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THE HOTEL ZAMORA ZINGS WITH ZESTY SPANISH FLAVORS AND DÉCOR

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The rooftop bar opens July 9, 2015 and has 360 views

The rooftop bar opens July 9, 2015 and has 360 views


The Hotel Zamora Castile Restaurant

The Hotel Zamora Castile Restaurant


Full disclosure: I have not actually been to The Hotel Zamora, but was introduced to its amenities and styling modeled after Zamora, Spain, at a press lunch held at Kasa Restaurant and Bar in Orlando, FL. While this review is to introduce you to the recently built The Hotel Zamora on St. Petersburg Beach, FL, I must also recommend you try Kasa Restaurant’s fare.
Think of The Hotel Zamora as a gangly teen struggling to keep up with his/her unprecedented growth spurt. Though open only since July, 2014 and the first new hotel to be built in St. Petersburg in decades,  The Hotel Zamora’s 72-room Mediterranean styling and Read more

9th GRADERS SPARK LIFE INTO ELIZABETHAN ARTS

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L to R: Natasha, The Psychic Lady and Melanie LaJoie ply their

L to R: Natasha, The Psychic Lady and Melanie LaJoie ply their “fortune telling” skills at the mystics tent.


Empire-waist dresses, ballooning poet sleeves, puffed vests, monks’ robes, and flower garland crowns gilded young damsels and lords, countrymen and artisans as they passed through the village. Elizabethan history breathed life through the halls of the 500 building of the Winter Park 9th Grade Center as hundreds of English class students dressed in period finery passed from room to room, each representing a craft, skill or facet of life in a Renaissance village.
Trumpeters, flautists, and other musicians entertained. Jesters juggled. Artists painted. Weavers peddled their looms, apothecary shopkeepers displayed their potions and herbs. The King’s Banquet Room laid out tables of fruits, sandwiches, shepherd’s pie, bread pudding, pies, cookies and other foods suitable for feasting. Faces were painted and a milliner’s store offered hats, hair jewels and hair braiding. There were games of chance, games of physical challenge, and next to the mystics tent a Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – MAY, 2015

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Relax in the new Serenity by the sea Spa atThe Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in South Walton, FL

Relax in the new Serenity by the sea Spa atThe Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in South Walton, FL

In this issue: Hot deals across the globe; Two cities party through the summer

HOT DEALS

Seventy-two percent of American business travelers extend their executive trips with a leisure component, which is why the AAA Four Diamond Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach, FL has created “Benefits of Bleisure*” for meeting travelers during select dates, beginning April 27 through September 10. The Shores Resort took the survey responses conducted by BridgeStreet Global Hospitality to heart, which also indicates that six out of 10 are more likely to take bleisure trips today than they did five years ago. With the Shores Resort program, rates will start at $109 and extend over weekend days for leisure stays. Bleisure benefits will include ocean view rooms, a $5.00 rebate per paid and consumed guest room, complimentary parking, waived resort fee, three upgrades to the property’s all-new Cabana Suites, one upgrade to a Presidential Suite, as well as complimentary use of the Ocean Terrace or Atlantic Room for meal functions.  The Bleisure Benefits are available for new groups with a minimum of 50 room nights. Contracts must be received by May 31. The beachside resort has more than 20,000 sf of indoor and outdoor function space, 212 guestrooms and suites offering water views of the Atlantic Ocean or Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway. It recently completed a property-wide renovation.

sales@shoresresort.com; www.ShoresResort.com; (386) 322-7262

Book three nights at Elbow Beach Bermuda and receive the fourth night free. Stay required by September 5. Use promotion code QUEST when booking.

www.elbowbeachbermuda.com; (800) 223-7435

Summer hasn’t officially landed in North America and already there are fall promotions for fall, Read more

NEW ORLEANS: SOUR NOTES AND SWEET SOUNDS

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Can you spot the BBQ Shrimp & Grits in this dish? Neither could I. photo by Karen Kuzsel

Can you spot the BBQ Shrimp & Grits in this dish? Neither could I. photo by Karen Kuzsel


