August, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
I can’t get enough of Florida. It’s pure magic! Over the years, I’ve explored it from top to bottom, East to West. You wouldn’t quite believe how big Florida is. They say that Walt Disney World alone is the size of the city of Manchester!
I love how much there is to do and see in Florida. I was 10 years old when I first visited Florida. A trip that saw my family and I holiday for an extra four days due to Hurricane Frances! I wasn’t complaining – we got to explore all six theme parks at Disney World when it was completely empty.
Airports
Florida has loads of Airports. Whatever town you are in, you can pretty much guarantee there will be a local airport. The two main airports however are Orlando International Airport and Orlando Stanford International Airport.
Accommodation
In terms of accommodation, I’ve stayed in hotels, condos, villas and townhouses – all of which have been spot on. I’ve stayed in a few Hampton Inn’s, which are part of the Hilton Hotel – and in my opinion, they are one of the best chains out there. Very basic, clean, cheap and staff on the whole are brilliant. Hampton Inn’s deliver on the essentials, which is great if, like me, you primarily use your room for sleeping and nothing else. Most Hampton Inn’s have outdoor swimming pools too and serve a great continental breakfast full of hot and cold yummy food. Yes, there are lots of different hotel chains in Florida, but my go-to when travelling from place-toplace is always the Hampton Inn.
If you’re visiting Florida specifically for Walt Disney World then I’d recommend staying in one of the Walt Disney World Resorts. They are a little bit more expensive, however, if you stay on Disney, you get free shuttle buses in and out of each of the theme parks. And, your hotel will be Disney-themed. Themed rooms, swimming pools, food, lobby areas – definitely worth the extra pennies! The first year I went to Florida we stayed in the movie area of the Disney All Stars Resort, so our hotel was Toy Story-themed. The staircase to our room was in the bucket of soldiers, outside the hotel block was a massive RC and a giant door with “Andy’s room” on it.
Our swimming pool was Fantasia themed. It was a dream, and even better when we stayed the extra four days due to the Hurricane. Disney All Stars offers several different sections; Movies, Music and Sport, and regardless of which one you are staying at, you can still walk through each resort and have a nosy.
Regal Palms is a Townhouse resort and set out like a little village. There is a community swimming pool, with a great river rapid around the pools as well as a big slide. Great for young children, and not too big, so you can keep an eye on your kids when they are running about. It has a big car park, as well as parking at each house. They have great continental breakfasts that serve hot and cold food, as well as a spa and gym. Regal Palms also backs onto a shopping front, where you can find a massive Publix (which I talk about later on) so you can buy your supplies for the holiday. We have stayed here quite a few times and love it – so much so that one year we considered buying a Townhouse, as Regal Palms had an offer on of Buy One Get One Free! No joke.
Bella Piazza is minutes from the magic of Disney. Here, you can stay in condo’s that form a village around restaurant areas, gym, games room and a community pool. Part of this resort is family owned. Again, you can buy out the accommodation. Bella Piazza is very clean, and all accommodation is big enough to give each family member their own space.
Bahama Bay is a condo-style resort that sits right on Lake Davenport. It’s a massive resort that has gardens, lagoons and fountains – a very picturesque place to stay if you ask me. Each condo is over two or three floors with two bathrooms and has a recreation centre, club house, four outdoor heated pools and Jacuzzi. Somewhere like Bahama Bay is fantastic for families, as all rooms are fitted out to suit every need.
One year we were lucky enough to stay at the Windsor Hill Resort, which meant we had a massive villa to ourselves. The rooms were huge and the pool was also a great size, with enough lounging space around it. The kitchen and dining area was spacious, just like how you’d imagine show rooms to be. It even had a games room, garage and driveway to compensate for the huge rental cars.
Loews Sapphire Falls, is a resort within the grounds of City Walk. This resort is right at Universal Studios, Island of Adventure and newly opened Volcano Bay. So, if you plan to mainly spend time at these three theme parks, it’s a perfect location. And you will have some fantastic views of The Incredible Hulk roller-coaster.
