USA Travel Guide

When I do Valentine’s Day on the beach, you know I’m running behind for the day. It’s just so easy! Blazing sunsets, a calm surf, you and your loved one walking hand in hand. Beachfront Valentine’s is the proverbial fish in a barrel. Which doesn’t make it at all a bad idea…

Valentine’s Day Packages in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood Beach is one of our favorite pieces of coastline in Florida. The sand is soft, the sights are serene, and it never seems to get so crowded as to ruin your fun. We definitely recommend a hotel near Hollywood Beach.

Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Hotel
From the poolside Tiki lounge to the near-instant beach access, the Crowne Plaza has that upscale, destination getaway kind of feel that will make your Valentine’s Day memories truly last. They back it up with a good package:

“Find Cupid at Crowne Plaza” Package
Champagne and cocktail coupons? What kind of Valentine’s Day is this?

• Accommodations
• Bottle of champagne
• Chocolates to share
• Coupons for two (2) cocktails per stay

Learn more about their Valentine’s Day hotel specials.

Anti-Valentine’s Day in Hollywood, Florida
Do your prospects have you feelin’ down come February 14^th? Don’t let them! Forget this Hallmark holiday and the sappy crap that goes with and just enjoy yourself. The Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach also offers a couple “anti-Valentine’s Day” packages:

Ultimate Girlfriends Getaway Package

• Deluxe ocean view accommodations
• Champagne upon arrival
• Two daily drink coupons
• Breakfast daily in hotel restaurants (for two)

Shop ‘Til you Drop Package

• Deluxe overnight accommodations
• “First Class Shopping Savings” Discount Book from Aventura Mall
• 2 cups of Starbucks coffee
• Complimentary high-speed Internet

Learn about these packages here (toward the bottom).

That’s a lot of packages, but we’ve got lots more on our ever-growing on our Valentine’s Day Getaways & Packages portal. Find the location, hotel or package that’s right for you.

From the Caribbean heat of Miami Beach to the exuberant family fun of Orlando, the state of Florida is one of the nation’s most diverse vacation destinations. Even more importantly, it’s also one of the most diverse ecological destinations, with regions comparable even to South American rainforests.

Among these, the sadly narrowing dollop of natural wetlands we call the Everglades stand leagues beyond the rest, robust to this day with remarkable creatures, one-of-a-kind fauna and yet-to-be-discovered life. The Everglades are best known as a far South Florida attraction, but in fact their northern peak stretches over 150 miles north of Florida’s southern tip to a place called the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. That’s where we’re headed today.

The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge: big in name, big in size, big in relevance. The 143,874-acre refuge sprawls over Florida plain, Cypress swamp and a sweeping cross-section of natural Florida marshland. The area is so large and so abundant, in fact, that only a small portion of it need be made available to the public. The remainder is closed off for preservation and research.

What people do with what little we’ve been given is dive into a world of endless ecological wealth. Here are just a few popular attractions that draw visitors week after week to the refuge:

• Sightseeing trails
• Observation tower
• Bird watching / wildlife watching
• Photography
• Canoeing / kayaking
• Sport fishing
• Waterfowl hunting
• Bicycling
• Ecological tours

Of course, this being a nationally protected reserve, all of these attractions and activities are strictly regulated, with rules dictating the place and time for each. Waterfowl hunting in particular is closely watched and regulated, so follow the rules to avoid getting a ticket.

If you’re happy just to see the animals and don’t feel a need to murder them, you’re in real luck. The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is home to hundreds of distinct bird species, including beautiful herons, egrets, wood storks and wading birds. If gamier sights are your bag, hit one of the canoe trails for an up close and personal sight of the American alligator, still alive in abundance throughout the marsh.

The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is open daily, sunrise to sunset, however areas may be closed without notification due to season, weather or various park reasons. The refuge is technically free to visit, although there is a $5 per vehicle entrance fee (no vehicle, no fee). Vehicle movement around the refuge is strictly limited; you’ll be better off parking it and traveling on foot to whatever you need. Learn more.

We fully support getting back to nature and discovering the beauty, the majesty and the importance of our natural ecosystems. But hey, idyllic island beaches are natural too, right?

That’s why we can in good conscience recommend a day at Loxahatchee and then a night at beautiful Singer Island, just 30 miles away. The upscale resort island located on Florida east coast offers many resorts, but we’re fans of the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort. They welcome you with all the resort amenities you desire, and often at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Have fun at the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge!