Forgive me, Harry Connick Jr, but I was not jazzed up by my recent visit to New Orleans. Matter of fact, if I never return, it’ll be fine by me. Of course, my husband and I loved the beignets at Café du Monde, the Bloody Mary and Margarita at 801 Royal, and the two bands we enjoyed enough at 21st Amendment to return to each twice, but unsure most of the French Quarter was worth the aggravation, sour smells of rotting garbage, urine and vomit; streets clogged by construction and blaring horns; or having to tread very, very carefully with eyes looking down on broken sidewalks. Looking down isn’t advised in a city where we had multiple people intentionally bumping into us (hoping to pick our pockets?) or aggressively thrusting us toward their club, but after several stumbles, I decided looking down was the only way I could safely navigate.
Full disclosure here: I have only been to New Orleans one other time. I was honeymooning with a now-deceased husband and we got food poisoning our first day. We left the next day without really seeing much. I’ve always wondered what I missed.
This trip decades later was my husband Russ’ idea. When we travel, we focus on interesting architecture—usually historic in nature, local cuisine, and people watching. He eats very little seafood and gets sick from any shellfish. I like some Creole and Cajun cooking, but it does not rank high on my list of must-haves. I positively do not like enormous platters of heavy fried food, Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – APRIL, 2015

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BOG Hotel in Bogota, Columbia... just one of the Shopaholic Holiday hotels on sale by Design Hotels

BOG Hotel in Bogota, Columbia… just one of the Shopaholic Holiday hotels on sale by Design Hotels


In this issue: HOT DEALS ON RESORT STAYS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS!
If you ever thought a Hawaiian vacation was unaffordable, think again. With this tropically enticing offer from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii, the longer you stay, the more you save… up to 30% for booking five or more consecutive nights. You must book by April 30, but the offer is good for stays through June 15.
(866) 443-4763 or call your travel agent with promo code 1734B ; www.aulani.com
Hotel Santa Fe The Hacienda & Spa adds a Traditional Native American Blessing by the Governor of the Picuris Pueblo to a 5% discount for any group meeting that spends at least $12,000 and is held by June 30. Additionally, for a $12,000+ booking, the group also receives a private wine reception at this famed Santa Fe luxurious resort. If the booking is between $6,000 and $12,000, you still receive 5% off the master bill, but must choose between the blessing and the wine reception.
http://hotelsantafe.com/
Hawaii blesses the Aulani pool at night with tropical warmth

Hawaii blesses the Aulani pool at night with tropical warmth


Shula’s Hotel and Golf Club takes a swing at the meetings competition with group rates difficult to beat. Book a minimum of 10 rooms per night at this newly renovated property in the heart of Miami Lakes, FL and receive rates of $109 for single/double occupancy and $65 per person for a complete meeting package. With a minimum of 25 rooms per nights, many concessions are optional, from complimentary room for Planner or a round of golf or spa treatment to no resort fees, a complimentary drink for each guest on arrival, or discounted golf rates at The Senator Course at Shula’s Golf Club. Many more options.
Maria Pellitero (305) 820-8053; maria.pellitero@donshulahotel.com
Omni Hotels & Resorts Summer of Music offers are so sweet you may find yourself singing out loud. Planners who book and complete a qualified group meeting by Sept. 27, with a minimum room spend of $15,000 and who successfully complete the Omni Meetings University course will receive one of the following and be entered into a grand prize drawings. Clients who spend $15,000 minimum in F&B are eligible for the same benefits. The Summer of Music grand prize includes the choice of $1,000 cash or two tickets to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 22 – 24, 2016. It includes two round-trip airline tickets to New Orleans and a two-night stay at the Omni Royal Orleans.

  • A GoPro HERO4 Black Edition Camera
  • Master Account credit of $500
  • Charitable donation of $500

