We found Walmart (www.walmart.com ) excellent for all kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and tableware items, and also baby items.  Local stores to US192 are:

Walmart Super Center                    Walmart Super Centre

4444 West Vine                             3250 Vineland Road

Kissimme, FL 3474                        Kissimmee, FL34746

Tel (407) 397 7000                        Tel (407) 397 1125

(near marker #15)                          (near marker #9)

Target (www.target.com ) stores were also useful for kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and baby items.  Local stores to US192 are:

Target                                         Supertarget

3003 W Vine St                           4795 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy

Kissimmee, FL34741                  Kissimmee, FL34746

Tel (407) 846 6611                     Tel (407) 594 0029

For outdoor furniture, the difficulty was matching the existing furniture.  Palm Casual have a showroom full of patio furniture (including sling style), and cushions, etc.  By looking at their website (www.patiofurnitureinc.com ), we were able to match up our cushion fabric prior to our visit.  They are located at:

Palm Casual
11701 S. Orange Blossom Trail
South Orlando, FL32837

Tel (407) 438 2330

(Not far from the Florida Mall)

For furniture, we found Furnitureland USA (www.furnitureland.org ), who have a large showroom full sitting room, dining room and bedroom furniture, and often next day delivery is available.  They are located at:

Furnitureland USA
2345 Orange Blossom Trail
Kissimmee, FL34744

Tel (407) 847 8518

For sports equipment for the games room, we visited the Sports Authority (www.sportsauthority.com ), and found everything from billiard cues to table hockey.  They are located at:

Sports Authority
The Loop
3214 N John Young Parkway
Kissimmee, FL33741

Tel (407) 846 6844

For bedding we visited Sears (www.sears.com ) at The Florida Mall (www.simon.com ) – they have an end of range aisle which is always worth a look at to get a bargain.

The Florida Mall
8001 South Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, FL 32809

Tel (407) 851 6255

Many items in our villa had a palm tree theme, and we found everything from table linens to doormats in the FloridaMarketplace range at Bealls (www.beallsflorida.com ).  They are located at:

Bealls
4081 W Vine Street
Osceola Square Mall
Kissimmee, FL34741

Tel  (407) 847 4301

(near marker #15)

We are still searching for a window valance company…….

But whilst these malls are big and offer a wide range of goods, if ‘big’ is important, at the time of writing (January 2010) the mall claiming to be Florida’s biggest involves a drive to the east coast.

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is on Florida’s east coast, just north of Miami.  It involves a drive of several hours, so we took the opportunity to visit the area when we flew into Miami instead of ‘our usual’ Orlando (most scheduled airlines permit open-jaw arrangements, where you fly into one airport but return home from another - an ideal arrangement if you wish to visit Miami, Fort Lauderdale or the Florida Keys as well as the Central Florida attractions).  Another reason to find yourself in Fort Lauderdale is to join a cruise (perhaps to the Caribbean).  And whilst in the area, a visit to Sawgrass Mills is a must for shopaholics.

Sawgrass Mills

Sawgrass Mills claims to be Florida’s largest retail and entertainment centre, featuring more than 350 name-brand outlets.  A mixture of open air and ‘covered’ shopping areas makes this a very pleasant place to visit and spend a few hours - and also spend a few dollars. And with seven day opening well into the evening, there is no need to rush and miss any shopping opportunities.

Shops

Many of the names here are well known to international visitors.  Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen, Ron Jons - as well as names better known to locals.  With over 350 to choose from, it is easy to be parted from your dollars.  It’s also easy to get carried away - remember how much space was left in your suitcase.  Or, for visitors from Europe travelling by scheduled airline, make full use of your luggage allowance - if this will require buying an extra suitcase you are in the right place to save money on this as well.

Entertainment

As well as a cinema, there is also the opportunity to eat - either a snack, fast food or a sit-down restaurant.

How To Get There

Sawgrass Mills is located at the crossroads of West Sunrise Blvd. and Flamingo Road just 15 miles from the Fort Lauderdale International Airport and 30 miles from the Miami International Airport.

When it comes to eating there is so much choice you won’t nowhere to go there are restaurants just about everywhere and of course there a fast food places such as MacDonald’s and KFC. But of course you can also shop at Wal-Mart and make your own food which is better if you’re on a budget.  There is everything in America that there is in every country so you would find something you liked.

