Discover the New Sunshine State
By dlaws ? Dec 23rd, 2007 ? Category: Features
If you could move to any state in the U.S., where would you choose to live?
According to the Harris Poll, an annual survey of American adults, the answer hasn?t changed much in the last decade. Florida has ranked third or higher since 1997 and took the number-one spot five years in a row?and it?s not difficult to figure out why. Winters are mild in the Sunshine State, with average temperatures ranging from 53?F in the northern region to a balmy 68?F in the South. In the summers, afternoon rain showers cool down inland areas nearly every day, while the coastal areas enjoy ocean breezes.
Add to that the hundreds of theme parks and attractions, over 1,200 miles of sand beaches, easy travel into, out of, and around the state, year-round activities, and one of the lowest tax burdens in the country, and it?s easy to see why Florida is a prime destination for both relocation and vacationing. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 1,000 people move to Florida every day. Within the state, there are a number of regions that vary considerably in style and ambiance.
Southern Florida, Tampa, Sarasota & Naples
Southern Florida is hot, hot, hot?and not just in terms of temperature. The city of
Miami, like the Big Apple, never sleeps. A piquant blend of flip-flop casual and chic couture fashion, the high-energy metropolis attracts nearly ten million visitors each year, many of them young and beautiful. But behind the glitz and glamour of South Beach, Miami has considerable substance. Its burgeoning art scene has grown rapidly in recent years. In the Design District (north of downtown and just west of Biscayne Boulevard), in Coral Gables along Ponce de Le?n Boulevard, and in the ritzy shopping district of Bal Harbour, art aficionados will find a diverse selection of world-class art ranging from antiques to contemporary Latin American paintings, from black-and-white photography to modern sculpture. The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bass Museum of Art, the Wolfsonian and the Miami Art Museum display the best of contemporary, fine, and design art.
When you finish visiting the galleries and museums, don?t forget to check out the largest art?Art Deco, that is, the vibrant resort architecture preserved from the heyday of the resort lifestyle in the early twentieth century. The Art Deco District offers tours, lectures, and even an Art Deco Academy/Tour School, where you can become a Deco expert?or a tour guide!
You may not want to give tours, but you?ll certainly enjoy taking a tour of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, in the heart of Miami. This palatial home, built in 1916 by a wealthy industrialist, was modeled after an Italian estate and includes ten acres of French- and Italian-inspired gardens that you?ll definitely want to explore. If you?re thinking of exploration on a grander scale, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out that Miami International Airport (MIA), the bustling gateway to South America from the U.S., is also the second-busiest hub for international flights to Europe. In just a few hours, you can be in Amsterdam, Costa Rica, London, Bogot?, Paris or Cozumel.
If you want to explore other cultures without leaving Miami, take a day to discover ?La Peque?a Havana.? In Little Havana, an ethnic enclave of Cuban immigrants, you?ll find neighborhood restaurants serving flavor-rich, delicious Cuban dishes?influenced by the culinary traditions of South America, Africa, Europe and North America?that usually incorporate pork or chicken, rice, beans, onion, corn, plantains and a variety of spices such as garlic, cumin, cayenne and coriander. A few miles away, Creole, French and Caribbean influences unite in ?La Petite Haiti? (Little Haiti), which abuts the Design District and is home to 30,000-plus Haitian immigrants. The Caribbean Marketplace, modeled after the Iron Market in Port-Au-Prince, is undergoing renovations and will showcase Caribbean art, music and food.
If you?re hungry for a taste of island life, in only 55 minutes you can fly from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, an island paradise with such striking aqua water that its remarkable coloration is visible from space. The Atlantis resort and casino on Paradise Island, which has long attracted travelers from the world over with its luxury, tropical beauty and exciting nightlife, has added such attractions as Dolphin Cay, where guests can swim and interact with dolphins.
