Florida Villa to Rent

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Five Bedrooms/Four Bathrooms, Private Pool, Lake View, Free WiFi + Fantastic Resort Facilities!

Our new luxury townhome with 5 bedrooms & 4 bathrooms (2x Masters with en-suites) will sleep 10 people in superb comfort. There is a well-equipped kitchen located adjacent to the dining area, with seating for 10. Flat screen TVs in every room, a multi-region DVD player and an Xbox are provided for your home entertainment. Free WiFi is also available. The property has its own private heated pool and patio area with a covered Lanai.

Located in one of Florida’s premier resorts, Paradise Palms is a gated community offering all the amenities you’d expect in a 5-star facility, including a pool, game room, fitness room and movie theatre. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and there is a poolside Tiki Bar and shop. The resort also offers a shuttle service to many of Orlando’s attractions at an additional fee.

Paradise Palms resort is just minutes away from Orlando’s main attractions. Walt Disney World is just a 10 minute drive and Universal Studios, Seaworld, Wet ‘n Wild, Legoland and other attractions are easily accessible. Highway 192 is just a couple of minutes away and here you will find an amazing range of grocery stores, other retailers, restaurants and bars.

If you are looking for a florida villa to rent, look no further. Check our booking calendar to see if your dates are available and give us a call to confirm your booking.

Selected Articles

Florida Villas - Beaches – The West Coast

This is the third in a series of articles looking at the Floridian beaches. This article will focus on the beaches on the West Coast.

Although Florida in general is a popular retirement and wintering location for the older generation, Tampa is a rapidly expanding city whose younger citizens are keen to enjoy the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with its glorious white sand beaches.

Tampa

Covering an area from Clearwater along the coast to Sarasota, are some of these beautiful beaches, examples being Longboat Key, Caladesi Island State Park, Indian Shores, Clearwater Beach and St Pete Beach, to name but a few.

Southwest Gulf Coast

Further down the coast are the quiet towns of Captiva Islands and Sanibel, with a nature reserve and ample opportunity for peace and quiet. We then encounter Fort Myers beach, located on Estero Island, which is an engaging mix of frantic and peaceful, the southern part of the island providing more of the latter. Carrying on down, we arrive at Naples, a magnet for those aforementioned pensioners, whose money can buy into the affluent lifestyle. South of Naples we come to Marco Island, a southern enclave of people originally from the American north-east.

Florida Keys

Compared to the rest of Florida, The Keys is somewhat lacking in great beaches, partly explained by the battering the area receives from the elements, in particular hurricanes. However, there are a few including Sombrero Beach and Bahia Honda State Park.

This article, along with its two predecessors has given a brief overview of the beaches to be found on the well over 1000 miles of Florida coastline. There is a beach to suit just about everyone and a little bit of detailed research should help you to identify yours. Just because the main reason you came to Florida was to visit Disney and the related attractions, it is well worth taking a day or two out to drive down to a beach or two.

Looking for something to do when finished on the beach then try our article What is there to do in Florida?

Driving in Florida

Unless you are actually staying at one of the in-house hotels at Walt Disney World, or at one of the hotels on International Drive, the likelihood is that you are going to need a car. European holiday destinations tend to be resort based where it is entirely possible to do all the things you want to do without ever jumping in a car. This is not the case in Florida, at least not for most people. The majority of visitors see their Florida holiday as being a mix of visiting theme parks, shopping and, at least occasionally dining out. While it is possible to do all of these things using taxis and courtesy buses, you are going against the grain of the way America in general and Florida in particular are set up. Florida is a very car-centric society, with much of its recent development being focused on tourism, and all of the tourist attractions are located off the motorway network. The following are a few tips about driving in Florida compared to the UK.

Hiring a Car

Although cars can be hired from a multitude of places in Florida, for those arriving from the UK, arranging for car hire from the airport makes sense. If you are doing so make sure that you do not consume alcohol excessively on the flight as Florida’s drink-driving rules are as tight as they are in the UK. Just about all cars are automatics and it is important to make sure that you hire one large enough for your needs. It is not much good hiring a vehicle with just enough room for everyone in your party, but not enough room for their luggage as well!

Rules of the Road

While most of the driving rules in Florida are common to those in the UK, there are some key differences, and the main ones are highlighted below;

Driving on the Right - As is common with many parts of the world, Americans drive on the right side of the road, and this is the most striking difference when driving in Florida. All cars are set up accordingly, with left-hand drive.
Turning Right on Red – Another noticeable difference from the UK is that you are allowed to turn right on a red light, providing it is safe to do so, and there is no specific indication that you are not allowed to. You must not just sail through the red light, you should come to a temporary halt first.
Lane Discipline – you should always indicate if you are changing lanes, but under-taking is permissible so be alert to the possibility that someone is under-taking you when changing lanes.
Speed Limits – these are clearly shown and should be followed. As mentioned above, drink-driving rules are strictly enforced and the limit is lower than in the UK. You are not allowed to have open containers of alcohol in the car at any time. If you get pulled over by the police, wait in your car until told to get out a police officer. Carry documentation with you at all times, including your driving licence and any rental agreement.
School Buses – If you encounter one that is stationary and its lights are flashing (they are hard to miss as they are bright yellow), do not overtake. This applies even if they are on the opposite carriageway.
Poor visibility – always have your headlights on during poor visibility, particularly if it is raining.
Wider Roads – lanes are wider than in the UK, which makes driving a little easier (unless you are passing between two large trucks, when they don’t seem very wide at all!). Similarly, parking spaces are bigger to accommodate the generally larger American car.

