Pedal Your Party - Pub Crawling in Sanford Florida with Limo Cycle Tours

Pub Crawling with Limo Cycle - photo courtesy of LimoCycle.com

Are you looking to do a pub crawl with a group of friends but want to do it responsibly? Head on up to Sanford, just 20 minutes North of Orlando, and do your bar hopping with Limo Cycle Tours!

Great for bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthday parties and corporate team building, groups pedal their way around the historic Sanford area in unique 15 passenger vehicles powered entirely by their feet. Limo Cycle Tours will supply the driver who will take care of the steering; you supply the pedaling.

Folks looking to do a pub crawl will make their way to five or six different Sanford bars during a day or night of fun. You can even bring your own drinks and snacks and party hardy as you make your way from place to place. There are two large coolers on board stocked with plenty of ice.

Not just for pub crawling, Limo Cycle offers ghost tours and scenic/historical pedaling tours of the Sanford area as well as scavenger hunts, too. You can even customize your tour and do all of the above and include a meal at a restaurant if you like. Your Limo Cycle guide comes prepared with a variety of group games to keep everyone laughing and having a great time.

All of the Limo vehicles are equipped with padded seats and misting fans so that you don't get too hot. You can select from various music mixes or bring your own and crank it up on the six speaker sound system.

Got some lazy people in your group? That's okay; only ten of the seats have pedals, so they can kick back and relax or you can switch off pedaling duties. Although it only takes three people to power the vehicle, you'll need a group of at least six people to book a tour.

On "Sunday Fun Day" you can book as little as one seat and make new friends as the Limo Cycle makes its way through historic downtown Sanford and the scenic RiverWalk, making three stops at restaurants and pubs along the way.

Orlando Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold." - Joseph Parry

Scavenger Quest in Loch Haven Park - Have Fun Solving Clues While Learning About Orlando

Loch Haven Park near downtown Orlando

Do you live in the Orlando area and think you've done it all? Are you a frequent vacationer here and tired of the same old theme park scene? If so, the Loch Haven Park Scavenger Quest may be the perfect way to spend a few hours.

Perfect for couples or families, the Scavenger Quest in Loch Haven Park is a 1½ to 2 hour game where you solve puzzles, moving from clue to clue throughout the Loch Haven area (between downtown and Winter Park). Solve each clue at your leisure or split up into multiple teams and compete with each other in your own mini Amazing Race.

Not just a fun game, you'll learn a lot about the area as you uncover information that each clue leads you to. Located between three lakes on 45 acres of lush, green grass, Loch Haven Park is a great place to get away from it all even if you aren't on a scavenger hunt. When you reach the end of your adventure, you can enjoy a picnic in the beautiful park or you can opt for a "mystery restaurant" as the final clue of your game.

Folks who choose the mystery restaurant option when reserving their Scavenger Quest will be given one final clue at the end of the game, which will lead them to their celebratory meal (cost of the meal at the restaurant is extra). Don't worry, if you select the restaurant option, you will be allowed to choose from restaurant types when making your Scavenger Quest reservation.

Bring your walking shoes and a map of Orlando; you'll be walking 1½-2 miles as you hop from location to location, solving puzzles about the area. The cost of Scavenger Quest in Loch Haven is under $20 which is a flat fee for any number of people in your group (you can get your tickets here). The clue solving adventure game is best done during the daytime, so make sure to choose a start time that allows you up to two hours to complete your adventure during daylight hours.

Orlando Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party." - Jimmy Buffett

Laid Back Fish on Fire - A Great Local Orlando Bar and Restaurant

Exterior of Fish on Fire bar and restaurant

Tired of the tourist scene or the same old chain restaurants you can find all over the United States? Head over to Fish on Fire and get a taste of what a real local Orlando bar and grill is.

Located just a half block East of our Orlando Airport area car rental office, Fish on Fire is a place that one of our service agents - Andres - stops by frequently after work. He loves the laid back, easy going vibe of the place. Pop in, and you're bound to easily strike up a conversation with a complete stranger.