Driving in Florida
I’ve never been of age to drive in America. Each year we have hired a car, hence all of the travelling we have done. My Dad, and occasionally my Mum, have been the drivers. Driving looks so simple. Roads all go straight, no roundabouts, you just have to turn right of left at crossroads and all cars you drive are automatic. It’s as easy as that – I think. The roads are even ridiculously smooth, and bright so in rain your vision isn’t affected. I would, and I’m pretty sure my Mum and Dad would, recommend anyone going to Florida to hire a car, you are able to see so much more than if you have to stick to public transport – even though most can be included with hotels free of charge.
It’s so easy to rent a car too. Each airport in Florida has a car rental department, and you can hire a car through many different companies, such as Enterprise.
Orlando
Orlando is the obvious location to go to when visiting Florida. The Orange County is central Florida – so staying here makes it easy to travel to other places within the Sunshine State. It’s one of the most visited tourist destinations, purely down to Walt Disney World, and, of course, Universal Studios.
Orlando is actually home to Hard Rock HQ – but more on that later.
I have so much to say about Walt Disney World. I’ve been many, many times and have so many magical memories that I could weep about. I’m going to save most information for a separate, Disney-centric blog. However, I will give you an overview. So, here it goes…
Walt Disney World is made up of six theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios), Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. All parks are equally amazing and special, however Magic Kingdom will always be my favourite, followed by Epcot.
Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. It was the first of the theme parks and was based around the Disneyland Park in Anaheim. This park is all about fairy tales and Disney characters. It’s beyond magical. Walking around this theme park makes you feel like a princess (or prince). Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, you name it. Everything is so happy and exciting – I have endless dreams of being back here. The main feature of this park is the Cinderella castle that is surrounded by six themed lands. Main street is where you’ll first see the castle — and likely start to cry, happy tears! You can find the best shops here, selling merchandise and food. It’s also where you watch the fantastic parades! Adventureland, is themed to resemble jungles in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America and the South Pacific and has attractions for Pirates of the Caribbean and Aladdin. Frontierland is home to Splash Mountain and the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and is set in a Old West theme of cowboys and Native Americans. Liberty Square is inspired by a colonial American town and is has attractions for the Haunted Mansion and The Muppets. Fantasyland is carnival style and has the ‘marmite’ ride ‘It’s a small world’. Personally, the first time riding it – it gave me a headache. But looking back at it, I actually love it, it’s gave me lots of memories such as my Dad falling asleep on it – sorry Dad! Apart from that, Fantasyland is “dedicated to the young at heart and to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” You can find Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, The Little Mermaid and Alice In Wonderland and more around here. Castle Courtyard is directly behind the castle. Storybook Circus is based on Dumbo and the Mickey Mouse universes. The Enchanted Forest completed the expansion of the new Fantasyland and includes rides based on The Little Mermaid and areas based around Beauty and the Beast. Tomorrowland is an intergalactic city – where I met Buzz Lightyear for the first time!
You can find Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin and the infamous Carousel of Progress “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow!”. Not to forget the impeccable firework displays each night – which has now changed from ‘Wishes’ to ‘Happy ever After’. I’m slightly emotional about this.
The first character I ever met was Cruella De Vill. She was amazing, and thank god didn’t steal my soon-to-be dog that we were getting when we got home, because she didn’t have any patterns on her skin. Phew! Also, if visiting Magic Kingdom, FIND PETER PAN! – we spoke to him for ages and he even drew a picture of me!
Hollywood Studios was originally called MGM Studios and is dedicated to show business, taking inspiration from the 1930s and 1940s. You will know this theme park from the iconic Sorcerer’s Hat from Fantasia.
Again, Hollywood Studios is divided up into six lands: Hollywood boulevard, which acts as a similar set up to Main Street, Magic Kingdom. Here you will see live street entertainment, parades and it also houses the Great Movie Ride. Echo Lake includes rides such as Star Tours and the live-action Indiana Jones. Muppets Courtyard, you can probably guess what’s here; The Muppets.
Pixar Place is dedicated to everything Pixar. Most of it is Toy Story-based – and they’ve even got a Pizza Planet!
Animation Courtyard is all about the films and characters created by Walt Disney. Sunset Boulevard has one of my all time favourite rides. The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster that stars Aerosmith! Sunset Boulevard also features the Tower of Terror thrill ride.
