What to See and Do During the Holiday Season Across Central Florida
As a resident of metro-Orlando, I look forward to the holiday cheer expressed throughout the city’s distinctive neighborhoods, nearby resorts and theme parks. Thanksgiving Day traditionally kicks off the season’s festive events, all competing for my attention and monopolizing my weekends through New Year’s Day. I’m not complaining. I love every second of the holiday season in Central Florida, celebrated in all its glory from boat parades and theme park light shows to holiday home tours and ice sculptures. Here is my list of must-see Holiday Events in Metro Orlando starting with our family tradition, a visit to the annual ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord Palms.
ICE! at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida
This year’s theme for ICE! is The Polar Express and the event runs November 25, 2019 – January 5, 2020. Tickets get you admission for a self-guided tour of colorful, life-sized ice sculptures and five two-story ice slides.
The Stetson Mansion in Deland, Florida
I also recommend a trip to Deland, about 20 minutes north of Orlando to tour the historic Stetson Mansion all decked out for the holidays. The Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular Tours operate 3-5 times daily Nov 15 to Jan 15 at 10:30, 1:30, 3:15, 5:00 and sometimes at 7:00
The Stetson Mansion decked out in Holiday Decor for its annual Christmas home tours in Deland, Florida
Owners Michael Solari and JT Thompson open their doors year-round to the privately owned/occupied historical landmark, built in 1886 for Florida’s first snowbird, iconic hatmaker John B. Stetson. JT is the sole event designer for all the Christmas decorations you will see. He begins decorating in mid-September in a free-form process.
The Festival of Trees at Orlando Museum of Art
The Orlando Festival of Trees is another favorite holiday happening and a great source of Christmas tree decorating ideas. The annual event is a fundraiser for the Orlando Museum of Art and takes place over ten days in mid-November.
The Festival of Trees at Orlando Museum of Art
In addition to the designer trees, area pastry chefs showcase their talents with designer gingerbread creations.
The gingerbread houses are also for sale to raise funds for the Orlando Museum of Art and a source of inspiration for your own holiday baking projects.
Designer Gingerbread Houses on display at The Festival of Trees at Orlando Museum of Art
A life-size gingerbread house is on display at The Grand Floridian, a resort on the property of Disney World. The gingerbread house is open to the public to view free of charge in the lobby. Throughout the season, The Grand Floridan hosts a variety of events centered around the giant gingerbread house.
Life-sized Gingerbread House in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, an annual event and attraction during the holidays at Walt Disney World Resort.
The Grand Floridan’s giant Christmas tree is also a fabulous photo opp while there.
Giant Christmas Tree in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, a great photo opp during the holidays at Walt Disney World Resort.
In south Orlando, the community of Lake Nona kicks off the holiday season with its second annual Oh What Fun! A Holiday Festival featuring a flurry of festive activities for the whole family.
Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida
From Friday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Jan. 5, Lake Nona Town Center will transform into a true winter wonderland with one of Central Florida’s only outdoor, open-air skating rinks surrounded by Christmas trees, twinkly lights, a mailbox for letters to Santa and everything we love most about the holiday season.
Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida
Lake Nona’s Oh What Fun! A Holiday Festival will be open Thursdays through Fridays 4-10 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida
Each week is packed with activities including skating, classic holiday movies, jolly appearances from Santa Claus, strolling carolers, kid’s crafts and the occasional snow fall. Skate rentals begin at $10 per person. Meet Santa and get your holiday photos each Friday night from 6-9 p.m. Complimentary digital downloads will be available. Strolling carolers from the Merry Measures will lift your holiday spirits Thursday through Saturday evenings. On Sundays at noon, Boxi Park will host activities for kids including decorating gingerbread men and making their own snow globes and snowflakes.
Holiday Festivities in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida
Boxi Park will also be serving up classic holiday treats and festive food and drinks throughout the festival. Additional food and beverage options are available from Lake Nona Town Center restaurants including Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen, Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine, and Park Pizza & Brewing Co. Complimentary parking for Oh What Fun! will be available in the five-story central parking structure. For more event information, please visit www.facebook.com/pg/learnlakenona/events/.
Images courtesy of Visit Jacksonville and Ryan Ketterman
In Jacksonville, Fla., a 2-hour drive from Orlando, check out the city’s various eclectic neighborhoods packed with small-town charm for nonstop Christmas cheer and holiday spirit. The waterfront destination’s temperate winter weather also allows visitors to enjoy a variety of holiday traditions–sans chill– that light up the St. Johns River and its Atlantic coastline locales. Here is a list of must-see holiday events.
