Here is some general advice regarding driving in Florida.

If you are from the UK, as you already know, Americans drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. The times when you are more likely to make a mistake with this are when you are tired, when you first set off in the morning and when you are turning or pulling out of a driveway or garage/gas station. Take special care to concentrate at these times.

All the rental cars are automatic so you don’t have to worry about changing gear but sometimes their handbrake is different to UK ones, i.e. a foot pedal up under the dashboard. Make sure you understand the controls of your rental car before you drive away from the rental station and, if in any doubt, ask!

If you are the driver, make sure you carry your driving licence and car rental documents with you at all times.

Some rental cars lock the doors for you automatically when you reach a certain speed so don’t wonder what is happening! If your car doesn’t do this for you, it is wise to lock them yourself manually.

Keep your windows closed as this helps your air conditioning to work properly so that you stay cool and it also keeps bugs out of the car.

If you are parking, try to find a lit area or park under a light, if you can.

Don’t leave valuables, jackets, etc in the car interior or maps. Make sure that you put these in the boot (trunk) of your car. Don’t leave your camera in your car as the heat inside when you return may have ruined your film. Never leave kids alone in the car.  Some rental cars require you to physically lock the boot of the car so do check this out before leaving all of your shopping in the boot as you may find that it has disappeared by the time you get back to your car!

Like at home, there are speed restrictions which are sometimes enforced by radar. Make sure you are under the speed limit or you risk an on-the-spot fine. Note that some roads also have minimum speed restrictions.

Yellow school buses have special rules in USA. If a school bus stops, all traffic must stop in both directions until the school bus moves off. If you are driving in the opposite direction to a school bus on a dual or more carriageway, you don’t have to stop.

If it rains, it is compulsory in Florida to turn on your headlights at the same time was your windscreen wipers. If there is a storm and you have difficulty seeing the road ahead, pull over and stop until visibility improves.

If you are pulled over by an officer, stay in your car and let the officer approach you.

If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident or are bumped from behind in a deserted or dark area and there is likely to be minimal damage, indicate to the other driver to follow you. Drive to a populated area (a garage/gas station is ideal) before you get out of the car.

Make sure that you follow the instructions on your rental agreement and inform your car rental company if you have an accident.

The drink driving laws in Florida are extremely strict and driving after drinking will invalidate your rental car insurance too. You are not allowed to have alcohol in your car so, if you have this, make sure that this is stored in the boot/trunk. Please don’t endanger your life or that of others - if you are going to drink, please don’t drive!

                Would you like to see something different than theme parks? Then why not try a part of “The Other Florida” - the fascinating Everglades. This is well worth a visit to get away from the Kissimmee/Orlando area for two, or preferably three days. You cannot appreciate its wonder in a day trip.

            Covering the entire Monroe County and a large slice of Miami Dade County (the area of the TV series CSI Miami)  situated in the far south-western corner of Florida. The two main visitor centers are at Everglades City/Chokoloskee at the northern approach and Flamingo City at the southern (Miami) approach. Having used both centers our preference is the Everglades City one. From our home on the Ronald Reagan Parkway (CR54) we headed, after breakfast, for Tampa via the I-4 then joined the I-75 heading for Fort Myers and Naples which we reached in approx. 4 hours non-stop driving of 190 miles. You have several options at this stage. Book into a hotel and explore Naples or Fort Myers - we prefer Naples - or carry on to the select Marco Island via the US951 junction at the Golden Gate. Marco Island is a popular place for snowbirds and retired American citizens and rather on the expensive side. There are only two hotels here, the Hilton and the Radisson, both quite large and both on the beach. It is approx. 30 miles from Marco to Everglades City along the Tamiani Trail.

