The Location

Highlands Reserve is a very popular community with a prestigious championship 18 hole (par 72) golf course (rated 3.5, Stars by Golf Digest's) with Tennis courts, large communal swimming pool and children's play park. The reserve is ideal for Golfers and non-Golfers alike.

The advantages of the Highlands Reserve are numerous. It's an ideal location to explore, situated a short distance from world renowned attractions (Disneyworld is just 12 minutes away). There are many other internationally known theme parks and facilities in the area, such as Sea World, Universal Studios, Gatorland, Wet & Wild, Salvador Dali Museum, Lego Land plus sports such as fishing, horse riding and hot-air balloon, helicopter and air boat rides, etc. Visitors will also be spoilt with the numerous and diverse restaurants and dinner shows (Pirates, Arabian Knights etc), offering excellent value for money.

There are 3 major highways on the doorstep - Hwy 27 (where Highlands Reserve is situated) and Hwy 192 and Interstate 4 to swiftly get you from Orlando International Airport in approximately 35 minutes, Sanford Airport 45 minutes or Tampa International 65 minutes. The East or West coast and Kennedy Space Centre are around 60 - 75 minutes away.

Part of the fun and excitement building up to your holiday vacation will be planning and choosing what to see and where to go with so many attractions. A few are:

Aquatica

www.aquaticabyseaworld.com 20-25 minute drive from Highland Reserve
Aquatica is a combination of animal experiences, water rides and slides, high-speed thrills and relaxing sandy beaches that will appeal to all ages. For small children and toddlers there is an enormous interactive water play area.

Busch Gardens

www.buschgardens.com 75 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Busch Gardens African theme has an array of trails around the animal attractions as well as rollercoaster etc. The excitement and adventure offered at Busch Gardens is rather unique.

Discovery Cove

www.discoverycove.com 20-25 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
A fantastic experience, any child of 6 yrs + can swim with Dolphins (accompanied by an adult), snorkel with tropical fish, stroke stingrays and play with hundreds of tropical birds. An experience they will never forget.

Fun Spot Attractions

www.funspotattractions.com 30–35minutes drive from Highlands Reserve
Five acres of attractions include four multilevel go kart tracks, thirteen rides, including the Kid Spot for pre-schoolers, and more than 120 arcade games in two different locations.

Gatorland

www.gatorland.com 20-25 minute drive from Highland Reserve
Gatorland is a 110 acre theme park and wildlife preserve combining “old Florida” charm with exciting new exhibits and entertainment.

Islands of Adventure Theme Park

www.universalorlando.com 25-30 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Five islands where all your favourite myths, legends, comic books and cartoon heroes come to life. Rides based on films various adventure films such as Harry Potter Incredible Hulk, Jurassic Park, Popeye etc.

Kennedy Space Centre.(NASA)

www.kennedyspacecenter.com 70 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Space travel - marvel at the mind blowing size of the NASA space rocket. Interactive simulators, live shows as well as tour the launch site etc.

Legoland

http://florida.legoland.com 30 Minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Brand new theme park (opened 2012) 150-acre interactive theme park dedicated to and geared towards family fun with children between the ages of 2 and 12. Greater than 50 rides, shows and attractions.

SeaWorld

www.seaworld.com 18 - 22 minute drive from Highland Reserve
Seaworld Orlando is the world's premiere Marine adventure park with 200 acres of world-class shows, thrilling rides and unforgettable animal encounters.

Universal Studios

www.universalorlando.com 20-25 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
At the number one movie and TV based theme park in the world you feel like a star at Universal Studios. At this working film and television studio you can go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and right into the action of your favourite movies.

Walt Disney World

www.disneyworld.co.uk 10-15 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Walt Disney World Resort is the world's largest theme park (roughly the size of San Francisco or Greater Manchester!) and features FOUR separate major theme parks including Disney Magic Kingdom, Disney Animal Kingdom, Disney Epcot and Disney MGM Studios. There are night time attractions and themed shopping at the amazing downtown Disney and the fireworks at Epcot are absolutely amazing – a must see.

Walt Disney World is the ultimate theme park for families and a truly magical experience for all ages and also features two renowned water parks. The hugely popular Typhoon Lagoon is designed to resemble a beach resort devastated by a tropical storm and has plenty of rides and attractions. Blizzard Beach's theme is a ski resort that melted and is a favourite among water slide enthusiasts.

Wet 'n' Wild

www.wetnwild.com/orlando 20-25 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Claims to be the best water park in the world, with loads of very spectacular flumes, slides, rides and rafts.

