Vissing's Vacations: Unexpected Orlando

"Unexpected" Visit to Orlando

By Donna F. Vissing
TACh Travel & Vacation Editor

Planning a trip to Orlando, Florida but would like to do something different? Visit the “unexpected side” of Orlando. Between the diverse cultural settings, museums, galleries, refined gardens, and boat tours, you will see a side of Orlando that many do not know exists. And in the evenings, totally relax and be pampered at The Peabody Orlando.

Are you ready to get started on the “unexpected tour”? First stop is the Maitland Art Center.

Walking through the 1937 stone gates, you take a step back into time. Jules Andre Smith (1880-1959) founded and built the Center as an artist’s research studio/colony. Inspired by the Maya/Aztec influence, the nearly five acres carries the influence throughout the Center, courtyards and cultivated gardens.

The Center hosts year-around traveling exhibits, the art gallery enlightens you to the works of national, regional and local contemporary artists. You can walk in the peaceful courtyards and gardens; children can create their own early 20th century art by crayon-tracing their favorite Maya/Aztec drawing found in the outside gardens. Free Admission.

Next on the “unexpected cultural tour” is Orlando Lock Haven Park. Home to the Orlando Science Center, Repertory Theatre, Philharmonic Orchestra, Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival, The Mennello Museum of American Folk Art and Orlando Museum of Art; the Park is an enriching destination. Founded in 1924, The Orlando Museum of Art offers one of the broadest permanent collections of American and African art and ancient Americas’ art, and is known as “one of Florida’s cultural gems”. In addition, the museum hosts culturally diverse traveling exhibits, including one from children’s favorite picture book illustrator and author - Eric Carle, the Brown Bear, Mister Seahorse and Other Friends: The Wonderful World of Eric Carle, running from May 13 through August 13, 2006. Another popular exhibit is The Art of the Motorcycle, presenting 80 historic and contemporary motorcycles. The exhibit highlights the contribution and evolution motorcycles have made both in design and to our culture. The exhibit will be open through July 23, 2006.

For information about Museum hours, admission, current and feature exhibits, visit their website at www.omart.org.

Next stop on the “unexpected cultural tour” is The Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens. You are surrounded with beauty in art, well-known sculptures, tranquil gardens, and the quiet waters of Lake Osceola. Internationally renowned sculptor and 30-year Department head of Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago, Albin Polasek, chose Orlando for retirement and he personally designed his home and studio grounds to be his inspiration. The Museum contains both his art and those of other artists with Polasek’s nearly 200 piece collection of invaluable historic importance. Free Admission

Tucked into the timeless and whimsical Winter Park is the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. This museum houses the world’s treasured work of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Stunning stained-glass windows and blown glass, paintings with incredible detail and color, priceless pottery, and additional collections of jewelry, furniture, lamps, and enamels are on exhibit.

The Museum offers the extraordinary experience of walking into a small chapel and gazing at the Byzantine-Romanesque chapel interior Tiffany created for Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. The interior was reassembled, restored and reopened in 1999. This is the first time it had been seen in over 100 years by the general public.

Sculpting Nature: The Favorite Pottery of L.C. Tiffany Collection is also on exhibit. This represents nearly 100 pieces of Tiffany’s pottery. The production time period was1904 to 1914 and this is the first known exhibition devoted to his lesser-known pottery collection. Admission is $3.00 for adults.

The Peabody Orlando completes your “unexpected cultural” vacation. Including the world famous mallard ducks, staging their 1930’s debut at The Peabody Memphis, The Peabody Orlando makes it their top priority to create the ultimate vacation experience. Beginning with the room’s spacious and exquisite surroundings, you are set on a journey to be soothed in total comfort and luxury.

For those who want to relax, The Peabody Orlando provides a swimming/lap pool, a children’s pool with waterfall, along with a king-size whirlpool where you are surrounded by palm trees and served cool drinks poolside. A full range of Nautilus fitness equipment is available, and you can later soothe those aching muscles in one of the Peabody’s steam rooms, saunas or by booking a private massage.

The Captain’s Choice Golf Services is on-site to arrange golf outings at Orlando’s top private and public golf courses. If tennis is your game, The Peabody Orlando offers four lighted tennis courts; the Athletic Club will assist in arranging matches and tournaments.

Dining at The Peabody Orlando is a culinary and cultural delight with options to meet any taste, budget and interest. Whether you desire to indulge yourself with gourmet cuisine, or authentic Northern Italian cuisine, Orlando’s two premier restaurants are located in The Peabody Orlando. Or you can relax and dine 50’s style at the B-Line Diner. With fun menu selections and an atmosphere to match, the B-Line Diner is a favorite with hotel guests.

Visit Orlando in a different yet memorable way – visit the "unexpected side" of Orlando and be good to yourself by staying at The Peabody Orlando. To book your next Florida getaway with The Peabody Orlando, visit their website at www.peabodyorlando.com or call toll-free 800.PEABODY.