WORLD OF ORCHIDS – ORCHID LANDSCAPE
As the name World of Orchids suggests, the focus of the show is on orchids. Whether it is actually the largest orchid exhibition on earth remains to be seen.
2501 Old Lake Wilson Road, Kissimmee, 2 miles west on US 192 after Exit 25B on Interstate 4, then 1 mile south on Old Lake Wilson Rd, Tel. (407) 396-1887, open Tuesday through Sunday 9:30 am until 4.30 p.m., free admission
In a larger exhibition hall (conservatory), which imitates a tropical rainforest, the numerous representatives of one of the largest plant families – after all, there are around 2000 species in more than 600 genera – can be found. There are always numerous plants in bloom. The whole thing is nice, but not particularly exciting, “garnished” with smaller waterfalls, koi fish and some tropical “poultry”.
They are definitely colorful, the exhibited monocot herbs of various shapes from the tropics and subtropics. Many species of orchid can also be found in Florida, mostly as epiphytes, ie as pseudo parasites that grow on other plants – mostly trees – and have no connection with the ground. The “guest” plants are not damaged, the elevated position only gives the orchids an improved “supply” of light.
If you add the relatively new outdoor facilities around a pond with the flora of Florida (Nature Walk, no focus on orchids), you can comfortably spend 2 to 3 hours here. Also on display are exotic birds and a free-flight aviary. If you want, you can buy botany in the shop, deducting it from the entrance fee.
Rating
A World of Orchids is not far from the former Splendid China Park. Both visits can therefore be easily combined for a day trip.
It’s a serene botanical exhibit, not particularly spectacular, but suitable for a break. The visitors are mostly older, and the facility is of little interest to children. After about 2 hours you have seen the main content, but you can also spend half a day here at leisure.
SARASOTA – SEAT OF SARASOTA COUNTY
According to Acronymmonster, Sarasota was founded (as a city) in 1913 on a bay on the western Gulf coast. The city, which today has more than 50,000 residents, is home to many wealthy people and is often nicknamed the “City of the Arts”. This reputation was founded by the former circus baron John Ringling, who founded an art museum here at his former winter residence.
Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., 655 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida 34236, Tel. 813-957-1877 or 800-522-9799, Fax: 941-951-2956, Official Website: www.sarasotafl.org
Landmarks
Mary Selby Botanical Garden
811 South Palm Avenue
Tel. 941-366-5730
open 10 am- 5pm daily, excluding Christmas
Admission: Adults: $ 17, Children 6-11: $ 6
The botanical garden shows more than 20,000 plants in the open air and under glass, some of which were obtained on expeditions by employees in the rainforests. 6,000 orchids can be found here. 7 greenhouses form the heart of the scientific work. A relaxed walk takes about 2 to 3 hours, but can be extended depending on your interests.
Mote Marine Laboratory
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota FL 34236
Tel. 941-388-4441
open 10 am- 5pm daily
Admission: Over 12: $ 17, Over 65: $ 16, Between 4 and 12: $ 12, Under 4: Free
This is about life in the ocean. Although the focus of the work is in the scientific field, the exhibitions are nonetheless worth seeing. It features around 200 fish and other marine life, including turtles and manatees, the peaceful manatees in Florida.
- PETERSBURG CLEARWATER – 361 DAYS OF SUNSHINE
The St. Petersburg and Clearwater region is a peninsula. The beaches are some of the best in the United States. They extend over a length of 56 km and here the sun should shine 361 days a year (!). The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are considered calm and warm. The tourist activity is also quieter than in Miami or the Orlando region, so the area is particularly popular for family vacations. The 250-acre Caladesi Island State Park northwest of Dunedin, which can only be reached by ferry, offers a pristine island paradise.
St. Petersburg Clearwater
Dali Museum
The Fort de Soto Park offers 500 hectares of almost untouched landscape (picnic, camping, cycling and inline skating). The tourist attractions of Central Florida, especially the theme parks in the greater Orlando area, can be reached on day trips within 1.5 to 2 hours.
Information is available on the region’s website St. Petersburg Clearwater to see. Good travel guides are the pages of Frommer’s, USA Citylink & USA Today. Also the German-speaking side us-infos.de provides information.
Landmarks
- Dali Museum
- Great Explorations, The Hands-On Museum, 1120 Fourth St. South, Tel. 813-821-8885, open 10 am-5pm Monday-Saturday; 12 noon – 5 p.m. Sunday. A museum to touch. The exhibitions include “Touch Tunnel”, “Think Tank”, “Phenomenal Arts”, “Body Shop”, “Explore Galore” and temporary exhibitions.
- Museum of Fine Arts, 225 Beach Drive NE, Tel. 813-896-2667, open Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., guided tours Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., The St. Petersburg Art Museum shows masterpieces by European and American painters from the 17th to the 20th centuries in a classicist villa. The collection of French impressionists (including Fragonard, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne) is noteworthy. In addition, the collections of Far Eastern and pre-Columbian art are of interest.
- Florida International Museum, 100 2nd St. N., Tel. 800-777-9882, A museum with no permanent exhibits. The temporary exhibitions are usually worth visiting. More on the museum’s website.
- St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 2nd Ave. NE, Tel. 813-894-1052, open Monday to Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm, admission $ 4, exhibits on the history of the area are on display. Flight One Gallery is dedicated to the birth of the world’s first scheduled airline service, which originated in St. Petersburg in 1914 with a regular flight to Tampa.
- Pier: The pier of St. Petersburg protrudes several hundred meters into Tampa Bay and houses a shopping center, restaurants and a swimming pool in the upside-down pyramid at the end. There is also a small mini golf course and, with a bit of luck, the Bounty (from the film with Marlon Brando) will be on the pier.
- Sunken Gardens, 1825 4th Street N., Tel. 813-896-3186. A small tropical paradise in the middle of St. Peterburg, the oldest botanical garden in Florida with an alligator and parrot show.
They are also interesting Haunted tours through St. Petersburg. Two tours are offered for tourists equipped with candles to mysterious places in St. Petersburg: One is the Ghost Tour at Jungle Prada (2 hours, Fri 8 p.m.) and the other is the Downtown St. Petersburg Ghost Tour (1.5 hours,, daily 8 p.m.).
Note: The aforementioned museums are connected to one another by a free trolley service, the Looper. This also drives to the pier.