If you like going out at the night time then there are clubs pubs and also family entertainment such as old town and down town Disney which is a Disney run place. Which is free and there are shops and theatres and performances which kids and adults will enjoy. Old Town is a little town on the 192 between marker 10/11 which is good if you want to go out for an hour or for 5 hours there is always things to do look around the shops watch the live band, have cold or hot drink, food or something real British like good old fish and chips or look at all the kitted up cars and motorcycles that run down the main street on Friday and Saturday evenings. There are all sorts of shops from sweet shops to clothes, jewellery, Florida merchandise shops. Old town also have a now large “Fun Spot” There is also a place called boardwalk which is also run by Disney where there is shops and restaurants where you can chill and on the night you can also see the fireworks from magic kingdom and Epcot.

There are really good places to go shopping like the Florida mall to the Osceola mall to lake Buena vista there are expensive brands for small prices.

But one thing we reckon is better than shopping at great prices - is shopping at even lower prices!

Thanksgiving

European visitors to Florida may not be too familiar with Thanksgiving.  It is a major celebration for Americans, and is the fourth Thursday in November.  A few shops continue trading for the day, but the majority of shops and many restaurants close for the day.

The Thanksgiving sales traditionally start on the Friday following Thanksgiving.  But be prepared for an early start - the best bargains are to be had at 5am (yes, really, 5am - that’s 5 o’clock in the morning.  The middle of the night!).

But is it worth an early start?  Many Americans certainly think so, as the shops are busy from the start.

Where to shop

The choice of where to shop for bargains is overwhelming.  The best way to find out where the best offers are is to buy the local newspaper ‘The Orlando Sentinel’ during the week before Thanksgiving.  The Sunday edition is packed with adverts for all the local stores, and makes great reading over a cold drink, lazing by the pool at your villa.  Examples of shops which have fabulous discounts are Wal-Mart, Super Target, Michaels, Best Buy……and many others.

What to buy

Villa owners are often to be found buying electronic goods.  Brand name televisions, video and DVD players enable them to provide extra luxury for guests.  We were delighted to pick up an additional DVD and video combination unit for just $48 (typical price in the UK at the time £75 or much higher).  But these may not be so attractive to visitors from overseas, who have different voltage to contend with.  European visitors may look for portable items such as laptop computers, MP3 players - but do check the voltage required to recharge the batteries.

To avoid concern about voltages, there are bargains to be had on toys, crafts (40% off any one item, or 20% off total bills are typical offers) etc.  DVDs and music are often on offer (the Shrek 2 DVD for $5 was a welcome addition to our choice of films - usual cost of Blockbuster films around $14, which is still great value) - but don’t forget to check if your DVD player at home plays Region 1 discs.

Getting up early

These bargains require a very early start - numbers are limited (but still there are often many hundreds of each item).  We recommend shopping, and then catching up with breakfast at one of the excellent offerings, such as the I-HOP (International House of Pancakes)

There is a wide range of shopping malls big and small as close as international drive. For the older generation there are beaches like coco and Daytona and if you fancy a long drive, you could take trip to Miami.

There are water parks some that are suited to the more adventurous and others that are just like real beaches. And there is water skiing, jet skiing to flinging from a 300ft pole overlooking a lake these options are for the more adventurous.

There are spas that you can visit if you want to get away from the kids. There are also helicopter rides which can take you all over Orlando.

There are Wal-Mart’s located all over the place  for your shopping it great it’s just like Asda in England. There are loads and loads of restaurants from buffets to three course meals. The buffets are to die for the ranges of food you get for just a small price it’s amazing. There are obviously fast food restaurants located just about everywhere.

Going to Orlando is the best thing you could possibly do. There are a wide range of hotels with a wide range of prices. But there are others places to stay such as villas or condos. If you rent somewhere its means that it’s yours and you don’t have to share it especially in a villa. Orlando it a place you don’t ever want to leave that’s why you have to get it right and book suitable places that you will enjoy.

The theme parks are all amazing so there is no worry there. You’ll kids will love it but it’s not just for kids the adults will love it as well.  If you got a chance to go to Orlando take it. So if you want to go to Orlando get booking.  