It has two outdoor amphitheaters that host live shows, such as Beauty and the Beast. Future Areas will have the first Millennium Falcon inspired attraction and other Star Wars inspired attractions that are soon to open in 2019.
Animal Kingdom is Disney’s zoological theme park. It’s fantastic and educational. You will know this park from the iconic ‘Tree of Life’, which is 145 feet high, with 325 animal carvings on the trunk and roots.
The main entrance to the park is called Oasis and leads you into the park, onto Discovery land. You can find the Rainforest Cafe here – which seems to be a hit with everyone, apart from me. Discovery Island is at the centre of Animal Kingdom and is where The Tree of Life is based. Pandora – The World of Avatar is brand spanking new! It only opened in May 2017 – so I can’t wait to see this.
Africa is set up as the African village of Harambe, with animal exhibits – the main attraction being the Kilimanjaro Safari. You really do get the feel that you are living and breathing a true African safari ride. Rafiki’s Planet Watch is connected to Africa where you board a wildlife express train and learn about protecting endangered primates and animal habitats. Asia, you can ride Expedition Everest and bump into the Yeti whilst boarding the roller-coaster up into the Himalayas. Personally, I think that this area is the most fun – as it has rides like the river rapids (which are always amazing to go on in the humid Floridian weather). Dino Land U.S.A is themed around Dinosaurs. They have rides and exhibits where you learn all about these fascinating creatures. Aside from all of the different lands within Animal Kingdom, it is a zoo essentially, they have some really beautiful creatures – my favourite being the Silver back Gorillas. They are a dream!
Epcot stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Epcot was created to celebrate human achievement. Each park has some sort of iconic feature, Epcot’s is the giant sphere-looking golf ball. This park only has two parts to it, Future World and World Showcase.
Future World’s major attractions are Test Track – showing you how cars are tested, ending with a fast spin around a track – and Soarin’ Around the World – a phenomenal mission to space, which made me throw up a gazillion times. World Showcase opens up two hours after the park opens, so remember that. World Showcase is honestly the best – it’s a brilliant idea.
It contains 11 pavillions, each themed to represent a different country. And boy, you really feel like you are there – I don’t know how they do it! The countries are: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada. Each country has streetscapes and landscapes, attractions, shops and restaurants – as well as activities for children to do and things to collect in each country.
Blizzard Beach is one of two water parks within the Disney resort. Weirdly, the majority of the time we’ve visited, there really was a blizzard… weird. You will be able to ride some great water rides, some of them being slopes and family rubber-ring rides. There are lots of pools for adults and children – and not to forget an amazing lazy river that is used an a transport systems to get around the park.
Typhoon Lagoon has one of the worlds largest outdoor wave pools. This park is similar to Blizzard beach, hosting many rides and pools. Around Typhoon Lagoon are areas called: Mount Mayday, Hideaway Bay, Typhoon Lagoon, Shark Reef and Castaway creek.
Disney Springs formerly known as ‘Downtown Disney’, Disney Springs is a huge Disney-themed shopping complex.
It includes four districts – Marketplace, The Landing, Town Centre and West Side.
You can find shops here from the amazing Disney Christmas shop to Lego and Pandora to Disney Stores. We always come here during the evening, when the shopping nightlife kicks in, everywhere is so pretty, even when it’s dark.
You are spoilt for choice for places to eat, such as The Rainforest Cafe and Planet Hollywood which has a feature of Forrest Gump – the Jenny boat!
Before entering the two Universal theme parks you go through CityWalk. CityWalk is so cool! It’s got so many restaurants to choose from including Hard Rock Cafe HQ. As well as shopping, night clubs, cinemas and more.
In CityWalk you overlook a lake, just before the theme parks. We spent countless evenings just sitting and people watching at the lake. It’s probably the most peaceful part of this area.
Universal Studios was always my favourite of the two Universal parks before they decided to change the Back to the Future ride to a Simpsons ride. It’s still good – I mean it’s a simulator, and they’ve painted the Deloreon pink. But in my opinion, The Simpsons have nothing on Back to the Future – I will forever be annoyed at this decision!
Universal Studios embraces a film experience rather than being rides-galore. Don’t get me wrong, they have some incredible rides like The Terminator, The Mummy, Twister, Jaws and Men In Black – but there’s also tons of street performers – my favourite being The Blues Brothers.
