The best beach town in Florida? Clearwater!

 I recently came across the following article from USA TODAY contributor Laura Bly:

What do volleyball players, a crippled but plucky dolphin named Winter and Hulk Hogan have in common?

They're all claims to fame for Clearwater Beach, the Gulf of Mexico barrier island resort community that USA TODAY Travel readers crowned the best beach town in Florida.

Readers voted online on 10 nominations submitted by "Dr. Beach" — aka Florida International University professor and coastal expert Stephen P. Leatherman. Nearly 30,000 votes were received, and Clearwater was a clear winner with more than 25% of the tally, followed by Siesta Key, Cocoa Beach and Sanibel Island.

Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater spokesman David Downing admits to an all-out campaign for victory, from concerted appeals to the tourist bureau's 137,000 Facebook fans and 8,500 Twitter followers, to hiring a plane that trailed a "VOTE CLEARWATER AS USA TODAY'S #1 BEACH" banner over the Gulf on a postcard-perfect, 80-degree day.

The findings of this article from USA TODAY are something I have been saying since my first visit to Clearwater Beach many years ago: It’s awesome!

Next to Key West, Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach is the best place in Florida to see the sunset. In the spring and summer, Pier 60 is the place to be. Local vendors, artists, and street performers have something for everyone, from original crafts to exciting acts. And if you like to people-watch, well, grab a seat and enjoy! People gather at Pier 60 from all over, locals and tourist alike just enjoying the warm sunshine and cool ocean breezes.

There are some great places to stay. The Sheraton Sand Key Resort is my top pick. This property right on the Gulf of Mexico is well-maintained. There is an onsite restaurant serving local flavors, and it’s just a short walk or drive to many of the local attractions. Their service is great, the rooms spacious and comfortable. The nightly stay can be a bit pricy in the summer or during a very popular spring break, but in the fall some great rates are available, and you will find the fall/winter weather is very inviting. Check out Sheraton Sand Key Resort for a great stay!

From Raleigh, Clearwater Beach is about a 12 -14 hour drive but well worth the trip. With some advanced planning, you can find inexpensive flights to the Tampa Bay area. Southwest Airlines has a number of direct flights from RDU to Tampa. Other airlines such as Delta, AirTran, and US Airways fly into Tampa with stops for direct connections in Atlanta or Charlotte. Another option is to fly into Orlando; it’s a very simple one-hour drive to the Clearwater Beach area. And if you would like to make an overnight stop at Disney, SeaWorld, or Universal Studios, you might as well—you’re right there.

Central Florida is a wonderful place to spend a weeklong vacation, and Clearwater Beach is one of its hidden treasures. If you’re ready to check it out for yourself, give us a call! Agape Travel can help you make all the arrangements you need for a wonderful and memorable Florida vacation.

Coming Soon to Disney!

Note: This is a summary of Susan J. Young's article "Disney Redefines Fantasy," from the April 23, 2012, issue of Travel Agent magazine. Click here to read the article in full. Photos from the Disney Parks Blog.

Who doesn't love a Disney vacation? After all, it's the "Happiest Place on Earth"! So much of the Disney parks' draw is how they recall fond memories of both children and adults alike, and starting soon, there'll be even more ways to step inside your favorite Disney stories!

Walt Disney World in Orlando is in the midst of some major additions. Over the next two years, the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland is virtually doubling in size—the theme park's largest expansion ever! The first phase, called Storybook Circus, opens this year. (In fact, part of Storybook Circus opened this past March, with the rest set to debut in July.) This area will be the new home of the famous Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride as well as The Great Goofini rollercoaster, previously known as the Barnstormer.

Look again! After years of flying counterclockwise, the new Dumbo has now switched directions.

The park is also adding more features of its ever-popular Disney Princesses. Many will be excited to learn that Beauty and the Beast will have its own section, filled with a number of movie-specific attractions. Belle's Cottage will house Enchanted Tales with Belle, while the Beast's Castle will contain the West Wing and 550-seat Be Our Guest Restaurant. Locales in the Village include Gaston's Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts. Another major new Fantasyland attraction will be Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, which lets aspiring merpeople accompany Ariel on her adventures. Visitors who would simply like to meet Disney's leading ladies will be able to do so in Princess Fairytale Hall.