Business travel accounts that increase spending by $15,000 from April 16th – September 27th, over the same period in 2014 will also receive their choice of a GoPro HERO4 or a $500 charitable donation, a $500.00 rebate and will be entered into the grand prize drawing. Just in case you need an added incentive, consider this. Any group meeting the qualifying criteria can also claim Select Rewards and a second entry into the grand prize drawing when booking at one of following 14 select hotels or resorts: Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West, Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Omni Jacksonville Hotel, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Omni Los Angeles Hotel, Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, Omni Riverfront Hotel, Omni Royal Crescent Hotel, Omni San Antonio  Hotel at the Colonnade, Omni Severin Hotel, Omni Shoreham Hotel, and the Omni Tucson National Resort.
www.omnihotels.com/meetings; (800) 788-OMNI.
Book and stay at least a one-night at any of four Gaylord Hotels by September 14 and receive an instant resort credit per night. $100 per night at Gaylord National. $50 resort credit per night at Gaylord Palms, Gaylord Opryland and Gaylord Texan with a max of $100 per stay.
(800) GAYLORD. Ask for promotional code ZJL.
Save up to 40% off on Meliá Hotels International beach front destinations. Book by April 17 and travel between June 1 and August 20. Restrictions apply. Two kids up to 10 years old stay for free with two adults. Resort credit can be used for and enjoy a few days in paradise with Kids stay free.  MeliáRewards Resort Credit can be used for room upgrades, YHI Spa services, premium dining reservations, vintage wines and exclusive resort experiences.
www.Meliá.com; (800) 336-3542
If the world renowned festivals don’t lure you to Montréal this summer, the Canadian city has some sizzling discount offers that may seal the deal. Book at least a two-night stay by April 30 on hotels that begin at $99 per night and receive 50% off the second night. You also receive a coupon booklet worth up to $455 to Montréal’s top attractions and activities. There are at least 25 hotels participating. For a full list of properties and prices, http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/Offers/spring. Here are just some of the city’s famed summer festivals.
Digital Spring (March 21 to June 22) -150+ events, ranging from installations to projections to electronic music showcase a daring and innovative digital arts scene, guided by this year’s theme of light.
The Chromatic Festival (May 17 to 23) – multidisciplinary program of visual, audio and interactive experiences high atop Mount Royal and at the Satosphere.
Festival Transamériques (May 21 to June 4) – offers events appealing to fans of contemporary dance and theatre
C2-MTL (May 26 to 28) – a mash-up of business and creativity on the cutting-edge of the next best thing out there. A-list guest speakers include Kevin Spacey, Chelsea Clinton, Andre Agassi, Carolyn Everson (Facebook), Phyllis Lambert and many other luminaries.
MUTEK (May 27 to 31) – mix of music, technology and digital creativity and live performances
MURAL (June 4 to 14) – Montréal’s urban art festival
Festival International de jazz de Montréal (June 26 to July 5) in the city centre.
Osheaga (July 31 to August 2) – rocks out another indie-music spectacular in Parc Jean-Drapeau MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE (July 2 to 12) – reunites the zany, brave and boundary-pushing entertainers, acrobats and aerialists of the circus arts world.
Just for Laughs Festival (July 11 to 25) – street and venue comedy performances
Ten perfect off can buy you lots of souvenirs in many countries, especially if you’re taking advantage of Design Hotels latest offerings. Plan a trip to cities such as Vienna, Istanbul, Hamburg, Stockholm, and Gurgaon in India to Bogota in Colombia to get your shopping on. Most of the properties offer free buffets, free WiFi and an assortment of other benefits if you stay by August 2 and stay at least two nights.
www.designhotels.com/shopaholicholidays
I toast to your travelsKaren Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries.  She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI. She writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, Karen has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – APRIL, 2015

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BOG Hotel in Bogota, Columbia... just one of the Shopaholic Holiday hotels on sale by Design Hotels

BOG Hotel in Bogota, Columbia… just one of the Shopaholic Holiday hotels on sale by Design Hotels

In this issue: HOT DEALS ON RESORT STAYS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS!

If you ever thought a Hawaiian vacation was unaffordable, think again. With this tropically enticing offer from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii, the longer you stay, the more you save… up to 30% for booking five or more consecutive nights. You must book by April 30, but the offer is good for stays through June 15.

(866) 443-4763 or call your travel agent with promo code 1734B ; www.aulani.com

Hotel Santa Fe The Hacienda & Spa adds a Traditional Native American Blessing by the Governor of the Picuris Pueblo to a 5% discount for any group meeting that spends at least $12,000 and is held by June 30. Additionally, for a $12,000+ booking, the group also receives a private wine reception at this famed Santa Fe luxurious resort. If the booking is between $6,000 and $12,000, you still receive 5% off the master bill, but must choose between the blessing and the wine reception.

http://hotelsantafe.com/

Hawaii blesses the Aulani pool at night with tropical warmth

Hawaii blesses the Aulani pool at night with tropical warmth

Shula’s Hotel and Golf Club takes a swing at the meetings competition with group rates difficult to beat. Book a minimum of 10 rooms per night at this newly renovated property in the heart of Miami Lakes, FL and receive rates of $109 for single/double occupancy and $65 per person for a complete meeting package. With a minimum of 25 rooms per nights, many concessions are optional, from complimentary room for Planner or a round of golf or spa treatment to no resort fees, a complimentary drink for each guest on arrival, or discounted golf rates at The Senator Course at Shula’s Golf Club. Many more options.

Maria Pellitero (305) 820-8053; maria.pellitero@donshulahotel.com

Omni Hotels & Resorts Summer of Music offers are so sweet you may find yourself singing out loud. Planners who book and complete a qualified group meeting by Sept. 27, with a minimum room spend of $15,000 and who successfully complete the Omni Meetings University course will receive one of the following and be entered into a grand prize drawings. Clients who spend $15,000 minimum in F&B are eligible for the same benefits. The Summer of Music grand prize includes the choice of $1,000 cash or two tickets to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 22 – 24, 2016. It includes two round-trip airline tickets to New Orleans and a two-night stay at the Omni Royal Orleans.

