Taylor Swift Coming to Orlando!

Coming June 4th to the Amway Center in downtown Orlando is Taylor Swift and her Speak Now Tour 2011. This is one of the most highly anticipated musical experiences of the year. Renowned for incredibly high-energy theatrical presentations, this show will featue amazing graphics, sets and visuals. Taylor herself will play a variety of instruments and will have a multitude of wardrobe changes. Special guests to the show will be NEEDTOBREATHE.

Hurry and buy your tickets before they are sold out. Then book your room at our north Orlando B&B Thurston House, located in Maitland and just 5 miles from the Amway Center!

Ricky Martin at the Amway Center, Orlando!

It’s Ricky Martin’s first tour in four years! Catch him when his “Musica+Alma+Sexo” tour rolls through the Amway Center in downtown Orlando on April 8. Tickets are $46-$126, on sale now.

Our Orlando lodging Thurston House bed & breakfast is a very convenient 5 miles away from the center. Enjoy the show, then come back to the peace and quiet that is Thurston House. 

Coming up in Central Florida – ARTS!

This fine arts and crafts festival is held each year in the spring at beautiful Lake Lily in Maitland, Central Florida.  This two day event hosts around 130 artists, food and beverage stations, sponsor booths and thousands of visitors.

Thurston House - Maitland - Lake Lily Park

The 23rd Annual Spring Festival of the Arts will be held on April 16-17, 2011. The festival is just minutes away from Central Florida’s premier bed & breakfast, Thurston House. Book your accommodations now and enjoy this wonderful festival.

Jazz ‘n Blues Stroll in the Garden!

One of our favorite Leu Gardens events is coming up in April – 

Jazz’n Blues Stroll
Saturday, April 9
7:00 – 10:00 pm
Gardens will close at 3:00 pm
Garden House will open at 6:00 pm for Will Call.

Enjoy live blues and jazz under a starry sky inside Leu Gardens’ 50-acre botanic oasis located in the heart of Central Florida featuring the smooth sounds of the Robert Harris Group, soulful Bobby Blackmon and Dave Capp Project. Each band will feature favorite songs as well as originals. Pack a dinner picnic basket full of your favorite foods/drinks and bring chairs or blanket for this outdoor event. Vendors selling coffee and pastry. Advance Tickets on sale Wednesday, March 30, 2011.

Advance Tickets: $15.00 plus tax General Admission, $11.00 plus tax Garden Member (members may purchase up to 4 tickets at member prices per membership) and $20.00 plus tax day of the stroll for members and nonmembers. Tickets are limited, nonrefundable and nontransferable to other garden activities. Purchase advance tickets in person at Leu Gardens every day from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm or by phone 407.246.2620 press 0 Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (last day to purchase tickets over the phone is Friday, April 8 until 1:00 pm, if available) with a MasterCard®, VISA®, or American Express®. No rain date.

This fabulous garden is only 15 minutes from Thurston House. Couldn’t you use a nice getaway too!

Mead Garden & The Great Duck Derby!

The Great Duck Derby – Feb 19

Sat, Feb 19th at 10:00 am

“The Great Duck Derby” features a series of rubber duck races and a full day of FREE family activities on Saturday, February 19, 2011.

Anyone can participate in the race by buying a rubber duck for $5 either the day of the event or at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, February 12. The Peabody Ducks begin the festivities with a march to the Amphitheater at 10:30 am.

The yellow rubber ducks will race in the Garden’s waterway. Proceeds benefit the Mead Botanical Garden Nature Program.

This is a great opportunity for attendees to discover or rediscover Winter Park’s hidden treasure, and to see the exciting plans for the Garden’s revitalization, Nature Center and programs.

Family and Friends Events

A day of free family activities will take place… something for everyone. To name a few: Mr. Richard and his band — the Peabody Ducks — “Duck-o-ration” (duck paintint) for the children — Hayrides — Face painters — Animal Encounters — Walkabouts — Bounce House — Plant sale — Central Florida Zoo.
Food and drinks can be bought in the garden as well.

