The Best of Universal Orlando

So you've done Walt Disney World and now you're ready to discover Universal Orlando. But where to start' Universal Orlando is a whopper of a destination composed of exceptional resorts, first-rate restaurants, and two theme parks offering a certain brand of high-speed intensity certain to please. Here are some of Universal's best experiences:

As an Orlando vacation devotee, I can recommend all of the theme parks, but did you know the area is brimming with other excellent visitor attractions without a roller coaster in sight. A visitor will never be left feeling bored in Orlando with a huge range of cultural places to visit, shopping malls and 'non-theme park' attractions. Although it wasn't always this full of attractions, it has been pulling in visitors for many years and its popularity does not seem to be diminishing. If you enjoy shopping then you will love Orlando; it has plenty of malls and stores like Outdoor World which is so large it contains a 17,000 gallon aquarium and you could spend all day there. An Orlando vacation has far more to offer than this short article can possibly hope to highlight so only a few of the more unusual attractions and places to see are brought to your attention. Although Zoos have taken a bit of criticism in recent years, their value to education and the preservation of species cannot be dismissed and the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford is one of these. The Central Florida Zoological Park and Botanical Gardens is dedicated to preserving the beauty and wonder of animals including their habitats. For anyone that appreciates the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany then a large collection of his works is exhibited the Museum of American Art, where it has been housed since the early 1940's. This collection comprises Tiffany art glass, clayware and ornaments plus the chapel interior designed for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Surprisingly, Orlando is not just about fun for the children because adults are very well catered for in this entertainment town. The choice of evening entertainment for vacations in Orlando is as diverse as the range of activities available during daylight hours with themed shows to Disney's Pleasure Island or City walk at Universal. If you are more technology and science minded then a trip to the Orlando Science Center will be a must as is a huge complex incorporating 10 halls with exhibitions everything from the Florida Everglades to the plains of Mars. An alternative to this would be the International Trolley and Train Museum which can be found along International Drive and has one of the country's largest operating indoor G gauge layouts in a space of over four thousand square feet. The Mercado Center on International Drive is the home to the Titanic Exhibition where you are treated like a tourist traveling onboard the Titanic Ocean Liner; this is a really moving and eerie experience which includes many original objects from the Titanic. For those who prefer a little peace and relaxation they can visit the beautiful lake Eola Park where there are forty three acres of land to roam freely; it includes a boating lake. Of course how could anyone possibly visit Orlando without a visit to at least one theme park; and for those of you who are unsure Disney has four; not including the water parks; Universal has its own versions including Seaworld. Everyone that takes a vacation in Orlando wants to return and experience more of the attractions it has to offer.

Best Deluxe Resort

For the height of luxury in a Mediterranean seaside setting head straight for this exclusive hotel designed to resemble Italy's idyllic seaside town of Portofino. The scenery is pure postcard with colorful fishing boats bobbing in the seductively curving bay, sun-bleached stucco buildings with shuttered windows and trompe l'oeil decorative facades, and a charming, waterside piazza loaded with appetizing restaurants. Guestrooms are large and luxurious with four-poster beds, luxe linens, down pillows, and a pile of other amenities that can't be beat.

Best Resort For the Utterly Cool

Hard Rock's motto is 'love all, serve all' and serve they certainly do at the single coolest place in Florida to hang out in California hip style. It's a mix of pure luxury and star worship where an ultra slick marble lobby, a marvelous pool complex, and stylish guestrooms are interspersed with over one million dollars worth of rock and roll memorabilia and rock music blasting away in every public space; over 900 speakers are scattered throughout the property, all running seven days a week, 24 hours a day. But rest assured, from the moment you enter the hallways leading to your trendy guestroom, only beautiful silence is heard.

Best Resort Pool

Hard Rock's 12,000 foot zero-entry pool is almost too hip to handle. It comes with an underwater sound system and a 250-foot slide (the longest at any U.S. hotel), all surrounded by a sand beach and swaying palm trees. For the ultimate in luxury, rent a poolside cabana equipped with lounge chairs, TV, telephone, fax line, refrigerator, and ceiling fan. You can even order up your own private masseuse.

Best Resort Lounge

It depends. The hip crowd should head to Velvet, Hard Rock Hotel's so cool cocktail lounge offering a huge list of specialty martinis and premium cigars along with rock and roll, chic seating, and a great outdoor terrace with a view of the resort's pool. Those with a more sophisticated inclination will love Bar America at Portofino Bay Hotel where a pianist entertains a fashionable crowd feasting on Beluga caviar and fine wine in an elegant setting.

Best Attractions For Thrill Seekers

Universal Orlando is the perfect place for those who crave a rush of adrenaline. And the best park for thrills is Universal's newest, Islands of Adventure. Head first to the Incredible Hulk Coaster where you're launched from a near standstill to 40 mph in 2 seconds, then immediately into a zero-G dive roll looping through inversion after inversion and twice underground before coming to a halt. Then take a ride on Dueling Dragons, the world's first inverted, dueling (there's two of them), near-miss coasters. At certain points during the ride you'll swear your dangling feet almost touch those of the opposite dragon as it goes roaring by.

Best Way to Spend an Evening Without the Kids

First check the children into one of the Universal resort's excellent child care centers. Then head to either Emerils at Citywalk, a classy spot reminiscent of the New Orleans warehouse district with intoxicating Creole/Cajun food or Tchuop Chop at Universal's Royal Pacific Resort, one of the most beautiful restaurants in Orlando serving innovative Asian/Polynesian fare. Afterward dance the night away at Universal's Citywalk. Buy a Party Pass for unlimited admission to all the nightclubs and enjoy!

Best Resort Restaurant

It's a toss up. Tchoup Chop at the Royal Pacific Resort for it's breathtakingly beautiful dining room and imaginative cuisine or Delfino Riviera, Portofino Bay Hotel's stylish and sophisticated Italian restaurant perched above the piazza overlooking the bay.

Best Way to Spend an Afternoon Away From the Parks

Immerse yourself in luxury with one or two soothing spa treatments at Portofino Bay's Mandara Spa. Choose from a variety of massage, face, anti-aging, and body treatments including Indonesian four hands massage and Javanese Lulur. Follow this with an afternoon lazing beside one of the resort's three luxurious pools.

Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer available at 800-247-6553, www.luxurydisneyguide.com, http://Amazon.com