First Night in St Petersburg

Celebrate the new year in style by visiting St. Petersburg as the city rings in the New Year with music, lights, dance, fire, bubbles, stories, creative fun, fireworks and much more!

Spend New Year's Eve around downtown with First Night St. Petersburg 2009 – Florida's largest First Night Celebration. Stroll the waterfront and throughout downtown to sample the festivities in lots of special places. Sample the arts and culture with family, friends and fireworks.

First Night St. Petersburg celebrates its 16th Annual New Year's Eve celebration of the arts from 5:00 p.m. to midnight at multiple venues in downtown St. Petersburg. Family-oriented festivities with music stages, entertainment, drama, dance, games, art, fireworks and more.

First Night St. Petersburg started in 1993, led by a group of citizens interested in creating a diverse community event for St. Petersburg. The intent of First Night is to provide an opportunity for St. Petersburg to celebrate entering the New Year together and to celebrate the many performing and visual arts, individuals and organizations in the community – as well as the artist in all of us.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Doobie Brothers do CityWalk

Turn on the Night! this New Year's Eve at Universal Orlando Resort. Universal CityWalk's annual New Year's Eve celebration will include non-stop dancing and entertainment throughout the night as the Doobie Brothers headline the evening, rocking in the new year.

By celebrating New Year's Eve 2008 at Universal CityWalk, you can enjoy live music on the main stage as well as inside participating CityWalk venues: Pat O'Brien's, the groove, Bob Marley's, Latin Quarter, CityJazz, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville and the Red Coconut Club - CityWalk's newest ultra-chic, upscale lounge. An unlimited, gourmet buffet includes food like filet mignon, jumbo shrimp, desserts and is included in the event admission price. At the stroke of midnight a champagne toast is included as fireworks light up the sky.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Christmas at Magic Kingdom

Visit Magic Kingdom over the festive period and get a full dose of holiday cheer by walking down Main Street, U.S.A., where Disney elves have decked the halls with towering Christmas trees, colorful lights, bows and garlands. Mickey and Minnie Mouse, toy soldiers, and gigantic gingerbread men welcome guests during special daytime runs of "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade." The parade is included in regular park admission on selected dates.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

An Arabian Nights Christmas

Imagine 60 magnificent Arabian Nights horses and a cast of more than 40 holiday characters! Then imagine they are joined by spectacular pyrotechnics, snow, special sets and breathtaking holiday costumes to create a winter wonderland fit for a prince and princess. Appearances by toy soldiers, horse-riding elves, gingerbread men and sugarplum fairies add to the holiday cheer at Arabian Nights in Orlando.

Acrobatic elves, dancing reindeer, sugar plum fairies, a disbelieving sultan, a determined princess with her genie, plus more magic than you can shake your wand at. Put it all together and you have a holiday show with all the romance and excitement only Arabian Nights can bring to life.

The show is choreographed to the holiday music of Andy Williams, Hillary Duff, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Brenda Lee, Jimmy Buffett, Little Texas, Lone Star, The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra and many more. So....why not try out Arabian Nights this Christmas.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

SeaWorld at Christmas

The Seafire Inn at SeaWorld celebrates the Christmas season in Hawaiian style with the Makahiki Christmas Luau. You can enjoy the festive celebrations with authentic Christmas music, costumes and dances including a special rendition of "O Holy Night". The fun continues nightly until Jan. 4th.

SeaWorld also offers an array of festive shows and seasonal additions. Guests can join Shamu for the holidays during "Shamu Christmas ... Miracles." This captivating show helps guests celebrate the holiday season as a time filled with hope and peace and just possibly, miracles. The 22-minute production comes to life daily at Shamu Stadium. Guests may also witness a winter wonder as snow flurries descend from up above, and jewels of water and light adorn the night during the "Christmastide" holiday fountain show.....a seasonal spectacular where water seemingly dances to the beat of Christmas music.

"Mistify," a nighttime finale runs from Dec. 26th - 30th, and takes place on SeaWorld's center lake and features larger-than-life marine creatures on 60-foot mist screens, 100-foot fountains, flames on water and dazzling fireworks.

Families will enjoy strolling through the Waterfront's array of gift shops and restaurants all while listening to the joyful tunes of singers, musical quartets and the "Sizzlin' Pianos" show that ignite the spirit of the season. Through Christmas, stores and restaurants will remain open until 7 p.m. during weekdays and 8 p.m. during weekends. The park will remain open until 10 p.m.

This holiday season, guests are invited to jump aboard The Polar Express Experience for a magical trip to the North Pole. SeaWorld's Wild Arctic transforms into a thrilling expedition to the fabled Santa Town. Recreating classic scenes from the movie in a multi-sensory experience, this unique experience immerses guests with lighting, scent, sound and motion to transport them into the spirit of the season.

