Archive for January, 2012

Winter Travel Destinations! Hidden Gems of Orlando

Orlando Florida

When winter grays descends and spring seems a distant memory, a trip to the sunshine may be just the ticket. You have done Disney World, you say? Look a little further. There is more to Orlando than its famous mouse.

Visitors flocking to Orlando to escape the winter blues will find plenty to explore along Park Avenue in Winter Park. Park Avenue is perfect for an afternoon of window-shopping. Stroll along until you find the perfect outdoor cafe for people watching. On Saturdays the local farmer’s market is a colorful affair offering fresh produce of every kind.

disney world orlando

Tired of shopping? Take in some natural beauty. Harry P. Leu Gardens overlooking Lake Rowena offers 50-acres of wandering paths through a butterfly garden, citrus grove and dozens of other flower and plant environments. Tours are available of The Leu House Museum, a 19th century building listed in the National Register of Historic Places . Check local listings for movie nights and concerts hosted in the gardens.

Golfers seeking sun out on the links may want to rent a car for a day trip out to RedTail, a private course that is also open for public use. Red Tail is considered challenging and is less expensive than courses that are connected to resorts.

Tourists sometimes overlook the science, technology and history of Kennedy Space Center. Where else you can go to see the actual Space Shuttle launch pad or a garden of rockets reaching 10 stories high?

When you are ready to put your feet up, plenty of accommodations await, from charming B&Bs to contemporary condos. A perfect combination of luxury and convenience, the Peabody Orlando is a four-star hotel just a brief drive from some of the city’s best-known tourist sites. Universal Orlando, Sea World and yes, Disney World, can be explored easily with the Peabody Orlando as home base.

Meet the hotels most famous inhabitants while you are there: the Peabody Ducks. These five lucky mallards have permanent penthouse accommodations and march the hotels marble halls each morning on their way to the hotels fountain. Join the Peabody Ducks and fly south for the winter. The hidden gems of Orlando are waiting to be discovered.

Brussels! Business and pleasure in the heart of europe

brussels streets

Brussels is a fine city, bursting with culture, amenities, food and beer. It is the perfect city to do business in because it presents you with the best of both worlds – everything you need to ensure you can work efficiently plus all you could want for entertainment during those non-working hours. Considered the Heart of Europe, Brussels is the capital of Belgium and provides a warm welcome for every business traveller – especially those seeking some quality free-time activities too.



Business
A city ideal for business, Brussels bird eye viewBrussels has an impressive infrastructure and support network that ensures companies can work without a hitch and business travelers can conduct their tasks with ease. In fact, each year Brussels is home to more than 70,000 registered meetings and exhibitions – and that’s because of the range of venues available.

Holiday Inn Meetings, for example, are designed for the professional so if you’re in Brussels for business, you should consider using the facilities. Whether it’s a fairly intimate meeting you want to arrange or a massive theatre-style conference for hundreds of colleagues, Holiday Inn can meet your needs. As food matters in Brussels, you can be sure of a hearty working lunch or breakfast during your meeting too.

Brussels also benefits from a central location, making it easy to reach from other European cities including London, Paris and Berlin. The links are excellent to major cities so you can hold meetings in Brussels in the morning and return home again in the afternoon, or simply enjoy a leisurely few hours meandering your way around the city.

As a compact city, walking is an option for getting around Brussels in a stress-free manner. Rather than waiting for a cab or fighting your way onto public transport, like you have to in London for instance, you can stroll from meeting to meeting. Plus, there isn’t the language barrier of many major business cities in Europe as most people in Brussels speak English and certainly business is conducted in English.

Brussels city center
Pleasure
When your meetings are over, why not discard your laptop and tie, pop on a pair of comfy shoes and head on out into the city of food, beer and culture?

If you enjoy food, Brussels will delight. And you don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to be sure of a really good meal, either, as most cafes will serve delicious bowls of the classic Belgian dish mussels and chips. Other favourites include waterzooi soup, a stew-like soup traditionally made with fish and vegetables, and waffles. To top off your meal, you can choose between the 400 different types of beer that Brussels has to offer!

Brussels is also a paradise for chocolate lovers, where you’ll find streets lined with the finest chocolate shops in the world as well as a Chocolate Museum which lets you watch as the delectable sweet brown stuff is made right in front of you. After all, this city is home to famous chocolatiers like Godiva.

Of course, there’s more to this city than food and beer, and you’ll find ample activities to keep you busy for an hour or two in between meetings and also for whole days. There are museums, art galleries and fairs that are worth exploring, and cities like Amsterdam and Luxembourg are only a stone’s throw away and perfect for a day trip. In addition, the beautiful squares, historic buildings and sights are enough to make simply walking around Brussels a delight.