Shopping Outlets
A few shopping outlets
Where do I start? ?
Orlando, must be the shopping capital of the world!
I even think it’s where the phase “ shop till you drop “ has had to originate.
The majority of the shops and malls are open into late evening, and are air-conditioned, making your shopping experience very pleasurable. There are many, many bargains to be had so remember take as little as possible in your suitcase to your Orlando Villa, because you will need plenty of space left for all of your new purchases.
Below you will find an outline of the main shopping malls in Orlando and Kissimmee, plus a few tips. Don’t forget to visit the web sites, as many of them have discount vouchers to print off and give you even better bargains. You can also buy Gift Cards on the web sites, so if you are unlucky and not going to Florida, you can always treat someone who is. The opening hours given may change without notice, therefore please check with the store before making definite plans
15657 State Road 535
Orlando, FL 32821
407.238.9301
Turn right out of the Terra Verde gates and go up Poinciana Blvd.
Go straight over the 192 this is a continuation of Poinciana Blvd
At the next set of lights turn left but stay in the right-hand lane, you are now on the 535 also known as Apopka-Vineland Road.
The turn on to the Outlet is just a few hundred yards up this road on your right.
8200 Vineland Avenue
Orlando, FL 32821
(407) 238-7787
If you follow the same directions as above but then go straight past the Buena Vista Outlets.
At the big junction and traffic lights, where the 535 meets S International Drive.
Buena Vista Suites are on your right. Go right here. This is also the way back to the airports along the 417.
Then get over in to the left-hand lane, when you go through the lights you are turning left at the next lights on to South International Drive.
Follow this road for a few miles, passing a fire station. Stay in the left hand lane along this road.
When you get to the first set of traffic lights this is Vineland Ave, turn left.
After a couple of hundred yards Premium Outlets this is the second turn on your left.
Osceola Square Mall on the 192
If you like shops like TK MAX that we have here in the UK you will love Bealls and Ross-Dress for less. We have picked up some great designer bargains in both of these stores. There is also a Footlocker for trainers and a few other smaller shops to have a look in while your here.
Take a right out of Terra Verde and turn right again on to Oren Brown road.
Don’t turn into Wal-Mart but continue up to the 192.
Go along the 192 for a short while, just through the lights at Hoagland Blvd you will see an Ice-Cream Restaurant called Friendly’s this is on the left side of the road.
The Osceola Square Mall is just behind this.
Turn left at the next opportunity, and go over the two lanes of traffic once you have a gap and into the car park.
The Loop
3250 North John Young Parkway
Kissimmee/Orlando, FL 34741
Tel- 407-343-9223
Wonderful shopping and lots of places to eat and drink at this outside shopping Mall.
Barnie’s Coffee & Tea
Ben and Jerry's Ice-cream Parlour
Chili's restaurant
Chipolte Mexican
Johnny Rockets for great burgers & milk shakes
Macaroni Grill
Panera Bread & more
Turn right out of the Terra Verde gate then straight up Poinciana Blvd go straight over the 192 and up to the lights at the junction with the 535.
There are 2 lanes for right and 2 lanes for turning left you need to be in the middle right lane.
Once you turn right, get over to the left lane and you will see a bridge, just under this is a small set of traffic lights. You are making a left turn onto the Osceola Parkway.
There is just one Toll to pay along this road. A bit further along on the left hand side you will see a large JC Penny’s Department store and The Loop shopping Mall also on the left just past it.
A little further away from Jade House, you will find these other wonderful Malls
www.simon.com
Situated on the corner of The Orange Blossom Trial and Sand Lake Road, the Florida Mall was completely renovated and expanded in 1999. The Florida Mall is completely covered, so is ideal for those wet days or to keep cool from the blazing sun. 250 speciality stores and restaurants which include Saks Fifth Avenue, J.C. Penney, Burdines, Gap, Old Navy and Footlocker, will keep you busy. The food court provides a welcome break to recuperate. J.C. Penney and Burdines are very similar to department stores in U.K. and there are some great bargains to be had.
Opening hours are: Mon – Sat 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Prime Outlets
www.primeoutlets.com/
Orlandos newest shopping centre, formally known as Beltz!
