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Daytona Beach is ideally situated to
take advantage of all of central Florida’s
numerous attractions. Beaches, raceways,
shopping and historic as well as natural
attractions are in the vicinity and Daytona
is within an hour or two of America’s
most famous attractions. What a great
place to base a vacation, Daytona Beach
where Interstate 95 meets Interstate
4 for great north, south and west access.
The wide Daytona beaches are enhanced
by theme parks, Spanish forts and Space
attractions, all within an Interstate
ride away!
orlando |
silver springs
| space coast
| st. augustine - (one to
one and a half hour southwest of Daytona
Beach via I-4 )
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Disney’s
Animal Kingdom - Walt Disney World
/ Orlando / 407-824-4321
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the newest
WDW major theme park in Orlando and is
situated on over 500 lush acres, five
times larger than the ever-popular Magic
Kingdom. The main focus is on animals
with more than 1,000 living creatures,
many roaming freely in large natural
habitats.
DisneyQuest
- Downtown Disney / Orlando /
407-828-4600
An interactive indoor theme park that
offers the best of Disney Imagineering
and technologies that appear to be from
the beyond! There are 5 floors of interactive
attractions, virtual adventures, rides
and games combining Disney characters
fueled with technologies that are mind
blowing. It’s a days worth of adventures
in one relatively compact location.
The Holy Land
Experience / 4655 Vineland Road
/ Orlando / 866-872-4659
Orlando’s newest attraction, modeled
after the ancient holy city of Jerusalem
and designed as a living Biblical museum.
Reproductions of Herod’s Temple,
the Tomb of Jesus and the Qumran Caves
where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found
are some of the highlights of the park.
It is a trip back in time with biblical
re-enactors going about their daily business,
letting visitors grasp what it was like
to live in the Holy Land over 2000 years
ago.
SeaWorld Adventure
Park - 7007 Sea World Drive /
Orlando / 407-351-3600
The most fun on a hot day can be had
at SeaWorld Adventure Park. When the
heat gets a bit much, get a “natural”
cool down by sitting in the “soak
zone” of one of the marine shows.
Cooler venues can be found in their Arctic
environment enclosures. Hands-on experiences
include feeding the sea lions and the
petting and feeding of stingrays. See
Florida’s gentle manatees or the
rare Kemp’s Ridley turtles, the
complex is an official rescue and rehabilitation
center for both species. Children may
want to wear or bring swimsuits for those
“splashy” moments. Look for
Pets on Stage, where pets found at an
animal shelter were adopted and trained
to do tricks. Adults and teens will enjoy
the awesome Kraken, a huge floor-less
coaster. SeaWorld is truly a “see”-worthy
adventure!
SeaWorld’s
Discovery Cove - Orlando / 407-351-3600
One of Orlando’s newest attractions,
guests must have reservations made well
in advance to spend a day in Discovery
Cove, a true Island Paradise in the heart
of Orlando. It’s a day with nature
visitors will never forget! The per person
rates may seem steep, but this can be
a once in a lifetime experience. For
the price of admission, guests become
part of a six person pod that includes
a 45 minute swim with several dolphins.
Wet suits, life vests and snorkel equipment
are provided as are lounge chairs and
beach umbrellas, changing rooms and showers.
Access to the aviary, lagoon river, coral
reef swimming area and sting ray pool
are all included in the admission price
as well as a hardy lunch. Children must
be 6 and over to get in the water with
the dolphins.
Universal Studios ® Islands of AdventureSM
- adjacent to CityWalk and Universal
Studios® / 407-363-8000
It’s a trip to six uniquely-themed
islands at this amazing addition to Universal
Studios® in Orlando, a state of the
art theme park. Each Island has its own
theme and attractions. The Port of Entry
sets the tone for the rest of the Islands
of Adventure experience. From Port Town,
one can hop on the Island Skipper Tour
Boats or head toward Seuss Landing and
experience the imagination of Dr. Seuss.