If you're looking for a high class restaurant and gourmet food, this isn't the place. It's more of a bar that happens to serve really good food - nothing exotic, just good old home style meals. The service is fast, but not too fast, and the wait staff is super friendly.

Obviously there are plenty of seafood dishes and, if you've just finished a successful day of fishing on the nearby Conway chain of lakes, they'll even prepare anything you catch. There are burgers, wings, pulled pork, salads and plenty of tasty appetizers to choose from, too. For a true taste of Florida, give the "Allie's Gator" (gator nuggets) a try!

If you're a seafood lover, try the fish tacos, bacon wrapped shrimp, fried catfish or the grilled mahi-mahi sandwich. All of the burgers are great but the prize goes to their "Fatty Melt" - three burgers smothered in bacon, topped with a fried egg, onion straws and sliced cheddar cheese, all trapped within two grilled cheese sandwiches - ridiculous!!!

There are only three desserts to choose from but they are excellent. Try the Plant City Moon Pie - an explosion of chocolate and cherry goodness - or the key lime pie, which is real homemade key lime pie with a fabulous, flaky crust.

Again, the restaurant is sort of a "side dish" at Fish on Fire. People really go there for the environment and friendly people. During the day, a TouchTunes box pumps out classic rock and on many nights, live bands draw a huge crowd. It can get pretty loud when there are live bands, so eat outside if you want to have a conversation while you eat.

Is Fish on Fire going to be the type of place that you recommend solely for the food? Probably not. There is nothing that truly stands out (except, maybe, the Fatty Melt) but everything is good, the portions are large and the prices are reasonable. It's a real, neighborhood joint that the locals love, though, and a great escape from the plastic establishments in the tourist corridor.

Florida Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Never be a food snob. Learn from everyone you meet - the fish guy at your market, the lady at the local diner, farmers, cheese makers. Ask questions, try everything and eat up!" - Rachael Ray

Austin's Coffee Shop - This Hipster Hangout Has A Little Bit Of Everything

Exterior of Austin's Coffee Shop

If you're tired of the same old Starbucks scene and looking for a truly unique environment, head to Austin's Coffee Shop in Winter Park, just North of Orlando.

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Austin's Coffee Shop is a place that many people head to for a cup of coffee and to get work or studying done (it's located near Valencia College, Rollins College and Winter Park Tech).

You'll see all kinds of people banging away on their laptops or reading books while those that have come to socialize are more than happy to strike up conversations with friends or even complete strangers. There's a whole shelf filled with board games that patrons can bring over to their tables and play - classics like Clue, Life, Battleship, Yahtzee, Sorry, Operation, etc.

Truly a hipster hangout, you'll see some pretty interesting characters, ranging in age from their early 20s to 50s, hanging out here. Half the patrons don't even where shoes! Local artists have their creations displayed proudly all over the walls and the whole place has a dark, musky vibe with mismatched furniture.

At night, there is always something going on at Austin's Coffee Shop. Live hip hop bands, jazz bands, poetry readings, comedy acts - the entertainment is as eclectic as the atmosphere and people who flock to this favorite neighborhood hangout.

There are quite a few varieties of coffee and tea to choose from - hot, chilled or frozen. The beans are ground there on the spot, so you know your coffee is always going to be fresh. Austin's is not just for coffee and tea; though, they also have a decent selection of beers and wines. If you're hungry, they have plenty of sandwiches, wraps, salads, munchies and desserts to choose from. Vegetarians will definitely appreciate their wide selection of vegan dishes and everything on the menu is very reasonably priced.

If your idea of a perfect atmosphere is bright, fresh and new, Austin's Coffee Shop is probably not for you. If you define an ideal atmosphere by the people, sounds and vibe of a place, Austin's is definitely a hip little hangout you should check out!

Florida Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "I force people to have coffee with me, just because I don't trust that a friendship can be maintained without any other senses besides a computer or cellphone screen." - John Cusack

Ski Resorts You Can Drive To From Florida

Snow Skiing From Florida is just a short day trip!