There’s nothing sadder than a golfer with frozen balls. Grab your clubs and head some place warm for the winter, some place where the bright green beauty of summer never goes out of style, some place like Cocoa Beach, Florida on the Space Coast.

The golf courses of Cocoa Beach and surrounding areas welcome golfers novice-to-pro for serene and scenic outings at any time of year. What’s more, the average green fees aren’t as pricey as you’ll find even a little bit south near the Palm Beaches or Miami. For Florida golf vacations, winter or summer, it really can’t be beat.

Here are a few favorite Cocoa Beach golf courses:

Cocoa Beach Country Club
5000 Tom Warriner Boulevard
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
321-868-3361 | Web site

Beset on all sides by the inky blue Banana River, the Cocoa Beach Country Club provides some of the best aerials in the industry. It also provides a great game of golf. A trio of 9-hole courses challenge your long game and twitch skills as sand and water hazards wraps their way into nearly every hole. If you time it right, you can even see a shuttle take to the sky from Cape Canaveral.

Favorite Course: River Course

Viera East Golf Club
2300 Clubhouse Drive
Viera, FL 32955
321-639-6500 | Web site

The smooth, beguiling slopes of the Viera East’s 18 holes hide a subtle challenge that seems to reward more experienced players. Designed by architect Jon Lee, Viera East offers equals chances to power through the ball and hone that chip shot. The game proceeds well over 18 holes, the design growing only more robust as you reach the latter half of the course. Spotted with towering palms, Viera East offers a fresh and, most importantly, fun game of golf.

Turtle Creek Golf Club
1279 Admiralty Boulevard
Rockledge, FL 32955
321-632-2520 | Web site

Few golf courses in Florida offer more varied play than the 18-hole course at Turtle Creek Golf Club. Unlike the others, the course at Turtle Creek is heavily wooded, winding tirelessly – dogleg after dogleg – through dense clusters of trees stemmed only by amoeboid water hazards. Counting your wedges, you could have 10-12 irons in your bag. Turtle Creek finally gives you a chance to use them.

Stay and Play
There are just three of our favorites. There are dozens more golf courses in Cocoa Beach and the Space Coast, courses attuned to every level of play and right for every budget. (But really, start with these three, and we’re sure you’ll be satisfied.)

Heading in? One of our favorite Cocoa Beach hotels is the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Resort. This surprisingly affordable property is located just minutes from the Cocoa Beach Country Club, and just a few miles more to our other suggestions. Plus, if you don’t get enough sun out on the course, you can walk to the beach.

Have fun golfing the Space Coast!

Your town may not be straddled with snow yet, but you know it’s coming. What you may not know is that while you waste a gallon of gas every morning “warming up” the car, there’s a place in this country where the people still look forward to weekend trips to the water park. In fact, they do it all winter.

That place is Orlando, Florida, and the park is Wet ‘n Wild Orlando. Head across state, head across country – do what you must to get a taste of winter water park fun.

Wet ‘n Wild’s industry claim to fame is that it is the nation’s first water park, opened in 1977 by SeaWorld-founder George Millay. The park’s visitor claim to fame is that after 30 years it’s still one of the best. State-of-the-art thrill rides and low-tech excursions blend with no-nonsense décor that’s all about getting in the water and having your kind of fun.

Lounge or leap, you’ll find it at Wet ‘n Wild Orlando: 

• Brain Wash – on the extreme end of things, Brain Wash sends you and a friend shuttling down a 53-foot drop into massive funnel
• The Bomb Bay – nothing beats the suspense of waiting for the trap door beneath you to swing open, unleashing you on a 76-foot drop
• The Black Hole – the classic dark ride is dark no more, this redesigned tube ride wows you with color and sound
• Disco H20 – speaking of color and sound, the unusual tube ride is like a trip back 70s
• Lazy River – just wouldn’t be a water park without one
• Wave Pool – ditto (and this one is humongous)
• Kids’ Park – along with typical kid park antics, this section features miniature version of some of the larger rides, very cool

From September to March, certain rides may be closed for annual maintenance, call ahead to avoid disappointment

Wet ‘n Wild Orlando is one of the few water parks in the nation open year-round. There’s really nothing like enjoying a lazy cruise around the river on Christmas Day, and don’t worry, during the cooler months the water attractions are heated. At the moment, they’re offering a nice deal, “Buy One Get 2009 Free”, meaning each ticket grants unlimited access for the rest of 2009. Feel free to go nuts!