Next Stop is The Lost Continent where
travelers meet the mysterious legends
of Atlantis, Sinbad and Merlin, a lead
in to Dueling Dragons, the most popular
ride in the park! Then it’s on to
Jurassic Park® where the River Adventure
becomes an amazing flume ride. There
is a stalking velociraptor's and a hungry
T-Rex, then get close-up to a Triceratops.
Discovery Center is a hands-on exhibit
pertaining to the Jurassic period. Toon
Lagoon puts visitors right into a cartoon
on Comic Strip Lane. There’s Snidely
Whiplash at Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw
Falls and Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat
Barges. Moving on to more intense circumstances
at Marvel Super Hero Island includes
the 3-D, special effects ride - The Adventures
of Spider-Mansm, coaster enthusiasts
dream - The Incredible Hulk Coastersm
and Dr. Doom's Fearfall! Expect an adventure
of a lifetime at Universal Studios ®
Islands of AdventureSM.
Universal Studios®
Florida - / 1000 Universal Studio
Plaza / Orlando / 407-363-8000
Universal’s original Florida Amusement
Park is based on the west coast studio
concept, guests see and experience how
movies and television shows are made.
Rides and shows take visitors into the
world of TV and movie production. Many
of the rides and programs are based on
block-buster movies as well as favorite
and classic TV shows. Features include
Men in Blacktm Alien Attacktm, Back to
the Future, E.T.®; Terminator 2-3Dtm,
Twister and on the opposite end of the
thriller spectrum, a visit to the happy
and green slimy land of Nickelodeon Studios®.
Universal Studios® offers something
for everyone.
Walt Disney
World’s Disney-MGM Studios
-Walt Disney World / Orlando / 407-824-4321
Built as a real studio as well as a theme
park in 1989, Disney’s MGM Studios
was the third major phase of Walt Disney
World. When entering the park, guests
will begin with a stroll down Hollywood
Boulevard into the land of movie magic!
Rides with movie themes, Disney Animation
Studio, 3-D films and stage sets and
backlot tours are part of the mix. The
plummeting Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
is about as wild as most people want
to experience!
Walt Disney World’s Epcot
- Walt Disney World / Orlando / 407-824-4321
Reminiscent of a World’s Fair, with
Pavilions sponsored by companies and
countries Epcot is divided into two sections.
The Future World begins at the Epcot
symbol, the huge geodesic Spaceship Earth;
World Showcase wraps the back of the
park around a large lake. Future World
is forward looking with technology, energy,
health and environmental pavilions exploring
a hopeful and ingenious tomorrow. World
Showcase is as its name implies, a vehicle
to display the customs, cultures and
products of participating countries.
Pavilions representing the United States,
Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Morocco, Norway and the United
Kingdom are on site. These pavilions
offer ambience and home-grown entertainment
as well as quaint shops and traditional
foods in their restaurants and several
showcase rides or attractions.
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
- Walt Disney World Resort / Orlando
/ 407-824-4321
Opened in 1971, the park is built in
a similar “site plan” to the
original Disneyland in Anaheim yet on
a larger scale. The MK centerpiece, Cinderella’s
Castle towers to 180 feet compared to
Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle
at 100 feet. The walks between “lands”
is a bit of a stretch compared to Anaheim
as well, so wear comfortable shoes and
put little ones in strollers! The Main
Street, USA entrance leads towards the
castle and the “hub” of the
park. The spokes off the hub lead towards
Adventureland, Frontierland,Tomorrowland,
Mickey’s Toontown Fair and Fantasyland.
Each section of the park has attractions
for all ages, highlights include Jungle
Cruise, Space Mountain, Pirates of the
Caribbean, Big Thunder Railroad, Splash
Mountain and the Haunted Mansion. There
are shows, 3-D movies, tame and scarry
rides, lots of shops, restaurants and
interesting visual displays throughout
the park, the Magic Kingdom is still
one of the best entertainment venues
in the world!
