Coming Home…

reposted from the i.seekissimmee.com website...

While many people who come to the Kissimmee area are visitors – there are some of us who can call Kissimmee “home” – and I am fortunate enough to be one of those people. This past week has been an opportunity for me, as a local, and for my family, who are essentially experiencing things for the first time, to explore some of the lesser known treasures that you can find in the Central Florida area. One of the best parts about Kissimmee is the fact that you can pretty much go anywhere on a tankful, explore for the day, and still make it home in time for supper.

We’ve had a wonderful time visiting local haunts and haunting locals – swimming like fish, and swimming with the fishes! There have been attractions I’ve never heard of and old favorites too. I’ve never realized how much fun and how exhausting it could be until I’ve had the chance to truly go exploring in my home town. Thanks to many of our local attraction business partners, we were able to coordinate some “behind the scenes” tours and get the real lo-down on our city charms. I have to say that the most surprising place for me to visit was by far, the Marineland Dolphin Adventure. I like to consider myself to be a lifetime learner – and it was here that I was able to not only have a lot of fun with the kids and the dolphins, but I also learned a lot about an old time amusement. I never knew that this place existed in the early 30’s – and just had a great time learning about the changes and advancements Marineland had been through over the years.

Exploring my own city and doing day trips is just more encouragement for me to take some time off and go digging around town instead of staying home and catching up on the laundry! The chance to see the look of excitement and wonder on our children’s faces as we went from one place to another… priceless. Here’s hoping to another vacation and having the opportunity to share it with everyone again in the future! If I’ve tuned anyone in to exploring some of our hidden gems, or to take a stay-cation anywhere – then I’ve done my job! I challenge you, tourist or local, to take a trip on a tankful or to visit one of our lesser known venues… and surprise yourself [or your family] next vacation! And I thank you for coming along with myself [and my family] as we traveled from our own backyard to St. Augustine and home!

Time for some Crack-a-Lackin’ pool fun!

reposted from the i.seekissimmee.com website...

This morning we checked into the Gaylord Palms Hotel - I could feel myself relaxing already! Luxurious greenery & the sound of rustling water… we got to walk through the caves that made you feel like you were immersed in the Everglades. Thanks to a very “Consider It Done” attitude – we were able to thoroughly enjoy our stay here. We managed to move to a room that had access to a glass elevator & a nearby staircase. Many would wonder why this is an important thing – but one of our girls is afraid of elevators. The staff was excellent & went out of their way to make our experience memorable. After finally settling in to our room (which was gorgeous, we might add!) we headed down to the Cypress Springs Family Fun Park!

This is a pretty new addition to the Gaylord Palms – and it has BUCKETLOADS of fun! Here, you can find a tree house full of water spigots and splash zones you can explore, a large bucket that dumps gallons of water from overhead, a special toddler play area! We had such a good time that the kids didn’t want to leave! We stopped over at the Haggen-Daaz shop for ice creams too! Later that evening, we all went back down for the Crack-A-Lackin’ Pool Party, hosted by the characters from Madagascar! There was dancing, games, a gargantuous beach ball – so much fun in one pool! We stayed for about half of the movie showing at the splash-in theatre… but I think the kids wore themselves out having so much fun.

Our room was … opulent! I loved the gorgeous views from our balcony looking out towards the St. Augustine inspired atrium. I probably slept one of the best nights’ rest in a long time – and I wasn’t sure if I liked our room or the grounds more – lol. All in all, whether you’re visiting from out of town, or you’re a local looking for a stay-cation … I think it’s safe to say that the Gaylord Palms has all the comforts and entertainment you could ask for!

Bright Lights & Nostalgia in Kissimmee

reposted from the i.seekissimmee.com website...

Today was pretty much a day of R&R – with so much to do right at your fingertips, sometimes you just need to take a vacation from vacation, right? It also holds a special, more personal meaning for me, as it’s my anniversary!  Well, our agenda was basically to chill out, have some BBQ with friends, and go watch the fireworks! I feel fortunate to be able to call downtown Kissimmee my home, as there is so much to do, with special events, movie nights, arts & crafts shows – and so much more! This year, they brought out the Monumental 4th of July and we were looking forward to it! We were sooo excited to be able to just walk on down and join in all the fun.

"...a glorious sight, with the harvest moon set low in the sky and the reflections of the fireworks gleaming in the waters of Lake Toho..."

Early afternoon brought us a Naturalization ceremony for many residents who are becoming US Citizens. What better day to commemorate citizenship than on the 4th of July?! Later on, the festivities began… there was a kids zone and music and plenty of food for everyone that went on right up until the buildup for the fireworks. We moseyed on down to the lakefront (you could still hear the band playing patriotic music in the distance) with the kids, spread out our blankets and got ready for the show.

As always, Kissimmee knows how to do their fireworks! What a glorious sight, with the harvest moon set low in the sky and the reflections of the fireworks gleaming in the waters of Lake Tohopekaliga – well, let’s just say it had the kids quiet for the duration of the whistles and booms and oohs and ahhs! That included my husband, who comes from the UK, and has never really seen fireworks done up the way we like to do them. The finale came, with cheers and clapping from the crowd and the last few strains of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” – sending us all home with a touch of nostalgia. Hope everyone had a happy & safe 4th of July!