The Sunshine State has it all - and it gets better all the time
(The following listings are organized by city from North to South)

Attractions

AMELIA ISLAND – The Royal Amelia Golf Club is the newest addition at Amelia Island Plantation. It boasts immaculate TifEagle greens, well-manicured fairways and smooth bunkers. The acquisition of the club offers a total of 72-championship holes offered to the resort’s golfers. (888) 213-8045. www.aipfl.com.

KISSIMMEE – One of Kissimmee’s premier dinner attractions, Arabian Nights, has recently made its show even more magical. Among the additions are two genies, dazzling new costumes, 15 new horses, the magic of Michael Barron before and during the show and an expanded menu featuring a New York strip steak. (407) 239-9223. www.arabian-nights.com.

TAMPA – The Asian Gardens exhibit, one of the oldest at Lowry Park Zoo, has undergone extensive renovations to reflect the style and architecture of Southeast Asia, with new additions including a large free-flight aviary themed after the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The zoo has also announced its addition of a spacious outdoor exhibit featuring a new colony of African penguins. (813) 935-8552. www.lowryparkzoo.com.

TAMPA – Pirates 4-D, a thrilling comedic 4-D adventure is the newest show to invade the Timbuktu Theater at Busch Gardens. The show stars Leslie Nielson and combines special-effects technology with multi-sensory theater effects to thrill guests of all ages. www.buschgardens.com.

FORT LAUDERDALE – Three new IMAX experiences hit the six-story screen this summer at the Museum of Discovery and Science & Blockbuster IMAX Theater. Tour ancient Egypt during MUMMIES: Secrets of the Pharohs, opening March 30. Spider-Man 3, digitally re-mastered to fit the giant screen opens May 4 and Dinosaurs Alive! – a 3D tour of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert with paleontologists from the American Museum of Natural History opens May 25. (954) 467-6637. www.mods.org.

MIAMI/KEY WEST – Board the Key West Express, a jet propelled catamaran launching from the Miami Seaquarium. No traffic, no long drive. Getting to the Southernmost Point is half the fun on the three-deck ship, which offers indoor and outdoor seating, onboard food with full bar service and flat screen TVs throughout. Return sail on the same day or on a different day. (866) 593-3779. www.seakeywestexpress.com.

Exhibits

PANAMA CITY BEACH – Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will make its stop at the Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida from May 25-Sept. 3. Hear the story again, and see hundreds of artifacts pulled from the wreckage. (850) 769-4451. www.vac.org.cn.

ORLANDO – Orlando Museum of Art will be presenting This is Our Land: Discovering America and the World through Original Illustrations from Children’s Books from April 7-July 22. The vibrant exhibition includes artwork by more than 80 artists depicting life and times of people in all 50 states and 20 different countries. (407) 896-4231. www.OMArt.org.

ST. PETERSBURG – Dali and the Spanish Baroque will be on display at the Salvador Dali Museum until June 24. Legendary paintings by 17th century masters of Spanish court paintings including Diego de Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, Jusepe de Ribera, Bartolomé Murillo, Alonso Cano, Juan Sánchez Cotán and El Greco. (727) 823-3767. www.salvadordalimuseum.org.

SARASOTA – The renowned Ringling Museum has opened a new wing which will feature two new exhibits. In Our Time: The World As Seen By Magnum Photographers will be held from May 19-Aug.12, and celebrates the innovation and excellence of one of the most important groups in documentary photography: Magnum Photos, Inc. Impressionists from the Brooklyn Museum will be on display from June 16-Sept. 16, showcasing 40 impressionist paintings representing French and American artists. (941) 359-5700.  www.ringling.org.

Festivals/Events

PONTE VEDRA BEACH – The PGA’s best golfers meet again this year at The PLAYER’S Championship from May 7-13. The upcoming tournament will offer improvements to the course as well as a new clubhouse. (888) 859-8334. www.movingtomay.com. 

COCOA BEACH – The city’s Fourth of July celebration will be held at the Cocoa Village Riverfront Park Amphitheater at 7 p.m. The Historic Cocoa Village and 10 sponsors pool to bring the popular event to the community, and the Brevard Symphony Orchestra will play this year. There will be fireworks over the Indian River and activities for all at this free, family-friendly event. www.cocoavillage.com.