-(one and a quarter hour west via SR
40 out of Ormond Beach)
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Silver Springs
- 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd. / Silver
Springs / 800-234-7458
On the northeastern side of Ocala is
Silver Springs, home of a Sunshine State
attraction that has been drawing in visitors
for decades. Take the Lost River Voyage,
ride a glass-bottom boat on Florida’s
largest artesian spring. There are live
animal shows, a petting zoo and antique
car display as well as the World of Bears
& Kids Ahoy! Playland for the children.
/ Open daily
attractions - (45 minutes to one hour
south of Daytona Beach via I-95)
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Astronaut Memorial
Planetarium & Observatory
-BCC Cocoa Campus / 1519 Clearlake Road
/ Cocoa Beach / 407-634-3732
Florida's largest planetarium features
star shows, a 3-story IWERKS movie theater
and laser shows. The building also houses
a fully accessible observatory, a hands-on
demonstration hall and a museum honoring
space explorers from around the world.
Canaveral National
Seashore / Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge - On SR 406 (Garden St.
/ Exit 80, I-95) / Titusville / 407-861-0667
At Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt
Island National Wildlife Refuge, nature
affirms her spirit and lives in harmony
with over 1,045 species of plants and
animals, including alligators, bobcats,
wild hogs, bromeliad and mangroves, plus
310 species of birds including snowy
egrets, white ibises, great blue herons
and red-tailed hawks. Fifteen wildlife
species federally listed as endangered
or threatened live here, including sea
turtles, Gopher Tortoises, Ospreys, West
Indian Manatee, southern Bald Eagles
and Florida scrub jays. No buildings
or seawalls disturb this 40-plus mile
long wilderness, not to be missed is
the 6-mile self-guided Black Point Wildlife
Drive. (Please note: the area includes
a clothing optional beach)
Kennedy Space
Center Visitor Complex - Located
on SR 405, Titusville / Cape Canaveral
/ 321-499-4444
The KSC Visitor Complex is your gateway
to space, check out where NASA prepares
and launches the space shuttle. Among
other exciting things to see and do,
climb aboard a full-size shuttle replica,
tour the launch area and the Apollo/Saturn
V Center, see IMAX movies, walk among
authentic vintage spacecraft, visit a
hands-on intergalactic gallery, and view
an art gallery. / Launch Viewing Information:
800-572-4636
U.S. Astronaut
Hall of Fame - Located just west
of Kennedy Space Center on SR405 / Titusville
/ 321-269-6100
Dedicated to the story of America's first
space heroes - the pioneers of Project
Mercury, Gemini and Apollo - here you
can also explore space on your own. The
Astronaut Adventure lets you experience
the total astronaut training from landing
on the moon, launching a rocket and experiencing
"zero" gravity. Located next
to the Kennedy Space Center, it’s
a "must see" attraction.
attractions - (one
hour north of Daytona Beach via I-95)
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The oldest city in the United States,
St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by
the Spanish after several failed attempts
to establish a toehold in La Florida,
the land of flowers. Claimed by Don Pedro
Menendez de Aviles on the feast day of
St. Augustine, the city has become the
oldest permanent European settlement
in the country. Historic highlights include
the following:
• Castillo
De San Marcos - A stone fort built
in the 17th century to protect the city
from British and French invasions coming
from colonies in the north, the Castillo
is a unique symbol of the city and its
surviving many trials and tribulations.
• Fort
Matanzas - A well preserved Spanish
watchtower fort built to provide protection
from southern invasion via the Matanzas
River, the walls date back to 1740.
The city has several museums and historic
reconstructions of colonial era buildings
to explore as well as up-scale shopping
venues offering everything from hand-blown
glass, antiques and fine arts.
Reserve
Early...while your preferred accommodations
are still available.
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