
When stepping onto many of the area’s courses, visitors find that the holes have been touched by golf legends. Some of the area’s newest golf course layouts were designed by pros such as Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, David Harman and Jack Nicklaus. These famed courses are located at Reunion Resort & Club of Orlando; The Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes Orlando; Rosen Shingle Creek Resort; Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate; and the Walt Disney World Resort. If you’re not a pro yet, have no fear, instruction is available at Orlando’s 18 nationally ranked instruction schools including Fred Griffin Grand Cypress Academy of Golf, the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy at Bay Hill, the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and the Faldo Golf Institute by Marriott.

Outdoor Adventures
Central Florida’s outdoor activities provide the perfect opportunity for guests to get acquainted with its natural side. Equestrian enthusiasts will be happy to know Orlando has many options for trail riding. Grand Cypress Equestrian Center caters to riders of all ages and abilities with trail rides for adults and children, and pony rides for the younger ones. Horse World Riding Stables features 750 acres (304 hectares) of sandy trails and offers three types of guided trail tours. Westgate River Ranch has many opportunities for fun in the great winter outdoors. Options include horseback trail rides, cattle driving, hay rides, airboat rides, trap and skeet shooting, boat and canoe rentals and fishing.

Skyventure Orlando, an indoor skydiving experience that’s one of only six in the world, is perfect for those who may be too afraid to jump out of a plane, but would still like to experience the sensation of free fall and body flight or for frequent jumpers looking to improve their technique. The facility is located directly on International Drive and offers indoor “flights” for anyone age three years and older.

Boggy Creek Airboat & Swamp Buggy Tours and A-Awesome Airboat Rides put visitors in the center of outdoor action. They'll skim through swamps and across lakes with ease as the captain points out native birds, turtles and alligators.
InuTrax Outdoor Adventures, owned and operated by Canadians, creates tours especially for visitors by allowing them to decide on the kayaking site and amount of time for paddling—from one hour to a full day. Visitors will see local wildlife such as heron, otter, turtles and eagles while touring secluded bayous and tranquil streams. InuTrax has one-person kayaks as well as a kayak designed for two adults and one small child or one adult and two children. All adventures include kayaks, gear, water, snacks and essentials.

Visitors looking for an over-the-top experience should check out a hot-air balloon ride – at sunrise, no less – with one of the area’s established vendors such as Blue Water Balloons, Bob’s Balloons LLC, Magic Sunrise Ballooning or Orange Blossom Balloons. After boarding, visitors are carried away by warm breezes and breathtaking views of the area that only a hot-air balloon ride can provide. Once back on land, many air excursion companies offer a champagne toast, celebration picnic and commemorative photos.

Surf’s up at the Ron Jon Surfpark at Festival Bay, opening in early 2007. The indoor/outdoor facility, located at Festival Bay at International Drive, will consist of three wave pools developed for surfers with all levels of experience. The largest pool is for intermediate to pro-level surfers and will create four-to-eight-foot (1-to-2-meter) waves and have ride lengths from 60 to 100 yards (55 to 91 meters). The smaller training pool is for beginner and novice wave riders and will have three-to-four-foot waves. There’s also a special boogie boarding pool for those not quite ready to surf.