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See Florida’s top destinations! Tour at a leisurely pace and have time to experience each city with multiple night stays.
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Arrive at Miami International Airport, pick-up your rental car and proceed to your hotel. Miami is an international city, rich with a multi-ethnic culture which is reflected in the cuisine and architecture. Miami’s South Beach is a particularly stunning and often intoxicatingly beautiful place. Warm breezes, swaying palm trees, and the sound of the waves washing ashore act as a backdrop for pastel-colored, Art Deco buildings; it has been called the American Riviera by seasoned travelers. World famous South Beach is home to fabulous shopping, gourmet restaurants, fashion shoots and filming of TV and movies. At night, South Beach comes alive with crowds dressed in party-casual chic as scores of nightspots cater to both the adventurous and relaxed clientele.
Accommodations:
(STD) Ocean Five or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Cardozo Hotel or similar (2 nights).
(DLX) Fontainbleau Resort & Spa or similar (2 nights).
Today is yours to explore Miami Beach and the neighboring Greater Miami area. Experience the sights and sounds of “The Magic City”, a tropical playground full of extraordinary architectural history. There is Downtown Miami, home to renowned Bayside Marketplace; Coconut Grove, the oldest city within the Miami metropolitan area, known as Miami’s Food Court for its many and varied restaurants and open air cafes; Coral Gables, almost entirely constructed in Mediterranean Revival Style; and Little Havana, a Cuban immigrant neighborhood famous for its landmarks like Calle Ocho and Domino Park, and for its social, cultural, and political activities.
Depart Miami Beach and head north toward Kennedy Space Center. It is the site of the American Space Program and NASA headquarters where all Apollo moon missions were launched and all Space Shuttles lift off. At the Visitor Center, experience interactive simulators, live shows and close encounters with massive rockets. Meet a real member of NASA’s Astronaut Corps in the Astronaut Encounter. Make sure to see one of the IMAX space films on gigantic five-story screens. Continue on to St. Augustine for an overnight stay. Explore the historic district with its cobblestone streets and interesting shops. There are many dining options in the Old City, including authentic pubs, gourmet bistros, waterfront terraces, and unique, casual cafes.
Accommodations:
(STD) Days Inn Historic St. Augustine or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites or similar (1 night).
(DLX) Casa Monica Hotel or similar (1 night).
Historic St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in the continental United States. Here, the blend of Spanish, English and American cultures come alive. Among the many points of interest is the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, a fortress which served as the city’s outer defenses. It is the oldest remaining European fortification in the continental United States. Continue on to Daytona Beach depicted in countless movies; it is the only beach where cars are allowed to drive on the sand. Visit Daytona Speedway, one of the most well known and largest car race tracks in the US. If you are lucky, you may see some race cars, doing practice laps. Continue to Orlando where, in the evening, you can visit Downtown Disney, with more than 70 shopping, entertainment and dining choices. Or, see a dinner show such as Arabian Nights.
Accommodations:
(STD) Champions World Resort or similar (3 nights).
(SUP) Doubletree Universal Orlando or similar (3 nights).
(DLX) Buena Vista Palace or similar (3 nights).
Today you have the choice to enjoy one of the Walt Disney World Theme Parks.
Magic Kingdom Park® – Meet Mickey Mouse and his friends in the Magic Kingdom® Park, where the fantasies of Walt Disney become reality with attractions for the young, and the young at heart. See Cinderella Castle at the top of Main Street, USA which shows America as it was nearly a hundred years ago. Visit Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Tomorrowland. See The Haunted Mansion and experience the thrill of riding Space Mountain. Make sure to visit Mickey’s Toontown Fair, THE place to meet Mickey and the gang in person. Enjoy the nightly fireworks spectacular featuring favorite Disney characters and a stunning music and lights display.
Disney’s Epcot® – Visit the two entertaining worlds of Epcot® (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). This Park is a showplace for the achievements of man, a tribute to innovation and imagination, and a fellowship of international culture. It consists of Future World and World Showcase. Future World features attractions such as Spaceship Earth, where you will experience a journey from the beginning of time to the electronic age. Ride Test Track, a high speed thriller that mimics actual vehicle testing conditions, sending you through breathtaking twists and turns. Explore all of Future World where innovation and invention entertain. World Showcase offers the cultures of eleven nations. The architecture and landscape change as you move from one country to the next. Taste the cuisine, shop and be entertained by distinctly different traditions. End the evening by watching Illuminations, a nighttime kaleidoscope of music and light.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom® – Take off on an African Safari to encounter real elephants, lions, and herds of zebra and giraffe. Voyage millions of years back in time to rescue a dinosaur from extinction. Join characters from The Lion King in a celebration of the never-ending Circle of Life. Whether real, imaginary, or extinct, the animals who rule this domain bring to life a day of adventure.
Universal Studios® Florida – You’re the star at Universal Studios where you can ride the movies. Join the agents from “Men in Black Alien Attack” and zap aliens as you chase them through the streets of New York. Plunge into darkness on Revenge of the Mummy® a psychological thrill ride that combines special effects and speed. See Shrek 4-D an original 3-D film, with an added dimension where you will see, hear and feel the action right from your seat. Fly with E.T. on a star-bound bike as you help him save his home planet. You’ll find something that appeal to kids of all ages at the place where you become part of the movies!