At the Waterfront, nightly snow flurries descend upon guests. Carolers make a joyful noise while the little ones share their holiday wishes with Father Christmas. Guests in search of that perfect gift can visit any of the area's assortment of gift shops.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Cruising in Florida

After an action packed florida vacation how about adding a relaxing cruise to your itinerary, and with 4 cruise ports to choose from your departure point will never be far away. With a selection of 4, 5, 7, 10 & 14 night duration cruises there is something to please everyone. Cruises depart from Port Canaveral, Tampa, Miami and Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale).

A cruise combines convenience, variety, fun and great value for money. Don't forget you will be waking up to a diiferent destination on a daily basis and will only have to unpack once. With today's ships resembling small cities there is so much to see and do whilst at sea, you have the option to do as much or as little as you want. Nothing beats a cruise for incredible value, you'll visit multiple destinations and so much is included, from dining to entertainment, that you may be tempted to make every holiday a cruise.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Las Vegas Special Offers

Fancy spending some time at the Bellagio, the Venetian, Mandalay Bay or Cesaer's Palace in Las Vegas? We have some special offer holidays available at knockout prices. Simply click here and fill out our on-line enquiry form to find out more.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Virgin Special Offer Holidays

We have a wide selection of offers available on Virgin flights at prices and times that are not widely available on the open market. In fact...we are so confident that we have the right availability at the right price that we are challenging you to call us on 0870 990 8318 or email us and let us see if we can price match or beat your quoted price for any of our special offers selection.

To view our current batch of special of special offers, click here.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Harry P. Leu Gardens

The Harry P. Leu Gardens is a 50-acre botanical garden on the shores of Lake Rowena that offers a serene respite from the theme-park razzle-dazzle. Paths lead through giant camphors, moss-draped oaks, palms, cicadas, and camellias -- the latter represented by one of the world's largest collections: 50 species and some 2,000 plants that bloom from October through March.

There are 75 varieties of roses in the site's formal gardens, as well as orchids, azaleas, desert plants, and colorful annuals and perennials. The attraction also has palm, bamboo, and butterfly gardens.

Businessman Harry P. Leu, who donated his 49-acre estate to the city in the 1960s, created the gardens. There are guided tours of his house and the gardens, built in 1888, on the hour and half-hour (at least 3 weeks advance registration required). The interior has Victorian, Chippendale, and Empire furnishings and pieces of art. It takes about 2 hours to see the house and gardens.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Continental Airlines First Biofuel Flight

Continental Airlines, way ahead of its domestic and global competitors announced its plans for the first biofuel-powered demonstration flight of a U.S. commercial airliner, to be conducted in Houston on Jan. 7th, 2009.

The demonstration flight, which will be operated with no passengers, will be powered by a special fuel blend including components derived from algae and jatropha plants-- sustainable, second-generation fuel sources that don't impact food crops or water resources, and don't contribute to deforestation.

"This flight represents another step in Continental's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and identifying sustainable, long-term fuel solutions for the aviation industry," said Continental Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Larry Kellner.

As part of a broader industry effort, Boeing and other industry leaders, including airlines and engine manufacturers, are helping to guide the aviation sector toward sustainable biofuels produced through advanced biomass conversion technologies and processes that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases throughout their lifecycle. Sustainable biofuels for aviation incorporate second-generation methodologies relative to fuel source selection and processing, which are uniquely suited for aerospace use. These biofuels can then be blended with kerosene fuel(Jet-A) to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Continental's participation in this project is part of a company-wide commitment to environmental responsibility.

On average, Continental burns approximately 18 gallons of fuel to fly one mainline revenue passenger 1,000 miles, which represents a 35 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption since 1997. This is due in large part to the efforts of its employees in streamlining operational procedures and to an investment of more than $12 billion to acquire 270 fuel-efficient Boeing aircraft and related equipment. Continental remains committed to further improving fuel efficiency in the decade to come, including investing in its fleet with orders for more than 50 Boeing 737-900 Next Generation aircraft, and 25 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Continental has also reduced, by 75 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions from ground equipment at the carrier's largest hub, in Houston, through switching to electric ground service equipment and other new technology. This technology is now being tested for use in cold climates.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

More Virgin Flights From Manchester

Virgin Atlantic has announced a long haul leisure boost for passengers wanting to cross the 'pond' from Manchester.......the airline is expanding services from Manchester to Orlando.

An additional Sunday departure between Manchester and Orlando will operate between April 26th and November 8th, using a Boeing 747-400. This will give travellers a choice of up to ten flights a week to the Florida holiday destination.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

More Virgin Flights From Manchester

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Florida Film Festival in Orlando

The Florida Film Festival is held annually in Orlando and welcomes a wide range of features, shorts, documentaries, film-making forums and events to locations across Orlando and central Florida, including the Enzian Theater. For 2009, the event is to held between 27th Mar - 5th April so why not take a trip to this annual event to coincide with your holiday in Orlando.