Back on the mainland, dolphins of another type draw even larger crowds. The Miami
Dolphins (NFL), Miami Heat (NBA), and Florida Marlins (MLB) have thousands of loyal fans. For fans who have relocated from the northeast, the Yankees, Redskins, Phillies, Broncos, Red Sox, Giants and Dodgers are just some of the NFL and MLB teams whose players follow the sunshine down to southern Florida for spring training.
Across the peninsula on the Gulf side, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area (commonly referred to as Tampa Bay) is home to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (MLB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL), Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), and Tampa Bay Storm (arena football). The Bucs brought home the Lombardi trophy when they beat out Oakland to win the 2003 Super Bowl, and the Lightning?despite hailing from a city that hasn?t seen ice or snow since 1977?took the 2004 Stanley Cup in a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames.
With nearly three million residents, the Tampa Bay metropolitan area is second in size only to Miami in the state of Florida. Its flourishing seaport is the largest in Florida and the seventh largest in the U.S., and handles almost as much cruise ship traffic as Miami, with major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival setting sail from its harbor. For smaller vessels, the rivers and bayous that wind their ways in from the bay allow boating access to the Gulf of Mexico from many inland communities. As the name ?Clearwater? suggests, the water is crystal-clear and is perfect for swimming, fishing, and water sports.
Islands such as Longboat Key and Treasure Island, situated between the Gulf and the Intracoastal Waterway, draw residents and resort-goers with their laid-back, family-friendly atmospheres. Activities from parasailing to kite-flying contests to deep-sea fishing are available year-round, and dozens of beachfront restaurants will provide casual dining?featuring, of course, fresh seafood?and breathtaking sunsets on the water.
Just south of Tampa Bay, Sarasota is a m?lange of the natural beauty of a Gulf Coast town and the sophistication of what has been dubbed the ?Cultural Coast.? Home to the Asolo Theatre Company, Florida West Coast Symphony, Jazz Club of Sarasota, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Sarasota Film Festival, Towles Court Art Association, Ringling Museum of Art, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and 30-plus art galleries, the Sarasota area is a mecca for the cultural connoisseur. For those who prefer the diversions of shopping to those of the theater, the options range from the nooks and crannies of back streets to upscale malls, from beachfront shops to chic retailers. On Main Street, you?ll find small-town charm mixed with luxurious high-rise condos. Fine antiques shops are shoulder-to-shoulder with fashionable boutiques, and alfresco caf?s take advantage of the warm evenings.
Palm Avenue, just south and east of Main, is home to designer fashion emporiums, relaxing spas, upscale jewelers and fine art collections such as the one found at Galleria Silecchia. In downtown Sarasota, the art-house cinema and funky consignment stores bring a unique flavor to the district. On Towles Court, a number of restored cottages from the early 1900s house a bona fide artists? colony, where local painters and sculptors live and work. In Southside Village, a little south of downtown, Morton?s Market caters to the gourmand with specialty meats, fish and produce. For those who love everything beachy, Siesta Key Village brings together a laid-back beach attitude with exclusive retailers of gold and silver jewelry, evening attire and beach-motif d?cor. When the sun goes down, many of the beachfront restaurants and bars have live entertainment.
In contrast, just two hours to the south, Fifth Avenue in Naples is the very essence of luxury and style. Brodeur Carvell supplies menswear to the discriminating gentleman, while Femmes Je Vous Aime carries the most fashionable lines in French swimwear and Italian lingerie. From resort-wear to custom jewelry, from stationery to organic pet food, it can all be found, as the locals say, ?on Fifth.? It?s no surprise that the most lavish of spa experiences can be had in Naples, at the Spa on Fifth, the Spa De Larissa, the Ritz-Carlton Grand, or Eurospa.
Naples?s posh counterpart on the state?s eastern coast, Palm Beach, has its own avenue showcasing the cr?me-de-la-cr?me of retailers and galleries. For decades, Worth Avenue has been synonymous with the highest of high-end shopping. World-renowned designers of the chicest jewelry and fashions?Bvlgari, Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Valentino?are interspersed among smaller family-owned boutiques, art galleries and specialty stores furnishing everything from Louis XIV furniture to fine china, from 19th- and 20th-century American art to couture accessories. With over 1,200 golf courses, Florida has more than any other state; with 160, Palm Beach County has the most golf courses of any county in the U.S.