Universal‘s Islands of Adventure® – Journey through five remarkable islands where all your favorite myths, legends comic books and cartoon heroes come to life. Enter a comic book city in the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man® a 3-D thrill ride, where you will battle evil and feel the adventure. Ride your couch through the pages of the famous children’s book “The Cat in the Hat!” on Seuss Island. Explore the Lost Continent® where you will find Dueling Dragons® the world’s first inverted dueling roller coaster. Experience all of the cutting edge rides and stories come to life at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
SeaWorld® Orlando – SeaWorld Orlando is a premiere marine adventure park. It features thrilling rides and amazing shows where the animalsare the stars. Your feet will dangle on Kraken, the only floorless rollercoaster in Orlando. Meet Shamu, the famous killer whale in the sensationalshow Believe. Get ready for the ultimate adventure on Journey to Atlantis! Travel on water and high-speed rails through special effects and a 60foot drop! Check out the current spectacle at the Sea lion and Otter Stadium, where Clyde and Seamore will be into some mischief. Make sureto include a stop at the dolphin nursery, where you can see up close new dolphin mothers and their calves. Experience the magic of marine lifeand the splendor of what lies beyond the ocean’s door.
Today, after departing Orlando, you will visit the “Other Florida” as we head toward Homosassa Springs State Park for an encounter with one of Florida’s most beautiful natural springs. In addition you will meet Florida’s native wildlife, such as the bobcat, cougar, black bear, manatee, alligator, bald eagle, flamingos and many more. Press on south to Tarpon Springs for a stop at this Greek sponge fisherman village. Next, the tour takes you through Ybor City known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter. This city is an exotic blend of aromas, flavors, sights and sounds. From the scent of roasting Cuban coffee early in the morning to the rhythms of Latin music late into the night, Ybor is a feast for the senses. After a brief stop, cross the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to make your way along the coastal route through beautiful Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key on the way to Sarasota. Enjoy a two-night stay on the Gulf of Mexico in Sarasota.
Accommodations:
(STD) Best Western Midtown or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Helmsley Sandcastle Lido Beach or similar (2 nights).
(DLX) Hyatt regency Sarasota or similar (2 nights).
Sarasota is home to some of the most spectacular sunsets and sandy beaches on the Gulf Coast. While it maintains the charm of a sleepy beach town, it is also recognized as a cultural center. After all the excitement of the previous days, this is a perfect time to relax, lounge by the swimming pool or take a dip in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Or, you can opt for a short trip to Historic Spanish Point, a fascinating 30-acre historical, archaeological and environmental museum. Overlooking beautiful Little Sarasota Bay, Historic Spanish Point was the first site in Sarasota County to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Experience prehistory by stepping inside “A Window to the Past”, an archeological exhibition about the gulf coast region’s earliest people. Stop at St. Armands Circle and shop in designer boutiques and lunch in one of the many eclectic restaurants. For a dose of nature, visit Selby Botanical Gardens which boasts more than 6,000 living orchids and other plant life. Mote Marine Aquarium offers a firsthand view of the indigenous sea life.
The tour continues via Fort Myers and the Tamiami Trail through the unique ecosystem of the Everglades, also known as the River of Grass. On the way, you might want make a short stop at the Miccosukee Indian Village, where you can see some of the homes of the Miccosukee. Visit Shark Valley and embark on an Everglades Airboat Ride to observe the wildlife, such as alligators, whitetail deer, river otters, and about 200 different bird species. Afterwards, you will enjoy a demonstrative alligator show, followed up by a visit to the museum, and the alligator farm, where you can see over a 100 alligators, crocodiles and black caymans. After lunch, we continue through the Keys by way of the Overseas Highway, with its stunning vistas via 42 bridges, to the southernmost city of the continental United States, Key West for a two- night stay. Tonight, walk along Duval Street and enjoy the festive atmosphere and sample a local favorite food, conch fritters.
Accommodations:
(STD) Bayside Inn & Suites or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) DoubleTree Grand Key Resort or similar (2 nights).
(DLX) Casa Marina, a Waldorf Astoria or similar (2 nights).
There is always something happening in Key West. Specialty shops, outdoor cafes and restaurants line the streets. Take a ride on the Conch Tour Train for sightseeing and stories of the island. Visit the Ernest Hemmingway Home and Museum. Here you will discover where the author wrote and lived for more than ten years. Venture outdoors to meet one of the sixty cats, including some that have six toes! Enjoy Key West from a boat by taking a snorkel cruise or deep sea fishing trip. No visit to Key West is complete without taking part in the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square. Performers, vendors and artists line the water’s edge to bid the daylight farewell.
Depart Key West toward Miami this morning. Depending on your flight schedule, you might want to stop briefly at Robbie’s, a well known local spot in Islamorada. Here you will be able to feed the insatiable tarpons. You will be amazed as these incredible “silver ghosts”, as they are called by the locals, leap out of the water with their mouth wide open to grab your fish. Continue to Miami International Airport for a timely departure. Depart at leisure for Miami International Airport. Drop-off rental car.
See Florida’s top destinations! Tour at a leisurely pace and have time to experience each city with multiple night stays.
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