Orlando Family Week

Orlando, for most people conjures up the image of theme parks, mainly Walt Disney World, but it has a lot more to offer than that. In fact, Disney is technically not in Orlando but rather nearby Lake Buena Vista. Downtown Orlando is a growing area centered around Orange Avenue that is packed with bars, clubs and restaurants, as well as theaters and concert venues. A few blocks away is Lake Eola Park, a picturesque park situated around a swan-filled lake. The area also offers excellent golfing, gardens, parks and museums.

Orlando is one of the biggest tourist destinations because of the nearby theme parks and resorts. Close to International Drive is Universal Orlando Resort, which includes two theme parks, three hotels and a large shopping district. SeaWorld Orlando is a marine theme park featuring Kraken, the biggest rollercoaster in the Orlando area, as well as Believe, the Shamu adventure.

The all villa resort in Lake Buena Vista rests on 135 acres of waterfalls, fountains, and tropical landscaping. Each one and two-bedroom spacious vacation villa boasts a fully equipped kitchen with appliances, amenities, and all accommodation necessities. The resort does not charge additional person or resort fees. Guests may enjoy free parking, wireless internet access, and daily scheduled transportation to all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks. Local attractions include SeaWorld, Walt Disney World® Resort, Universal Orlando® Resort, and the Orange County Convention Center. The airport is only 13 miles away.The resort features 7 heated outdoor swimming pools, 5 kids' pools, 13 tennis courts, 3 fitness centers, spa services, basketball and volleyball courts, and its own Market Place where you may find souvenirs, groceries, Boars Head Deli, and even Starbucks Coffee. Additional amenities include an 18-hole miniature golf course, room service, video arcades, 6 restaurants including the KFC Express, A&W Express and Pizza Hut Express at the newly built Fountains Food Court, and two bars.One-bedroom villas accommodate up to 4 and the two-bedroom villa accommodates up to 8 comfortably. The villas feature a kitchen or kitchenette with microwave, range, coffeemaker, dishwasher, disposal, refrigerator w/ ice maker, and utensils. Every villa is equipped with a queen or king size Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed and its own washer/dryer. Living area features full-size sleeper sofas, cable TV, DVD player, dining area, and safety deposit box. FL Resident Rates--Proof of residency will be required at check in. Failing to provide proper Identification at check-in will default reservation to best available rate of the day.

20 miles south of Orlando, Walt Disney World covers 43 square miles, and includes four separate theme parks—the original Magic Kingdom; Epcot; Disney's Hollywood Studios; and Disney's Animal Kingdom. There are also water parks, hotels, campgrounds, lots of restaurants, fireworks and fun! Walt Disney World is a children's paradise, and your little ones are sure to cherish their time here for the rest of their lives! Park Hopper discounts are available along with multi-day tickets, and you can check the website for ticket options and booking.

More than a zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom has rides, shows, and safaris to truly live in the world of the animals. See roaming wild animals on Kilimanjaro Safari or pet goats, llamas, and pigs at the Affection Section. Or take a rest and catch one of Animal Kingdom's many shows, from the 3-D 'It's Tough to be a Bug'—where you can experience life from a bug's point of view, to the live action, 'Pocahontas and her Forest Friends'. With rides like the rollercoaster Expedition Everest and the TriceraTop Spin, all members of the family are sure to have a full day of fun.

Housed in a building that overlooks one of Disney's lagoons, this eatery serves seafood in a rollicking atmosphere designed to keep the Disney feeling going. You'll find a broad array of seafood choices on the menu so you might begin with oysters or steamed clams. Entrée favorites include Alaskan crab claws, and fresh salmon. Desserts are straightforward and there's a full bar. You do not have to enter Pleasure Island to dine here.

The world's favorite films and film stars come to life here and 40 amazing and amusing rides, shows and attractions await. A virtual interactive Terminator 2:3-D adventure has its own set of thrills, as does an encounter with Jaws, a trip Back to the Future, and a voyage beyond the stars in an E.T. Adventure. Special VIP tours are available by pre-arrangement.

To spice up your weekends with family or just chill out with friends, hop into Universal Citywalk at Universal Studios Orlando—the fun-filled enclosure. The 30-acre space of this magnificent entertainment complex enthralls you with its chic restaurants, cinemas and shops. Those who are bored with the same dining and shopping affair, can trail here for the most popular Mardi Gras Party, Legendary Thursdays, Teen Nights at the Groove and much more. Bob Marley fans just can't seem to get enough of the Bob Marley Reggae Fest.