Central Florida
Orlando may be best known as Mickey Mouse?s realm, but it?s not just for kids any more. Both Disney and Universal are now catering to more mature tastes; Downtown Disney and Universal City Walk are enormous entertainment complexes that include shopping, dining, nightclubs, and live music and performance venues.
Renowned chef Emeril?s restaurant in City Walk features a sophisticated menu, a cigar bar and an awe-inspiring two-floor 12,000-bottle open wine display. A few steps away, the cheeseburgers immortalized in song are served up at Jimmy Buffett?s Margaritaville. Here, you can enjoy unique Key West and Caribbean fare as well as cocktails served at the outside bar, which is built around the Hemisphere Dancer, Jimmy Buffett?s own seaplane. If you?re up for a little spice, try the Latin Quarter, where you can savor cuisine and music with a Latin American flair?and when the sun goes down, you can show off your talents with a salsa or a tango on the dance floor. The newest addition to Orlando?s entertainment, Blue Man Group, is a world-renowned act that has garnered rave reviews for its blend of music, comedy, and ?multimedia theatrics.? With live stage shows currently in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Berlin and Oberhausen, they have also set up shop in Universal Orlando Resort.
Downtown Disney?s West Side area features its own celebrity-owned restaurants. The Wolfgang Puck Caf?s California fusion menu is so popular that customers without reservations will often encounter a two- or three-hour wait for a table, and Gloria Estefan?s Bongos Cuban Caf? delivers authentic Cuban cuisine, music and a dance floor with live music where you can do the Conga. If you prefer to sit back and watch instead, you won?t want to miss La Nouba, a colorful, thrilling, high-flying, heart-stopping performance by Cirque du Soleil?s resident cast of world-class acrobats, gymnasts, dancers and singers. And just next door, at the House of Blues, the intimate concert venue attracts acts ranging from Willie Nelson to Etta James.
If you?re willing to veer away from the mainstream, the Fringe Festival, a European-style festival featuring 12 days of completely uncensored theater, art, music, and dance ranging from the ?mild to the wild,? takes place each year at Orlando?s Shakespeare?s Theater and Loch Haven Park. Larger concerts and events are held in Amway Arena?part of Orlando?s downtown sports and entertainment complex, the Centroplex?which is also home to the Orlando Magic (NBA), Orlando Predators (arena football), and Orlando Sharks (indoor soccer). Annual events featuring the world?s top extreme athletes, such as the Dew Action Sports Tour?s PlayStation Pro, take place at Amway Arena and the Citrus Bowl (the Centroplex?s 70,000-seat stadium).
Take a short ride from the Centroplex?for a change of pace, go by PediCab or BicyTaxi?and you will be right smack in the middle of the first downtown area, which includes a plethora of restaurants, shops, bars, and nightclubs within a four-block radius of Church Street Station. If there are a few too many 20-somethings here for your taste, only a few blocks to the east?but worlds away in style?is the second downtown area in Orlando. Known also as Thornton Park, its shopping is upscale: Zou Zou Boutique has funky and stylish apparel for women, and the Urban Think! Bookstore caters to the literary connoisseur, with everything from the extended works of Dickens and Dostoyevsky to the hottest bestselling and local authors. Hue, the award-winning bistro next door, features modern architecture and d?cor, and serves delicious ?Progressive American cuisine? complemented by their extensive and creative martini menu.
Just north of Orlando, in Mount Dora?a quaint and comfortable town with just under 10,000 inhabitants?some of the finest antiques in central Florida can be found. Host to an annual art festival as well as an antique boat show, the town is set among the orange groves and rolling hills, with some of the highest elevations in the state. Renninger?s Florida Twin Markets, found in Mount Dora on US Hwy 441, might be the largest market of its kind in the Southeast. With over 100 acres combining flea, farmers? and antique markets, Renninger?s offers almost limitless indoor and outdoor shopping. The antique center, with more than 40,000 square feet of space, is air-conditioned, and each weekend hundreds of antique dealers present their wares in merchant booths arranged into ?villages.?
