If you’ve never visited Florida’s Chautauqua before, this is an event you don’t want to miss. National recording star Ronnie McDowell and his band, the Rhythm Kings, will present a special benefit performance in DeFuniak Springs on August 26th to help Florida’s Chautauqua Center with fundraising efforts. The event will be held at the old Walton County High School auditorium. Tickets are just $25.00 each and all proceeds will benefit the Florida Chautauqua Center, a non-profit organization established in 1993 to orchestrate and host the official Florida Chautauqua Assembly. (photo courtesy: Florida Chautauqua)

“We are so grateful to Ronnie McDowell and his team for agreeing to support the Florida Chautauqua Center and our upcoming 2011 Assembly,” says Dennis Ray, Chairman of the Board, who approached McDowell about supporting the official Florida Chautauqua Assembly several months ago. “Mr. McDowell’s national travel schedule is extremely tight, and to bring such a high-profile singer to our DeFuniak Springs community is extremely rare. We can’t express our gratitude to him enough for helping support our historic Assembly.”

Ronnie McDowell charted a string of hit singles and albums for the Epic label between 1979 and 1986. Every single release with the exception of just one became a Top 10 Hit including the chart toppers “Older Women” and “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation.” Other hits during his Epic years included “Watchin Girls Go By,” “Personally,” “You Made A Wanted Man Of Me,” “All Tied Up,” and “In A New York Minute.”

Moving to Curb Records in 1986, his current label to date, McDowell scored a Top 10 hit with “It’s Only Make Believe,” a duet with Conway Twitty on what was Twitty’s breakthrough hit from 1958. Two years later Ronnie teamed up with Jerry Lee Lewis for a rocking duet that McDowell wrote titled,”You’re Never Too Old To Rock N’ Roll.” He also recorded yet another Top 10 hit with his version of the pop standard “Unchained Melody,” which also became a #1 country music video. His entertaining abilities soared and he began to draw larger crowds. He started appearing in larger venues and touring with artists such as Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn before headlining his own shows. (photo courtesy: Florida Chautauqua)

Ronnie McDowell is still constantly in demand on the road and he tours relentlessly with his band the Rhythm Kings. Additionally, he often tours with Elvis Presley’s original sidemen Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana along with Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires staging a tribute to Elvis Presley’s music.

So pack your bags and come on down to attend this one of a kind event. For more information about the August 26th performance in DeFuniak Springs by Ronnie McDowell, call the Florida Chautauqua Center office at ( 850 )  892-7613 or log on to their website at www.FloridaChautauquaAssembly.org

If you haven’t been to Orlando Florida, it is time you plan that vacation as Orlando is the place to be. Considered to be a family fun place, Orlando is full of breathtaking views and well known recreational spots for people of all ages to enjoy. We all know how exciting children become when parents plan a vacation to Orlando Florida but it is important to do some planning before hand. Here are some travel tips that will make your visit to Orlando a memorable and enjoyable experience. (photo courtesy: 365todoinorlando.com)

Orlando is home of the famous Walt Disney World and many other theme parks and it is packed with kids of all ages. For health and safety precautions, if you are traveling with children or other family members that have health issues or limitations, make sure you bring that information about those issues with you. In the event there is an emergency with a child or family member, having the health records handy will help you get medical assistance faster.

What is the best month of the year to visit Orlando? May! It is during the month of May that we have lower humidity and sometimes less rainfall which makes it an ideal time to visit Orlando. If you do decide on a summer vacation, be aware that the sun can be brutal during the summer months. My advice is to bring a strong sunscreen preferably a factor of 35 or more to avoid sunburns. Also, do bring lots of drinking water to prevent from getting dehydrated.

While in Orlando if you enjoy something different, take the family on a bus ride. There is public transportation in Orlando known as the LYNX that serves all of Central Florida. You can easily spot the bus stops as these are marked with a pink paw or some have just a bus symbol. The bus fare is less than two dollars for each person. LYNX offers another bus system and this one is called the LYMMO. This one system offers free rides within the downtown area of Orlando.