Emeril Lagasse is one of the nation's most famous chefs, thanks to his new status as a TV personality and his outrageous cooking flair. Emeril's Orlando is the fifth in his family of restaurants, and the Orlando Sentinel has called it "a new contender for the title of 'best restaurant' in Central Florida". The menu features Cajun/Creole specialties, such as Andouille-Crusted Texas Redfish and Grilled Veal Chops. For an appetizer, try the knockout Louisiana Oyster Stew. All these Creole delicacies and more are served in a dining room dominated by the large show kitchen, where you can watch chefs preparing your dinner.

At Blue Spring State Park, springs bubble up and feed into Central Florida's Withlacoochee River. Tubing's a particular lure at this park, so jump into a big rubber tube and float down the waterway. Fishing is also permitted here, and there are many trails for hiking. One of the main highlights here are the endangered manatees, lounging by the springs. Camping on any of 51 primitive sites is extra, so call for rates. Scuba and snorkeling equipment rentals and canoe rentals are also available. Opens everyday at 8a.

Artists at work are the lure of this restaurant/studio that relies on some of the region's most creative folks to provide the dining atmosphere. In this artsy environment, tapas and other finger foods are the delectables of choice, including such selections as Baked Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip for your chips, Mango Duck Quesadilla, and Dijon Chicken Skewers. There is also a substantial wine list, along with a full bar. This warmly-colored lounge is intimate and laid-back, and the servers are real pros. Every wall is covered in artwork made by local artists, some of it made right in the cafe itself! Each piece of art on the walls is for sale, so at Café Tu Tu Tango, you can have your cake and buy a painting of it, too!

With Spaceship Earth, or what looks to be a giant golf ball, as its icon, Epcot has been a Walt Disney World favorite since it opened in 1982. Epcot celebrates technology and the future through two parts: Future World and World Showcase. Future World explores technology while World Showcase has pavilions representing eleven countries from around the world. Epcot has rides but features shows and tours ranging from Honey I Shrunk the Audience to an environmental show The Circle of Life.

Le Cellier Steakhouse is located in the Canadian Pavilion in Disney World's Epcot Center. The atmosphere begins on the outside, as you approach the magnificent castle and continues as you enter it. Inside you will find a medieval setting including stone walls with beautiful archways, plenty of wrought iron throughout, wooden tables and wall-hangings all lit by a fireplace along with flickering lanterns. Le Cellier Steakhouse has a great wine list and a fully stocked bar for drinks. The food includes an abundance of authentic Canadian specialties from all areas of the country. Select from numerous beef entrées along with several unique seafood dishes and more, all served by the attentive native staff.

The original Walt Disney World park, the Magic Kingdom creates a fantasy world for kids of all ages. The park contains seven different themed lands: Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Mickey's Toontown Fair. Each land displays the special Disney magic, and around the whole park are rides, games, characters, shows, and shopping. At the center of the park lies Cinderella's Castle which towers over the park at 189 feet. The original design for the park was based on California's Disneyland, however it is larger and newer than the original. opens everyday at 9a.

A show kitchen dominates this restaurant's bright atmosphere so you may have almost as much fun watching your food prepared as eating it. Offering a broad array of Mediterranean favorites, this restaurant features such appetizers as a seafood combination of clams and mussels and Italian bread topped with mushrooms and feta cheese. Entrée favorites include braised lamb and fresh tuna. Wine fanciers alert: the wine list here boasts about 100 bottles. You need not pay to enter the theme parks to dine here on the BoardWalk.

San Francisco, a bustling, cosmopolitan city in northern California, is the centerpiece of the Bay Area, well-known for its diverse ethnic and political communities, hilly terrain, world-class restaurants and scenic beauty.

It is the home of the ‘50s beat generation, the ‘60s flower power students, the ‘70s gay rights movement, the ‘80s culinary revolution and, of course, the ‘90s technology boom. Today, the city remains the epicenter for all things cyber and is on the leading edge of the sustainable food movement.  

Ride a cable car, walk across (or windsurf under) the Golden Gate Bridge, scribble poetry in a North Beach café, shop at the hip boutiques along Union Street, check out the latest exhibit at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, see an opera, then club-crawl through cyber-cool South of Market.

So much to see and do, it’s no wonder why Tony Bennett left his heart there.