In addition, on the third weekend of each month (except December), an antique fair
is held that brings over 400 antique dealers from across the nation. In January, February and November, the weekends are expanded to ?antique extravaganzas,? bringing an estimated 1,400 dealers to Renninger?s. On these three-day weekends, more than 40,000 shoppers attend in search of that once-in-a-lifetime find. Most visitors to Mount Dora are day-trippers from Orlando, but you can find several charming bed-and-breakfasts there?and either way, you?ll want to make sure you stick around for dinner at Lakeside Inn?s popular restaurant.
North Florida
The ?Emerald Coast? of Florida is aptly named. In Destin, the waters are clear and emerald-green, and the sand is sugar-white. Interestingly, the sand is actually finely-ground quartz crystal that has been carried by the Apalachicola River from the Appalachian Mountains down to the Gulf. It drifts ashore, and ends up on the beaches from east of Panama City to the Alabama coast.
The year-round activities in Destin are endless: parasailing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, dolphin excursions, light tackle fishing, sunbathing and golf. There are even annual activities such as a pirate festival (June), a wine walkabout (July), concert series (August) and a Greek festival (September). Destin has been voted the ?Best Beach in the South? for four years running, and within close proximity are a wide selection of restaurants, shopping, art galleries, antique malls and the nation?s largest designer outlet mall. There are 13 courses within Destin, and another 12 within 15 miles. Sandestin Resort, one of the most popular resorts in the area, offers over 1,800 accommodations in five neighborhoods and four courses with over 27,000 yards of world-class golf. Destin Harbor caters to the water sports enthusiast, with watercraft rentals and fishing, snorkeling and diving charters. In the late afternoon and evening, it?s the place to be; while you watch the sun set over the jetties, you can enjoy fine or casual dining at a number of waterfront restaurants and see the day?s catch being unloaded on the piers.
By dlaws ? Dec 23rd, 2007 ? Category: Features
If you could move to any state in the U.S., where would you choose to live?According to the Harris Poll, an annual survey of American adults, the answer hasn?t changed much in the last decade. Florida has ranked third or higher since 1997 and took the number-one spot five years in a row?and it?s not difficult to figure out why. Winters are mild in the Sunshine State, with average temperatures ranging from 53?F in the northern region to a balmy 68?F in the South. In the summers, afternoon rain showers cool down inland areas nearly every day, while the coastal areas enjoy ocean breezes.
Add to that the hundreds of theme parks and attractions, over 1,200 miles of sand beaches, easy travel into, out of, and around the state, year-round activities, and one of the lowest tax burdens in the country, and it?s easy to see why Florida is a prime destination for both relocation and vacationing. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 1,000 people move to Florida every day. Within the state, there are a number of regions that vary considerably in style and ambiance.
Southern Florida, Tampa, Sarasota & Naples
Southern Florida is hot, hot, hot?and not just in terms of temperature. The city of
Miami, like the Big Apple, never sleeps. A piquant blend of flip-flop casual and chic couture fashion, the high-energy metropolis attracts nearly ten million visitors each year, many of them young and beautiful. But behind the glitz and glamour of South Beach, Miami has considerable substance. Its burgeoning art scene has grown rapidly in recent years. In the Design District (north of downtown and just west of Biscayne Boulevard), in Coral Gables along Ponce de Le?n Boulevard, and in the ritzy shopping district of Bal Harbour, art aficionados will find a diverse selection of world-class art ranging from antiques to contemporary Latin American paintings, from black-and-white photography to modern sculpture. The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bass Museum of Art, the Wolfsonian and the Miami Art Museum display the best of contemporary, fine, and design art.When you finish visiting the galleries and museums, don?t forget to check out the largest art?Art Deco, that is, the vibrant resort architecture preserved from the heyday of the resort lifestyle in the early twentieth century. The Art Deco District offers tours, lectures, and even an Art Deco Academy/Tour School, where you can become a Deco expert?or a tour guide!