DAYTONA BEACH – The Florida International Festival featuring the London Symphony Orchestra will be held July 13-29. The festival will play host to internationally acclaimed performers from the worlds of music and dance. Events take place throughout the Daytona Beach area. (386) 257-7790. www.fif-lso.org.

DAYTONA BEACH – The Second Annual Daytona Beach Jazz Escape will be held Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2. The outdoor festival will feature some of the world’s top jazz and blues musicians. www.daytonabeachjazzescape.org.

JOHN’S PASS (near St. Petersburg) – Pirates will invade John’s Pass Village June 8-10 for John Levique Days, a pirate-themed festival celebrating its discovery. Activities at this free event include a Pirate’s Ball, Pirates and Wenches Auction, costume contests for children and adults, street parade and more. www.johnspass.com.

SARASOTA – The second-annual Savor Sarasota will be held June 1-10. This 10-day dining event will showcase local restaurants and create pubic awareness of the establishments that have helped give the city the one of the highest concentrations of Zagat-rated restaurants in Florida. Thirty restaurants have jumped on board so far, and plan to offer patrons fixed-priced menus and interactive chef demonstrations. www.sarasotafl.org/spirit.

Accommodations and Dining

DESTIN – The Palms Resort and Conference Center on the Emerald Coast is now open and accepting reservations. Two-bedroom junior suites, three-bedroom condos and ground-floor poolside villas accommodate every type of visitor. Trader Vic’s restaurant is on-site, as well as a 12,000 square-foot lagoon pool and full service Polynesian spa, among other amenities. (866) 337-5159. www.abecresorts.com.

APALACHICOLA – Visitors to the quaint fishing village known for its oysters and old-world feel will soon be able to experience the luxury of a first-class vacation as well. The three-story 30-unit Water Street Hotel and Marina is set to open Sept. 1 and combines old Florida-style with premier amenities. The hotel-condo will offer guests and residents master bedrooms in each suite, crew quarters, two baths furnished in Hemingway décor, complete kitchens and daily or weekly maid service. Private verandas overlook the marshes and wetlands of the Apalachicola River. The hotel’s two conference rooms provide enough space for 40 clients, friends or business partners. A 20-slip marina with floating docks, dedicated showers for boaters, WiFi, laundry and concierge service will sit next door. (850) 653-3700. www.waterstreethotel.com.

ORLANDO – Tuscana Resort, new this summer, offers 289 Mediterranean-inspired two- and three-bedroom condos. It’s located only four miles from Disney World and offers impressive amenities including a $2 million clubhouse and pool complex with a poolside bar and café, a 25-seat private movie theater and fully equipped fitness center. (877) 448-8722. www.tuscana.net.

CLEARWATER BEACH – The $170 million, 253-room luxury Sandpearl Resort is scheduled to open its doors in July. It will feature an 11,000 square-foot spa, fitness center and beach club, fine dining with Gulf views, 20,000 square-feet of meeting and event space and 117 condo homes. www.sandpearl.com.

CAPTIVA ISLAND – After 18 months of installing new granite countertops, euro-top bedding and flat panel televisions in the guestrooms, expanding the immaculate pool area to three times its previous size and adding a 24,000 square-foot high-tech meeting space, South Seas Island Resort has opened again. Also during the renovations, Captiva Island Golf Club was re-designed by Chip Powell as one of the Top Five Short Courses in the world.       (877) 597-9696. www.luxuryresorts.com.

NAPLES – The stunning Naples Grande Resort and Club has recently put the finishing touches on a multimillion renovation. The waterfront resort is now home to 474 luxury rooms, multiple restaurants and lounges, and the first Golden Door Spa on the United States’ east coast. www.naplesgranderesort.com.

MARCO ISLAND – The impressive and newly renovated Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa now boasts an infinity-edge pool overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, new resort shopping, dining and golf clubhouse and renovated guest rooms. www.marcoislandmarriott.com.

See Roaming Times Florida section

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