IN BRIEF

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Did you know that Jack Kerouac, one of the best known Beat writers from the 1950s— whose book On the Road (1957) helped defi ne the genre—lived in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood during the time the novel was published? Not only was he a resident, but he also wrote The Dharma Bums (On the Road’s sequel) from the circa-1920s cottage he shared with his mother. In 1997, the Kerouac Project of Orlando (www.kerouacproject.org) was formed to restore the home and establish it as a haven for up-and-coming writers. Today, aspiring writers are selected to live in the house rent-free while they pen their masterpieces.

MEGA MICKEY D’S

Golden arches fans should head to the location on the corner of Sand Lake Road and International Drive—it has the largest PlayPlace in the world, home to more than 60 arcade games. Parents can relax by the waterfall and dine on chef-prepared dishes from Bistro Gourmet.

I-Ride, You Ride, We All Ride

Forget navigating the International Drive resort area (home to SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove, Universal Studios Florida and more) on your own. I-Ride Trolley (www.iridetrolley.com) is convenient— it runs from 8am to 10:30pm, arriving at each stop every 20 minutes—and affordable ($1 a ride, free for 12 and younger). Since service began in 1997, it has transported more than 17.5 million people. All aboard!

[GET EDUCATED]

Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida, which has the largest undergraduate enrollment in Florida and is the sixth-largest university in the nation.

The Town That Disney Built

Located 30 minutes from downtown Orlando, Celebration (www.celebration.fl.us) is a 49,000-acre planned community created by a real estate branch of The Walt Disney Company. In 1996, the first residents moved into this New Urbanist town—characterized by pattern-book architecture (there are various styles from which to choose); narrow streets that encourage walking; and a lack of elected officials. Today, about 9,000 people live in Celebration, which won the Urban Land Institute’s Award for Excellence as Best New Community in 2001.

READY, BREAK!

In the eighth season of the 1990s sitcom “Coach,” Hogan Fox (played by Craig T. Nelson) got a chance to fulfi ll his dream of coaching an NFL team (for the first seven years, he coached at the fictional Minnesota State University). The made-up football team was none other than the Orlando Breakers. The sitcom’s epilogue—shown on the fi nal episode in 1997—shows the Breakers going on to win back-to-back Super Bowl championships.

A Theme Park is Born

Johnny Carson
broadcasting from
the park In 1936, Florida’s first theme park, Cypress Gardens Adventure Park (www.cypressgardens.com), opened, with a beautiful botanical garden at its core. In its early years, Bette Davis, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnett, Elvis and other celebs visited the park, which was proclaimed the “Water Ski Capital of the World” when the water-ski show was born in 1941. Cypress Gardens closed in 2003 due to a downturn in tourism, but was restored the following year (although hurricane season almost spoiled the renovation plans). The state’s first theme park reopened in November 2004. Today, it offers more than 40 rides (including the world’s tallest spinning rapids ride), Splash Island Water Park and, of course, the famous water-ski show.