The folks at Shermans Travel have come up with a fun top ten list of “Spots Every Kid Should See.” We’re not the only ones who liked this idea: the MSNBC used a similar approach in a piece it did a couple of weeks ago. For those keeping score, Central Florida came out on top by taking two of the top ten on the Shermans Travel list.
The Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral came in at number five while Orlando’s own Walt Disney World took the number eight position. In noting the many great activities and learning opportunities at Kennedy Space Center (as well as fact that the last Shuttle launch is coming up), Shermans said “this one small step for the little ones is sure to guarantee one giant memory to last a lifetime.”
The top three on the list were (in order) the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York City, Boston’s Fenway Park, and Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska (which just edged out the equally stunning Grand Canyon). While Fenway is certainly worth seeing — and easier for most people to get to that Glacier Bay — I’m guessing a Red Sox fan had something to do with its ranking so highly!
To see the whole top ten list, click over to our friends at Shermans Travel.
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Smart Destinations is offering COMPLIMENTARY Go City Cards and/or Explorer Passes to all media attending International Pow Wow 2010 in Orlando, Florida. Look for us in the press room or contact us at onlinePR@smartdestinations.com.
Both products take all the best things to do and rolls them into a single ticket. The ticket provides free admission to the participating museums, sights, and tours, with over 425 in the program. For travelers, the product saves them money seeing and doing the things that they want to do on their vacation, and can even save them time thanks to skip the line privileges at many locations.
Among those on the Smart Destinations ticketing platform are some of the world’s great museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the MOMA in New York and the Field Museum in Chicago. You can also get the best views in town, whether from atop the Seattle’s Space Needle or or NYC’s Empire State Building. Take a whale watch cruise from Monteray or Boston (or from San Diego, or Long Beach, or…). Keep the kids happy at Children’s museums from coast to cast. Take a surf lesson in Oahu. Visit SeaWorld, the California Academy of Sciences, Shedd Aquarium, Universal Studios, the Biltmore, the San Diego Zoo, Top of the Rock, Six Flags, Skydeck Chicago…the list goes on and includes the must-see sights as well as hidden gems in 14 destinations.
Just like our customers, we hope media attending Pow Wow 2010 will find them a handy way to see the sights in Orlando, or in any of our other destinations. We hope you will get a chance to take us up on this offer so you can see why we’ve so many top sights are part of our products and why nearly 4 million visits have already occurred using Go City Cards and Explorer Passes.
Go City Cards and Explorer Passes are available in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Maui, Miami, New York City, Oahu, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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There is only one attraction in the world that can combine the romantic tale of a princess and her prince with the glitz and glamour of Broadway, the adventure of the Wild West and the excitement of Ancient Rome – Arabian Nights.
Voted Orlando’s No. 1 dinner attraction, this mesmerizing year-round production is an oasis in the midst of animatronics and theme parks. Arabian Nights has performed more than 6,000 consecutive shows and entertained millions of guests since opening its doors in 1988.
Arabian Nights features 60 horse stars and 40 dazzling performers. The multi-breed cast of horses wears costumes and even gets makeup. Some play up to four character roles per show, while others perform without riders. The cast includes top talent from stage, circus and equine disciplines from around the world
The 1 hr. 30 min. nightly production incorporates more lights, costumes and characters than any show on Broadway’s. Magic tricks, as well as fog, snow and other special effects are also included in the production. The show includes 20 horse-themed acts including Dancing Arabians, Liberty performances (no rider), Bareback riding, Chariot race, Reining, Trick riding and Square Dancing (on horseback). And since 2004, Arabian Nights runs a spectacular Holiday Show, yearly from November to January.
The custom-built dinner attraction was designed with Moorish-themed architecture and centered on 16 acres of landscaped property. Arabian Nights has the world’s largest indoor climate-controlled equestrian arena at 56,000 sq. ft. with seating for up to 1,200 guests for regular shows and 2,500 guests for special events. Twelve sections of tiered seating offer unobstructed views of the performance. A VIP Skybox with 80-guest capacity features seating in an elevated, glass-enclosed viewing area that is safe for guest with allergies (1,750 sq. ft.). Upgraded service options include a private entrance, custom menus and an adjacent reception room. Preferential seating is also available for physically challenged guests.