You may not want to give tours, but you?ll certainly enjoy taking a tour of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, in the heart of Miami. This palatial home, built in 1916 by a wealthy industrialist, was modeled after an Italian estate and includes ten acres of French- and Italian-inspired gardens that you?ll definitely want to explore. If you?re thinking of exploration on a grander scale, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out that Miami International Airport (MIA), the bustling gateway to South America from the U.S., is also the second-busiest hub for international flights to Europe. In just a few hours, you can be in Amsterdam, Costa Rica, London, Bogot?, Paris or Cozumel.
If you want to explore other cultures without leaving Miami, take a day to discover ?La Peque?a Havana.? In Little Havana, an ethnic enclave of Cuban immigrants, you?ll find neighborhood restaurants serving flavor-rich, delicious Cuban dishes?influenced by the culinary traditions of South America, Africa, Europe and North America?that usually incorporate pork or chicken, rice, beans, onion, corn, plantains and a variety of spices such as garlic, cumin, cayenne and coriander. A few miles away, Creole, French and Caribbean influences unite in ?La Petite Haiti? (Little Haiti), which abuts the Design District and is home to 30,000-plus Haitian immigrants. The Caribbean Marketplace, modeled after the Iron Market in Port-Au-Prince, is undergoing renovations and will showcase Caribbean art, music and food.If you?re hungry for a taste of island life, in only 55 minutes you can fly from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, an island paradise with such striking aqua water that its remarkable coloration is visible from space. The Atlantis resort and casino on Paradise Island, which has long attracted travelers from the world over with its luxury, tropical beauty and exciting nightlife, has added such attractions as Dolphin Cay, where guests can swim and interact with dolphins.
Back on the mainland, dolphins of another type draw even larger crowds. The Miami
Dolphins (NFL), Miami Heat (NBA), and Florida Marlins (MLB) have thousands of loyal fans. For fans who have relocated from the northeast, the Yankees, Redskins, Phillies, Broncos, Red Sox, Giants and Dodgers are just some of the NFL and MLB teams whose players follow the sunshine down to southern Florida for spring training.Across the peninsula on the Gulf side, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area (commonly referred to as Tampa Bay) is home to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (MLB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL), Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), and Tampa Bay Storm (arena football). The Bucs brought home the Lombardi trophy when they beat out Oakland to win the 2003 Super Bowl, and the Lightning?despite hailing from a city that hasn?t seen ice or snow since 1977?took the 2004 Stanley Cup in a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames.
With nearly three million residents, the Tampa Bay metropolitan area is second in size only to Miami in the state of Florida. Its flourishing seaport is the largest in Florida and the seventh largest in the U.S., and handles almost as much cruise ship traffic as Miami, with major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival setting sail from its harbor. For smaller vessels, the rivers and bayous that wind their ways in from the bay allow boating access to the Gulf of Mexico from many inland communities. As the name ?Clearwater? suggests, the water is crystal-clear and is perfect for swimming, fishing, and water sports.
Islands such as Longboat Key and Treasure Island, situated between the Gulf and the Intracoastal Waterway, draw residents and resort-goers with their laid-back, family-friendly atmospheres. Activities from parasailing to kite-flying contests to deep-sea fishing are available year-round, and dozens of beachfront restaurants will provide casual dining?featuring, of course, fresh seafood?and breathtaking sunsets on the water.
Just south of Tampa Bay, Sarasota is a m?lange of the natural beauty of a Gulf Coast town and the sophistication of what has been dubbed the ?Cultural Coast.? Home to the Asolo Theatre Company, Florida West Coast Symphony, Jazz Club of Sarasota, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Sarasota Film Festival, Towles Court Art Association, Ringling Museum of Art, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and 30-plus art galleries, the Sarasota area is a mecca for the cultural connoisseur. For those who prefer the diversions of shopping to those of the theater, the options range from the nooks and crannies of back streets to upscale malls, from beachfront shops to chic retailers. On Main Street, you?ll find small-town charm mixed with luxurious high-rise condos. Fine antiques shops are shoulder-to-shoulder with fashionable boutiques, and alfresco caf?s take advantage of the warm evenings.