Wet ‘n Wild Orlando is part of the Universal family of parks which also includes Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Combo packs featuring all three parks are also available. Learn more about Wet ‘n Wild Orlando.

You could walk to Wet ‘n Wild from today’s hotel. The Holiday Inn Orlando International Drive Resort is located just a quarter-mile from the water park is currently running awesome off-season rates.

Have fun!

Note: The hardest part of writing about Wet ‘n Wild? Remembering where to put the apostrophe.

Now here’s a cool one. Forget your cushy bus tours, sleepy Segway strolls and caviar cruises, we’ve got a tour that’ll really give you something to talk about. Something to get you back to nature … so close, in fact, it could bite you (but it won’t).

Ride-the-Wind Airboat Adventures is one of the best tours of the Florida Everglades we’ve come across. Just nine lucky passengers blast off with Captain Randy Meeker on a custom high-performance airboat for a multi-hour tour. Skim the wetlands, wind whipping by, and keep your eyes out for stately birds, lively fish and, of course, grinning gators.

Don’t worry, you’ll see plenty of each. No whale watching woe here.

Captain Randy specializes in private airboat tours. Regardless of whether you’ve got the full nine passengers, he’ll only take your group on the tour. He puts it perfectly on his Web site: a private charter means you won’t be bothered by loud, obnoxious people … unless you bring them with you.

The sights are engrossing and the animals a treat to watch, but the tours really come together on the personable, fun-loving professionalism of Captain Randy. A certified United States Coast Guard Captain first and consummate tour guide second, he brings together the perfect balance of knowledge and lighthearted spirit. Just don’t give him a hard time for being lazy, because the upside is that you get to drive the boat (so much fun!).

And not just any boat. Ride-the-Wind’s custom airboats have been overhauled and modified to reduce noise and improve performance. As Captain Randy will tell you, his airboats can go so many places that other, overcrowded tour companies just can’t. There’s even a custom pilot seat for when the passengers take over.

Customizability is really what it’s all about. They have several launch ramps to use all around the Fort Lauderdale outskirts, depending partly on weather and seasonal conditions, and also on what you’re hoping to get out of your tour. Start times are negotiable, tour length is negotiable, destinations are negotiable. These are custom tours.

Prices are less negotiable. Ride-the-Wind charges charter rates by hour, meaning you pay for the boat, not by person, and each tour has a maximum of nine passengers. The most popular two-hour tour costs $350, and you can add time at roughly $100/hour above that. For something that I can only imagine is truly awesome, consider a night ride (custom rates only). Haven’t tried one myself, but I definitely look forward to it.

Advanced reservations are required. Launch point will be decided at time of reservation (with detailed directions provided). Ready for your Ride-the-Wind Airboat Adventure? Contact Captain Randy today.

For vacations in Fort Lauderdale, we almost always stay in nearby Hollywood Beach. Why? Because there’s a beach there! For Hollywood, Florida hotels, we’re fond of the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach. The hotel has a clean, modern and upscale appeal, plus you can walk to the beach.

Have fun!

Our friends at sister blog South Florida Travel Guide did all the leg work for me on this one. See the original story here.

Enough slasher films have been set in tropical paradises, I think, to justify finding yourself a little scare-tainment next time you head through the Palm Beach area. That’s why we recommend Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, Florida.

This large haunted attraction is only open nine days, but they’re packing them front to back with top-quality scares. At the heart of the operation lurks a trio of haunted houses: 

• Next of Kin – Will you risk a confrontation with a vicious family of mutants? Folks of this humble town have locked themselves away in their houses, but you don’t have that luxury.
• Origins – A unique story-driven scare. You catch glimpses into the origins of a sadistic serial killer-to-be. Watch in horror as his perversions grow ever more twisted. Love this one!
• Malpractice – Doctor of experimental surgery, Dr. Andrue, loses his job at Pittsburgh General, and let’s just say he finds it a very freeing experience. His business is crazy, and business is good.

The houses are intense; not recommended for younger guests. However, unlike most haunted attractions, Fright Nights does cater to younger guests as well. On-site Yesteryear Village has been converted to Spookyville, a not-spooky-at-all family village where little ones can play games, play with crafts and walk a generous trick or treat trail. Costumes encouraged.

Finally, the whole shebang also features a nightly carnival, with midway games and all your favorite carnival concessions. That’s a whole lot of fun for one upfront admission!

Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach runs tonight through Saturday, and then again next week, Thursday to Saturday. That’s six more chances to do it all. Combo house and unlimited ride tickets cost $25. Learn more.