There are dozens of smaller attractions in and around Orlando. Among those you might wish to check along with many more are:

Green Meadows Petting Farm

www.greenmeadowsfarm.com 20-25 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
The little ones will love this farm where they can get up close and personal.

Ripley's Believe It or Not

www.ripleysorlando.com 25-30 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Museum full of Robert Ripley's collection of the amazing, unbelievable, weird, bizarre inexplicable and amusing! The building looks like it's half-collapsed under the ground.

Wonder Works

www.wonderworksonline.com 20-25 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
An amusement park for the mind, over 100 Central Florida's only upside down attraction. interactive exhibits for the entire family to experience.

Silver springs, near Ocala

www.silversprings.com 75 -80 minute drive from Highlands Reserve
Sub-tropical Park with various glass bottom boat trips through the natural swamps and hot springs as well as attraction rides and shows. The classic Tarzan movies were filmed here.

Shopping & Restaurants

Just a few yards outside the entrance to Highlands Reserve is Berry Town Centre. The Town centre is rather small but has all the necessities from a large and excellent hyper/supermarket (Publix) Bank- Sun Trust, Pharmacy, Gas Station, Restaurants (Applebees-American, also British, Chinese, Indian and Japanese). 5 minutes away there are another couple of shopping centres.

There are dozens of excellent restaurants all within a short drive, such as Manny's Chop House (Haines City) well worth a visit. Ponderosa & Golden Corral (excellent value for money). For the teetotaller Bob Evens & Cracker Barrel Old Country Store & Restaurant (both do not serve alcohol). One thing is for sure one will have to watch the waist line with the generous size of the meals.

The Larger Shopping Malls

Festive Bay Mall - www.shopfestivalbaymall.com

Florida Mall - www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=139

The Mall at Millenia - www.mallatmillenia.com

Orlando Premium Outlets - www.premiumoutlets.com/orlando

All around the commercial areas there are dozens of shops, including gift shops, flea markets, specialist shops, mega and other designer stores to explore.

Restaurants & Dinner Shows

Arabian Nights - www.arabian-nights.com - Hwy 192 in Kissimmee, 1/2 mile east of I-4 at exit 25A

Capone's Dinner & Show - www.alcapones.com - 4740 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL

Medieval Times - www.medievaltimes.com - 4510 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy, Kissimmee, FL

Pirates Dinner Adventure - www.piratesdinneradventure.com - 6400 Carrier Dr., Orlando, FL

Sleuth's Mystery Dinner Shows - www.sleuths.com - 8267 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819

The Outer Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show - 9067 International Drive

Treasure Tavern - www.treasuretavern.com - 6400 Carrier Dr

Golf Courses

The Davenport/Orlando area has dozens of excellent golf courses open to the public. However, staying at Highlands Reserve you are at one of the best. For those who wish to try their ability on other courses, these are within 5 to 15 minute drive of Orlandojoy. With the Davenport climate and sunshine all year anytime is a good time for a holiday, Golfer or not.

Here are a few of the popular local courses:

Celebration Golf Club - www.celebrationgolf.com

Championsgate Golf Resort - www.championsgategolf.com

Kings Ridge Golf Club - www.kingsridgegc.com

Providence Golf Club - www.providence-golf.com

Orange County National - www.ocngolf.com

Ridgewood Lakes Golf Club - www.ridgewoodlakesgolf.com

Southern Dunes Golf & C C - www.southerndunes.com

Sanctuary Ridge - www.sanctuaryridgegc.com

Other Interests

Biplane Rides over Kissimmee - - Kissimmee Airport, Tel: 407-473-9143

Bob's Balloon Flights - www.bobsballoons.com - Phone Toll Free 1 877 824 4606 Tel: 407-466-6380

Boggy Creek Airboat rides - www.bcairboats.com - 3702 Big Bass Rd. Kissimmee Tel: 407-344-9550

Orlando Balloon Rides - www.orlandoballoonrides.com - 7769 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. Kissimmee, FL 34747 - Tel: 407-894-5040

Spirit of the Swamp Airboat Rides - www.spiritoftheswamp.com - Tel: 321-689-6893

Wallaby Ranch Hang Gliding Flight Park - www.wallaby.com - 1805 Deen Still Road. Davenport, FL 33897 Tel: 863-424-0070

Warbird Adventures - www.warbirdadventures.com - 233 North Hoagland Boulevard, Kissimmee. Tel: 407-870-7366