Palm Avenue, just south and east of Main, is home to designer fashion emporiums, relaxing spas, upscale jewelers and fine art collections such as the one found at Galleria Silecchia. In downtown Sarasota, the art-house cinema and funky consignment stores bring a unique flavor to the district. On Towles Court, a number of restored cottages from the early 1900s house a bona fide artists? colony, where local painters and sculptors live and work. In Southside Village, a little south of downtown, Morton?s Market caters to the gourmand with specialty meats, fish and produce. For those who love everything beachy, Siesta Key Village brings together a laid-back beach attitude with exclusive retailers of gold and silver jewelry, evening attire and beach-motif d?cor. When the sun goes down, many of the beachfront restaurants and bars have live entertainment.
In contrast, just two hours to the south, Fifth Avenue in Naples is the very essence of luxury and style. Brodeur Carvell supplies menswear to the discriminating gentleman, while Femmes Je Vous Aime carries the most fashionable lines in French swimwear and Italian lingerie. From resort-wear to custom jewelry, from stationery to organic pet food, it can all be found, as the locals say, ?on Fifth.? It?s no surprise that the most lavish of spa experiences can be had in Naples, at the Spa on Fifth, the Spa De Larissa, the Ritz-Carlton Grand, or Eurospa.Naples?s posh counterpart on the state?s eastern coast, Palm Beach, has its own avenue showcasing the cr?me-de-la-cr?me of retailers and galleries. For decades, Worth Avenue has been synonymous with the highest of high-end shopping. World-renowned designers of the chicest jewelry and fashions?Bvlgari, Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Valentino?are interspersed among smaller family-owned boutiques, art galleries and specialty stores furnishing everything from Louis XIV furniture to fine china, from 19th- and 20th-century American art to couture accessories. With over 1,200 golf courses, Florida has more than any other state; with 160, Palm Beach County has the most golf courses of any county in the U.S.
Central Florida
Orlando may be best known as Mickey Mouse?s realm, but it?s not just for kids any more. Both Disney and Universal are now catering to more mature tastes; Downtown Disney and Universal City Walk are enormous entertainment complexes that include shopping, dining, nightclubs, and live music and performance venues.
Renowned chef Emeril?s restaurant in City Walk features a sophisticated menu, a cigar bar and an awe-inspiring two-floor 12,000-bottle open wine display. A few steps away, the cheeseburgers immortalized in song are served up at Jimmy Buffett?s Margaritaville. Here, you can enjoy unique Key West and Caribbean fare as well as cocktails served at the outside bar, which is built around the Hemisphere Dancer, Jimmy Buffett?s own seaplane. If you?re up for a little spice, try the Latin Quarter, where you can savor cuisine and music with a Latin American flair?and when the sun goes down, you can show off your talents with a salsa or a tango on the dance floor. The newest addition to Orlando?s entertainment, Blue Man Group, is a world-renowned act that has garnered rave reviews for its blend of music, comedy, and ?multimedia theatrics.? With live stage shows currently in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Berlin and Oberhausen, they have also set up shop in Universal Orlando Resort.
Downtown Disney?s West Side area features its own celebrity-owned restaurants. The Wolfgang Puck Caf?s California fusion menu is so popular that customers without reservations will often encounter a two- or three-hour wait for a table, and Gloria Estefan?s Bongos Cuban Caf? delivers authentic Cuban cuisine, music and a dance floor with live music where you can do the Conga. If you prefer to sit back and watch instead, you won?t want to miss La Nouba, a colorful, thrilling, high-flying, heart-stopping performance by Cirque du Soleil?s resident cast of world-class acrobats, gymnasts, dancers and singers. And just next door, at the House of Blues, the intimate concert venue attracts acts ranging from Willie Nelson to Etta James.