If you are headed to Orlando, an evening at Arabian Nights could be a lot of fun for the whole family. And with a 3, 5, or 7-day Go Orlando Card, you can get in for free since Arabian Nights is an option for the free bonus.
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Smart Destinations has partnering up with Southwest Airlines Vacations for the month of March to offer special deals on two-Day Go City Cards for Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Miami, San Francisco, and Seattle. The sale will run for the month of March and cover passes valid until December 31, 2010.
The City Go Card brings the concept of a ”city pass” — or sightseeing pass — to the US travel market. While having a long history in Europe and parts of Asia, these tourist passes are still relatively new in the US. But since their introduction, their use has skyrocketed: by early 2010 over 3.5 million visits to museums, tours, and things to do had already been made using Go City Cards.
The main driver of this growth comes from the combination of convenience, cost savings, and flexibility offered by the cards. Card holders get free admission to the best museums, tours, and attractions for a low, fixed price. The Card serves as an actual ticket to all of the participating sights. The Card also provides discounts at popular restaurants and shops and even the ability to skip the lines at many locations. Each Go City Card also comes with a full-color, pocket-sized guidebook full of maps, travel tips, and itineraries for the area.
The partnership with Southwest Airlines Vacations covers a number of Go City Cards. For example, the Go Orlando Card, with FREE access to 50+ tours, cruises, and attractions including the Kennedy Space Center, NASCAR Daytona 500 Experience, and Gatorland, is available for Child $60.00 and Adult $77.00. Elsewhere in Florida, the Go Miami Card covers FREE access to over 25 activities, tours, and attractions such as the Miami Duck Tours, Miami Seaquarium, Art Deco Walking Tour, and Lion Country Safari is available for Child $68 and Adult $77.00.
To learn more about all the Go City Card sightseeing passes, see www.smartdestinations.com which has links to more than 14 different passes and provides a video explaining how they work in greater detail.
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I visited the Florida Eco Safari at the Crescent J Ranch in early January and learned that this is much more than an attraction ride through the Florida wilderness but a story about a family. Your visit starts by driving into the 4,700 acre St Cloud ranch back to the Visitor Center which is a beautiful building with a wrap-around porch and enough rocking chairs for everyone. Plan to arrive a bit early or stay a bit late to simply sit and enjoy. If you’re hungry, half the Visitor Center is occupied by the wonderful Little Cypress restaurant.
Your Coach Safari Tour begins in a theater style room with a movie/story about Allen Broussard . Allen was an avid outdoorsman, whose dream was saving a piece of the Florida wilderness after understand the ecological value of the Crescent J once he became a Wildlife Ecologist. After Allen passed way to early, his mother and father made Allen’s dream come true when the founded the Allen Broussard Conservancy for the purpose of purchasing the land and keeping it as a wildlife preserve. A portion of the proceeds from visitors to Forever Florida go to purchasing more land to be preserved. Visit http://www.foreverflorida.com/AllenBroussardConservancy/ to learn more.
Once aboard the Coach Train, you head out into the wilderness on a narrated tour where you’ll experience streams, wetlands and learn about the array of white tailed deer, alligators, birds and the occasional black bear. The ranch is a living museum for Spanish Colonial Cattle and unique Cracker Horses. There is plenty of time for picture taking and questions on top of the 8 foot high safari coach. Remember, the Coach Safari Tour is an included admission with the Go Orlando Card. See Forever Florida to learn more.
Additionally, Forever Florida offers Horseback safaris and a new Zipline Safari as well as hiking trails. Additional programs available include the full-service Cypress Restaurant, meeting planner and special event facilities, educational camp programs for kids and adults, field trip and scout programs, camping and cabin rentals.
Get your cameras ready for the Florida photo adventure of a lifetime!
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If you find your visit to Orlando is going to include a trip South to Miami, then you may want to check out Jungle Island’s Lemur Experience. This unique offering allows members of the public the chance to learn extensively about these colorful and vivacious creatures, while interacting with them in a hands-on way.
The 45-minute experience brings small groups of guests – no more than six at a time – in the park’s Lemur Nursery, where young ring-tailed lemurs, and the rare red-ruffed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs are growing up and developing. Before the interaction begins, the guests are educated about the lemurs natural habitat, diet and habits and are advised of the best way to pet them and feed them their favorite treat – juicy grapes.