As you get near to Daytona but before you reach the “Racetrack” there is the biggest Farmers and Flea market for miles on the right. It is all under cover and all aisles have ceiling fans to keep you cool while you shop.

There are numerous aisles with something for everybody. Lots of motor bike gear of course, lovely leather coats, shoes, etc but prices much lower than the tourist areas. We brought lots of t-shirts, towels and items for our villa. We had a hummer car and that was full by the time we came out. There are also lots of places to eat in there and much cheaper than in Daytona.

It was just a short drive to the beach and for $5, you can park your car on the beach all day. The ice cream van goes up and down so there is no need to leave the beach to buy ices for the kids. There are even mini 3- wheel cycles for the kids to hire to use on the beach.

After unpacking all the gear, the kids were off with their boards to the sea. It was a bit rough that day but very warm. After a while, they all seemed to be having so much fun jumping the waves that I  thought I would join them. We were all having so much fun that none of us noticed a huge wave coming at us until it landed on top of us all and we were thrown over.

We came up laughing and then I realised that my cap was not on my head and neither were my prescription sun glasses. !!Now Daytona is a very long beach and we went up and down there looking in the hope that they would have been washed up. No such luck. My advice to anyone going with prescription glass on holiday to Florida is to pack a spare pair or you will be like I was for the last few days………Very short sighted.

Festival Bay is next to the Belz Designer Outlet shopping mall - or rather next to what used to be Belz, as this mall is now known as Prime.  And it is easy to find - just head north on International Drive, and you will drive past Festival Bay, on the right towards the top of I-Drive.  The I-Ride trolley service runs right by Festival Bay, which can also be approached from The Mall at Millenia.

Festival Bay is now well established, albeit with several units still unoccupied.  As these empty stores are filled, so this will become a more serious competitor to the existing malls.  But already there are some exciting shopping opportunities.

Ron Jon’s

Ron Jon’s Surf Shop is one of the anchor stores at Festival Bay.  Renowned for its wide choice of surfwear, a visit to Ron Jon’s used to mean a trip along the Interstate to Cocoa Beach.  But not any more - Ron Jon’s has come to Orlando!  Whilst there are other surfwear stores in the area (PacSun have several outlets), this really is a welcome addition, packed full of surf labels.

Bass Pro

Outdoor activities are catered for at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, specialising in not just fishing equipment (the name gives that much away), but also other outdoor activities such as boating and hiking.  Why not treat yourself to one of the power boats lined up outside?

Vans Skate Park

Vans Skate Park provides the opportunity to practice skateboard and roller blade skills.

Other Stores

The range of other stores continues to increase.  Our favourites include shops specialising in Hawaiian fashions and products, an excellent discounted book store - and, of course, the opportunity to stop for an ice cream or coffee.

Cinema

A multi-screen cinema is the prime entertainment on offer - the opportunity to put your feet up and relax in front of a blockbuster movie (visitors from overseas will no doubt get the opportunity to catch a film several months ahead of its release in their home country).

Our Verdict

Festival Bay promises to deliver even more as it continues to develop.  Its location provides the opportunity for a real shopping blitz - by starting at the Mall at Millenia, and then joining I-Drive and working south through Prime, Festival Bay and the Premium Outlets.

You will also find on one of the Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques here - this is where my little daughter loves to go and enjoys having her hair and make up down, as well as dressing up in one of her favourite disney costumes.  The last time we went we went for the full package where you get a photo shoot included.  My daughter looked amazing when they had finished and the photos are an ever lasting memory.  It was well worth the money!  Everyone was commenting on her as we walked through Downtown Disney.  She also remembers that moment and she is only 6.  A must for every little girl. 

You will also find great shops with all the Disney Merchandise;  if you forgot to buy a particular item in one of the parks, you will hopefully be able to purchase it here.  There are also various other retailers, as well as some great themed restaurants.  

There are also some great entertainment venues, like Cirque de Soleil which is located in Downtown Disney. 

I have listed a few of  shops/restaurants, etc, which you can find at Downtown Disney below:-

World of Disney - if you are looking for loads of fun whilst shopping, this is the place to go.  It is one of the largest stores and has so much to choose from.  This is where you will also find the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique mentioned above. 

Once Upon a Toy - Play happily ever after at this amazing toy store that offers the largest assortment of toys and games in all of Disney.  From princesses to pirates you will find some great toys in here.

