Orlando.com Blog

Belz Factory Outlet Mall Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 19:34:33 GMT

The Belz Factory Outlet Mall in Orlando is described as “700,000 square feet of factory outlet space in the country’s favorite family destination.” The Belz Factory Outlet Mall has over 170 stores in two fully enclosed malls and four strip centers. Mall hours are Monday-Saturday from 10am to 9pm and Sunday from 10am to 6pm . The Belz Factory Outlet Mall is located at 5401 W. Oakridge Road , which is just minutes away from major Orlando attractions like Universal Studios and Disney World. Stores at the mall include Fitz & Floyd, Nautica, The Gap Outlet, Universal Studios Outlet, Wilson Leather, Adidas, Skechers, Vans, Guess Jeans, Nike Factory, and Tommy Hilfiger. Once you’ve shopped ‘til you’ve dropped, refuel at Subway, Coffee Café, Garden Café, Carousel Grill, and Tuscany Pizza House. For more information, a complete list of stores, and a map of the two malls and four strip centers, please visit http://www.belz.com/factory/locations/orlando/.

Celebration Golf Club

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:33:14 GMT

Golf lovers will want to check out Celebration Golf Club located at 701 Golf Park Drive in Celebration, Florida . Celebration Golf club is actually just minutes away from major Orlando attractions. It’s only four miles from Walt Disney World and seven miles from Sea World. Celebration Golf Club was voted one of Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play” for 2006-2007. The courses are serene and beautiful and welcome all skill levels of golfers. There is even a junior course suited for 5 to 9 year old kids. Golf fees are $69 Monday through Thursday, $55 after noon Monday through Thursday, $79 Friday through Sunday, $69 after noon Friday through Sunday and $40 twilight time Monday through Sunday. Celebration Golf accepts tee time reservations up to 30 days in advance with a credit card guarantee. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance to avoid charges. No shows and short groups will be charged. Amenities include a practice putting green, aqua driving range, practice chipping hole, cart service, and club and shoe rentals. For more information and for tee time reservations, please visit www.celebrationgolf.com.

Florida Mall Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 19:31:18 GMT

We all know that guys really aren’t too crazy about shopping, but you’re going to need to get them over to the Florida Mall when you’re visiting Orlando. The Florida Mall is located at 8001 South Orange Blossom Trail and has over 250 specialty stores for all your fashion needs as well as major department stores and exceptional eateries. The Florida Mall is just minutes from the Orlando airport, International Drive, and all of Orlando’s major attractions, so it’s a must for anyone who likes to shop. Entice your guy with stores like EB Games, Brookstone, the recently opened Billabong store, the Apple store for all his Ipod needs, Electronics City, Game Stop, Oakley, Sharper Image, and Ultimate Sports Fan. If you have kids in tow, or a beau who is young at heart, take them over to M&M’s World for everything M&M’s that can be imagined. Department stores at Florida Mall include Dillard’s JC Penny, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Sears. And ladies, they have all your favorites like Sephora, MAC Cosmetics, Victoria’s Secret, Coach, Lucky Brand Jeans, Guess, Aldo Shoes, Steve Madden, and Godiva Chocolatier. There are a lot of places to get a quick bite to eat or a snack like Subway, Taco Bell, Tropicana Fruit Smoothies, and Mrs. Field’s Cookies. For a sit down meal, try Buca di Beppo, California Pizza Kitchen, or Ruby Tuesday. A complete store listing as well as sale and coupon info can be found at http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=139.

Bahama Breeze Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 19:28:20 GMT

International Drive isn’t just the place to go for theme parks and hotels; it’s your one stop restaurant destination too. From breakfast to dinner and everything in between, you’ll find something pleasing no matter what type of cuisine you’re looking for. If you’re in the mood for something a little different, try Bahama Breeze’s Caribbean cuisine. Bahamas Breeze is located at 8849 International Drive and is open for lunch and dinner. Caribbean food is basically seafood, chicken and steak prepared with flavors from the islands like coconut, curry, guava, jerk seasonings, mauby, sorrel, soursop, tamarind and yucca. Dinner items include Coconut shrimp, almond crusted fresh fish, margarita chicken, chicken Santiago, and Bahamian grilled steak kabobs. You’ll want to save room for dessert with items like Key Lime pie, the Tropical Tower and the Chocolate Island. Bahama Breeze is also a great place to go for Caribbean cocktails like a Mojito or a Bahama Mama. There’s a kids menu with dishes like crispy chicken and mac ‘n cheese and fun drinks like a Captain Berry Island and Mango Mango Man. For a complete menu and even some recipes to try at home, visit www.BahamaBreeze.com

Cocoa Beach Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 19:23:53 GMT

A day at the beach awaits you just one hour east of Orlando at Cocoa Beach . There are lots of oceanfront parks with beach access that offer restroom facilities, showers, picnic areas and plenty of parking. Alan Shepard Park offers 10 picnic pavilions, smaller covered picnic tables, barbeque grills, a bathhouse and plenty of parking for just $3 a day. Sidney Fischer Park has the same amenities, but is much larger and is a family favorite in the area. Lori Wilson Park has seasonal lifeguards, a boardwalk, volleyball court, playground, restrooms, and parking for only $1 a day. Cocoa Beach also has many “stub-end” streets which give you direct access to the beach. Glass containers and pets are not allowed on the beaches and there are plenty of litter barrels to deposit your litter in before you leave. Cocoa Beach has over 250 restaurants so you definitely won’t go hungry while visiting! There are also lots of beach side cafes and casual restaurants so you won’t have to go far from the water’s edge for a meal. Enjoy the beach style night life at one of Cocoa Beach ’s clubs or cafes. For restaurant listings, weather info and an event calendar, visit www.cocoabeach.com.