            One of mother Earth’s most unique eco-systems, the 1.5 million acres of wetlands are home to marsh rabbits, ancient mahogany trees and of course alligators of all sizes as well as the home of over 1,000 plant species, 300 species of birds and 125 species of fish. We went on an airboat from Captain Doug’s and an experienced guide gave us an interesting commentary about the whole eco-system. In the afternoon a boat tour was on the agenda taking us through some of the Thousand Islands seeing manatees and then dolphins following the boat and leaping above the wash (waves) made by the boat at the stern end. For those interested, much can be learned of some Florida history, i.e. some of the islands are made of shells, laboriously carted there by the Calusa Indians to act as lookout posts to warn of approaching Spanish invaders. Everglades City, although rather small, has the City Motel and the Ivey House B&B. Located in the center is the Old Laundry, home of the Everglades Museum which is open Tues. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The most important thing to take is insect repellant - mosquitoes are in abundance at certain times of the year.

            Whilst in the area why not visit one of the six Seminole tribe Reservations - the Big Cypress Reservation? Ochopee, in the center, is home to America’s smallest post office - 8ft. 4 inches x 7ft. 3 inches x 10ft. 6 inches. Buggy Tours are also available in the center at the Billie Swamp Safari Wildlife Park. Many concessions have been made by the USA Government, particularly taxes, and in the main the Seminoles are in charge of their own destiny.

            This was a really interesting and educational trip which gave us an insight and understanding of the Everglades importance to life. Further information can be obtained by visiting www.florida-everglades.com

“Celebration” is a town you would only stumble upon by accident.

When you get to Joe’s Crab Shack on Highway 192 (look out for the American water tower, turn into Celebration Avenue. Carry on until you reach the centre (look out for Sun Trust Bank), parking is plentiful and free.
 
In November 1996, 350 people became the first residents of Celebration.

Built on mosquito-ridden swamp land in Osceola County. The original houses are of traditional design, with clapboard exteriors, pastel colours, front porches and picket fences.

When walking down Market Street, you could believe that you were on Main Street in Magic Kingdom, it copies a typical Midwestern American street in the early 1900’s, complete with ice cream parlour, theatre and sweet shop, oops sorry that should read candy store.
 
People do greet each other in the street, cars travel very slowly and children play with gay abandon. The cafes and restaurants offer better quality fair than the average Florida eating establishments, and when the locals say “Have a nice day” you could almost believe that they are sincere.

During the mid 1960’s Uncle Walt’s vision of the future was EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), The EPCOT we visit today is far removed from the original idea, so Celebration has gone someway to address this. There is a state of the art hospital, software companies and an innovative, techno-friendly school.

Would I like to live here? There are a lot of covenants in the way that the property must be presented. Some would say that they are too strict (no surprise to some of us who own property in Florida) trash only out at a certain time of day, grass to be kept tidy, no noise after 21.00 and on it goes.

Yes it suits me, I like the tidy way of life, the friendly neighbors, but I can understand why it would not suite all of the people all of the time. The main reason I will not live here (apart from the visa restrictions) is the cost, not only for the property but taxes, community fee’s etc. keep me away.

But please do go and visit. It costs nothing to walk and sit and hopefully you will leave knowing that there is a nicer part of the Orlando area.

The breakfasts are particularly good and my personal favourite is the pancakes with the peach preserve, covered with whipped cream or the fresh strawberries! The homemade cornbread and biscuits are very good to smothered with maple syrup! Naughty but nice!

You can’t fail to find something to tickle your taste buds here. The atmosphere is excellent with real coal fires in the winter (yes they do have winter and cooler weather sometimes) and you can while away the time you are waiting for your meal with a game of draughts or on each of the tables there is a solitaire game (these can also by purchased there and are great to leave at the villa for other people to play with! ! )

But the reason I love Cracker Barrel is the shop that is with the restaurant! It is full of interesting little gifts, toys, clothes and also the famous Yankee candles, so while you are waiting to be seated you can wander round the shop and purchase some great gifts to take home. I always manage to come out ladened with bags as well as a full tummy!

Outside there are rows of rocking chairs, so you can sit and watch the world go by on a balmy evening while you wait for your table or to let your meal settle before heading home. You can even buy a rocking chair as well if you want to!

Go on give it a try next time, you know it makes sense.

