Travel

The first thing you hear on Vanish Point is a heartbeat, not your own.As you step into Adventure Island’s new waterslide attraction, the mood is set by the piped-in soundtrack of a heartbeat. It’s fake, but it does the trick of increasing anxiety as ...

For his fourth year helming the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival, Ron DeBonis, the Tampa theme park’s executive chef, is once again playing around with the menu. "Every year we have to have a little shock and awe. This year it is frog legs...

By Renee SklarewSpecial to tYou’re moving forward, inch by inch, closer to your destination. Or are you? Someone in front of you fumbles for lost tickets. Another person’s credit card malfunctions. Your precious vacation time is wasted — I call this ...

What’s new in cruising for 2018? As usual, there’s lots of razzle-dazzle — laser tag, water slides, zip lines and massive LED screens — along with a continued emphasis on healthy lifestyle options, from dining to fitness. But there are also changes u...

Can you feel it? The air is gradually thickening with humidity and the layers of clothes are getting thinner. Spring has almost sprung and with it brings a bumper crop of festivals in Florida’s theme parks full of food, wine, concerts and para...

A reigning champion for sand and sunshine, Tampa Bay is once again home to what’s been deemed the best beach in the country. Clearwater Beach was named the best beach in the U.S. for 2018 by the popular travel site TripAdvisor reclaiming the crown tw...

Seaworld Seven Seas Food Festival at the Orlando park with an expanded menu celebrating two of Florida’s most popular types of food: barbecue and Latin-inspired dishes.DateSWeekends now through April 15.EntertainmentLike its sister park Busch Gardens...

Universal studios MaThe annual Mardi Gras celebration is up and running at Universal Studios, bringing the Big Easy’s charm and food out every night, and this year it tosses in new floats and music.Six new constellation-themed Mardi Gras floats have ...

International Flower and Garden FestivalCelebrating the big 25 this year, the International Flower and Garden Festival is one of Disney World’s longest and oldest celebrations, on par with Epcot’s popular Food and Wine Festival. Lately the two have s...

Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival At just 4 years old, the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival is the baby among the state’s many spring festivals. Park managers heavily rely on customer feedback to keep retooling the weekends-only food and conce...