What is there to do in Florida?

When you look at all the fantastic holiday destinations you can get to from the UK, why would you choose Florida? In this article I will run through some of the Pros (and a couple of Cons) to holidaying in Florida.

The Sunshine State

Firstly the weather. Florida is known as the ‘Sunshine State’ and for good reason as its sub-tropical climate offers plenty of sunshine all year round. The climate is moderated somewhat by the fact that most of the state is only a short distance from the sea, although the southern part of Florida is more typically tropical than the north. The amount of sunshine and the fact that Florida is the warmest state in the country attracts visitors desperate to escape the colder temperatures of the rest of North America or indeed increasingly, the UK. The visitors from North America, particularly Canada, are known as ‘Snow Birds’ for their inclination to migrate south for the winter.

Having said all that, being a tropical climate means that Florida does have a rainy season which stretches from June through to September where you can expect an average of 7 inches of rain per month. If you are in Florida during this time, you can expect rain on just about a daily basis, although the rain does tend to arrive in heavy bursts during the afternoon, rather than the steady all day drizzle you often get in the UK. If you are in Florida during the rainy season and are out and about visiting the theme parks, probably wise to bring some water proof clothing (you can pick up a cheap poncho from Wal Marts for next to nothing).

In terms of what to wear, due to the climate, Florida is a very relaxed place, dress wise with shorts being acceptable just about everywhere. If you are there during the winter months, November through to March, although sunny and warm (and usually dry) during the day, the evenings can get a little chilly so bring a jumper or jacket.

Florida Theme Parks

Most first time visitors to Florida (and many repeat visitors) will want to visit Walt Disney World and some of the other major theme parks. This is particularly true if you arrive in a family group, but even as an adult there is a lot to entertain you at the parks. Disney World has a number of hotels on site if you want to fully immerse yourself in the Disney experience, but the bulk of visitors stay in hotels or rented accommodation in the Orlando area.

Walt Disney World, rather than being a single park is actually a number of separate theme parks. The Magic Kingdom is perhaps the most famous and a must for small children with plenty of rides and a number of parades featuring all the classic Disney characters. The level of organisation needed to get the huge numbers of visitors in, around and out of the park again needs to be seen to be believed! As well as the Magic Kingdom, there is Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom as well as Epcot (which stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) and is a concept park showcasing Disney’s view of how people will live in the future. Disney also has a couple of water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

There are a number of other major theme parks in the area. Universal has two, Studios and Islands of Adventure, the latter featuring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There is also SeaWorld, which as its name suggests focuses on sea life, but also has a number of exciting rides (e.g. Manta) as well as the expected whale and sea lion shows.

Florida Water Parks

Perhaps you are looking for a family day out and have already done (had enough of?) the major theme parks? Well why not try a water park. These are great days out for the family with a whole series of water based entertainment including rides, some of which focus on the younger members of the family while some are for the more adventurous thrill seeker. Disney offer their own versions of water parks in Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard beach, but to get away from Disney for a while, why not try Wet ‘n Wild. This is probably the biggest of the water parks and offers the full range of wave machines, rides and areas for relaxing, including Lazy River, a slow moving stream which meanders slowly around the park, allowing you time to relax while drifting along in a giant rubber ring! While the entrance fee for Wet ‘n Wild isn’t particularly cheap, once you have paid you can come back to the park anytime over the next two weeks at no extra charge, which is fantastic value if you return on more than one occasion.

Other Florida Attractions

Besides the theme parks Central Florida has a lot of other attractions worth taking time out for. Here are a couple;

Alligator references are everywhere in Florida and it is quite common to see them while driving around in the wetter parts of the state. If you want to get a little closer, try Gatorland, an alligator themed park and wildlife preserve, established in the 1950s. This has a large number of alligators of varying sizes and ages and visitors are encouraged to feed them with food bought from the park. There are also a number of shows including alligator wrestling and a feeding frenzy where (dead) chickens are fed to the gators. The entrance fee is considerably cheaper than the theme parks and is good value for 3 to 4 hours of entertainment.

When you say Florida to people and ask for associations, Air Boats and the Everglades will come quite high up in people’s responses. There are a number of venues offering Air Boat rides but Florida Wild is right up there and is not too far from Orlando (about one hours drive). The boats themselves take 10-12 people and you need the ear defenders they hand out as they can be quite noisy. The experience lasts about an hour and as well as an exhilarating ride you also get a close up of a variety of wildlife including, if you are lucky, alligators (although they do tend to be quite shy!).

Florida Beaches

Due to its shape you are never that far away from a beach when in Florida, and anyone basing themselves in the Orlando area can get to either the west coast (Gulf of Mexico) or the east coast (Atlantic) in a couple of hours.

