ORLANDO: A Different Take

By Karlene Lukovitz

This is one in a series of Off-the-Beaten-Path reports on cities around the world. We know you’re familiar with Disney World and EPCOT; but these city-guides will tell you about places you might overlook-places that our insiders (and long-time residents) have fallen in love with.

“MOUSE-LESS” FAMILY THEME AND NATURE PARKS

The Orlando area offers hundreds of small (but entertaining) theme parks and attractions that are less crowded, easier to navigate, and far cheaper than Mickey’s Place. “If you like, you can do 2-of these parks in a single day, and many offer really special nature and wildlife experiences,” says Jennifer Michaels, family-travel expert for VisitFlorida.com and editor of http://www.familytravelplanet.com/. Here are some of her favorites:

Dinosaur World (5145 Harvey Tew Rd., Plant City FL; Interstate 4, Exit 17; about 1-hour from Orlando) 150-life sized dinosaur replicas in an outdoor, park-like setting — perfect for pre-schoolers and tweens

• Don’t miss the Fossil Dig, where kids ages 3 to 12 sift through sand in search of authentic fossils (shark teeth, sea urchins and more); each child is allowed to keep three mementos.
• In the Boneyard, kids uncover a life-size stegosaurus skeleton.
• The Caves feature a picnic area, dinosaur movies and exhibits.

We have more…A LOT MORE…so please, keep reading!

Sounds kind of crazy, but freezing Chicago is just the spot for some winter time tourists.

Advantages? Yes, there are some.

How about, plenty of good theaters seats, easily available restaurant reservations, and lack of crowds?

But it doesn’t work for everyone. That’s a wee bit of an understatement.

I suggest you click here for an irreverent take on the Wonders of a White Chicago, as well as the details that make Chicago a Tropical Paradise.

At least for some people.

Okay, a few.

How does a picnic in Paris sound?Skipping that over-priced bistro is just one of the money saving tips that can make Europe a better value.

Or skip Europe altogether, and see…New Zealand.

You DON’T have to give up your dreams of exotic travel, if you just click here.

There’s a bit of a Fare War heating up for flights to Ecuador. Aerogal, an emerging Ecuadorian airline, is offering low fares out of Miami to Guayaquil, Ecuador, and American Airlines is undercutting those travel deals.

These low airfares are appealing to a range of travelers, because once you land in Guayaquil, you can make your way to Quito or even the Galapagos Islands, where you’ll find tours that give you the chance to see species of animals that simply can’t be seen anywhere else.

But one-of-a-kind nature excursions aren’t all you’ll find in Ecuador…

This is one in a series of “Off-the-Beaten-Path” reports on cities around the world. We know you’re familiar with the Vegas Strip and the big casino hotels; but these city-guides will tell you about places you might overlook, places our insiders (and long time residents) have fallen in love with.

“Vegas, baby. Vegas.” To most of us, Trent’s words in Swingers conjure up images of 5am Double-Downs, $3 Surf n’ Turf buffets, endless Elvis impersonators, and…well, if it’s wild& weird, Vegas has it.

But Vegas isn’t all glitz and glam; why not take a trip away from the Strip to find another Vegas: a place that will wow you with its “secrets” (and, its incredible natural beauty).

Click “more” and see what you’ve been missing!

China is doing everything in their power to make the 2008 Olympics unlike any of the Games we’ve ever seen.

Find out all you need to know about getting to the Olympics and enjoying your time once you arrive!