You could spend an entire day walking around Florida, talking to people and asking if any of them was born here and never find a single Florida native above the age of 30. Practically everybody who lives in Florida is from somewhere else, it seems.

A large percentage of Florida transplants are from up North and, although most will tell you they headed to the Sunshine State to escape the brutal winters, a great number of those people will tell you that one of the things they miss most about living up north is snow skiing.

Sure, you can jump on an airplane and head West to Aspen, Colorado or fly North and get to Stowe, Vermont but sometimes the hassle and expense of air travel just isn't worth it. If you don't mind a fairly long day of driving, you can reach a number of excellent ski resorts in as little as seven or eight hours – all depending what part of Florida you are traveling from.

What may be more surprising is that all of these southern ski resorts have an average season of about 130 days and some open for skiing as early as late October. That's more than four months available to get your ski fix!

Here are the five closest ski resorts to Florida, arranged in order of drive time:

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort

Travel Time:

• Jacksonville: 7 hours, 10 minutes
• Tallahassee: 8 hours, 17 minutes
• Orlando: 9 hours, 12 minutes
• Miami: 12 hours, 11 minutes

Elevation: 4,700 ft.

Vertical Drop: 700 ft.

Longest Run: 1,800 ft.

Number of Runs: 22

Snowmaking Machine: Yes

Lighted Slopes: Yes

Cataloochee Ski Area

Travel Time:

• Jacksonville: 7 hours, 16 minutes
• Tallahassee: 7 hours, 36 minutes
• Orlando: 9 hours, 17 minutes
• Miami: 12 hours, 29 minutes

Elevation: 5,400 ft.

Vertical Drop: 740 ft.

Longest Run: 3,500 ft.

Number of Runs: 17

Snowmaking Machine: Yes

Lighted Slopes: Yes

Appalachian Ski Mountain

Travel Time:

• Jacksonville: 7 hours, 18 minutes
• Tallahassee: 9 hours, 8 minutes
• Orlando: 9 hours, 20 minutes
• Miami: 12 hours, 19 minutes

Elevation: 4,000 ft.

Vertical Drop: 365 ft.

Longest Run: 2,640 ft.

Number of Runs: 12

Snowmaking Machine: Yes

Lighted Slopes: Yes

Sugar Mountain

Travel Time:

• Jacksonville: 7 hours, 51 minutes
• Tallahassee: 9 hours, 10 minutes
• Orlando: 9 hours, 52 minutes
• Miami: 12 hours, 52 minutes

Elevation: 5,300 ft.

Vertical Drop: 1,200 ft.

Longest Run: 7,920 ft.

Number of Runs: 20

Snowmaking Machine: Yes

Lighted Slopes: Yes

Beech Mountain

Travel Time:

• Jacksonville: 7 hours, 55 minutes
• Tallahassee: 9 hours, 28 minutes
• Orlando: 9 hours, 56 minutes
• Miami: 12 hours, 55 minutes

Elevation: 4,675 ft.

Vertical Drop: 830 ft.

Longest Run: 5,280 ft.

Number of Runs: 15

Snowmaking Machine: Yes

Lighted Slopes: Yes

Want More Skiing?

Those are just the closest ski destinations to Florida and they are all located in North Carolina. If you're willing to stay in the car for another hour or so, Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia offer ten more ski resorts for you to choose from. That's 15 different ski resorts – all within a day's drive!

While nobody will ever say that any of these runs match some of the ones that you'll find in the Northeast or Western United States, they'll definitely provide a fun, challenging day for the great majority of skiers and will give you a chance to experience the fun side of snow – not the unpleasant kind you have to shovel!

Florida Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face." - Dave Barry

Painting With A Twist In Orlando - Set Your Creative Side Free!

One of the great things about working for a small car rental company is that you really get to know a lot of your customers - especially the ones who come back year after year.

