Two good examples would be

‘Aren’t you sick of going to the same place over and over again?’ and

‘Don’t you get bored’?

If you think about it the ‘aren’t you sick of’ and the ‘get board’ comments could be difficult to explain away.

It could be said that Florida home owners are a little perverse.

We buy a house thousands of miles away from home, fly 9 hours to get to it; have to cope with jet lag for the first 5 days of any visit than spend most of our time cleaning, painting or repairing (or all three) something.

Take our last visit as an example, apart from 2 days (read who needs theme parks for entertainment) our 8 day visit, hastily booked as a short holiday for myself and Carol to celebrate my 50th birthday was spent most of the time on jobs relating to some form of  maintenance to the house. It was not planed that way it just happened.

When ever we return and enter the house for the first time we both independently of each other (although we never admit it) scan the house looking for damaged or faded paint work, dirt or marks on the carpet and any items of equipment or furniture that may need replacing, cleaning or repairing. I know it’s sad.

Just prior to our visit Verizon had installed wireless internet in the house and just to increase our work load the router had been left on the floor between two twin beds the ideal spot for a drink to be spilt over it.

So the list of jobs we had both agreed ‘needed’ to be carried out this visit included

Painting the master bedroom

Painting the front twin bedroom

Cleaning the pool deck

Cleaning the hall and master bedroom carpets and last but not least (thank you Verizon)

Reinstalling the Verizon router to a safer location.

So if we ever get asked ‘aren’t you sick of going to the same place over and over again’ and don’t you get bored’

We just tell them NO, we don’t get the time.

Brian Pearson

In the first couple of days of our holiday we did some internet searching and came up with a couple of options. The first we tried was Kelly Park, north of Orlando itself in Apopka. We read on the internet that Kelly Park was about 20 minutes’ drive away from our villa in Kissimmee and that it was a large parkland containing a naturally fast flowing river which we could whiz down on inflatable inner tubes which we could rent at the site.

Actually getting to the park was not quite so simple as we had anticipated. Instead of a 20-minute drive, it actually took us 40 minutes to get there. We drove straight to Kelly Park (passing a sort of roadside cafe with stacks of inner tubes outside) only to find that we should rent the tubes, not at the park itself but back at the café we had passed five minutes earlier. There was also a sign at the park telling us that it was almost to capacity and could close for entry for the day in the next 15 minutes or so. We were then faced with a dilemma as to whether to go back and hire the tubes, not knowing if we could get into the park when we returned, but we decided after coming all this way, we may as well chance it. We picked up the tubes and, luckily, made it into the park.

And we were delighted that we did!

The whole setting of the park was absolutely stunning and a breath of fresh air after the unnatural colours and plastics of some of the attractions in Orlando. We made our way to the start of the flowing river and meandered our way to the beautiful tiny beach area at the end, and were hooked. We spent about three solid hours doing the same thing over and over and loving every minute of it.

Just a couple of words of warning. There was very little in the way of facilities at the park, and no food options other than a snack bar for ice creams and chocolate bars. Next time we will definitely take a picnic or even a small portable BBQ. There was also nowhere to put valuables, so I would suggest taking a waterproof plastic container which you can attached to yourselves just for the car keys and take as little else as you can possibly manage. Oh, and when you see a roadside café with a stack of inner tubes piled outside, stop and pick up your tubes then, to save yourselves a trip back!

On our last visit to Bob’s he and I decided to just chill out and pick up some tools needed from a store. We had stayed over the night before and were due to return to our house to continue the painting and cleaning we had planned to undertake on this visit.

We didn’t make it to the tool store, we got as far as Beef O’Bradys a sports bar just round the corner from the house and preceded to have a few beers (4 each). Prior to this deviation from plan we had 2 beers at Bob’s house sat in his hot tub. (It’s 5pm somewhere in the world)

When we returned Carol and Joanne had decided we would go out for lunch so we went to a bar (Hugo’s) not far from the house.

We arrived at Hugo’s around 12:30pm it was a beautiful day so we sat outside, ate lunch and had a drink or two except for Carol who was driving.

We engaged in conversation with numerous different local people including a motorcyclist, a builder and one of Joanne’s friends who was visiting the bar. The topics of conversation ranged from UK / US weather, president Obama, life in the UK and generally putting the world to rights (as you do).

We stayed so long at the bar that we decided to have our evening meal. It was 5:20pm

At this point the owner decided to come outside to check out the people that had stayed so long and had involved not only a member of his bar staff but a number of his customers in conversation.

Bob new the owner from previous visits and from that point we were lost and so was the count for the number of drinks we had. Carol had also decided to have a glass of red wine, or two.