On the east coast, north of Jacksonville, is the island of Amelia, with 16 miles of beautiful beaches and further on down you encounter Daytona Beach, a lively resort, probably more famous for its association with NASCAR motor racing. Following the coast further you get to the Gold Coast, over 50 miles of fantastic coastline, incorporating Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Boca Raton.

The west coast enjoys the warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico and there are some beautiful beaches around Tampa, including Longboat Key, Indian Shores and Clearwater beach. Further along the west coast you come to Naples, a wealthy enclave favoured by retired pensioners from the north-west USA.

Golf in Florida

The climate in Florida is very conducive to playing golf, particularly if you are used to UK conditions! During the summer months early tee times are recommended as it gets very hot around midday and there is always a risk of a downpour in the afternoon. During the rest of the year the conditions are just about perfect, although you might want to bring a jumper in case you are unlucky enough to get one of the occasional cold fronts passing through.

There are literally hundreds of golf courses in Central Florida and the comprehensive motorway network enables the visitor to get around quickly to even those that are some distance away. Many of the golf courses have been designed by famous golfers and they range in difficulty and type so there is something for every golfing taste. As well as the many top class courses there are also a number of municipally managed courses which are a bit easier on the pocket!

Daytona Beach Golf – a couple of good options including Legends Course, designed by Arthur Hills, and Grand Haven Golf Club designed by Jack Nicklaus.

Space Coast Golf – Gary Player’s Baytree National and Arnold Palmer’s Majors Golf Club are two courses of note.

Kennedy Space Center

Located on the Atlantic coast, near Cape Canaveral, this really is worth a visit for anyone staying in the Orlando area (90 mins) and who has any interest in space exploration and mankind’s first tentative steps off this planet. The center (American spelling!) was named after President Kennedy in recognition of his key role in America’s space program as it was he who set the challenge of putting an American on the moon ‘by the end of the decade’ (1960s). That challenge was met (1969) and the visitor center at KSC contains a lot of the hardware that was used to achieve it, including a giant Saturn V space rocket. Not a venue for the thrill seeker, nonetheless awe-inspiring for all that, KSC demonstrates exactly what man is capable of when we put our minds to it.

Wildlife in Florida

Florida is home to a vast array of differing species of wildlife and there are many opportunities to see some examples, whether in controlled environments (zoos, reserves, etc.) or actually in their more natural state. A couple of the more notable species;

American Alligator – as previously mentioned these can be seen close up at Gatorland. Alligators only exist in the wild these days in the south-eastern corner of the USA and in China, with the Chinese variant being much smaller and currently considered endangered. The American alligator was also at one time considered under threat but co-ordinated conservation policies have led to an impressive recovery. Adult males grow to 16 feet or more and can be found in any of the freshwater environments common in Florida (rivers, swamps, lakes etc.).

Florida Manatee – their low metabolic rate and lack of natural body fat to conserve heat result in this species staying predominantly in tropical climes, with Florida being about as far north as they will migrate. Although they appear to be slow-moving, lumbering creatures, they can be surprisingly agile when in their natural environment, often to be seen somersaulting and rolling. To see them gather in large numbers go to the Crystal River and Blue Spring regions.

Florida Dining

The choice of restaurants and eateries in Florida, particularly in the predominantly tourist areas, is at times overwhelming. If you make your way along Highway 192 (off which you find Walt Disney World and most of the main attractions) you will see hundreds of restaurants lining the highway. Many of these are part of chains, some familiar to us in the UK (e.g. MacDonalds), some not so familiar. Many of these restaurants appear several times, just a couple of miles apart. Here are just a few to consider.

Millers Alehouse – my favourite bar off the H192, has an outside bar if you want to smoke. A large square bar with dozens of draught beers, this has that unique ‘American bar‘ feel to it. Can get a little busy early evening, particular Friday’s when the occasional coach party can turn up!

Denny’s – great for breakfast, giving that American Diner feel. Several of these along Highway 192, busiest time seems to be Sunday morning when a fair chunk of America seems to like eating out.

Buffalo Wild Wings – a big American style sports bar, with TVs everywhere, very good burger. You will not encounter a bar like this in the UK! Again just off the 192.

Longhorn Steakhouse and the Outback – two more decent restaurants serving a good selection of food, the darker decor of Longhorn making it more suitable for an evening venue.

Golden Corral – cheap and cheerful, mainly self-service. Not my cup of tea, but good if you have a few kids with you.

Shopping in Florida

Shopping is an enjoyable leisure activity for many, and Florida has more than its fair share of shopping opportunities. Here are a couple of the larger offerings;

Florida Mall – Allegedly one of the largest shopping centres in Central Florida this huge mall has all the major shops and department stores all under the one roof. It would take all day to do this place justice, so taking a break in the Food Court is essential. Those of us from the UK can only wonder at the variety of shops on offer, and then wonder again at how everything seems to be so much cheaper than at home. Gets very busy at the weekend, so try and make your visit Mon-Thurs.

The Mall at Millenia – very upmarket, so take your credit card. A host of stores including Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

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