TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN ORLANDO

Busch Gardens. (photo from the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

10. Busch Gardens: north on I-4 to Tampa Bay. Call (813) 987-5082 for operating hours. You'll need a car to get there, but it's worth the short drive to nearby Tampa Bay to enjoy this 335 acre family park. Separated into nine distinct sections, the park captures the spirit and adventure of turn-of-the-century Africa with thrill rides, live entertainment, shops, restaurants, and games as well as more than 2,800 live animals. Be sure to take a ride on Montu, the tallest and longest inverted steel roller coaster in the country, exceeding speeds of 60 miles per hour.

9. Cricketers Arms: 8445 International Drive, #110. Taste a little piece of England in Orlando at this authentic English pub and restaurant. Catering mostly to locals who work in the area, this young singles' spot offers nightly entertainment and features live soccer from Europe.

8. Church Street Station: This is downtown Orlando's premiere entertainment and dining complex. The nightclubs draw revellers of all ages, as do a number of spacious country-and-western dance halls. Don't pass up the couscous and prime rib at Lili Marlene's. Besides serving up the warm atmosphere provided by gas lamps and rich, dark woods, Lili's allows guests to sit at the dining table once owned by tax-evader and mob boss Al Capone.

7. The Bubble Room: 1351 S. Orlando Avenue, Maitland. (407) 628-3331. One of the area's most unusual restaurants, the Bubble Room is decorated with 1930s and 1940s paraphernalia, with music from the same era. Check out the huge classic red velvet cake before you load up on appetizers and bread. Open every day for lunch and dinner, weekday evenings 5:30­10:00 p.m., and extended to 11 p.m. on weekends. Reservations are required for parties of ten or more.

Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. (photo from the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

6. Winter Park/Lake Eola: 312 E. Morris Blvd., Winter Park. (407) 644-4056. During a 1908 beautification project, Orlando was dubbed the "City Beautiful." See why the name still applies as you take a leisurely boating tour through Winter Park, one of the older areas of Orlando. This narrated, one-hour tour takes passengers through three lakes and two canals, skirting along the shoreline to peek at exclusive historic homes, elegant mansions, and wildlife. The boat departs every hour on the hour daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. An array of natural attractions are also offered on Lake Eola. This popular urban oasis features boating in huge swan-shaped peddle boats, an ampitheatre with a Shakespeare Festival, musical events, floral displays, and a picturesque walking/jogging path.

5. Club at Firestone: 578 N. Orange Avenue at Concord Street. (407) 426-0005. Once a Firestone tire and repair center, the building is one of downtown Orlando's pre-1930s structures. Redone as a club with an incredible sound system, this dance venue has received critical acclaim rivaling the best nightspots in South Beach, New York, and Europe. This premiere club serves up a variety of music, including rhythm and blues, reggae, and alternative rock. Call ahead for specific nightly entertainment.

Sea World. (photo from the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

4. Sea World: south of Orlando. (407) 351-3600. Orlando's world-renowned marine life park offers visitors an unparalleled journey into the world of the sea. For a different view of the park, try visiting after 6:00 p.m., when you can save up to $7 on admission. You'll enjoy all of the park's regular attractions and be dazzled as they turn out the lights and put on an incredible laser, movie, and outdoors fireworks extravaganza. Be sure to check out Wild Artic, the park's latest attraction. Wild Artic, the largest undertaking in the history of an Anheuser-Busch theme park, features a simulated flight over the frozen North and real-life encounters with the animals that live there.

3. Kennedy Space Center at Spaceport USA: One hour east of Orlando. (407) 452-2121, for launch information, (800) KSC-I NFO. This is one of Florida's best tours; actually, two of Florida's best tours. The Red Tour is a two-hour guided bus tour focusing on the current space program from Apollo to the space shuttles. The Blue Tour is a historical review highlighting the Gemini and Mercury flights. Both tours allow views of NASA Vehicle Assembly, the historic Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and the space shuttle launchpads. At the Visitor Center, check out the world's only back-to-back twin IMAX theaters, showcasing three large-format motion pictures on a screen more than five stories tall.

Hard Rock Cafe. (photo from the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

2. Universal Studios/Hard Rock Cafe: (407) 363-8000; Hard Rock Cafe, (407) 363-ROLL. Far from being a "me-too" version of Disney-MGM Studios, this theme park has plenty of personality of its own. Its 444 acres of movie magic are a conglomeration of the most advanced filmmaking techniques. Go behind stage doors for a revealing exploration of some of history's most famous movie marvels: Arnold Schwarzenegger's 3-D cyberwar in "Terminator 2: 3D", the attack of winged antagonists in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and an undersea antagonist in Steven Speilberg's "Jaws," the destruction of Los Angeles in "Earthquake," and many more. After hitting Universal Studio, head over to Orlando's busiest restaurantthe Hard Rock Cafe. Located in a Greek revival building shaped like a giant guitar, this rock-and-roll cafe is the largest in the worldwide chain of 20. Inside, stained-glass likenesses of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley bless the congregation gathered for cold beer and hot burgers. The wait to get in can be interminable; no reservations are taken.

1. Walt Disney World.