While every theme park does its best to add new rides and update the shows, once you've been to all of the theme parks a few times apiece, they lose their magic and many people aren't willing to fork out more than $100 per person to see pretty much the same things again.

When our perpetual customers return to us, they frequently ask our advice on something new and different to experience. Fortunately, there are so many fun things to do in the Central Florida area, you could never do them all, so we haven't run  out of suggestions yet!

One thing that most folks would never think of doing is taking a class while on vacation. Although I'd tend to agree that anything that sounds like "school" is in direct opposition to what I'd ever think of when it comes to something to do on a vacation, it's a little bit different when that class teaches you something fun to do that you can use when you get home, too.

Painting with a Twist is just such a place. Whether you are an individual, couple or family it doesn't matter; everyone can have a great time learning how to paint at Painting with a Twist. Experience doesn't matter. In fact, novices are both welcomed and encouraged to sign up. Classes are taught by various local artists who love showing newbies how easy it is to create a masterpiece they can be proud of!

All supplies are included in your two or three hour class - paint, brushes, canvass - even a smock to cover your clothes. In case you need a little "creativity boost," there is a wine, beer and soda bar available with drinks at very modest prices. If you'd like to eat while you paint, you are more than welcome to bring your own snacks.

Every day or night, a different painting project is taught, so make sure you select the right class if there is a particular painting scene you'd like to master. Most classes are evening ones between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 or 10:00 p.m., and day classes are available on the weekends, as well. The cost is $35 per person for two hour classes and $45 per person for three hour classes.

Painting with a Twist is located at 6700 Conroy Windermere Rd., just a few miles North of the Universal Orlando theme park. Reservations are a MUST; virtually all classes sell out. You can reserve your class online or call 407-601-7800.

Florida Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do." - Edgar Degas

CSI: The Experience - Have Fun Solving Crimes During Your Orlando Vacation

CSI: The Experience - on International Drive in Orlando

There are few television shows as popular as CSI: Crime Series Investigation. It has been recognized internationally by the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo as the most popular worldwide drama series and has an estimated 73.8 million viewers.

Originally set in Las Vegas, the show has spawned two spinoffs, CSI NY and CSI Miami as well as the upcoming CSI Cyber, which will star Patricia Arquette and Luke Perry. When you add in the viewers from all of the various Law and Order crime drama series, it is clear that people really love trying to solve crimes.

Why watch television to get your detective fix? You can become a CSI agent and solve crimes all on your own at CSI: The Experience - a new attraction on International Drive in Orlando. Set in the location of the original CSI series, Las Vegas, you'll get to go through everything the detectives on the show do to solve a crime.

When you enter CSI: The Experience, you'll be offered CSI vests and lab coats so that you can look the part and you'll watch a short film where you are given instructions by Gil Grissom, your supervisor. Next, you can choose one of three crime scenes to investigate. If you want to do the other two, they charge you half price and you can do those other crime scenes the same day or come back on another day to try and solve them.

At the crime scene, you are instructed to take notes on everything you see and not to make any assumptions until all of the evidence is collected. Next, you'll head to the lab and use forensic technology to analyze the evidence before making your way to the autopsy room to get the last set of clues.

Finally, it's time to report to Grissom. You'll assemble and submit your evidence along with your determination of who the killer was. If you get it right, there's a CSI certificate waiting for you!

While this is a fun frolic for the family, it only takes an hour or two. You are permitted to take as long as you like and kids definitely like to play with the lab equipment longer than adults do. The cases are not difficult to solve and while older visitors would probably appreciate a bit more of a challenge, children love to get it right and earn their detective wings.

It should be noted that cameras are prohibited within the attraction and that you must turn your cell phone off while inside. Professionally taken photographs are offered to you at the end of the experience showing you in various stages of your crime investigation.

CSI: The Experience is located at 7220 International Drive and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. Cost of admission is $19.99 for adults and $12.99 for children (ages 5-12).


Florida Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Every man at the bottom of his heart believes that he is a born detective." -John Buchan