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Sprawling across 500 acres only minutes from downtown Orlando, Grande Lakes Orlando resort is a property unlike any other in Central Florida. Home to The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes boasts more than 1,000 guest rooms and suites, a lazy-river, three outdoor heated pools, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, The Ritz-Carlton Spa (featuring 40…
Sandi and Aram Ebben were the winners of the Dr. Phillips Date Night Giveaway. Here’s a review of their special night: We won! I excitedly announced to my adorable hubby of 12 years. We had just been notified by Kristen Manieri, the founder and editor of the Orlando Date Night Guide, that we were the…
Closed March 2017 Want more happy hour info? Check out our Guide to Orlando Happy Hours. Tucked into a bustling corner of Thornton Park, Baoery Asian Gastropub feels like a cool neighborhood hangout where folks can just chill out and enjoy good grub. With a bar at its center and a good size patio outside, it’s also…
There is no lack of Orlando date night ideas, a statement that’s even more true as we look back over the past 12 months and through the 300+ posts we published on Orlando Date Night Guide in 2015. And there’s something for everyone: artists, foodies, outdoor adventurists, night owls and creatives. As our year in review,…
Orlando has seen a flurry of new restaurant openings in the last few months, including new additions to downtown’s dining scene and Disney Springs. And while new restaurants are flinging open their doors every week, tried and true mainstays are revamping their menus, hiring new chefs and updating their space in an effort to stay…
UPDATE: Cask & Larder relocated to the Orlando International Airport in late 2016. While there’s not a set brunch menu, you can catch breakfast daily. Check out the menu here. Cask & Larder, the sister venture of Ravenous Pig and Swine & Sons, knows exactly what it means to serve up good ol’ country comfort…
Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival is now in full swing with more than 30 delicious global marketplaces dotting the World Showcase daily through November 16, 2015. Throughout this much-loved, 53-day foodie fete, hundreds of thousands of visitors will descend on Epcot to eat, drink and be inspired by the more than 270 Disney chefs and culinary stars participating…
We’ve long been fans of Marlow’s Tavern in Winter Park. One of three area locations (there’s also one in Waterford Lakes and one at Pointe Orlando), Marlow’s is the sort of place where you can get a quality meal for two that’s prepared in a scratch kitchen and paired with reasonably priced drinks for around…
UPDATED September 2019 Orlando’s arts and culture scene continues to be alive and thriving, which means there are plenty of places to show off that talent. Local bars and venues host Orlando’s best open mic nights to showcase our impressive local talent, which is great for both performers and eager audience members who like to…
Updated July 2018 The worlds of food and cocktails have collided thanks to a blossoming craft cocktail movement that makes drinking much more of an epicurean experience than ever before. The sky truly is the limit for bartenders willing to think beyond spirit + mixer and instead aim to design multi-faceted recipes most of us…
Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek will host the fifth annual Food & Wine Weekends starting Sept. 25, 2015 through Nov. 15, 2015. Featuring a slew of delectable events and special offerings spanning eight weekends, Food & Wine Weekends (a compliment to Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, Sept 25-Nov 16), offers a…
Unwind from your workweek at the monthly Wine Down event at Orlando’s boutique urban winery, Quantum Leap. Every second Friday from 7 – 10pm, the winery located at the crossroads of Mills 50 and Ivanhoe Village invites the public to its tasting room to enjoy great local wine, live music and food truck fare. Wine Down…
UPDATED: JUNE 2016 They don’t call this the Sunshine State for nothing. From top to tip and coast to coast, Florida is packed with fabulous ways to enjoy the summer, even when the temperature soars into the 90s and beyond. Need a few ideas to get your summer plans started? No problem. Check out our…
**Updated for 2018** There’s no better way to spark fireworks with your date than to go and watch the real thing! Pack a basket with your favorite goodies, grab a blanket and head out to one of these July 4th celebrations for a spectacular display! There are loads of events beginning Sunday, July 1, and…
**UPDATE: CLOSED February 2018** TR Fire Grill, the hipster spin-off of Tony Roma’s Steakhouse, recently launched a brunch served Sundays from 11am to 2pm. We stopped in to this wonderful eatery last weekend to check it out and were thrilled with the fun and flavorful selections. For now, this fantastic feast is only available at TR’s…
Dinner with seven, random strangers in a converted warehouse space turns out to be a fabulously fun night of unexpected delights. If you ask me, I believe we are in the midst of a cultural revolution where our obsession with the digital world and connecting online has actually caused many of us to crave human,…
Our sister city, Tampa Bay, is an easy two-hour drive away and is packed full with delightful diversions perfect for fun weekend together. Earlier this year, the city launched a brand-new program designed to give out-of-towners the key to the city… sort of. The Tampa Bay CityPASS includes tickets to all of the area’s best…
Lovers of fun, creative and decadent culinary experiences will adore all the foodie festivities planned on weekends through November 9 at Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. To begin with, the annual Food & Wine Weekends will host a series of wine dinners held on Friday and Saturday evenings when 16 guests will…
By Tisha Mccray Recently I had the opportunity to try out Cuba Libre’s new feature: Tapas Tuesday. I love ordering small plates of food with fellow diners; it automatically creates an atmosphere of sharing and exploration and you can get away with eating several different things. Cuba Libre’s atmosphere is welcoming starting from the minute…
It’s always a good time at Maxine’s on Shine, the bohemian eatery clandestinely tucked into a quiet downtown neighborhood north of Thornton Park. Open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday as well as brunch and lunch on the weekends, this small, locally owned restaurant features live music most nights on the zebra-skinned stage on the edge…
The weather is fine and the city’s green spaces are exploding with color. Now is the perfect time to plan a romantic picnic. Here are three of my favorite spots: LAKE EOLA PARK: this urban oasis in the heart of downtown features a mile-long path around the “lake.” You’ll find lots of little spots to…
In the January issue of Orlando Magazine, I had the opportunity to share my experience attending a destination fitness camp. For two grueling but surprisingly fun days, I ran, lunged, kayaked, biked and swam my way around one of the most gorgeous vacation spots on the Gulf Coast. Thinking about kicking off a renewed commitment…
What do you get when you mix laughter, cheery competition, and martinis? You get a date night you and your honey will be talking about for months. Last month, my hubby and I had one of our best date nights EVER at PlayDate Orlando inside Rix Lounge (Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort). This swanky locale was…