When everyone is comfortable, the lemurs come out to meet their newest friends (and servers!) Quite the rambunctious crowd, the lemurs often make themselves right at home either on guests’ laps, shoulders or heads. (Don’t worry – they don’t charge for their hair styling services.) After a lemur has leaped off of your head, you’ll never be quite the same!
Native only to the island of Madagascar, lemurs are considered very rare in the animal kingdom. While some species of lemurs have actually gone extinct as a result of habitat destruction, the three types of lemurs on Jungle Island are each classified as either endangered or threatened.
As in their natural environment, the female lemurs certainly run the show. Female dominance is common in many branches of the animal kingdom (humanity arguably one of them) and the lemurs are certainly no exception. On Jungle Island, the dominant female is named Susie Q and all the males have been known to mind their P’s and Q’s around her.
Jungle Island’s Lemur Experience is offered daily, but advance reservations are suggested. The Lemur Experience costs $45 per person for the 45-minute experience and can accommodate up to six guests at a time. Reservations can be made by calling (305) 400-7275 between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, 7 days per week.
Jungle Island, Miami’s entertainment destination, is located in the heart of the city between Downtown Miami and South Beach. The multifaceted grounds host Miami’s newest theme park, home to the world’s most rare and incredible animals. Guests marvel at the engaging animal shows and presentations, participate in hands-on interactions with fascinating animals, and are amazed by the park’s breathtaking landscapes and vistas.
If you have a short list of things to do, the Go Orlando Card may not be right for you. In that case, The Official Ticket Center may be perfect. It’s a great place to get Disney tickets with discount pricing at all times and excellent customer service. They are an independent ticket agency, and they sell a lot of tickets giving them the buying power they need to pass on savings.
Walt Disney World tickets are easy to obtain by visiting the Official Ticket Center website, where you’ll will find a wide variety of ticket buying options. Disney tickets are always in demand, since Walt Disney World in Orlando is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. There’s good reason. Orlando has so much to offer with a variety of attractions, not to mention an incredible array of restaurants, shopping and so much more. There is something for everyone here.
Walt Disney World is definitely a “must see,” so you’ll want to get those Disney tickets early. But don’t overlook some of the other great nearby attractions, including Waterpark Fun and Downtown Disney. Oh, and did we mention that there are ways to get free Disney tickets from The Official Ticket Center? You just might qualify!
“It’s not a thrill ride,” said Dan LeBlanc, chief operating officer of the Visitor Complex. “You won’t be dodging asteroids or battling any aliens. We have worked hard to ensure that it is as close as you can be to simulating the reality of a Space Shuttle launch within the confines of Earth’s gravity.”
Orlando’s popular Gatorland has always drawn visitors to its 110 acre site with the promise of up close encounters with its primary inhabitants. Now there are four more reasons to spend some time at the “Alligator Capital of the World” – four of the world’s largest white leucistic alligators.
These striking blue-eyed creatures are each over 10 feet in length and weigh over 800 pounds. They are on display in a special exhibit space that allows visitors to (safely) get within a few feet for an unbelievable view of these extremely rare animals. Originally discovered in a Louisiana swamp, the white alligators were collected as babies before the liability of their lack of pigment caught up with them.
In addition to its newest residents, Gatorland has thousands of alligators and crocodiles. It also features an aviary, a nature walk, a petting zoo, rides, a restaurant, a Gator Wrestlin’ Show, and more. Now in its 60th year, admission to Gatorland is included as part of the Go Orlando Card. So stop by on your next visit to Orlando for a fascinating and fun experience.
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The I-Drive 5K run will be held for the seventh time on May 9th to benefit the I Drive YMCA Aquatic and Family Center Scholarship Fund. Kids and families are able to take advantage of programs that teach swimming as an accessible and safe lifelong skill that is available to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. The 3.1 mile run/walk will draw 1,500 participants.
The run began in 2002 and has grown significantly in sponsors and participants and has raised more than $50,000. It all starts at 7:30am with the 5K and then is followed up at 8:45 with the Kids dash. The Run starts at Pointe Orlando and takes participant through the heart of the I Drive Resort Area.
Each runner receives a T-shirt and a gift bag and special offers from the Orlando tourism community. One of the sponsors is the International Drive Resort Area who operated the I-Ride Trolley. The I Ride Trolley is an inclusion with the purchase of the Go Orlando Card.
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