ORLANDO
Sure it has seven of the world's top theme parks. But that's not all there is to Orlando. There are more than 100 other amazing attractions in the greater Orlando area. Add to that an eclectic dining scene, and this destination is ready for anything a meetings group is looking for.
DAY 1: ATTRACTIONS FOR BIG KIDS
9:00 AM
The Orlando Eye is poised to become Orlando's newest icon. Standing at 400 feet tall, it's the tallest observation wheel on the east coast of the U.S. Located at the I-Drive 360 entertainment and dining complex, guests are lifted in air-conditioned glass capsules as they take in 360-degree views of Central Florida.
1:00 PM
The Morse Museum houses the world's most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including the artist and designer's jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass, leaded-glass lamps, and windows.
7:00 PM
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is the new home for Broadway productions and Orlando Ballet, among other performances. The arts center includes two performance theaters, a 300-seat community theater, outdoor plaza, and banquet room.
DAY 2: SET SAIL
10:00 AM
Located on Lake Osceola in the quaint city of Winter Park, the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour offers hour-long guided cruises through three lakes and two narrow man-made canals on the tranquil Winter Park chain. Participants will learn the history of Winter Park, Central Florida's oldest community, which was originally founded by wealthy Easterners in the 1800s.
1:00 PM
Upscale, family-friendly waterfront dining from Disney features spectacular floating artwork: dream boats from the 30's, 40's, and 50's. This new Disney Springs venue offers live music, guided tours aboard the Captain's piloted Italian Water Taxi, as well as guided Amphicar rides.
DAY 3: BOTTOMS UP
1:00 PM
Do a beer tasting at the East End Market, a neighborhood market and food hub in the Audubon Park Garden District of Orlando. The market showcases some of Central Florida's top food entrepreneurs, tradespeople, artists, and chefs. The two-story structure is home to a dozen merchants, a large event space, a demonstration kitchen, an incubator kitchen, retail shops, an award-winning caterer, and a world-class restaurant.
7:00 PM
An event at the Quantum Leap Winery can include a dinner, a wine pairing, and tour of the bottling process. Located in the Lake Ivanhoe District, this unique urban winery has a sustainability focus. Quantum Leap searches for quality, sustainably grown wine, around the world, and then transports it in large vessels to the Orlando where it is finished, blended, and packaged.
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This article appears in the July 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.