TAMPA BAY
Whoop it up with Alex the Lion
There’s always something new for the kids at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. In May, the theme park premieres “Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation.” Visitors can party with Alex the Lion and his friends, as they vacation with friends at Busch Gardens. The original musical show includes singers, dancers and rock/pop music performed by a live band. Plan to sing, clap and dance along to original songs and party favorites with Madagascar characters. The show debuts on May 28. For more information, visit www.seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa/Park-Info.
MIAMI BEACH
Easter Bunny to make a stop in South Beach
Guests at the Sense Beach House, a boutique beach-house-style property in South Beach, can expect a sweet surprise on Easter morning. The hotel staff has arranged for a special visit from the Easter Bunny. On March 31, each of the hotel’s 18 rooms will receive an Easter basket filled with treats and trimmings. So even if guests didn’t arrive with their peeps, they will find some at their door.
In the South of Fifth neighborhood of South Beach, the beach house features shades of blue and beige that blend with natural accents and neutral lighting from the hotel’s front porch, parlor and neighborhood restaurant, The Local House. Rooms offer all the modern features and amenities of a first-class hotel. A rooftop pool and lounge rounds out the Sense Beach House experience, offering a chic place to soak up the sun or watch the stars, with ocean and skyline views. For more information, visit www.sensebeachhouse.com.
FORT LAUDERDALE
Staying fit in style at Harbor Beach
Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is serving up a package deal for guests who want to get in, or stay in, great shape while vacationing. Fit travel continues to be one of the year’s biggest trends and as swimsuit season looms, the resort is offering a package designed to get travelers tan and toned with a rare guilt-free beach getaway.
The Stay Fit, Stay Here package includes overnight accommodations; one fitness class (choice of yoga, pilates, spinning, Zumba, kickboxing - based on weekly schedule); one beach boot camp session; and a 30-minute health and fitness consultation with Harbor Beach personal trainer and nutrition expert.
Rates start at $249 per night. For more information or reservations, call 800-228-9290 or visit harborbeachmarriott.com with promo code Z97.
AMELIA ISLAND
Plantation reopens after renovation
The Omni Amelia Island Plantation, on the south tip of the island, reopened this month after the completion of an $85 million Re-Imagination project. The resort sports a lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an infinity-edge pool and the Atlantic Ocean. The Omni added 155 more oceanfront guest rooms, including 27 suites, for a total of 404 oceanfront rooms. The tiered pool deck with 600 loungers (one for each guest bed) includes an adult infinity-edge pool, a large family pool, and kid’s splash area. The Omni is expanded its programs for kids and teens, with new recreation at Camp Amelia, Just for Families events, a Teen concierge, and Gamers – a hangout just for teens. Guests can enjoy the new Heron’s Cove Adventure Golf with 18 family-friendly, putt-putt holes. And of course all the old favorites remain, including the spa, golf course, beach and yoga classes.
The renovation also includes an 80,000-square-feet in meeting space, $3.8 million in improvements to the golf facilities, a spa renovation adding two couple’s relaxation rooms, and a variety of new dining options. For more information, visit www.omniameliaislandplantation.com.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Golfers passport to savings
A new golfing passport in Palm Beach County offers savings at several courses through April. Starting at $240, the passport includes 18 holes on four of the destination’s public courses, and 9 holes at the John Prince Golf Learning Center. It also includes a free bucket of range balls, and a bonus coupon valid for an extra round at any one of the five courses.
The passport allows golfers to experience one of only five Audubon International Classic Signature Golf Courses in the world at the Osprey Point Golf Course, and nearby Southwinds Golf Course, which is known for its lush foliage and diverse birds and wildlife. Both are in Boca Raton.
In Lake Worth, the passport gives golfers access to the Park Ridge Golf Course, featuring some of the highest elevations in the Palm Beaches. The Okeeheelee Golf Course, in West Palm Beach’s Okeeheelee Park, provides a challenging course paired with picturesque views of the surrounding lakes. The last location included in the Golf Passport is John Prince Golf Learning Center of Lake Worth, a practice facility managed by Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation. For more information visit www.PalmBeachFL.com.
Mary Thurwachter is a West Palm Beach freelance writer and founder/producer of INNsideFlorida.com (www.innsideflorida.com). Email: marytg@bellsouth.net.
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