  • A GoPro HERO4 Black Edition Camera
  • Master Account credit of $500
  • Charitable donation of $500

Business travel accounts that increase spending by $15,000 from April 16th – September 27th, over the same period in 2014 will also receive their choice of a GoPro HERO4 or a $500 charitable donation, a $500.00 rebate and will be entered into the grand prize drawing. Just in case you need an added incentive, consider this. Any group meeting the qualifying criteria can also claim Select Rewards and a second entry into the grand prize drawing when booking at one of following 14 select hotels or resorts: Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West, Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Omni Jacksonville Hotel, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Omni Los Angeles Hotel, Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, Omni Riverfront Hotel, Omni Royal Crescent Hotel, Omni San Antonio  Hotel at the Colonnade, Omni Severin Hotel, Omni Shoreham Hotel, and the Omni Tucson National Resort.

www.omnihotels.com/meetings; (800) 788-OMNI.

Book and stay at least a one-night at any of four Gaylord Hotels by September 14 and receive an instant resort credit per night. $100 per night at Gaylord National. $50 resort credit per night at Gaylord Palms, Gaylord Opryland and Gaylord Texan with a max of $100 per stay.

(800) GAYLORD. Ask for promotional code ZJL.

Save up to 40% off on Meliá Hotels International beach front destinations. Book by April 17 and travel between June 1 and August 20. Restrictions apply. Two kids up to 10 years old stay for free with two adults. Resort credit can be used for and enjoy a few days in paradise with Kids stay free.  MeliáRewards Resort Credit can be used for room upgrades, YHI Spa services, premium dining reservations, vintage wines and exclusive resort experiences.

www.Meliá.com; (800) 336-3542

If the world renowned festivals don’t lure you to Montréal this summer, the Canadian city has some sizzling discount offers that may seal the deal. Book at least a two-night stay by April 30 on hotels that begin at $99 per night and receive 50% off the second night. You also receive a coupon booklet worth up to $455 to Montréal’s top attractions and activities. There are at least 25 hotels participating. For a full list of properties and prices, http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/Offers/spring. Here are just some of the city’s famed summer festivals.

Digital Spring (March 21 to June 22) -150+ events, ranging from installations to projections to electronic music showcase a daring and innovative digital arts scene, guided by this year’s theme of light.

The Chromatic Festival (May 17 to 23) – multidisciplinary program of visual, audio and interactive experiences high atop Mount Royal and at the Satosphere.

Festival Transamériques (May 21 to June 4) – offers events appealing to fans of contemporary dance and theatre

C2-MTL (May 26 to 28) – a mash-up of business and creativity on the cutting-edge of the next best thing out there. A-list guest speakers include Kevin Spacey, Chelsea Clinton, Andre Agassi, Carolyn Everson (Facebook), Phyllis Lambert and many other luminaries.

MUTEK (May 27 to 31) – mix of music, technology and digital creativity and live performances

MURAL (June 4 to 14) – Montréal’s urban art festival

Festival International de jazz de Montréal (June 26 to July 5) in the city centre.

Osheaga (July 31 to August 2) – rocks out another indie-music spectacular in Parc Jean-Drapeau MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE (July 2 to 12) – reunites the zany, brave and boundary-pushing entertainers, acrobats and aerialists of the circus arts world.

Just for Laughs Festival (July 11 to 25) – street and venue comedy performances

Ten perfect off can buy you lots of souvenirs in many countries, especially if you’re taking advantage of Design Hotels latest offerings. Plan a trip to cities such as Vienna, Istanbul, Hamburg, Stockholm, and Gurgaon in India to Bogota in Colombia to get your shopping on. Most of the properties offer free buffets, free WiFi and an assortment of other benefits if you stay by August 2 and stay at least two nights.

www.designhotels.com/shopaholicholidays

I toast to your travelsKaren Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries.  She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI. She writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, Karen has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady

Tour Touts Tasty Treats in Tony Winter Park

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Widowmaker: a killer pizza from Prato in Winter Park. photo by Karen Kuzsel