You step into the world of films here. You get the felling that all of the classic films were made here.
I don’t even know where to start with Island of Adventure. It has two lands that, besides Disney, are my favourites. They’re Harry Potter and Dr Seuss!
Allow me to walk you around the park, from the entrance going clockwise (because we always walk this way). You first hit The Incredible Hulk ride – which is literally incredible. We are still years later trying to get my mum to go on this coaster – they have somehow made this ride roar like the Hulk but also be a relatively gentle loop-de-loop.
The first land you hit is all about Marvel Comics – this is where Spiderman jumped over me when I was waiting for my dad to come off ‘Doctor Dooms Downfall’, which is the only ride I haven’t been on here. Also, I’m going to put it out there, I actual met Stan Lee here. They have a comic book shop, the guy at the till claimed he wasn’t Stan Lee, however, he looked exactly like him – surely that’s exactly what Stan Lee would say?
You then come to ‘Toon Lagoon‘ – it’s very colourful and bright. You will meet characters like Betty Boop and Popeye.
Also be prepared when you go on Popeye’s river rapids, they absolutely drench you – so I advise you not to wear denim! Bad move.
Next is Jurassic Park. They don’t half know how to make you feel like you’re walking through the Jurassic-era. This land is very educational on Dinosaurs with an interactive centre for you to learn all about Dinosaurs and see baby Dino’s hatch! Check out the main ride, I wont say to much but … it’s boss and you might get wet.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is after Jurassic Park. I’m stuck for words to describe it. It’s more magical than you could imagine. The first time we entered my Mum just cried. I don’t know how they do it, but there are some seriously talented people out there. You are in the film, it’s overwhelmingly realistic. You name it, it’s there, down to Moaning Myrtle appearing in the girls toilets.
The rides are cool, the shops are cool, Ollivanders is cool, everything is just cool. Since I visited they have made it even more advanced so that now you can ride the Hogwarts Express and enter into Platform 9 3/4. So to say I’m excited to go back is an understatement. Please note: Don’t buy a chocolate frog and then attempt to eat it. It’s not hollow, its a block of chocolate and you know how hot Florida is! Messy!
The Lost Continent is my least favourite – that’s not to say it’s bad by any means. The main ride here is Poseidon Fury, and it’s more of a walking ride and interactive.
The last part is Seuss Landings which is dedicated to all things that Dr Seuss. The instance you walk in here you feel like you’ve jumped straight into one of his stories. This area is vibrant and full of colour which is one of the reasons I love it. My favourite ride here is the Cat in the Hat as it’s just a basic children’s ride but it runs you through the story and, as with most rides in these theme parks, you come out into a gift shop, and boy… This shop is insane!
My favourite moment here was when The Grinch stole my Cat in the Hat teddy off me, and rubbed it under his armpits!
If you love everything sea-life, you will love Seaworld. Seaworld has rides, shows and animal experiences for you to get involved with, which is something you don’t want to miss.
The main ride at Seaworld is Kraken. We went one year during a hurricane so the park was empty – me and my dad went on Kraken about five times in a row because we were the only ones on the coaster. Safe to say I felt sick and dizzy afterwards. Also, they have Mako, Manta, Journey to Atlantis, Wild Arctic, Shamu’s Happy House and, opening in 2018, Infinity Fall. You can go on a paddle boat that is a flamingo boat across the lake and go up the sky tower if you want to experience something different to the rides.
Shows at Seaworld are not to be missed. They give you the chance to see spectacular animals do amazing things and you may even get a chance to meet some of them. Seaworld offers a range of shows for you to see; Dolphin Days, Ocean Discovery, One Ocean, Pets Ahoy, Seaworld and Bubble Legendary Present Pop, Clyde and Seamore’s Sea Lion high, Sea Lions Tonight and the big one, Shamu’s Celebration: Light up the night.
Through aquariums, lagoons, encounters and outdoor facilities you can watch and interact with animals such as Penguins, Dolphins, Manatees, Mantas, Orcas, Pelicans, Sharks, Stingrays, Turtles and Whales.
Busch Gardens is located in Tampa and African-themed. The park itself only has 15 rides, most of which are roller coasters, although there are two water rides. You can transport yourself around the park via the Serengeti Railway steam train and skyride.