Race Day Schedule

10:30 AM   – The Peabody Ducks march at the Amphitheater

11:30 AM – Big Sponsor Duck Race at the Pond

12:30 PM – Baby Duck Race #1

1:15 PM – Baby Duck Race #2

Support the event by entering the Big Duck Race

There are two levels of SPONSORSHIP: the $500 “Golden Egg” sponsor and the $200 “Animal Quackers.” Both levels receive a very large, bright yellow, rubber duck to decorate with their corporate logo, or individuals may theme-decorate their duck. Both levels will receive pre-publicity exposure and a Membership in Friends of Mead Botanical Garden, the organization revitalizing the Garden.

WHAT FUN!!!! Minutes from Thurston House, a Maitland Winter Park accommodation.

ArtsFest 2011 – Central Florida

United Arts of Central Florida ArtsFest 2011

The United Arts of Central Florida announces this years upcoming ArtsFest. There are 220 events in 81 venues across 4 counties! Maitland and Winter Park are prominantly featured, with events at venues such as the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Creadle School of Art, Enzian Theater, and the Maitland Art Center & Historical Museums…to name a few.

This years ArtsFest runs from February 4-13…all arts, all week, all FREE!!! All Orange County venues are just a short distance from Thurston House, our Central Florida Bed & Breakast Inn. Book your room now, and enjoy the arts!

Valentine’s & Winter Park Tours!

Winter Park City Tours
A Special Valentine’s Themed Adventure

For You Sunday, February 13th

 Designed for singles, couples, or friends looking for a unique way to spend time together in historic Winter Park. 

 Stroll package includes:

 Our Walking Tour, the Scenic Boat Tour with champagne and scrumptious dark chocolate from Sassafras Sweet Shoppe.

 We’ve added a complimentary entry ticket to the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens for you to redeem at any time.

And, if you want to keep the fun going into the evening, we will happily recommend a Winter Park restaurant to provide a lovely dining option for you. We’ve teamed up with several local eateries where you can celebrate at a discount!

We’ve designed two tour packages …you choose!

12:30 p.m.    Comstock Tour & Scenic Boat Tour

 We’ll meet at the Winter Park Welcome Center & Chamber of Commerce, 151 W Lyman Avenue.

 Our Comstock Tour encompasses walking the northern section of Downtown Winter Park including the Train Depot, Winter Park Historical Museum, Central Park, Hitching Post, Osceola Lodge, Casa Feliz,  and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, and we will end up at the dock where we will launch out on our private chain of lakes boat tour.

 4:00 p.m.    Rollins Tour & Scenic Boat Tour

 We’ll meet at the Winter Park Welcome Center & Chamber of Commerce, 151 W Lyman Avenue.

 Our Rollins College Tour explores walking the oldest recognized college in the state of Florida, including Pinehurst Hall, the Walk of Fame, entry into the acclaimed Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Knowles Memorial Chapel, the Annie Russell Theatre, the Fred Stone Theatre, Olin Library, and we will walk down Interlachen and end up at the dock where we will launch out on our private chain of lakes boat tour.

 See you soon,

 Tom Smith

Your Tour Guide at Winter Park City Tours

Walking Tours of Winter Park, Florida!

I just found about this wonderful option for our guests – Winter Park City Tours.

WinterPark City Tours delivers engaging lifestyle tours which showcase the community’s rich history, beautiful spaces and tomorrow’s possibilities. WinterPark City Tours will highlight landmark buildings in Winter Park and the rich enduring history of the town and key people and places that make Winter Park an unforgettable community.  There are four distinct tour routes guests will be able to enjoy. What a wonderful way to see this beautiful neighbor city of ours! Our Central Florida bed & breakfast is just minutes from where the tours leave from.