Created in the 1920s by Edward Bok. He had earned his money and reputation by becoming the Editor of the Women’s Journal and writing many books He had spent many winters in the area and eventually decided to create the gardens, together with a bird sanctuary so that he favorite place was preserved for all time. The highlight of the Gardens is the 205 ft high Tower – a beauty of pink marble with an eye catching door of guilded bronze. This was the spot that he used to walk to in the evening to enjoy the sunset.

The last time we visited, the first thing we watched was the informative video, which gives you a very good idea of what you are about to see. We then joined a conducted tour of the gardens. Our guide was a very knowledgeable volunteer who not only told us about the history of the gardens but also about how many of the plants came to be planted in the gardens. It was an extremely enlightening hour. The tour finished at the pond where you see the reflection of the splendid Tower, known as “The Singing Tower”, which houses a carillon of bells. On the hour there is always a short peel of bells but at 12noon and 3pm there is a live recital, which you can watch on the video link. You can then meet the performer afterwards.

After a quick lunch at the very welcoming café we decided to visit Pinewood House. Although built by an Ernest Buck, it has now become part of the Bok Tower Estate. Again, you are taken round by another very enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteer. The tour lasts about one hour and where the volunteer found her energy from I do not know. It was her third tour on the trot that day.

Beside these two tours there are walks to be enjoyed around the estate, there is a hide, known as “Window by the Pond” where you can observe the birds around a lake.

All in all a very relaxing day.

The place is “Winter Park” it is on the way to “Sanford Airport” you come off I4 at Junction 87 (”Fairbanks Avenue,) this takes you straight into “Winter Park” where there are plenty of free parking space’s.

What we usually do on the day we’re traveling home is drop our cases off at “Buena Vista” and then spend the rest of the day at “Winter Park.”

There are quite a few very interesting shops, some are quite expensive but very different from what you would find on International Drive etc. There are several coffee shops and restaurants with outside seating so you can enjoy the lovely weather.

The most interesting and unusual part of “Winter Park” is that there is a railway station, and the railway line runs right through the centre of the town. its very quaint, the first time we went was in March 2006 and just by chance, there was a festival on, and there were stalls from one end of the town to the other, selling paintings, pottery local foods etc, I’m not sure if it is an annual event but it was certainly well worth a visit.

Another very attractive part of “Winter Park” are their lakes, there are several lakes running into each other, there are boat rides every hour it costs ten dollars to go on this ride and worth every penny, it lasts approx one hour round all the lakes there are magnificent houses owned by several very wealthy and famous people, the driver of the boat is not allowed to disclose the names of the people who own them, we were told that in years gone by very rich people from North America used to come and stay in  the winter months, which is where its name originally came from. There is also a very large  college called “Rollins College” at the edge of the lakes which specializes in all water sports.

In all we find it an interesting and very restful place to spend a day.

We stayed in our own villa and as with most it has very good baby facilities including a travel cot, highchair and pushchair.  Jessica was too young to use the highchair but enjoyed sleeping in the travel cot and adjusted to the 5-hour time difference within a day or so.

Jessica loved the private pool and the sunshine and this together with her reaching 12 weeks old the day we arrived seemed to cure her colic.

We visited Gator Land and Sea World during our visit, and the fresh air and sunshine seemed to agree with Jessica although she was more interested in the ducks at Gator Land rather than the alligators and the birds at Sea World instead of Shamu. But all the same she seemed very happy and had a great time.

We took lots of walks and enjoyed a variety of restaurants including Bahama Breeze, JT Prime Time, TGI Fridays and The Tavern at Celebration.  All were very happy to welcome us with a baby and most had good changing facilities.

On our 2nd visit when Jessica was 15 months old, we again arranged a 3-week trip flying with Virgin.  Unfortunately the flight was a disappointment as when you travel with an infant you are unable to check in online which meant only Jessica and myself were allocated a bulkhead seat with my husband Mike seated the other side of the plane.  The flight aside we arrived at our villa in good time and in good spirits, and as before Jessica adjusted very well and slept through the night followed by a long nap the following day.