Lego Imagination Centre - this shop is great, especially if you kids are into lego.  Not only can they buy some great lego sets (which my son has plenty) they get to play and make models with the lego stands outside.  This has kept my kids occupied for hours (for free) whilst we sat and watched enjoyed a cup of coffee. 

Disney Days of Christmas - this is my favourite shop at Downtown Disney - its Christmas all year round.  You also get to personalise a lot of the ornaments so they make them very personal to your visit. 

Rainforest Cafe and the new T-Rex restaurants can also be found at Downtown Disney.  We have visit the Rainforest cafe a few times now, and the kids love it.  We have never eaten in the T-Rex one, but have had a sneek look inside.  If you kids love dinosaurs this is the resturant to visit.  It has large interactive models of dinosaurs dotted around the restaurant that move at certain times.  You will also DinoBear (part of the build a bear workshop) in her.  My son loved this as he was able to choose his own dinosaur and dress it.  Quite appropriate for a boy!

This is just a taster of what can be found at Downtown Disney. 

Don’t forget to make a visit on your next trip.  We hope you enjoy it.

Finding St.Augustine is quite easy.  Just head East from Orlando toward I95 on the Atlantic coast and go North (toward Jacksonville).  Go for about 40 miles and then turn off onto SR1 and keep going North for about 20 miles.  Then just follow the signs to St.Augustine.

St. Augustine is the USA’s oldest city, founded on August 29 1565 which was also the feast day of St. Augustine.  It is also considered to be one of the most charming and quaint cities in Florida.

St. Augustine has a beautiful historic district with cobblestone streets, cafes, bars, unique shops and bed and breakfast hotels.

Shopping in St. Augustine just could not be easier.  If you have a passion for antiques, hand crafted gifts, blown glass, arts and crafts, fine arts, or handmade chocolates, and if you are shopping for clothes, shoes, or household goods, or perhaps finding unique and unusual gifts from around the world, St. Augustine has it all.

Just relax and enjoy strolling along the historic downtown streets.  Stop whenever you like and have a meal at one of the many fine restaurants or bars.

Try the antique Market – a beautifully restored 1930s feed and general store.  The Antique Market, is a premier importer of antiques from England, Europe and Asia. The Market’s proprietors specialize in antiques from England, Scotland and Wales and lead purchasing tours every year throughout England. It is well known for its fine selection of quality antiques.

Aviles Street – is located in the heart of St. Augustine’s historic pedestrian only district.  It offers a splendid mix of shopping by way of interesting stores, boutiques, art galleries and souvenir shops. In addition, Aviles Street is dotted with pleasant cafes and historic homes.

Cobblestone Village Shopping Mall - presents a fresh clean feel, as it is a recent addition to the St. Augustine shopping scene.  The are 8 anchor stores plus 20 additional retailers furnish shoppers with a varied selection including favourites such as Bed Bath and Beyond, Pier 1 and Bealls.

St. George Street – is one of St. Augustine’s most popular shopping districts.  It wends its way through several brick-lined blocks of the city’s center.  Along this car free thoroughfare you’ll discover independent retailers offering home accents, jewelry, books, pottery, clothing and more. St. George Street affords the perfect environment to soak up the old cities ambiance.

Whetstone Chocolates – you just cannot experience St. Augustine without visiting Whetstone Chocolates, the city’s signature chocolate manufacturer for nearly 40 years.  In fact, Whetstone is Florida’s only chocolate producer and is known throughout the state for its high quality.  Indulge your senses by taking a self-guided tour of the chocolate making facility and stopping by the store to purchase some delectable sweets.

There are also many places to visit and explore as follows:

Castillo de San Marcos - took 23 years to build (from 1672 to 1695). Made from coquina which is a virtually indestructible limestone comprised of broken sea shells and coral, the walls of the fortress remained impenetrable through 300 years of enemy shelling and pounding by violent storms.

Fort Matanzas - was built between 1740-1742 and is a very well preserves masonry watchtower.  It provided a high point to help the Spanish view any enemy vessels approaching from the South.  The fort played a strategic role in warning St. Augustine of potential enemy advancements from the south via the Matanzas River.

