Enjoy the Beaches Near Orlando
A vacation in Orlando usually means lots of time spent enjoying the theme parks and other attractions, but be sure to save some time for visits to the beautiful beaches that are not far away. Let’s take a look at what these beaches have to offer.
A famous beach near Orlando is Cocoa Beach. If you have been keeping up with the space program you will know that this is the beach that is near the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. Cocoa Beach is a beautiful place to swim and it is also known as the “small wave capital of the world” making it a great locale for beginning or advanced surfers.
Cocoa Beach also offers a lot more than swimming and sand. Fishing, volleyball, shopping and restaurant visiting are also possible here. At nearby Jetty Park you can fish, go camping, or gaze at cruise ships as they travel past the coast. If you are on the beach at the right time you can also watch spectacular Shuttle launches or launches of other rockets from the nearby space center. And while you are at the beach you may as well keep some time available for a visit to Cape Canaveral and the Space Center.
Nightlife is lively at Cocoa Beach and you can dine, drink, dance and take in live music ranging from jazz to rock.
Even more famous than Cocoa Beach is Daytona Beach, and it too is close to Orlando. When you hear the words “Daytona Beach” you might be reminded of race car driving or of images of college students and their spring break revelry and both images are correct to an extent. Daytona Speedway is nearby but did you know that the racing at Daytona was originally done on the beach. These days you can still drive on the beach, but only at speeds of 10 miles per hour, and if you are careful to avoid the dunes. Daytona Beach is bustling with all kinds of activity and it attracts eight million tourists each year.
To the South of Orlando you can find the fabulous Sebastian Inlet. This is a beautiful beach front state park that offers a wide range of activities such as swimming, fishing, surfing, snorkeling, hiking, picnicking and wildlife viewing. There are different swimming areas offering opportunities for advanced swimmers as well as for children and families who just want to wade and enjoy the water and sun.
The state parks of Florida are a true bargain and Sebastian Inlet is no exception. For an entry fee of only $5.00 per car, up to eight people can enjoy a day at the park. In addition to the outdoor activity the park also is home to the Sebastian Fishing Museum and the McLarty Treasure Museum, which are both worth visiting. If you want to stay overnight the park also offers camping and it can issue fishing licenses as well.
So, if you are visiting Orlando be sure to bring all of your swimming gear and get ready for great times at the nearby beaches.
Tags : Orlando Business, Orlando News, Orlando Travel
Golfing at Walt Disney World in Orlando
If you plan on taking a golfing trip to Florida, then you should make an attempt to head over to Walt Disney World and play on some of their world-class courses. Take time to get to the course early and hit the driving range to loosen up before you play, because you are then need your game when you play these two challenging 18 hole golf courses. Make sure you putt on the practice greens, since these are some of the fastest greens in all of Florida, and you will easily drop a few shots if you are not aware of the speed of the greens.
When you arrive at the golf courses, you will be greeted with the world class Walt Disney World type hospitality, the norm is that they will take your clubs and clean them before they put them on the golf carts. The cards have a very nice GPS system on them that makes matching up the distance to the pin very convenient. The time you can expect to play is about 4 1/2 to 5 hours for an 18 hole course. This is about normal or slightly longer than normal which is not hard to believe since the courses are usually very busy, and if you have not played them before they are very attractive but at the same time difficult for the high handicap golfer.
Lake Buena Vista is considered the most forgiving and easier to play of the four 18 hole courses that Disney offers. This is the original golf course that was built in 1971 when the Walt Disney World complex first open to the public and was host to the PGA tour before the Disney tournament was moved over to the Palm and Magnolia
Osprey Ridge is another beautiful 18 hole course that Disney that is for the long hitters and should not be taken lightly because of the hazards and the quick greens. If you are flying the front tees at Osprey Ridge it is possible to have a low score since the greens seem to hold onto the ball when you approach. This is the newest 18 hole course and for some reason seems to get the least play all the courses.
The Oak Trail is a nine hole walking course that is a very forgiving course and is more fun to play for the beginner golfer or someone who wants more wide open course that allows them to enjoy the game of golf and to get a nice help you walk at the same time. This is the least expensive of the courses and is a favorite among many players who only have a chance to get in a quick nine every other day while they are going to the theme park on the other days.
All the courses offer somewhere to eat and drink and they offer an after 2 PM discount rate. For Disney vacation club members there is a 50% off card that you can purchase and use each year if you plan on playing a lot of golf this can save you some money and should be considered if you are a DVC member.