I’d probably hear about it from the other blog if I recommended anywhere else, so for hotels near West Palm Beach, we’d stay at our favorite Singer Island resort, the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront. Nothing like a little beachfront vakay to scare those frights away.

Have fun!

Still looking for haunted fun? There’s only a few days left to check out any of our favorite haunted houses in American. Check out all of our coverage.

Seems like every time we head to Florida we talk about some horizon-blotting, ecological footprint-having, multimillion dollar man-made thing – from Disneyworld to Universal Studios to the Kennedy Space Center. Don’t get me wrong, we love’em, but I thought we’d take a step back this time and let the natural beauty of the Florida coastline speak for itself. It’s time to check out the Wild Side Tours of Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Okay, so the boat is certainly man-made, but the scenery is pure Mother Nature. The Wild Side Tours Company boasts a catalog of nature, sunset and variety tours highlighting the Thousand Islands nature reserve near Cocoa Beach, Florida. Load up on a cozy 22-passenger catamaran and listen to the relaxing tones of the shoreline, the coastal birds and Captain Ben, a retired science teacher and all-round Florida enthusiast.

From the Banana River to the Thousand Islands, the estuaries of the Indian River support a more diverse ecology than anywhere else in the United States, and thanks to the smaller format of the tour, Captain Ben can take you closer than any other.

The sight and sounds of the daily cruises varies by the season. Right now, expect to see vibrant flocks of tropical birds, the splashing of playful dolphins and, through the end of October, the blubbery sea cow itself, the manatee. During the height of the summer season, the area population of manatees bloats to one of the largest along our national coastline, making for some great sightseeing opportunities. (And don’t worry, Captain Ben knows how to drive for the safety of both passengers and aquatic friends below).

From November to May, called the dry season, sunset cruises are especially popular. The radiant beauty of the Florida coast and the Thousands Islands at sunset should be on everyone’s life time must-see list. Captain Ben also hosts the occasional variety tour, like shuttle launch viewings. Again, the boat only holds 20 paying passengers, so request tickets early for these events (check the calendar on the Web site for upcoming events).

Wild Side Tours also offers fishing tours (once again, Captain Ben proves the able professional) as well as private charters for everything from professional nature photography groups to unforgettable birthday parties.

Regular cruises last 2 – 2 ½ hours and cover 10-15 miles. Regular adult admission is $32. Learn more about Wild Side Tours of Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Stay just a few minutes from the dock, and enjoy a comfortable family hotel in Cocoa Beach, at the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Resort Hotel. This surprisingly affordable property feature amenities well beyond your average Holiday Inn, including extensive sports and game facilities.

Have fun!

You can tell a good scare park by the names of the attractions. If they’re genuinely scary, or genuinely cheesy, you’re in for a good time. If they’re boring, well, then you’re not. With names like Leave it to Cleaver, Lights Camera Hacktion, and Horrorwood Die-In, it’s pretty obvious where Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Orlando lies.

We’re barely more than a week away from the start of all the Halloween scare-tainment, and we’ve got another big one for you. Halloween Horror Nights has the budget and real estate of a major theme park behind it, and they’ve managed to pack it dangerously full of movie magic, nostalgic fun and some blood-curdling frights. “Amusement Today” even voted it the country’s best Halloween event.

In keeping with the spirit of the park, the theme of Halloween Horror Nights is “ripped from the Silver Screen”. Classic, and some not-so-classic, movie monsters have escaped their celluloid prisons and have taken up scaring the heebie-jeebies out of the guests. With an entire park at its disposal, Halloween Horror Nights offers a staggering 8 haunted houses, 6 scare zones and even two live shows.

We know it’s the houses that matter most, and we recommend pushing hard and seeing as many as you can. A maze based on the Saw franchise sounds gruesome enough, though the promise to make the guest “feel pain” is one promise they (hopefully) can’t keep. Chucky: Friends Til the End is a terrifying romp in the world of a most demented doll. But the most disturbing and delightfully twisted of all must be Leave it to Cleaver. I think their writers put it best: “Meet me at Meetz…the Z stands for Cannibal.”

Speaking of cannibals: Apocalypse: City of Cannibals sounds like one particularly unpleasant scare zone, and it’s joined by other nasty neighborhoods like the Horrorwood Die-In, a theme town based on the upcoming vampire picture Cirque du Freak, and the simply titled Containment. You can also see a live tribute to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and a Halloween-themed tribute to my wife’s all time favorite, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

General admission is $69.99 online and can sell out, so be sure to purchase for specific dates in advance. If you’re an area resident, you can save additional money at the Florida resident rate, and also take advantage of the Frequent Fear Pass, which offers admission on 13 specific days for the price of one. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando runs from September 25 through October 31, dark Mondays and Tuesdays.