With over 110 of the hottest brands on offer…Imagine finding everything you need or want in one unbelievable location. This is located at the north end of International Drive.
4951 International Drive
Orlando FL 32819
Mon-Sun 10:00am to 9pm
Mall at Millenia
4200 Conroy Road
Orlando, FL 32839
(407) 363-3555
More than just the ultimate shopping destination, The Mall at Millenia treats
guests to a sensory experience. Breathtaking architecture creates a distinct environment that exceeds all expectations.
Here you will find Macys, Bloomingdales, Gucci, Tiffany, Burberry, Cartier and many, many more designer labels.
The whole mall is surrounded by beautiful water features, which look particularly good in the evening when they are floodlit and surrounded by trees covered in fairy lights.
The entrance to the Mall is through the food hall, which again has a wonderful array of cafes and restaurants. You will be offered ‘tasters’ of food from all restaurants too. In fact you could probably have a free lunch by the time you have finished sampling their delights.
Throughout the mall there are large carpeted seating areas to rest your weary feet and take a break from shopping.
Opening hours are: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
On International Drive, Orlando. As well as the shops there are cinemas and restaurants. Here you will find some truly amazing shops such as,
Bass Pro Outdoor World – where you can buy almost anything you can think of for the great outdoors, you can even buy a speed boat if you had room on your suitcase to take it back home. My husband would spend the whole holiday here if I would let him!
Sheplers Western Wear – A must for all you country and western fans for shirts, boots and Stetsons. Dress in style for your next line-dancing session.
Ron Jon Surf Shop – Whatever you desire for all those water and beach based activities.
Open Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Happy shopping!!
Restaurants – Orlando has something to suite every taste and pocket
Weather your looking for a quick bit with the kids or a far more elegant fare, Orlando has around 4,500 restaurants near to the theme parks that make this destination so a favourite.
Orlando cuisine ranges from homegrown American fare to finest of French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese. What about Cuban, German, Chinese, Mexican and more. Not forgetting fabulous seafood restaurants that serve up the freshest catch of the day from local waters around Florida.
The list just goes on and on, all this choice and you can eat outside almost 12 months of the year.
Here are a few of the local restaurants that we can recommend and have visited during our trips to our home in Kissimmee.
Cracker Barrel
5400 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway (192)
Tel – 407-396-6521
A family restaurant with an old-fashioned store area that we always visit. No alcohol is served here but the food is great! This is left at the top of Poinciana Blvd on the 192, just a couple of minutes on the left hand side.
Chilis
5340 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway (192) Tel- 407-396-4333
American, with a Mexican twist. A family favourite. This is in the same row as Cracker Barrel. The draught beer or cocktails are sometimes buy-one-get-one free in the evenings!
Macaroni Grill
Chicken, pasta, salads etc… We have had the pleasure of trying this one, and all enjoyed it. Also in the same row as above…. Take your pick.
IHOP – 5184 West Irlo Memorial Highway (192)
The little blue house with a huge menu!
Great for breakfast, pancakes that just melt in the mouth. I’m sure they are calorie free too!
Olive Garden
A wonderful Italian dining experience. Be warned very large portions. Don’t be afraid to ask for a box to take your leftovers home.
This is right at the traffic lights on the 192, then on your left, get in the left hand lane as you turn at the lights.
Bahama Breeze- is a wonderful place for the entire family. You can dine outside on the deck around a small fire pit while enjoying delightful Jamaican style music. Try one of the many cocktails on offer at the bar. Full restaurant seating is also available inside. The food is superb, the atmosphere very pleasant and the experience a lot of fun.
The address is 8735 Vineland. The restaurant is located right off the 535 at Buena Vista. (Tel. 407-938-9010)
Charley’s Steakhouse- it is located at 192 on just by the I4.It is located on the right heading west on 192. The address is 2901 Parkway Blvd. It is across from Celebration. They have the most wonderful steaks, to say nothing about a chocolate cake “to die for”. Reservations are recommended. (407-396-6055)
There are lots more restaurants each way on the 192, turn right at the traffic lights and go down the 192 for about 200 yards for TGI Fridays
5034 West Irlo Bronson Highway, Kissimmee (192)
Tel – 407-397-2200
Try a flat iron steak with Jack Daniels sauce, it melts in the mouth.