The owner now involved in our conversation decided he would make a lasagne for his own evening meal which he sheared with Carol it being one of her favourite foods (she thought it was one of the best lasagne she had ever tasted) he then produced a large piece of home made chocolate cake which he ate again with Carol’s assistance (apparently she couldn’t help herself) I think Carol has found a new man in her life??

By 9pm we had found out more about life in Florida than we ever thought possible, I had hit it off with a barmaid who was to meet me at another bar at 10pm that night (I think not), Carol had fallen in love with the bar owner (cooking), Bob could hardly stand so Joanne and friend were trying manoeuvre him to the car and I picked up a bar bill for over $200. Needles to say we didn’t make it home that night.

Who needs theme parks for entertainment???

Brian Pearson

There is so much to do, especially if you like theme parks. One of my favourites is BuschGardens in Tampa. The rides and the wild life there are brilliant, there’s one of the biggest 90 degree drops on Sheikra reaching 70mph from 200 feet.

Gwazi is the best wooden roller coaster I have ever been on. The cars go at tremendous speeds as they bank around the corners and the vibration literally shakes you apart.

Another one of my favourites is Rhino rally where you go through an African plain where you see a variety of wild animals including elephants, giraffes, lions and many many more. As you go around the track you come to a bridge which collapses underneath you and you float down the river along the rapids, very thrilling.

Kids will love all the animals and the great attention to detail.

My other two favourite parks are at Universal.

Universal studios are great for the excitement and the big rides. Spider- man is a great experience of special effects.

The incredible hulk is very fast, turning every unimaginable way you could think of. Believe me I’ve got off there and have not been able to stand up, it makes you really disorientated.

Jurassic park is great if you like a good water ride, youv’e also got Toon lagoon which as the best water rides ever.

And for the tiny kids there’s Seuss landing, fantastically colourful and imaginative.

Universal studios are a bit more relaxed and laid back compared to Islands of adventure.

Nearly all the attractions are based around films produced by Universal.

The mummy is a fast roller coaster ride in the dark with great effects.

Twister, where a tornado appears before you eyes, strong, powerful and sometimes wet.

Then you’ve’ got the 3-d shows such as Shrek, Jimmy Neutron and every body’s favourite the Simpsons.These are not only 3-d shows but you are also sucked into the action.

Finally due to open this spring is a new Roller Coaster at Universal Studios and in 2010 the all new Harry Potter theme is coming alive.

You’ve got to say one thing about Universal they are completely ahead of most other parks.

And whilst there may be a degree of truth in the song by one American rock singer ‘57 channels and nothing on’, with a little perseverance it is always possible to find some entertainment to watch whilst relaxing in the luxury of your vacation home.  Although if hotel habits die hard, many homes also provide additional TV sets in one or more bedrooms, so there is no need to miss the late night shows.

Local Television

There are several local channels which provide local information - including an updated weather forecast every 10 minutes.  In between the weather reports, the broadcasts will also provide traffic news in detail which visitors from the United Kingdom would associate with a local radio station.

Drama

Many American drama series are well known to visitors from the United Kingdom - examples being ‘Desperate Housewives’, ‘The West Wing’, ‘24 Hours’ and ‘Lost’.  These are shown in America ahead of being exported.  Television shows are also exported by the United Kingdom to the United States, so some shows will be instantly recognised - either in their original format (many 80’s comedy shows are broadcast), or remade for an American audience (‘Steptoe and Son’ has emerged as ‘Sanford and Son’, whilst ‘The Office’ has been rescripted with new actors).

Game Shows

Popular shows such as ‘The Weakest Link’ have transferred from the United Kingdom - this show still has the same presenter.  ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ is also shown on US National television, although with an American presenter.

Children’s Television

The Cartoon Network and Disney Channel can help keep the youngsters occupied - whilst older children (and adults) can choose from a range of music channels, such as VH-1 and MTV.  These can be ideal for keeping the youngsters occupied whilst they adjust to the time difference - if they wake up at 4am, a few television programmes may just keep them occupied long enough to let the adults sleep a little longer.

Sport

There are numerous channels with endless sport, be it baseball, basketball, golf, ice hockey - or occasional overseas sport, perhaps even soccer!

Check with the villa owner

Not all channels are available in all homes - so if there is a particular programme or type of channel you want, check with the owner first.  There is so much to do in Florida that you shouldn’t allow the television to dominate your relaxation time - but it is definitely a welcome addition.  Even if it is only used for watching the latest release movies rented from the local DVD and video hire store.