This event is not recommended for children under 13. Learn more about it all here.

Stay near to the park at one of our favorite hotels in Orlando, Florida, the Holiday Inn Orlando International Drive. They’re currently offering a package with tickets to Universal Studios, so why not check out the regular park once before seeing the whole thing with gory new eyes the next day?

Have fun at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando.

We’ve featured some cool auto shows in the past, but not one that would transport you from venue to venue in pure gearhead style. Leave it to the folks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to take it to the next level, and what’s more, to do it on water.

This is no auto show; this is the 2009 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. With 49 blockbuster events under its belt and the big five-oh coming up in just a couple months, what better time to start making plans to attend the largest public boat show in the world?

At the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, they go big, but they don’t go fancy. This thing is all about the boats. This year they’ve locked down six venues and 3 million square feet of show floor. Thousands of boats will be on display – yachts, super yachts, leisure boats – estimating a total value of more than 3 billion dollars. And while looking over the ladies, you can also stop by dozens of exhibitor and manufacturer booths talking and shopping engines, electronics and accessories.

Here’s one of my favorite parts: you can cruise from venue to venue without stepping anywhere near a car. Both a paid water shuttle and free riverboat are serving multiple stops along the waterfront, mostly with direct access to the show venue. It’s a fun, fast and in-the-spirit way to get around the show. As an added benefit, the sightseeing is fantastic, especially for Fort Lauderdale first-timers.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2009 is a four-day event running October 30 through November 2, with a special preview night on Thursday, October 29. General admission tickets are $16 online and valid for one day’s admission. A two-day option is also available.

Learn more about the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2009.

Great place though it is, we rarely stay in Fort Lauderdale. Just a hop, skip and a jump away is the cozy beach community of Hollywood, Florida, and that’s where we’re headed this time.

For hotels near Ft. Lauderdale, consider the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Hotel. This stylish beachfront hotel is in the process of rolling out off-season rates, and you definitely stand to benefit. Stay more than comfortable, do it more affordably than ever, and have a great time at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

I can’t decide what caused us more trouble, putting the Columbus Zoo ahead of San Diego in our Top 10 Zoos in America feature, or putting the Lion Country Safari all the way up at #3.

Whichever way, we meant it then, and we still love the place today. I think it’s finally time we take a closer look at our own #3 zoo in America, the Lion Country Safari African Adventure.

The first drive-through safari park in the country, Lion Country Safari is something you feel like you know. From The Simpsons to Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, the image of groups and families trekking the golden plains of Africa, or a facsimile thereof, in search of the unadorned wild is a part of American pop culture.

The trend never took off in a major way, but the best is still in business, and we’re happy to have it.

Lion Country Safari has expanded to include a “walk-through safari” (i.e. a zoo), but the original attraction is still the highlight. The massive preserve is divided into seven sections cultivated and fashioned after various distinct regions in Africa, South American and India.

The king of the jungle, and this park, is the mighty African Lion. The pride is kept in its own paddock, called the Gorongosa Reserve, for fairly obvious reasons: lions would happily eat most of the rest of the park. A trip to Gorongosa is a consistent fan favorite and something you shouldn’t miss.

Not far off you’ll trek the famous Serengeti Plains, home of ostriches, wildebeests and majestic African Elephants, the largest of all land animals. Be sure to continue your journey into the Hwange National Park, where some of the most famous creatures of African are free to roam about. White Rhinoceroses, Zebras, Chimpanzees, Giraffes – you’ll see them all.

That’s just a sample. You can bet there’s plenty more to discover, so don’t forget your camera!

Price of admission also includes access to Safari World, a walk-through park featuring several species of bird, monkey, goat, snake and many more. Safari World also diversifies the experience with feeding exhibits, carnival rides, a river cruise attraction and concessions. It’s no substitute, but included with the regular admission, Safari World is worth a walk.

Lion Country Safari is open year-round. Regular admission is $24, and there’s a lot of value packed into those dollars. We recommend viewing the FAQ for tips visiting the park, or head straight to the main page here.

For hotels near West Palm Beach and Lion Country Safari, we like the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort. Located on Singer Island, a beach resort destination, the Hilton is one of the most family-friendly options in the area. They’ve even got a package featuring tickets.

Have fun.