Portofino Bay Hotel Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 17:36:36 GMT

Universal Studios is your Orlando destination, the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal is the perfect place to stay. The Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal is a luxurious hotel that is modeled after the seaside village of Portofino Italy. Feel like you really are staying in Italy with cobblestone streets, the nearby picturesque bay, outdoor cafes and authentic Italian furnishings. This hotel prides itself on its outstanding service and extremely comfortable guest rooms and suites. In-room amenities include 3 telephones with voice mail, cotton signature bathrobes, cable TV, coffee and coffee maker, DVD players, CD clock radio, in room safe, iron and ironing board, hair dryer and make up mirror. High speed internet access is available for $9.95 a day. The Portofino features the Mandara Spa and Fitness center where you can relax with any of their spa services, enjoy an in room massage, or get a work out in at the fitness center. Each night enjoy “Music della Notte”, or music of the night, in the Harbor Piazza. Cool off in one of three pools or get some shopping done in one Portofino’s fine shops. The Portofino Bay Hotel is like a little village in itself with something for everyone to enjoy.

Sushi House Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 17:33:05 GMT

When you hear the word sushi, you automatically think “raw fish,” right? Well, not really. Typically, sushi is cooked fish or contains no fish at all and if you want the raw stuff, you have to order Sashimi. Now that you know this, you’ll be comfortable heading over to Sushi House for dinner. Sushi House is located at 1311 Florida Mall Avenue , which is conveniently located in the middle of all of Orlando ’s major attractions. They have an extensive menu with sushi items, sashimi, tempura, noodles, teriyaki, and a kid’s menu as well. Sushi House has won many awards such as Best Sushi 2005 by CitySearch, Orlando ’s Favorite Sushi Restaurant 2005 by Yahoo!, and Most Popular Orlando Restaurant 2005 by Yahoo! Travel and Dining Guide. If you’re new to sushi, start out small with something like a California Roll which is crab, avocado, masago and cucumber rolled in rice. It’s really tasty and the crab is cooked! For the sushi sophisticate, check out the web site http://www.sushihouseint.com for a full menu with items like the Sexy Scallop and the Florida Roll. The web site even enables you to make a reservation and sign up for a sushi class to learn how to make rice, prepare ingredients, make rolls and to learn the art of sushi presentation. So go with a big appetite and don’t be afraid to try something new!

Sheraton Safari Hotel

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 17:29:31 GMT

What do an African jungle, a 79 foot python and Walt Disney World all have in common? The Sheraton Safari Hotel of course! Located at 12205 Apopka-Vineland Road , you’re 1/8 of a mile from Walt Disney World. The Sheraton Safari also offers complimentary scheduled transportation to Walt Disney World. The hotel is decorated in an African jungle theme from the lobby to the guest rooms. The 393 guest rooms feature either two queen beds or one king bed, high speed internet access, laundry service, room service, cable TV, coffeemaker, hairdryer, make-up mirror, in room safe, and iron and ironing board. You can cool off at the pool, enjoy a cocktail from the pool side Tiki Bar, or relax in hot tub. The 79 foot python is a waterslide that twists down to the sparkling pool. Dining options at the Sheraton Safari include Casablanca ’s Restaurant which has an extensive breakfast buffet and a dinner menu with continental cuisine and daily specials. For light snacks, a cocktail and happy hour specials, try out the ZanZibar Watering Hole. The Sheraton Safari is also close to Sea World, Universal Studios, various golf courses, lots of shopping places, the Orlando Magic Arena, and many other local attractions, making this a great hotel choice for your Orlando vacation.

Magical Midway Orlando

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:26:23 GMT

Magical Midway is yet another fantastic fun place for kids of all ages. Magical Midway is located at 7001 International Drive , just two blocks south of Wet ‘n Wild. This thrill park has free admission and free parking, but the attractions require tickets or you can purchase an armband depending on what rides you want to enjoy. A Midway Armband is $15.95 and grants you access to unlimited midway rides, one StarFlyer thrill ride and gives you 10 arcade tokens. The StarFlyer is a swing that reaches heights of over 230 feel in the air and gets you up to a speed of 54mph. It’s the only tower ride of its kind in the United States . If go-karts are you thing, then you want to purchase a 3 Hour Armband or a Play All Day Armband. Each grants you access to go-kart rides and includes everything the Midway Armband includes. The 3 Hour Armband limits you to 3 hours of midway rides and go-karts and is $22.95, but for $5 more, the Play All Day Armband is a way better deal since you won’t have to keep checking your watch. For more information on go-kart tracks and other rides at Magical Midway, please visit the website at www.magicalmidway.com. The website also has coupons for armband purchases.

Old Town Kissimmee, Florida

admin@orlando.com (Admin) — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:22:48 GMT

Just three miles from the main entrance to Walt Disney World is a great shopping, dining and entertainment experience at Old Town. Old Town is located at 5770 W. U.S. Highway 192 in Kissimmee Florida. Old Town is fun for all ages with rides, attractions, classic car shows, diverse shopping, delicious dining and even two night spots that are open daily ‘til 2AM. There is free parking and admission in Old Town, but the rides and attractions require ticket purchases or are a couple of bucks to enjoy. The best idea for enjoying most of the rides is to purchase a wristband for $25 for adults and $15 for children. The only down side is that the wristband doesn’t include admission for Bumper Cars, Go-Karts, Laser Tag, nor rides in the Thrill Zone. So take some extra spending money so you can enjoy all that Old Town has to offer including all the shopping and great places for meals and snacks. Also, if you’re a car buff, you want to make sure you visit on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night for the largest weekly car shows around. Saturday night showcases over 300 classic cars from 1972 and earlier. For more Old Town details and a printable coupon, surf over to www.old-town.com.