About 40 minutes along Highway towards Vero Beach from Hwy 27 you will come across River Ranch. You can’t miss it there is a bross statue of a horse at the entrance.

After a few minutes drive into the ranch you will reach the gate. On the right you will have a chance to see the buffalo roaming free.

When we arrived we decided to go into the restaurant for their all you can eat buffet but you can also just get your hotdogs and burgers beside the Rodeo paddock itself.

Those feeling a little thirsty can purchase some beer in the bar whilst you watch the gals practice their fancy footwork country and western style.

The rodeo itslef starts about 7pm and it costs around $12 to get in and watch. You will then be treated to the real thing with the young cowboys trying to tame those hefty bulls. There are about 12-15 rides to see as well as the cowboys practicsing their lassooing of the steers. this is followed by some fast horse games where they have to race around obstacles.

Its a good fun night out.

We have just received these very interesting views from our latest guests, concerning the cost of our villa rental to their last visit to Florida, when they stayed in a Hotel.

Having compared our total cost of our last visit to Florida when we stayed in a Hotel on International Drive, we have found that we were most definely better off staying at a villa. With the exchange rate being so much down on our last visit the savings we have made on our food budget alone makes sense. Eating out for Breakfast, Tea & Dinner for 14 nights was a great lump of our spending money. This year, being able to shop for what we wanted and fancied for our meals meant the kids didn’t waste our money on half eaten meals. We could eat before we went ot the Parks and when we returned the BBQ was brilliant. With the villa being so close to Disney, we even returned to the villa a couple of times for tea and a swim, then back to the Park as our parking tickets were still valid and the stamp on our wrists let us back in without any problems. The extra Dollars we saved on food went on a little more shopping which makes you feel as though you have had a good deal.

The comments are a real plus for us as they hopefully intend to return again next year. We have also decide to point out these benefits in our replies to all of future enquiries we receive.

Regards,

Mary/Larry  

We visited the one in Lakeland.  The prices were very reasonable.  They have ‘a today’s special menu’ available and, when we visited, it was extremely busy.  It seems The Ale House is very popular with the snowbirds.  It has all the atmosphere of a ‘pub’ with bar and bar stools, and also separate booths, and there are wide screen televisions on the walls –  which were showing championship golf on the evening we visited.  We didn’t notice any British tourists there – perhaps The Ale House hasn’t been discovered by too many people from the UK!   From the outside, we thought it was just a bar, until a Canadian friend – a regular snowbird visitor to Florida - recommended it to us.

Her husband (British) could always find his favourite beer there.

The Ale House offers a great and varied selection of beers, including some familiar British brands – for instance -even Newcastle Brown! They also offer a dazzling variety of cocktails, and of course wines and spirits.

The food menu offers many types of fish dish, including fresh lobster, which is cooked to perfection.  I enjoyed the steamed lobster, whilst my husband had fish and chips.  The portions are large and satisfying, and the cost of our evening meal was comparable in price to a Perkins turkey dinner – which we also like.  We had anticipated the price of the lobster meal would be expensive, but this was certainly not the case.

We have also, in our travels, found The Village Inn to be very enjoyable.  They are not licensed, but they offer a good menu and, if you have room, a slice of one of their speciality fruit pies – many with cream toppings.  They are absolutely delicious.  They also sell pies to take away for anyone wanting to entertain, or eat at their villa.  (Remember to take your cool box)

The Cracker Barrel is also another popular restaurant which offers a good menu selection, as is Sizzlers which is particularly good for an all-you-can eat breakfast or evening buffet.

The Ale House however, is such a great discovery, I just had to tell you all about it.  It really is well worth a visit.  Now we have discovered it we will definitely be enjoying several meals there next time we visit.

You can relax on the gently drifting Main Stream River Ride. The dare devils in your party can brave the Cape Fear, Fun-L-Tunnel, Zoom Flume and the 427-foot Electric Slide. Free fall down the Drop Slides. Try your balancing skills on the Lilly Pads. Cool off under the Rain Tree or paddle with the little ones at the Tot Spot and play with the floating gators and logs. There are special slides for the under 48” called the Pro Racers. Play volleyball or just chill out on loungers all round the park.

Refreshments can be purchased at the Calypso Café. Quite good value for money too. You can’t take food or drink into the park but they do provide picnic areas outside the main park and close to the car park for those who wish to bring their own food, (handy if you have fussy eaters in your party!)

Locker areas and changing/shower rooms are provided for guests. There is also a guest relation area, information desk and gift shop.

