Orlando travel guide

Many people dream of a vacation to Orlando, the now infamous home of Walt Disney World. Itineraries are planned, and often these activities concern things Disney-connected. Disney may well be the "happiest place on earth," but there are also many other activities to do in the Orlando area.

Topping most lists will be a trip to the Disney theme parks. Then there is Epcot, Universal Studios, Sea World, Disney/MGM, and the list goes on.

If a safari is something of interest, Amazing Exotics is found just 40 miles from Orlando, on Highway 452 just east of Leesburg, Florida and to the west of Umatilla. Amazing Exotics has been featured on the Jack Hanna Show.

Amazing Exotics offers 85 acres of exotic and endangered species. A tour must be set up in advance. Three kinds of tours are offered. The Discovery Tour is $29 per person for a 90 minute tour. Go behind the scenes and learn about the exotic animals housed here. The Encounter Tour is 2 hours and $49 per person. This includes a "hands-on" encounter with an exotic cat and primate. The Safari Tour at $89 per person includes hands-on encounter with a variety of animals and lasts approximately three hours. Call for times and days when the facility is open to the public and to set up your tour.

Does swimming with dolphins interest you? Plan to spend a day at Orlando's Discovery Cove. Located nearby Sea World, you will snorkel with tropical fish and everything else associated with diving. Waterfalls, shipwrecks, tropical birds... you'll see it all. Admission package prices vary for All-Inclusive and Non-Dolphin Swim. For All-Inclusive, 2001 rates are $179 for January and February, and $199 March to December. Non-dolphin swim price is $89 for the year 2001. Admission is only by reservation. A seven-day pass to Sea World is included in both packages, as well as a meal.

Ripley's Believe It or Not "Odditorium" on International Drive, Orlando, offers a fun diversion. Doors are open from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. every day of the year. Admission is $12.95 for adults and $8.95 for children aged 4-12.

The building itself is built to look as if one end of it is submerging into a sinkhole. Inside are many exhibits, with one of the most fascinating being a 1907 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce. Why is that in Ripley's? Because this particular car happens to be made of over one million matchsticks.

If you don't mind a short drive to experience paradise, take I-4 from Orlando to U.S. Hwy 27 South. Here, in Winter Haven, (between Orlando and Tampa) you'll find Cypress Gardens. The gardens, a lake cruise on a paddlewheel boat, ski shows, ice shows, all of this is found at Cypress Gardens.

While there, take a stroll through the Butterfly Conservatory with over a thousand butterflies free-flying around you. You can also find an aviary, southern belles in costume, rides for the kids, and a zoo on the premises.

If heights are not a problem for you, the 153-foot high revolving platform called "Island in the Sky" offers a awe-inspiring aerial view of the gardens, lakes, and surrounding areas. Cypress Junction is a display of twenty model trains on over 1,000 feet of track.

Admission is $32.50 per adult ticket, $16.95 for ages 6-12, and free for under 5 years of age.

If you travel east of Orlando, and just 35 miles, you will find what is known as Florida's Space Coast. This is seventy-two miles of beaches, and you will find the Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Cocoa Beach, and Port Canaveral.

At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, you will see a replica of the space shuttle, movies in IMAX theaters that take you on life-like adventures, shows, rockets, and much more. There is an Astronaut's Memorial. There are 140,000 acres in this megaplex.

A live astronaut encounter is available every day the visitor complex is open. Ask questions and hear stories. There is a large gift shop, a few restaurants, simulators, and a wildlife tour.

Admission is $24 for adults, and $15 for children aged 3-11.

From space, to the sea. If the sea is of interest, you will not want to miss the place called Titanic: Ship of Dreams. It is located on International Drive in Orlando. See genuine Titanic artifacts and true life-sized areas of the Titanic. You will hear stories of passengers and the crew.

Admission is $16.95 for adults, $12.95 for ages 6-12, and under age 6 is free.

Last, but certainly not least, is Gatorland. For an admission price of $16.93 (plus tax, as most of the attractions charge) for ages 13 and up, and $7.48 for ages 3-12, visitors can see alligators, take a swamp walk, or see baby animals in a petting area. There is also an exhibit on a rare collection of crocodiles. The 110 acre park is celebrating 51 years of operation.

If you get hungry while visiting Gatorland on the Orlando/Kissimmee line, you might enjoy a meal at Pearl's Smokehouse. You can try smoked gator ribs or deep fried gator nuggets.

In addition to the places highlighted here, there is a Shell World Seashell Museum in Kissimmee, a shopping complex with amusements called Old Town also located in Kissimmee, Warbird Adventures at the Kissimmee Municipal Airport, and miniature golf in various locations in Orlando.

A premier water park called Water Mania is found in Kissimmee, and a skydiving wind tower called SkyVenture is housed in Orlando. Drive 45 minutes east from Orlando and you will find the Sterling Casino Lines at Port Canaveral. These cruises provide five hours of Las Vegas gaming on a cruise.

A trip to the Orlando area will never cause the traveler to wonder "what is there to do here?" In fact, it is the opposite. The question becomes "how will I get everything done?" One of the most vital things is to have your itinerary planned out, at least for the major attractions you will want to visit. Going to this delightful vacation spot can become rather overwhelming if the traveler does not go fully armed with many things pre-planned. Topping the list of "things to do" should be "have the best time of my life!"