Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Forever Florida The 4,700-acre Crescent J Ranch is a nature preserve that offers a
chance to see native wildlife, Florida flora, and a working cattle ranch by guided tour.
Options include touring by horseback (must reserve at least 24 hr. in advance) or by
Coach Safari , a funky buggy that puts riders on a perch 10 feet above sea level. Allow a
half-day or longer to get here, take the tour, and see the grounds, which also include a
pony-riding ring, hiking trails, and a petting zoo. Note: At press time, Forever Florida
has just opened Zipline Safari, a new eco-themed experience that allows guests an
opportunity to experience Florida's more natural side from high above the tree tops. The
multi-step course (with seven ziplines and two sky bridges above three unique ecosys-
tems) takes 2 1 / 2 hours to complete and is situated more than 50 feet above the ground.
Participants must be at least 10 years old, and weigh between 70 and 275 pounds.
4755 N. Kenansville Rd., St. Cloud (southeast of Kissimmee). & 866/854-3837. www.floridaeco-safaris.
com. Coach tours $28 adult, $22 kids (6-12); horseback $40-$99 per person, up to $399 for overnights;
zipline tours $85. Daily tours at 10am and 1pm. Free parking. Take I-4 exit 64A/U.S. 192 east about
15 miles to U.S. 441, and then go south 7 1 / 2 miles to Forever Florida on the left.
Harry P. Leu Gardens Value This 50-acre botanical garden on the shores of Lake
Rowena offers a serene respite from the theme-park razzle-dazzle. Paths lead through
giant camphors, moss-draped oaks, palms, and camellias—the latter represented by one
of the world's largest collections: 50 species and some 2,000 plants that bloom from
October through March. There are 75 varieties of roses in the site's formal gardens, as
well as orchids, azaleas, desert plants, and colorful annuals and perennials. The attraction
also has palm, bamboo, and butterfly gardens. Businessman Harry P. Leu, who donated
his 49-acre estate to the city in the 1960s, created the gardens. There are $7 guided tours
(a deposit of $25 is required) of his house and the gardens, built in 1888, on the hour
and half-hour (at least 3 weeks advance registration required). The interior has Victorian,
Chippendale, and Empire furnishings and pieces of art. Admission is free Mondays from
9am to noon. It takes about 2 hours to see the house and gardens.
1920 N. Forest Ave. (btw. Nebraska St. and Corrine Dr.). & 407/246-2620. www.leugardens.org. Admis-
sion $7 adults, $2 children grades K-12; free Mon 9am-noon. Gardens daily 9am-5pm; house daily
10am-4pm (closed July). Free parking. Take I-4 exit 85/Princeton St. and go east, right on Mills Ave., and
then left on Virginia Dr. Look for the gardens on your left, just after you go around a curve.
Orlando Museum of Art This local heavyweight handles some of the most pres-
tigious traveling exhibits in the nation. The museum, founded in 1924, hosts special
exhibits throughout the year, but even if you miss one, it's worth a stop to see its rotating
permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century American art, pre-Columbian art dating
from 1200 b.c. to a.d. 1500, and African art. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
2416 N. Mills Ave. (in Loch Haven Park). & 407/896-4231. www.omart.org. Admission $8 adults,
$7 seniors and college students, $5 children 4-17. Tues-Fri 10am-4pm; Sat-Sun noon-4pm. Closed Mon
and major holidays. Free parking. Take I-4 exit 85/Princeton St. east and follow signs to Loch Haven
Park.
7
Orlando Science Center Finds The four-story center, the largest of its kind
in the Southeast, provides 10 exhibit halls that allow visitors to explore everything from
Florida swamps to the arid plains of Mars to the human body. One of the big attractions
is the Dr. Phillips CineDome, a 310-seat theater that presents large-format films, plan-
etarium shows, and laser-light extravaganzas. Just a small sampling of what you can
expect includes exhibits such as KidsTown, where little folks wander in exhibits repre-
senting a miniature version of the big world around them. In one section, there's a
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