Widowmaker: a killer pizza from Prato in Winter Park. photo by Karen Kuzsel


If food tours were people, they’d be my new besties.
What’s not to like? On the tours I’ve taken, you make stops at locally known restaurants and stores to sample a dish and/or an adult beverage the hosts hope entices your return. More than just a walking tour through a neighborhood catering to a particular ethnicity or style of food, I enjoy the running commentary by amiable tour guides about iconic architecture and historic anecdotes that are typically included. My recent Sunday afternoon strolling along sunny Park Avenue in the upscale neighborhood of Winter Park, FL with my husband Russ and our friends, Sandy and Dom Pizzarusso, for the three-hour jaunt with Orlando Food Tours was one of our best food tours to date.
There are several reasons why this particular tour looked to be a winner even before we hooked up with our guide, Marshall, and the other eight folks on our tour. (The groups are usually no more than a dozen anywhere to facilitate conversation and easier serving for the various venues.)
One, Orlando Food Tours is a fairly new company so we were eager to jump on a LivingSocial coupon that discounted the price a tad. Everyone loves a bargain, right? Having that discount pushed us to try this unknown company’s offering. Second, even a fussy eater like my husband (a meat and potatoes Iowa man who can’t eat shellfish) would be able to indulge in each of the offerings. And that brings up another reason. Most tours don’t tell you exactly where you’re going or what types of food you’ll sample. This tour gives you the rundown upfront, with the stipulation that there could be last minute substitutions. On our registration form, we were even asked if we Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – March 2015

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The elegance of Das Stue in Berlin, Germany, one of DesignHotels.com properties

The elegance of Das Stue in Berlin, Germany, one of DesignHotels.com properties

In Orlando, we’ve skipped Spring and jumped straight into 88-degrees of Summer. In Boston, their renowned St. Patrick’s Day Parade had to be cancelled due to impending snow atop already record-breaking blankets of white that have created mountains where once concrete ruled the pavement. No matter where you are and no matter what your weather, escape can be a car, train, boat or plane ride away.
HOT DEALS
DesignHotels.com is one of my favorite websites to ponder when I’m dreaming the dream of exotic travel. Now, instead of having to scroll through each country’s options, Design Hotels has compiled their latest 279 handpicked exotic hotels locations among 178 worldwide destinations into one 500+ page guide that you can peruse at leisure, earmarking the must-dos for your next getaway. There are glorious photographs and behind-the-scenes stories of the Original hoteliers who created them. Pre-order this edition of The Design Hotels™ Book 2015 by March 31, 2015 and you become eligible to win a two-night stay at one of five great Design Hotels™ properties in Stockholm, Berlin, London, Hong Kong, or Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – FEBRUARY 2015

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hotel sezz paris, in the Design Hotels collection

hotel sezz paris, in the Design Hotels collection


In this issue: New shows at Disneyland ignite meetings
Emeril Lagasse highlights Florida’s culinary scene
Design Hotels discounts 15% on luxury hotels
DISNEYLAND PAINTS THE SKY WITH FIREWORKS, COLOR AND MEMORIES
New technology and immersive special effects are adding more pomp to the circumstance of meetings held at Disneyland Resort. The three nighttime sky spectacles—“Paint the Night” and “Disneyland Forever” at the Disneyland Park and “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure Park begin May 22 as part of Disneyland’s (60th) Diamond Celebration. Walt Disney opened Disneyland July 17, 1955. More than 1.5 million individually controlled lights illuminate the new “Paint the Night” parade, the first all-LED parade at the resort. “Disneyland Forever” sets a new standard for theme park fireworks. An oversized projection mapping technology will create vivid story scenes onto park icons, such as the Matterhorn. Mickey Mouse narrates “World of Color,” which tells the story of Walt Disney and the Happiest Place on Earth through fountains, film, animation, and a stirring musical score. Private viewing locations for “World of Color” make the show ideal for receptions and dessert parties of up to 9,000 people. The show is available for buy-outs and can be customized Read more

FLORIDA FUN: AN OVERNIGHT ESCAPE TO MELBOURNE AND CAPE CANAVERAL (at the Port)

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Exploration Tower's ode to the ocean hanging sculpture. photo by Karen Kuzsel

Exploration Tower’s ode to the ocean hanging sculpture. photo by Karen Kuzsel


This begins my new “column” called Florida Fun. I realized when I was on this overnight getaway to Melbourne and Port Canaveral that I have written about many wonderful day trips, events, restaurants, adventures and venues, without drawing attention to them as tourist and group destinations within Florida and without including theme parks in the same breath.
Not that I don’t write about theme parks elsewhere in my blog or for magazines. I love theme parks. I consider myself a theme park-aholic without being obsessive, but I also realized how many Florida places I visit that perhaps others would enjoy knowing. So, here it is, the premiere of Florida Fun.
My husband and my recent 30-hour adventure began when he booked us into the Residence Inn Melbourne, located near Read more