The atmosphere is informal and laid back but safety and well being are definitely high on the agenda at this park. All activity is supervised by lifeguards and there are reassuring numbers! As with the Orlando parks, early warning is given if a storm is approaching and systems are in place for quick and effective evacuation in the event of inclement weather.

If you are staying near Port Charlotte or Fort Myers then it is very convenient. It is about 45mins drive from Rotonda West. The address is:

400 Santa Barbara Boulevard
Cape Coral
Florida 33991

239-574-0557

www.sunsplashwaterpark.com

The park is owned and maintained by Cape Coral City

Local residents are given a discount. It operates from early April to end of September. Check out the website for admission times and pricing.

Our Verdict

A great place to go for a fun day out.

“I enjoyed lazing on the large rings and just floating round and round or relaxing on the loungers soaking up the sun!”

“ The rides were brilliant especially the Electric slide”

“I thought the food was ok – a good choice of healthy snacks too”

“Very good value for money – less than $17 a head”

Are you are looking for all the comforts of home but with all the services provided by a good standard hotel.  Have you ever stopped to think how wonderful it would be if you could have all of this ?

Well it really is possible by renting a vacation home.  Try Googling ”Florida vacation rental”.  You will find so many homes that you can stay in that will provide everything you are looking for.  A fabulous “home from home” far away from all the other holidaymakers in a hotel.

Next time you are planning a vacation, please take a look at all the wonderful homes that are available to rent.  We spent quite a few years staying in hotels, and then one year we hired a house.  We have never stayed in a hotel again.  To my family, this is the only way to have a fantastic holiday.  You really do get the best of both worlds.

There are of course several types of home in many locations in and around the Disney area.  They vary in size from 1 bedroom condo’s (sleeping 2) up to 7 bedroom villas (sleeping up to 16).  Most villas will have a private pool, some will have a spa and/or a games room.  Some also look out over open spaces or golf courses.  It really does depend on what you personally are looking for, but rest assured all will have the creature comforts that a hotel cannot hope to provide, and surprisingly at a very reasonable cost.

Like my wife and I some years ago, I am sure you will be thinking that these villas will cost an extortionate amount of money and they are only for the rich.  Not so.  Most rental homes are priced very reasonable and most families will be able to afford them.  If you look closely at the prices, you will find that they are in fact very reasonably priced compare to a good quality hotel.

They can accommodate a variety of people, not just single families but groups of friends and relatives.  They have king bedded rooms, double rooms, twin and single rooms, all just waiting for you to come along and have your dream vacation.

The best part though is actually splitting the cost down by person to arrive at what you will find is great value.  Some homes can cost as little as $10 per person per day.  For example, in low season, a four bedroom home sleeping up to 10 will cost around $700 per week including pool heating.  That is $100 per day, equaling just under $10 per person.  A good quality hotel room for 4 will cost around $60 per night, equal to $420 per week.  As there are 10 of you, you will need 3 rooms making a total of $1260 – OVER twice the price of a villa.

We have all heard of the expression “location ,location, location”.  Well, you will often find that in a hotel, that “location” will mean close to a major road or intersection as this brings in the most income for the hotel.

This is fine until it is time to “turn in” at night and then you are kept awake by all the traffic noise from outside.  A very thick pillow or ear plugs are often the best remedy.

The best part about vacation homes is that they are nearly always located in quiet suburbs with very little traffic but are still close to all the attractions (Disney, Sea World, Universal Studios etc), Our own home is located in a “dead end”  with minimal traffic and is therefore ideal for families with smaller children.  In many cases they will be in beautifully landscaped, resort style communities that may even have a view or a lake or conservation view.  If you are a family that likes these communal developments, they can range from very quiet and simple community lounges through to fully equipped lifestyle resorts with large communal swimming pools, man made beaches, fully equipped gyms, spa, cinema, children’s play areas.

Most vacation homes will have a very high level of facilities including private pool, large comfortable living areas, dining areas, fully equipped kitchen, garage, televisions, dvd player, laundry facilities, internet access etc.

One of the best parts about taking a vacation in a villa is that within a few hours, you feel just like you are a home.  You begin to unwind and then your vacation really starts.  After a tiring but enjoyable day in the parks, come home, go for a dip in your own pool, get a beer from fridge (or make a coffee), then curl up on the sofa to watch a favourite dvd.  You can really escape from it all.

If you haven’t yet tried this alternative to a hotel, then please give it a try.  We can assure that you will not be disappointed. You will have the vacation of a lifetime without having to share it with hundreds of other holidaymakers sharing the hotel.  You have vacation home all to yourself.

Phil and Sue Cornish have travelled extensively in Florida and in 1990 purchased their first home in Kissimmee.