Lightner Museum - is housed in the former Alcazar Hotel, built by railroad magnate Henry M. Flagler, and features an intriguing array of items from shrunken heads and mummies to stunning collections of stained glass and crystal.  It was opened in 1889.

Old City Helicopters – a tour of St. Augustine from the best seat in the house, from a helicopter!

St. Augustine Haunted Pub Tour - this tour takes you on a storytelling excursion through downtown.

Hearse Ride Ghost Tour - taking a ride in a hearse is a must BEFORE you die!

Red Train Tours and Discount Attraction Tickets - “The way to see St. Augustine!”

Adventure Landing - is the perfect place for family fun!  Birthday parties, celebrations, or even just a day of fun! Mega Arcade.

Old Jail - built by Henry Flagler in 1891, the jail was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1987.  The Old Jail served as the county jail until 1953.

Colonial Spanish quarter – is a living history museum depicting the life of Spanish Soldiers and their families in 1740 St. Augustine.

Dow Museum of Historic Houses – on one city block, you will discover over 400 years of history. Hidden among beautiful courtyards are 9 historic houses original to the site.

Father O’Reilly House Museum - built prior to 1763, this Spanish colonial house belonged to Father Miguel O’Reilly, who came to the parish when the Spaniards returned to rule in 1784.

Fiesta Falls Mini Golf - is an 18-hole miniature golf course right next to La Fiesta Inn at the beach.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not - The original Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum features fun interactive galleries, mind boggling facts, and unique oddities and curiosities.

Flagler College - Flagler College is a combination of the past and present. The Ponce de Leon hotel, originally built by Henry Morrison Flagler in 1887, now serves as a residence hall for students.

Marineland – swim with the dolphins and let your dreams come true.

Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse - let your first lesson in history begin at the Oldest Wooden School House! Built prior to 1763, the school remains as it was over two centuries ago.

St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum - climb 219 steps up the lighthouse to find a breathtaking view of St. Augustine from 165 feet above sea level.

Spanish Military Hospital Museum - see what a hospital looked like 250 years ago. See the tools surgeons used and the medicines people took.

Potters wax museum - America’s first Wax Museum invites you to experience over 160 figures from History to Hollywood! These life-like figures seem to come to life as you study them.

There are many golf courses and tennis resorts located in the area. Ponte Vedra is home of The Players Association (PGA) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).  It is a 20 minute drive from the Downtown historic district.

The city also has around 43 miles of beautifully clean beaches. Some allow vehicles, some allow dogs and some just people.  Some of the beaches produce abundant shelling opportunities, while others are covered only in luxurious fine, golden sand.

Lake Buena Vista is the place to shop for all your designer goods at a cheaper cost whether it’s Nike you’re after or Tommy Hilfiger. Why not make it a day of shopping to enjoy and even visit the food court for lunch. Shops that are at Lake Buena Vista include Tommy Hilfiger and Tommy Hilfiger kids, Nike, Gap, Adidas, Dress Barn, Coach, DKNY, Dior, and much much more

Florida Mall

Turn right follow 192 down past Wal-Mart for about a good 15 mins when you get to what they call “Kissimmee gate” this is a gate thing that is on the right hand side of the street which is above the road at a main set of traffic lights.

On the left hand side at theses lights there is pc world/office world

You need to turn left down the orange blossom trail this is a very long road you will pass tub-a-ware main Depot- you would be heading towards the airport (Int) passing this under the toll bridge, pass home depot on right, carry on until you come to rooms to go which is on the right, just past this you will see signs for Florida mall – turn right you will see lots of shops if you go into any of them they lead you into the Florida mall

When you drive down the orange blossom trail you think it goes on forever which it does but with practice you will find the short cuts …lol.

Farmers Market

On Saturdays and Sundays – Farmers market – Disney stuff much cheaper to buy, come from the villa turn right onto the 192 follow the road down for a good 20 mins pass rail way on the road- and past what they call the Kissimmee Gate - pass Kissimmee airport for another 5 minutes – you will see a bridge - just past under the bridge on the left hand side Farmers Market go early lots to buy….

In between our shopping we went to the Golden Corral a lot, it is buffet style food “eat all you want for about £3.00-breakfast, £4.50 Lunch, £7.50 Evening Dinner.” Children half price, we felt it was very Good value. 

The wal-mart is less than 5 minutes in the car from our villa, Florida Lets a Dream.