The pool was again a big hit which she would have been happy to stay in all day.  We visited Magic Kingdom, which was lovely; we had been many times before but wanted to experience it through the eyes of Jessica.  She seemed to enjoy the singing and dancing and was intently taking everything in her stride.  We ate lunch at the Crystal Palace.  We tried to book in advance when we arrived but were told the restaurant was fully booked but to come back at 12noon in case of a cancellation.  We arrived slightly earlier than 12 noon and were pleased to get a table by 12.30pm.

The restaurant is buffet style with whinnie the pooh and friends on hand to entertain you.  The food was very good, plentiful and varied with a separate section for young children.  The characters including Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet visit all the tables to ensure everyone gets a great photo opportunity.  Jessica liked to point to Tigger and pooh but was not so sure when they approached her as they are rather big, although mummy thought they were great.

We also visited Sea World and as before Jessica enjoyed watching the birds especially during the Blue Horizons show which was spectacular.  She was very excited by the shows and enjoyed watching the people in the crowds.

We enjoyed cooking at the villa as well as eating out.  Jessica’s favourite foods are Pasta and mashed potatoes so there are no shortages of restaurants that are suitable.  We found Bahama Breeze very good as they served Jessica first so that we could enjoy our meal and provided fresh fruit free of charge for her to munch on whilst she waited.   We also enjoyed Carrabas where Jessica enjoyed the salmon and mashed potatoes.

During our 2nd week Jessica learned to walk which we are sure was in part due to the squeaky shoes we bought her in the lovely children’s shop in celebration.  By the end of our holiday she was running around and enjoying every moment.

Both our visits with Jessica have been fantastic and stress free and we are very much looking forward to our next visit in May 2008 when Jessica will be two.

2 for 1 Happy Hour until 7p.m. (Draft beer, Cocktails, Wine by the glass).

Free Fajitas every Wednesday (Buy one get one free).

Most important for families kids eat free - every Monday and Tuesday off the Kid’s menu. The limit is 2 kids (10 and under) per adult with entree.

Manny’s Chophouse can be found just south of the Southern Dunes Golf and Country Club community on H27. We guarantee you will enjoy the food, prices and atmosphere!

Last May when we were over in Florida we went to visit Lake Louisa State Park.

Drive 5 miles north on Highway 27 from Highway 192 and you will find this beautiful state park, noted for its six beautiful lakes, rolling hills, and scenic landscapes. Lake Louisa is the largest in a chain of 13 lakes connected by the Palatlakaha River, which is designated as an Outstanding Florida Waterway. Lake Louisa, Dixie Lake, and Hammond Lake, the park’s most accessible lakes, provide access for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Anglers can fish in four of the park’s six lakes.

It was comforting to note that Alcohol and Firearms are prohibited, oh well we can’t get drunk or shoot each other.

Camping facilities and more than 15 miles of horse trails are available for equestrians. For hikers and backpackers, the park has over 20 miles of hiking trails with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Dixie Lake has a fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch, and a picnic pavilion. The park also has a full-facility campground, fully furnished cabins for rent, and campsites

The Park provides wonderful outdoor activities for the nature lover in all of us, and there are many wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the park.

The park boasts lots of wildlife, including gopher tortoises, wild turkey and white tailed deer although I must be honest and admit that we did not see any of them. However we did see swallow tailed kites, an osprey and a bald eagle.

As you drive in from our entrance on US 27 you’ll notice hundreds of long leaf pines beginning to mature throughout the sand hills. This is a result of the ongoing restoration efforts to return the sand hills to their former state. These long leaf pines planted in 2002 play an important part in that role as do native ground plants like wiregrass and goldenrod, to be added at a later date. As the native vegetation returns to the hills, so will the animals that once lived there.

Parts of the lake have wonderful sandy beaches, but the water although clean , is bracken and very very cold (maybe because I’m getting old I feel it more).

For a scenic hike, a quiet afternoon fishing or just lying on a quiet beach, horseback or an overnight stay, Lake Louisa State Park offers a relaxing setting for you to enjoy these and many more outdoor activities.