If you?re willing to veer away from the mainstream, the Fringe Festival, a European-style festival featuring 12 days of completely uncensored theater, art, music, and dance ranging from the ?mild to the wild,? takes place each year at Orlando?s Shakespeare?s Theater and Loch Haven Park. Larger concerts and events are held in Amway Arena?part of Orlando?s downtown sports and entertainment complex, the Centroplex?which is also home to the Orlando Magic (NBA), Orlando Predators (arena football), and Orlando Sharks (indoor soccer). Annual events featuring the world?s top extreme athletes, such as the Dew Action Sports Tour?s PlayStation Pro, take place at Amway Arena and the Citrus Bowl (the Centroplex?s 70,000-seat stadium).
Take a short ride from the Centroplex?for a change of pace, go by PediCab or BicyTaxi?and you will be right smack in the middle of the first downtown area, which includes a plethora of restaurants, shops, bars, and nightclubs within a four-block radius of Church Street Station. If there are a few too many 20-somethings here for your taste, only a few blocks to the east?but worlds away in style?is the second downtown area in Orlando. Known also as Thornton Park, its shopping is upscale: Zou Zou Boutique has funky and stylish apparel for women, and the Urban Think! Bookstore caters to the literary connoisseur, with everything from the extended works of Dickens and Dostoyevsky to the hottest bestselling and local authors. Hue, the award-winning bistro next door, features modern architecture and d?cor, and serves delicious ?Progressive American cuisine? complemented by their extensive and creative martini menu.
Just north of Orlando, in Mount Dora?a quaint and comfortable town with just under 10,000 inhabitants?some of the finest antiques in central Florida can be found. Host to an annual art festival as well as an antique boat show, the town is set among the orange groves and rolling hills, with some of the highest elevations in the state. Renninger?s Florida Twin Markets, found in Mount Dora on US Hwy 441, might be the largest market of its kind in the Southeast. With over 100 acres combining flea, farmers? and antique markets, Renninger?s offers almost limitless indoor and outdoor shopping. The antique center, with more than 40,000 square feet of space, is air-conditioned, and each weekend hundreds of antique dealers present their wares in merchant booths arranged into ?villages.?
In addition, on the third weekend of each month (except December), an antique fair
is held that brings over 400 antique dealers from across the nation. In January, February and November, the weekends are expanded to ?antique extravaganzas,? bringing an estimated 1,400 dealers to Renninger?s. On these three-day weekends, more than 40,000 shoppers attend in search of that once-in-a-lifetime find. Most visitors to Mount Dora are day-trippers from Orlando, but you can find several charming bed-and-breakfasts there?and either way, you?ll want to make sure you stick around for dinner at Lakeside Inn?s popular restaurant.North Florida
The ?Emerald Coast? of Florida is aptly named. In Destin, the waters are clear and emerald-green, and the sand is sugar-white. Interestingly, the sand is actually finely-ground quartz crystal that has been carried by the Apalachicola River from the Appalachian Mountains down to the Gulf. It drifts ashore, and ends up on the beaches from east of Panama City to the Alabama coast.
The year-round activities in Destin are endless: parasailing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, dolphin excursions, light tackle fishing, sunbathing and golf. There are even annual activities such as a pirate festival (June), a wine walkabout (July), concert series (August) and a Greek festival (September). Destin has been voted the ?Best Beach in the South? for four years running, and within close proximity are a wide selection of restaurants, shopping, art galleries, antique malls and the nation?s largest designer outlet mall. There are 13 courses within Destin, and another 12 within 15 miles. Sandestin Resort, one of the most popular resorts in the area, offers over 1,800 accommodations in five neighborhoods and four courses with over 27,000 yards of world-class golf. Destin Harbor caters to the water sports enthusiast, with watercraft rentals and fishing, snorkeling and diving charters. In the late afternoon and evening, it?s the place to be; while you watch the sun set over the jetties, you can enjoy fine or casual dining at a number of waterfront restaurants and see the day?s catch being unloaded on the piers.