Of course a must see place for the entire family is the famous Walt Disney World with its fantastic theme parks and lots of other attractions. You can then visit The International Drive where SeaWorld and Universal Orlando are located. Besides the two theme parks here, you will also find entertainment, dining, and lots of shopping places. Keep looking and you will come across other attractions like Wet n’ Wild water park, Skull Kingdom, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. If you prefer activities other than Disney while in Orlando, just go south to Kissimmee and there you will find lots of places to go fishing, golfing, hiking, horse back riding and airboat rides. (photo courtesy: uptake.com)

It is almost impossible to list all the great places you can visit in Orlando. What I can tell you is that it is truly a family entertainment dreams come true and that is why over forty million people visit Orlando every year. Now it is your turn so pack your bags and come on down!

When you think about vacationing at Disney World in Orlando, the thing that comes to mind is the magic of Disney characters and just having fun. What many people don’t realize is that you can really pamper yourself while at Disney. Disneyland is not just action and excitement it is also about relaxation and pampering. The pampering you receive at Disneyland is not the same that you get at a spa but it is relaxing and it does make you feel special. (photo courtesy: destination360.com)

The best thing to do to get pampered on your next Disneyland vacation is to book your room at one of the Disney resorts and upgrading it to a room that includes concierge services. Yes, it will cost you more but the service you get will be a memorable experience. Rooms that include concierge service at Disney are much nicer and included in the price of the room are free bottle water, coffee and tea, and soft drinks at all times. There is a concierge counter so you will be able to check in and out faster.

Once you have access to the concierge lounge, you will be able to enjoy continental breakfast every morning in the lounge or if you prefer you can also choose to take your breakfast back to your room. There are lots of Disney videos for the kids to watch and while they are busy enjoying the videos you can enjoy a wine tasting event in the lounge as well. There are many more concierge perks available but these differ from one resort to another, so be sure to contact the resort you have an interest in to determine if the services provided will benefit you and your family. When you call the resort, ask to be connected with the concierge desk to make sure that you get accurate information. (photo courtesy: babble.com)

As stated before, the cost to upgrade to concierge service is more expensive but it will be worth it for you and your family. Just think of it this way. When you start adding up the cost for breakfast, coffee or tea, bottle water and even renting videos for the children you may find out that your entire Disney vacation may be a little less expensive for you. Once you’ve experienced the concierge service provided at Disney resorts, you may not be satisfied with anything less on future Disneyland vacations. The concierge service is great and can make your trip more enjoyable and relaxing.

If you’ve been planning a Florida travel vacation to Orlando but the price of airline tickets is stopping you, just remember that traveling to Florida is still an affordable vacation for you and your family. Yes, many airline companies today are terribly expensive especially if it’s the peak season for international travel. Even international flights that are considered cheap can get too pricey if you don’t get them in the right time frame. What you need to realize is that getting some savings out of your travel expense cannot be possible if you avoid searching for the best airfare deals in the market. (photo courtesy: bferryhomes.com)

If you desire that Orlando Florida vacation and want to cut down on the total of your travel cost, then you better spend some time to find the best airfare deals available. Like everything else, you have to shop around to get the best deals. Here are some suggestions on how to do just that.

Search the Internet for Discounts

Most airline and travel companies on the Internet offer low airfare rates, and is quite convenient for consumers since they can easily book the flights they want in the convenience of their own home or even at the office. It’s quite easy to look for the best airfare deals on the Web since you can utilize search engines to find the information you need. You can look up travel-related companies like Orbitz and this one has a price assurance guarantee. This means that if another customer purchased an airline ticket cheaper than what you paid, Orbitz will refund the difference to you. Another company that I like is ChepOair which also offers very cheap airline tickets. These online companies are affiliated with known airlines and you can have them book your flights for you. You can also check on other possible deals that will help minimize your travel costs with other benefits. These companies offer travel or vacation packages that includes hotel accommodations, transportation costs, and of course, your airfare. (photo courtesy: research.globalthoughtz.com)

Contact a Travel Agent

Travel agents are quite handy to have around if you need to have your flight booked according to your specifications without having to do it on your own. One advantage to getting these experts do your work for you is their contacts in the travel industry to find the best airfare deals for you in the shortest possible time. Provide them with the details of your travel plans, such as the exact date you want to leave and return from your destination, and how much you want to spend.

Book Off-Peak hour Flights

If you want to get the cheapest airfare deals in the industry, then you might want to book your flight during off-peak hours which means traveling late in the evening or early in the morning. In most cases, these airlines offer quite a discount for last minute deals just to get as many passengers as possible for every trip. Do keep in mind that if there are many bookings for these flights, seats may not be readily available so contact several airline companies. It is an option to consider and you will save some money.