Similar to Disney World and Universal, Busch Gardens has specific areas. Morocco is at the main entrance, you can see the Moroccan Palace and rides such as Gawzi and Gwazi Gliders. You can also admire the beautiful Gorillas and Chimpanzees in Myombe Reserve. Sesame Street Safari of Fun is a section of the gardens for Children. I always thought Busch Gardens was more adult-driven, however this area makes it a great family park as they have rides suitable for children as well as play areas. Stanleyville has the water rides and the 200 foot dive roller coaster SheiKra. Congo, in my personal opinion, has the best river rapids ride I’ve ever been on – we got absolutely soaked. Congo also has the Kumba roller coaster and a bumper cars ride. Jungala is a family-fun adventure where you can explore jungle life through zip lines, tower rides, observation platforms and trails. Pantopia has a mix of attractions, from the vertical-loop coaster Scorpion to a wild mouse coaster, and an indoor theatre to a carousel. In Nairobi you can observe alligators and crocodiles up close, and learn about mammals and reptiles via exhibits. You can learn all about these animals in the Animal Care Center, Jambo Junction, Curiosity Caverns and an elephant interaction wall. The smallest section of the park is Crown Colony House which features a restaurant, The Cheetah Hunt roller coaster and the Skyride station. Egypt has the fastest and tallest inverted roller coaster called Montu.
Wonderworks is an amusement park for ‘Edu-tainment’, combining education and entertainment, and it has more than 100 hands-on things to do, like exhibits and challenges.
It’s a really fun place and if you have ever visited Florida then you’ll know that the weather can easily take a turn for the worse, so this place can serve as shelter.
When in Florida you are most likely to hear ‘International Drive’ thrown about. Don’t get your hopes up!
I always see International Drive as being quite tacky, because it just, well, is. It’s Florida’s main tourist strip and is also known as I-Drive for short. It’s 11 miles long!
There is a lot to see and do in this area from attractions to shopping.
Kissimmee is the heart of all things fun, as this is where Walt Disney World is, alongside Universal, Seaworld and LEGOland. Visiting Florida, you will probably find that you spend most of your time here as the shopping malls that I talk about later are here also.
You must visit Kissimmee Old Town. The Old Town is what I could imagine traditional America to be like. Old Town has unique shops, restaurants, bars, rides and attractions – it’s exactly what you see in the films.
On various days, the main street through the shops is completely full of old, vintage cars. They are called car cruises, so be sure to check them out!
I love Miami. Miami is popular for cruises and boats and it has a gorgeous port, as well as a plethora of food, sports and shopping to interact with.
I can definitely see why shopping is a must here, the main strip of shops is fabulous. If you’ve watched the show Dexter , which is set in Miami, you’ll enjoy the general vibe!
I will note that if you go a few streets back from the main areas, they can be dangerous. It’s not even worth going here. It’s scary.
Florida Keys
Florida Keys is at the very, very bottom of Florida. It’s hardly visible when looking on a map, it’s that teeny-tiny.
As small as it is though, it sure is beautiful! The ‘Keys’ consist of Key West, The Lower Keys, Marathon, Islamorada and Key Largo. We visited Key West, and passed through each part of the Florida Keys as Key West is the most southern of them all. The main thing I remember is my Mum going on about eating Key Lime Pie, Key West’s speciality.
Key West has natural beauty and culture. Having visited Miami a few times, it has a similar feeling of being in a Spanish Island than American. One of my favourite things when it comes to streets is tree-lined streets. All of the streets are Palm Tree-lined, so that had me sold. We spent most of our time there walking around looking for a new place to have a drink due to the absolute stinker of a heatwave. Our evening there we sat at the pier just watching the waves hit the sides of the island, so atmospheric and peaceful.
The Seven Mile Bridge is famous in Florida Keys and you can totally understand why. There are two bridges, one for vehicles and the older bridge is for pedestrians and cyclists – that’d be a good walk!
I love it when we drive down to The Keys because this bridge gives you some of the most astounding sights. You feel like you are completely in the middle of nowhere. Well, you are. The sea is bright blue and all you can see is two endless roads for miles.
