Silver Lake Resort

How To Make The Most of It(continued):

Day 3
An even more remote retreat than this watery suburban dream is Wekiwa Springs, Central Florida’s biggest state park. 45 minutes away from the theme parks, this nature paradise offers a glimpse of what Florida might have looked like around times when Timucuan Indians fished and hunted here centuries ago. It is totally different and more rustic than the experience you would get at silver lake resort.

Costing you only 5 USD per car, Wekiwa is one of the area’s best value-for money attractions. You can either take a picnic lunch and spend the whole day swimming or you could be just enjoying the peace and quiet. Wekiwa literally translates as water in the language of the Creek Indians, and these springs are crystal clear and stay a refreshing 22º, whatever time of year you visit. Visitors are allowed to venture as deep as they wish into the steamy jungle-like forest or even hire a canoe and paddle along the Wekiwa River.

Day 4
Florida’s unique, narrow shape ensures that both the Atlantic and the Gulf coasts are within easy striking distance for Orlando visitors. The Cocoa Beach, that is an hour’s drive east of Orlando is the nearest place for you to feel the sand between your toes.

Locate yourself near the wooden pier to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the beach. When the sun’s rays become to intensive, you can retreat to Ron Jon Surf Shop - an emporium selling everything from day-glow beachwear to tropical style home decor. In case the enthusiasm rubs off, you can always hire a board and try catching a few waves of your own.

Perhaps the region’s most famous coastal beach is Daytona - a place known for
hedonistic love of motor sports and its casual, beach party atmosphere. Daytona is about an hour’s drive northeast of Orlando, and its light brown sands stretch some 30 kilometres and are surrounded by typical seaside fare: miles of hotels, souvenir shops and restaurants.

Day 5
You could spend the next day at Cape Canaveral -a home to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, an attraction that directly relates to world’s fascination with space exploration and is fast-rivalling Orlando’s theme parks for the tourist dollar.

What distinguishes Kennedy from other team park is that it is pretty much a working site, the real-life hub of NASA space programme.

Shuttles are tested and blasted into orbit here an it, naturally, only adds to the appeal. Less widely known is the fact that this marshy island is also a protected wildlife haven.

An hour ride from Daytona (approx. 200 km from Orlando) is the delightful European style town of St. Augustine, which also sports a brace of beautiful beaches. First discovered by Spanish explorer Ponce de León in 1513, St. Augustine is the oldest permanent settlement in USA. Some miles from the historic district, on the islands parallel to the bay are wide, fine-sand beaches of St. Augustine Beach and Vilano Beach.
Reaching the white sands of Florida’s west coast also requires considerable driving time, but it is well worth the effort. One of the finest Florida bitches are located there, the stunningly beautiful St. Petersburg beaches.

You can enjoy a day here and still be able get back to your Orlando hotel at a respectable time or a visit for a luxurious treat at westgate lakes resort and spa although many visitors now tend to stay west for longer periods, twinning a beach break with time exploring Busch Gardens, Florida’s wildlife theme park, located in nearby Tampa.

However long you decide to enjoy the west coast make sure try and time your visit to coincide with the breathtaking sunsets. The views here can only be rivaled by those on the Florida Keys and it is common practice that crowd gathers nightly to appreciate this crimson and orange light show, a sight so spectacular even Mr. Disney himself couldn’t have dreamt it up.

Travellers determined to lounging around the hotel pool on days away from Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld should give it a second thought. There is an endless array of alternative attractions you can easily sandwich in-between theme park hopping, many of which do not cost a penny.

One of the best ways to get the taste the real Florida is to get back to nature and orchestrate a face to face encounter with some of Central Florida’s wilder inhabitants.

How To Make The Most of It:

Day 1
Orlando is surround with counties Seminole, Orange and Osceola, These counties are dotted with lakes of all shapes and sizes like westgate lake or silver lake with its gorgeous silver lake resort, from the vast, gleaming waters of Lake Jesup in the north to the smaller urban retreat of Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.

The more southerly lakes run into the No 1. ecological spectacle in Florida - the Everglades. In case there is not enough time to journey the 250 miles south and experience the one and only «Glades», then you should head for East Lake Toho, just 20 minutes from International Drive, for an authentic taster.

With its swaying cypress trees and bald eagles circling overhead, Lake Toho feels a million miles away from the hectic chaos across town. Most visitors come here to experience the famous Boggy Creek Airboat Rides (a family-friendly company that specializes in Gentle Ben-style rides through the lake’s wetlands) and the search of Florida’s most famous critter.

Before you getting wet, a good idea could be to line your stomach with a hearty breakfast in the Southern-style East Lake Fish Camp. It is never too early to indulge into the local specialities of frogs’ legs, gator or catfish.

At the very edge of the lake you’ll find board and airboat that will skim you at speed (up to 45mph) over the lake’s surface. Make sure you hold on to your hat as you hurtle through the long grass. When your guide cuts the engine, it will be a sign that he’s spotted something lurking in the distance, most likely a stealthy alligator hiding in the undergrowth. Visitors with a taste for flying can also try parasailing - your guide will reel you out and up to 240 meters for a breathtaking view of the surrounding area.

If whizzing through tall grass wasn’t your cup of tea, then opt out completely and visit one of the area’s more serene lakes for a waterfront picnic.

Day 2
Almost impossible to beat in tranquility is a trip to Winter Park, one of Orlando’s most exclusive suburbs. Mingle among the ladies who lunch on Park Avenue and take a stroll around the delightful but expensive boutiques.

Just a few streets from Park Avenue, there are three of the region’s most picturesque lakes: Maitland, Osceola and Virginia. You can take the short walk to Lake Osceola where you’ll find one of the oldest attractions in town, the Scenic Boat Tour, a delightful one-hour excursion that has been gliding visitors around since 1938.

Young travellers will enjoy the friendly skippers and the inevitable ducking as you move under low bridges. Be prepared for playful gestures by local residents including a life size model of late U.S. president Ronald Reagan.

For adult visitor this is an enthralling insight into the American property market and your guide will wax lyrical about the multi-million pound properties located on the water’s edge. The more interesting anecdotes comprise references to the plot of land where Margaret Mitchell penned the final chapters of the historic Gone with the Wind movie.