- Jax Illuminations Annual Holiday Light Show, November 20 – January 4: A magical night of navigating through a mile-long display of more than a million holiday lights that are perfectly synchronized to classic holiday tunes.
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Deck the Chairs, Images courtesy of Visit Jacksonville and Ryan Ketterman
Deck The Chairs, November 23 – January 1: An annual lighted sculptural exhibit using 40 iconic chairs of The American Red Cross Life Saving Corps, complete with an upgraded light show and a packed lineup of weekend holiday programs in Downtown Jacksonville Beach.
- Jacksonville Light Boat Parade, November 30: Another local tradition of more than 30 years, the boat parade takes place along the St. Johns River and features a unique roundup of festively decorated vessels and a magical firework show that incorporates the Downtown Jacksonville skyline.
- Hemming Park Christmas Tree Lighting, December 4: New host to the city’s 33rdannual tree-lighting ceremony, the beloved local tradition features visual and live art, artisans and vendors, live music, food and drinks and the lighting of a 56-foot Christmas tree adorned with over 78,000 LED lights and 150 ornaments.
- Additional experiences to round out the weekend include: Go Tukn’ Ugly Sweater Pub Bar Crawl, Elf The Musical, Dave Koz & Friends Tour, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens ZOOLights, First Coast Nutcracker, Beaches Polar Express and more!
Companies such as The 
The faux-leather finish on the ear cups is made from fungus, and the mesh over the speakers is derived from biosynthetic spider silk produced by microbes
To understand the evolution of an artist, I like to explore the backstory—where the seeds of creativity first sprouted. Brad Joffrion drew inspiration from his childhood growing up in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, along the bayou and neighboring sugar cane fields. “In high school, I was the go-to person to draw banners for different events at school. At that time, swamp scenes were sort of my specialty. I grew up fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin and was fascinated with the scenery,” says Brad, whose extended family claims several artists. 
Bard’s signature style infuses colorful epoxy into his woodworks— an aesthetic he developed by experimenting with the materials. “I started experimenting with epoxy which appealed to my left brain due to the precise nature of epoxy. There are a lot of variables that can affect the curing of epoxy such as environmental conditions, the accuracy of the two-part mixture, mixing speed, etc. There were many occasions where I stayed at the woodshop for 12 hours straight and alone. No music, just me and my creation speaking telepathically to each other.”
“My wish is to design objects for people with them in mind. For example, the recent black walnut with black epoxy dining table I designed and created. The base of the table tells a story of the couple who purchased it. The husband is a retired airline pilot and the wife was a boat captain for a large pleasure boat. Hence, the base resembles the vertical tail wing of a large passenger jet and there is a compass made of stainless steel accenting the center of the base.” 
In this northeastern region of France, you’ll find one of the biggest artificial lakes in Europe, Lac de Charmes, which is surrounded by beautiful trees boasting vibrant foliage. Although it’s not too far from Paris, Haute-Marne is still off the beaten track and truly breathtaking, full of forests, fields, rivers, and ancient towns that feature some of the quaintest autumnal aesthetics.
Located in Southern France, Limoux is covered in vineyards, which make for a splendid sight of varying shades of gold and burnt orange. You may have heard of the area for its invention of sparkling wine, and fall is the best time to come and drink it. Various small wine shops and bars allow for a lovely day of exploration and relaxation while you take in the fall air.
Capital of the Grand Est region in northeastern France, Strasbourg is full of tree-lined streets—so a midday stroll will provide you with beautiful views and wonderful memories. Head to the city’s two largest public parks, Parc Palais du Rhin and Parc de l’Orangerie, for blissful views
You may have doubts about this urban locale, but Paris is actually a marvelous haven for autumn-lovers. Strolling the streets is an option, but there are also plenty of opportunities for leaf-peeping in the city’s many beautiful parks. Some of our favorites are as follows: Jardin des Tuileries (or the Tuileries Garden), Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Bois de Boulogne, or—if you’re feeling spooky—Cimetière de Montmarte.
The charming region of Aveyron is a place full of magical villages located on high ridges, where you can get lost in the fall feel. It’s a wonderful destination for people who love painting or photography, but it also makes for a soothing vacation of long and beautiful walks where the scenery constantly changes. You’ve never seen a wider spectrum of colors than on the trees in Aveyron.