Tampa is another major city on the west coast of Florida. Florida isn’t a high-rise place, like New York City. So when reaching Tampa, we could spot it miles away, as it’s quite built up.
Hollywood is in between Fort Lauderdale and Miami along the East coast of Florida. We stopped here an hour or so, while we were on our travels to Miami. We mainly stopped to check out Hard Rock Café.
A popular thing to do in Hollywood is to go for a walk along the Boardwalk, which is a 2 ½ mile beachside.
No, I know what you’re thinking… But there is a Naples in America also. Naples is located Southwest of Florida, along the Gulf of Mexico. Florida seems to be very shopping cultured, everywhere you go, shopping is great. So if you do fancy a little shopping spree, you should hit up Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South. Naples is a great family destination, that avoids all of the chaos that Orlando will cause. Here you can do everything you would like to do, and chill whilst doing it.
I remember the first time we visited Clearwater, we were all of amazed by the white sand and by how clean and clear the beach and sea was.
Sunset on the beach is beautiful. We always drove to Clearwater mid-afternoon and would spend our evening having some food and playing on the beach – playing to me was doing Gymnastics in the water, I was forever doing handstands.
The surrounding area of Clearwater is lovely. Whenever we have been, it always seemed to be quite calm. There’s forever people playing volleyball on the beach.
Fort Lauderdale is known for its beaches as well as its canals, where you can experience a gondola ride along it. From the beaches to the canals, and shopping down Las Olas Boulevard – it’s a great place to visit.
Daytona is home to the luxurious Daytona beach and the legendary Daytona Racecourse. It’s a great place for some good quality family fun, with beach resorts, attractions and the natural beauty that comes with it.
Daytona brings a lot of history through Daytona Beach pier where you can enjoy roller-coasters, water parks and amusement parks. Of course, there’s the Daytona Speedway complex too, which is known as “The World Centre of Racing” – here you can go on driving experiences.
We visited Kennedy Space Centre on what felt like the hottest day in a life time! I think these space crafts reflect the sun more than anything!
I love all things space. It absolutely petrifies me, almost like morbid curiosity without it being morbid. If you just stop, and think about the world of space travel, it’s crazy!
The space centre was great. We got to sit in used and up-coming shuttles. They are so tight and claustrophobic. We got to experience everything you can think of.
Shopping
I’ve been to a few places now that are big on shopping, but to me, Florida beats them all. We’ve always visited Florida in August, which has crossed over with the Tax Free Weekend, and so we’ve always bagged some good deals.
As well as that, American’s have some insane sales and deals like; try a pair of jeans on and get 50% off a pair of jeans; buy two pairs of jeans and get one free. I’ve always gone with a minimal suitcase to I can buy myself a new wardrobe for the year – which is totally doable.
Florida has many shopping malls, both inside and outside – and they all have free parking, with HUGE parking spaces. Most malls have a wide variety of eateries, but my favourite is bourbon chicken and rice, without fail I get that every time. If you’ve not tried it, do it!
The main shopping centre in Florida is The Florida Mall. This mall is completely indoor with a huge surrounding car park – including valet parking. It’s located close by to Orlando Airport, Walt Disney World and Universal and is Florida’s largest shopping centre, having more than 250 retail stores.
The mall has everything to appease each kind of customer, including children. The mall has free WiFi, currency exchange, baggage checks and two play areas for children, and on top of that a 511 room onsite hotel called The Florida Hotel and Conference Centre. You can visit the mall between the hours of 10am to 9pm Monday to Friday; 10am to 10pm Saturdays and 12pm to 8pm sundays.
Another shopping centre is The Mall at Millenia which offers 150 stores, most of which are luxury brands. This mall has great dining including Earls Kitchen + Bar, The Capital Grill, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, The Cheesecake Factory (my favourite!), Brio Tuscan Grille, and California Pizza Kitchen. The Mall at Millenia is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm and Sundays 11am to 7pm.
Orlando International Premium Outlet is an outlet shopping village holding over 180 outlet stores and the largest one in Florida. Located on International Drive and less than three miles from Universal Studios and 10 miles from Walt Disney World. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 11pm, and Sundays 10am to 9pm – and because they have later closing times, you will find this one to be the busiest.
Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is only a couple of miles from Walt Disney World and it’s similar to the above outlets, hosting designer names like Aeropostale, Calvin Klein, Gap, Levi’s, OshKosh, Tommy Hilfiger and many more. There’s also a central food court, that has a range of foods to chose from. One great thing about this shopping mall is that they have a free scheduled shuttle bus that can take you to and from the mall if you are based around Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista and Orlando hotels.
Supermarkets
As soon as we arrive in Florida, we get to Publix, which is like a Tesco/ Morrison’s/ ASDA – but a million time better, obviously. Publix has everything in bigger packets and portions but for a third of the cost. We come here everywhere we go Florida, there’s always one nearby.
Walmart as we all know is ASDA, and is another go-to when you want to get a few nibbles for your condo. I say a few, we always end up with all kinds. Cookies, Ice Cream, Strawberries, Twinkies. But again, the Americans just know how to do it. Everything is bigger and cheaper!
Dining
When in Florida we regularly go to Hard Rock Cafe, Applebees, Shopping Mall food courts (for Bourbon Chicken), Ponderosa, Perkins and Denny’s.
You are spoilt for choice here – the above are just a few of my favourites. So much food is on offer, we’ve been to many restaurants along the highways like ‘Race Rock’ – which has now shut down. And then you get the likes of City Walk that just has restaurants circling the lake.
The thing I love about eating in Florida is the stupidly insane deals you can get!
For example, we went to Perkins one year to get cakes for my Dad’s birthday, because it’s also a tasty bakery, and one of the deals was buy five cakes and get five free! Being a cake-loving family, this was great!
Mini Golf
Floridian mini golf is epic!
They go to town on the displays. You can be putting through a crashed aeroplane, and all kinds of things. Every one I have been to has been outdoor, which is great so you can make the most of the weather, except for when you are hit with one of Florida’s glorious shower storms.
The mini golf that we visit most often is called Congo River Golf – there’s actually loads dotted around Florida. We go here because you get to feed baby Alligators too. Something different isn’t it. Another is called Pirates cove.
There’s a great one in the Walt Disney Resort near Blizzard Beach called Winer Summerland Mini Golf – it consists of two courses, one set in the summer and one in winter.
Hard Rock Cafe
Florida has quite a few Hard Rock Cafes, and we have been to them all – of course we have. Orlando, Orlando Live, Orlando Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Tampa, Tampa Casino, Miami, Hollywood Florida and Hollywood Florida Live.
I have so much love for this place, and you’ll know that all too well if you’ve ever read my other blogs. But Orlando, which is Hard Rock’s HQ, is my favourite Hard Rock of all.
We’ve had the greatest times here, and have had some incredibly cool waiters/waitresses – like Mikey, our waiter we had in 2004 who looked like Derek Whibley from Sum 41.
Weather
Apart from snow, I think we’ve been experienced every type of weather you can think of in Florida.
Like I said at the start of the blog, our very first holiday to Florida, we were stuck in Hurricane Frances, with coincided with nearby Tornadoes.
Every year without fail, it has rained a couple of times. But I love the rain in Florida, it’s warm and lasts for about five to ten minutes solid and is extremely heavy. You get absolutely drenched, but after the rain storm, you can be bone-dry within the next 15 minutes, the weather changes so dramatically.
There’s been many times where we’ve had to huddle in a ride queue to stay dry – like the Men In Black ride in Universal Studios, and my Dad got the fright of his life. He thought the thunder had stopped, then all of a sudden the lightening whipped the floor. We’ve all been huddled under a beach umbrella from the rain, when we’ve been told by a lifeguard to make a run for it because a storm is about to strike, and our umbrella will get hit. It’s all fun and games, which is why I love it so much.
My favourite, is the incredible light show you get from the thunder and lightening that can happen pretty much every night due to the humidity. The lightening isn’t like a Harry Potter scar, it circles the entire sky like you wouldn’t believe!
But mainly, it’s ridiculously hot all year round – hot and humid. So not the greatest combination. But when you’re running around the theme parks or playing in the pool, it almost feels like heaven.
Overall
Florida is awesome, there’s not much more I can say. I love this place and my next visit can’t come quick enough!
Your Own Set of Wings 
Enjoyable read, bringing back lots of memories xx
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So many memories! xx
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