Founded in 1992, the Florida Film Festival is produced by a local arts cinema, the Enzian Theater in Maitland, and has attracted sponsors ranging from local media to Universal Studios.

The programming has a fairly wide remit, ranging from new studio and international releases to student films, works-in-progress and the work of local filmmakers.

The Florida Film Festival also features a competition for independent American features, shorts and documentaries (with audience awards plus juried prizes), as well as a number of free seminars which are open to the public and aimed at film students and wannabe film makers.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Santa is in Orlando

Santa loves the balmy weather so much, you’ll find him all over Orlando this Christmas! On your holiday in Florida you will find Santa is very busy but has found time to enjoy Christmas at Disney, and make appearances at all of the other theme parks as well. He loves shopping for Christmas in Florida, and he can even be found at the Best of Florida Christmas celebration at Gaylord Palms Resort! Santa does get around! Be sure to catch him for a chat, and even a photo, while he’s enjoying his Christmas in Florida. Need help finding him? He is due at all of the following venues.
Gaylord Palms Resort , Mall at Millenia, The Florida Mall, Town of Celebration, Downtown Disney, Festival Bay Mall , Old Town.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Visit Gatorland in Florida

For nearly 60 years, Gatorland has been creating fond holidays in Florida memories for millions of visitors who have entered through its gaping gator mouth entrance. Families, friends and employees alike have ventured through the glass double doors on their way to a journey through this natural, low-tech adventure.

Located between Orlando and Kissimmee on the South Orange Blossom Trail, Gatorland is one of Central Florida's oldest attractions, and provides a unique and natural alternative to the larger theme parks of today.

Founded by the late Owen Godwin in 1949, and still privately owned by his family today, Gatorland is a 110-acre theme park and wildlife preserve, combining "Old Florida" charm with exciting, new exhibits and entertainment. Known internationally as the "Alligator Capital of the World," Gatorland today provides affordably priced family-fun with thousands of alligators and crocodiles, a breeding marsh with boardwalk and observation tower, one-of-a-kind reptilian shows, aviary, petting zoo, swamp walk, educational programs and much, much more.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Go Cars in Miami

The most original and exciting way to see Miami, take out a GPS guided "Go Car", explore the city at your leisure and visit parts that other vehicles cannot reach.

In addition to the GPS system guiding you around there is tour narration in up to 5 different languages so throw away your guide books and maps and let the "Go Car" bring Miami to life.

Easy and fun to drive you have the choice to follow the GPS or if the mood takes you do your own thing! For more information or to book one of these "Go Cars", call us, chat with us or fill out our on-line enquiry form for your holiday in Miami.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

AV8Tours fights APD Levy

AV8Tours along with other leading members of the Travel Trade are fighting against an increase in Air Passenger Duty announced by Alister Darling in his pre-budget report.

Mr Darling told Parliament that from November 1st 2009 there will be a four band structure set at intervals which will be based on the distance travelled from London set at 2,000 mile intervals.

The charges will be levied across four bands:

Band A, covering flights to Europe, will rise to £11, from £10.
Band B, covering flights of up to 4,000 miles including destinations such as Egypt and the US, will rise to £45, from £40.
Band C, covering flights to the Caribbean, will be increased to £50, from £40
Band D, covering flights to Australia and New Zealand, will rise to £60, from £40.

APD will rise again in November 2010 - to £12 in band A, £60 in band B, £75 in bandC and £85 in band D. Passengers who opt to sit in premium cabins will be taxed at double these rates.

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us

Holidays in Fort Myers

Fort Myers, known as the "City of Palms", is the ideal place to base your holiday on Florida's Gulf Coast.

Its palm-lined avenues are a hub of activity with its many shopping malls, restaurants and nightclubs offering a cool change from the nearby beaches and coastal islands.

Attractions in Fort Myers include the Southwest Florida Museum of History, cruises operating from the downtown yacht basin, the Calusa Nature Center and the Planetarium. For the sports-minded, public golf courses and tennis courts offer some of the best playing turf in Florida.

Fort Myers Beach is where the action is; where you'll find a more typical beach lifestyle of sun tanning, tee shirt stores, great restaurants, and browsing in wonderful shops. The natural environment of the Fort Myers Beach area is a haven for visitors where you can experience the magnificent natural beauty of old Florida while taking advantage of the active and invigorating atmosphere. Fort Myers Beach is family oriented and affordable, and is the perfect spot for an exhilarating beach getaway!

Stumble It!   Reddit!      Del.icio.us