France’s Provence region is a beautiful place to behold. Hundreds of vineyards showcase their dazzling fall colors, and the various quaint towns offer some of the most quintessential French village vibes. We love the Luberon, a mountainous area in the region, for that reason as well—consider staying in a 
When you head to Playa Herradura and the beautiful Los Sueños Resort & Marina, you’ll be smack-dab in the middle of a ton of adventurous pursuits. Their 
Big Sur used to be one of California’s most remote areas, and people have long taken advantage of the Santa Lucia mountains and their famed drop into the ocean. When you plan a trip there today, you’ll find ample opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, and more. Hike to Pfeiffer Falls or Sykes Hot Springs—there are so many beautiful things for you to explore.
Whether you go to Argentinian or Chilean Patagonia, you’re in for a vacation full of adventure and exploration. Go off-roading through the mountains, horse riding, cycling, or climbing. If you want to see the views of a lifetime, take the W Trek, which takes you through the Torres del Paine peaks, glistening lakes, and dense forests.
The United States has so many national parks we could have listed, and they’re all wonderful options. We chose to put Acadia on this list for a few different reasons: it’s the only national park in New England, the fall foliage is some of the best in the world, and it has stunning ocean and mountains views. You can bike, you can hike, or you can just take a drive and enjoy the views. A relaxing adventure isn’t hard to find here.
Bigger than Germany and Belgium combined, the Yukon offers adventurous travelers some of the most pristine wilderness for exploration. Set up camp at Whitehorse, then head out for a trip full of exhilarating experiences. Glacial white water rafting has never been more exciting. Alpine climbing has never gotten you so close to wildlife. If you don’t mind heights, take a helicopter to the top of a glacier and then go for a hike—it’s an unbelievable experience.
Download the 
On Sundays, eat dinner early. The kitchens at most restaurants close early so finding a place for a late-night dinner can be challenging. My advice is to dine before 9 pm. 
As the holiday season approaches, attention turns to planning parties, events and decorations. The overarching theme for holiday decorating is authenticity and craftsmanship with a generous dose of Mother Nature. One of my favorite sources for holiday décor trends is the 
Sweet Traditions is a theme emerging from Christmasworld, a massive trade show of holiday decorations held in Germany. Christmasworld describes it as joyful and personalized with decorations of handwritten messages and hand-drawn images in fresh colors such as peach, red and berry tones. Imagine Christmas stars in various sizes, made from paper and folded, cut, glued and painted all by hand.
The color scheme includes reds, blues and gold, accented with black, pinks and purples. 
A tiny house resort in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania offers 
One of the more fascinating installations is a virtual reality book that you can “read” by downloading 
Several years ago, I was introduced to Silver Oak Cabernet as the guest of a friend at a wine tasting dinner. I instantly fell in love with its bold, black fruit character with notes of spice and vanilla and the wine’s oaky finish that comes from American White Oak barrels that the wine ages in. 
For many wine lovers, the art of enjoyment comes from the ability to decipher and appreciate a wine’s bouquet and taste. Silver Oak achieves its subtle perfection by blending the wines prior to barreling.
Jordan sells primarily to restaurants— about 70 percent of their cabs with the remaining 30 percent available in wine stores. Rob Davis, the winemaker, has handcrafted every vintage of Jordan since the inaugural 1976 and is the second-longest tenured winemaker in the US. He is known for a European style of winemaking that isn’t done much in California.
American oak is known for bringing more aggressive aromas of dill and coconut to red wines. French oak is considered more subtle, imparting spice aromas and a silky texture in part because its tannins have a strong attraction to the grape tannins. 
The original dining room was decorated in an 18th-century French style. De Sousa and his staff reimagined the aesthetic, retaining its best architectural features while introducing new design elements to reflect the chef’s culinary philosophy of bringing flavors of the surrounding countryside to the plate. “The Jordan dining room is now not only an homage to old-world France, it’s also a portrait of the surrounding estate and the chef’s philosophy,” notes Geoffrey De Sousa, proprietor of Geoffrey De Sousa Interior Design and De Sousa Hughes. 
Lunch starts with an amuse-bouche paired with NV Brut Jordan Cuvee by Champagne AR Lenoble. 