Ruby Tuesday – 5295 Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway Kissimmee Tel – 407-397-1222
Turn left at the lights and the restaurant is on your right just passed Camping world on the 192.
The Outback- Steakhouse This was excellent. There is a restaurant on the 192 this is right at the top of Poinciana Blvd, then a few miles along 192.
There is another branch of The Outback near to Premium Outlets, if on the off chance you are doing any shopping during your holiday.
This restaurant is one of the latest places we have tried, recommended to us by Cindy & Mike our Management Company. This restaurant has a real Italian family feel to it. Great food, service and surroundings. You will not be disappointed should you try it. Two locations, one on the 192 and the other is by Premium Outlets. Lake Bryan
8702 Vineland Ave., Orlando, FL 32821
Tel- 407- 938-0015
And 7890 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy. Kissimmee, FL 34747
Tel-407) 390-9600
Menus and more information regarding all the above restaurants and lots more are in “The restaurant” Files in the villa. Many of these places also do “To Go” menus, great to stop and pick-up after a long day at the theme parks.
***Please note all directions are from Terra Verde Resort***
For a special occasion
We had read so many excellent reports about the Villa-de-Flora restaurant that we had put this on our list. We were not disappointed.
The Gaylord Palms Resort & Conference centre is on the Osceola Parkway, at the junction with International Drive South under 10 minutes from our villa.
You can’t miss it; it’s a stunning building that really stands out, especially at Christmas the decorations are just fabulous and everything even the palm trees are covered with lights.
The restaurant is set in the fabulous St Augustine Atrium; try to arrive a few minutes early so you can wander around and see the splendid waterfalls, fish, superb plants and even a few alligators. These are fed nightly at sunset. We were all very impressed with the attention to detail and the thought that had gone into making the whole area so breathtaking.
We were shown around the wonderful buffet area before we took our seats, all I can say is Wow what a choice. We had decided to go on a Monday this was an Italian night. It is also available on every Friday.
Other choices are Tuesday & Saturday is Spanish, Wednesday & Sunday is French and Thursday is Greek.
This will give you some idea of what was on offer at the beautifully presented buffet.
A great selection of cheeses, bread and lots of different salads to start with, then move on to the various pasta dishes try chicken, pork, ham, roast beef, swordfish or shrimp in coconut batter served with garlic mash and roasted vegetables. A chef is on hand at every section of the buffet to help you.
Let me tell you about the dessert selection; you can build your own sundae with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or build strawberry shortcake, strawberry cheesecake, Crème Brule, chocolate chip cookies, Tiramisu plus much more.
We had a very nice wine with our meal and chilled water is also available on the table.
The Villa-de-Flora has been designed to look like a grand dining room in an old world mansion; again this has been done to a very high standard.
Take your car-park ticket to the desk in the restaurant to get it stamped, this will give you free parking when you hand it to the attendant as you leave the Resort.
The Villa-de-Flora restaurant is also open for
Breakfast 6:30 to 10:30am Weekdays
Breakfast 6:30 to 11:00am Weekends
Lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm
Lunch Saturdays 12:00 to 2:30pm
Sunday Brunch 12:00 to 3:00pm
Dinner 5:00 to 10:00pm Nightly
Bar service 11:30am to 10:00pm
for reservations call 407-586-1114.
You have a choice of fabulous restaurants in Gaylord Palms.
There is the Old Hickory Steakhouse; set in the mysterious Everglades this rustic steakhouse has a wonderful menu including the highest quality Black Angus steaks, fresh seafood, handcrafted cheeses and an inspired wine list.
For reservations call 407-586-1600.
Sunset Sam's Fish Camp
A creative menu with Floridian and Caribbean favourites to choose from and fresh seafood prepared just the way you like it.
This restaurant is set in a wonderful harbour setting with a 60-foot sailboat; enjoy a cocktail or two in the Key West Atrium.
For reservations call 407-586-1101.
There is a Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream parlour plus numerous shops to have a look around during your visit.
In the Conference Centre from around Thanksgiving until after New Year, The ICE show is on. It is worth a visit just on it’s own but why not combine it with a meal in one of the restaurants, I’m sure you will enjoy it just as much as we did.
Can’t wait for our next trip.