Composite art for Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

Other new additions to the Walt Disney World park include the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster in 2014 (Besides featuring music and animated figures of Snow White characters, the ride implements unique motion technology that mimics the sway of the track!) and the all-new Disney's Art of Animation resort. Not only will the new resort showcase films such as Finding Nemo and The Lion King, but it will also boast the Big Blue pool—at nearly 12,000 square feet, it's the biggest pool at Disney Orlando! Disney's Art of Animation will open in phases beginning late this month.

Composite art for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster

Walt Disney World isn't the only Disney park getting a facelift; Disneyland's Disney California Adventure debuts a number of fun new spots on June 15. Cars Land gives visitors 12 acres to explore the world of one of Disney•Pixar's most popular creations. Rides include Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi's Flying Tires, and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, while diners and shoppers will enjoy Flo's V8 Café, Ramone's House of Body Art, and Radiator Springs Curios.

Park-goers who prefer old-Hollywood style to new digital animation will also find their niche at Disney California Adventure. Buena Vista Street is a throwback the 1920s-Los Angeles that Walt Disney himself knew and loved. The Carthay Circle Theatre, which includes a lounge and restaurant, was inspired by the the theater that housed the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiere in 1937.

Lastly, Disney is adding some new options for the more adventurous travelers out there. The newly-launched Disney Fantasy sets sail from Port Canaveral in Flordia and visits ports in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Adventures by Disney, which provides guided family tours that are both fun and educational, has added a number of new itineraries. Tours for this year have already begun visiting Greece, northern France, and Egypt, and 2013 tours will start heading to Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam).

So many Disney vacations to choose from, so little time! If you're ready to start planning your trip to any one of Disney's awesome venues, contact Agape Travel today. We'll help make those memories happen!

–Courtney Cissel

Getaways for the Non-cruiser

I guess it’s my fault—since I love to cruise so much, all I talk about is cruise vacations. Agape Travel is much more than that. We are a full-service travel agency. I realize that not everyone wants to take a cruise, and there are many more options I want to share with you.

The Disney parks are great places to visit. I was a lucky kid; I grew up 15 miles from the front gate of Walt Disney World in Orlando. Talk about a place where memories are made! I spent many of my teenage years running around the park. We had our high school prom there, I attended the park’s annual Grad Night, our school choir sang there two or three times per year, and I participated in the “Living Christmas Tree.” (The park wasn’t just for special occasions, though. On a regular day, I could hitch a ride with my friends who had summer/weekend jobs at Disney, and after they signed me in, I would have the run of the place.) Still today I love going there for people-watching. I confess, I almost cry when I see a young girl meet Cinderella for the first time or see kids of all ages getting their pictures made with one of the Disney characters. It is truly one of the most magical places on Earth, especially for a family vacation!

All-inclusive resorts are very popular as well. If you aren’t familiar with all-inclusives, know that the name says it all: Everything—yes, everything—is included. Food, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), water sports (motorized and non-motorized), entertainment, room service, tips…the list goes on. So you can see why they are very popular. All-inclusives, like cruise ships, come in a large array of prices, themes, and facilities. From those that are “economical” and geared towards families to those that have world-class golf or are adults only, for one price you can live like you own the place.

An exciting piece of news for the thrill-seekers out there is that adventure travel is really on the upswing. Trips to places like the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, or other wilderness are sought after by those who are well-traveled and looking for something different. These types of vacations are on the expensive side, but you go places and see things that few have. For example, the Galapagos Islands only allow a limited number of visitors and place a lot of restrictions on those visitors (since they are trying to preserve the pristine environment of the islands), but signing up for an adventure tour there gets you a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Seeing the world is amazing, but I have to agree with a friend of mine on one thing: We spend a lot of time and money visiting other places when we have some great places to visit right here in the good ol’ USA. In northwest Georgia, just a few hours from where I live in Raleigh, is one of the USA’s deepest gorges. Washington DC is another great place to visit; I didn’t go until I was in my 40s, and I fell in love with the city. I have never really been out West, but I have flown over the Grand Canyon, and it's amazing! I also would like to visit Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota, drive the Pacific Highway, and travel what’s left of Route 66. There are just so many places to see.

I hope you’re feeling inspired to check out a new corner of the globe. Agape Travel can take care of all your travel needs: hotels, flights, car/RV rentals, theme park tickets, and much, much more. Have an idea? Give me a call and let’s make your dreams come true.

Happy Traveling!

Rick