Next, I taste a 2017 Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The grapes are hand-picked at night when the fruit is cold to lock in that acidity and flavor. The fruit is then pressed immediately and fermented in French oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks for 6 months.
Chef Knoll pairs the 2017 Chardonnay with Bisque of First Peas and Favas chilled with Maine Lobster. Next, I’m served Roasted Knights Valley Lamb.
The dish is paired with Jordan’s 2015 Cab, that first release aging in only French oak barrels. “2015 was a cooler year yielding more of a French style of wine,” says Mattson. 
Chef Knoll makes sea salts and the estate grows olive trees to produce Jordan Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil, both of which are on the table to enhance the tasting experience. 
While dining, I can’t help but admire the visual metaphors that connect with the estate’s topography. Deep gray walls are painted with Benjamin Moore French Beret and accented with a forest-like patterned wallpaper called Midsummer Night from Wall & Deco, created by graphic designer Lorenzo De Grandis of Milan, Italy. 
The dining room’s original high-back chairs were restored and reupholstered with intricate chair embroidery by a renowned, haute-couture artist based in London. Each embroidery pattern is distinct and inspired by the vibrant, moss-carpeted rocks and lichen found across Jordan Estate. 
French Beaux Arts-inspired lighting illuminates the room selected by San-Francisco based designer Jonathan Browning Studios. Floor-to-ceiling drapes in gold leaf, frame large windows that take in panoramas of the golden hills visible across Jordan’s estate. Dining tables congregate around a bronze fireplace hearth by Sonoma County metalsmith Randell Tuell of Tuell + Reynolds. 
I also learn more about Jordan’s sustainable and holistic practices. The vineyard uses a plant substance called Dust Off on its roads to reduce dust and a clay-based sunscreen on the grapes to prevent sunburn. 
“We take into account the impact every viticultural and winemaking decision has on the native ecosystems under our care. Jordan’s electrical use is carbon neutral, with roughly 90 percent of our electricity coming from hillside solar arrays behind the winery and the rest from renewable resources through the Sonoma Clean Power program,” says Mattson.
Lunch culminates with a Tupelo Honey Baked Alaska featuring spring bee pollen from the Jordan estate apiary and several locally-made artisan cheeses plated with a 2013 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley.
The meal crystalizes a certain synergy that exists in Sonoma County between its many different artists and winemakers who share a common passion for high-quality food made to complement local wines. Jordan, like many local wineries, promotes locally made foods and products with guests. 
Guests at Jordan’s Estate Tour and Tastings can appreciate custom-made serving plates by a ceramic-making husband-wife team, 
My tour ends with a visit to one of the guest suites located in the chateau available
Once a consumer spends $500 with Jordan, she/he becomes a Silver member and gains access to booking Private Tables in the dining room and at the Gold and Platinum levels, overnight stays in the guest suites. For more on booking tastings and tours, go to 
Quivira’s winegrowing program is a collaboration between winemaker Hugh Chappelle and viticulturist Ned Horton, the vineyard manager who aligns the property’s farming practices for fine winemaking. 
For this writer and bibliophile, I had planned the ideal morning. The 
Writers toil alone and words aren’t particularly selfie material. I wondered how the founders managed to fill an entire museum with something others want to see and experience sans the social media lure of competing attractions? The museum supersedes the visual limits of words by capturing the behind-the-scenes struggle— a writer’s daily summoning of the personal muse in hopes of entering that ethereal dimension of creative flow where all sense of time is lost as the words pour forth.
On the Road became a defining work of the Beat Generation, a loose collaborative of artists and writers who rejected the mainstream in favor of the experimental and spiritual. 
My other favorite exhibit was Mind of a Writer. This walls of this inspirational gallery are filled with quotes from famous writers about their creative process and craft. 
The gallery offers insights into how a writer thinks as well as the daily discipline and habits necessary to get the work done. 
I was intrigued by the raw honesty in many of the quotes that capture a writer’s self-doubt and fear that they will never be published— that lurking dread that they have gambled away their time on a manuscript that no one reads. 
Another highlight of my visit was the First Lines exhibit, a wall of handwritten first sentences of novels written by accomplished authors. 
Many of these authors crafted their first lines for stories that have yet to be written.
Whether you consider yourself an author, a journalist, a creative writer or diarist, we all have a shared experience that is made tangible among the museum’s galleries and personified through the literary greats featured. I highly recommend a visit to the American Writers Museum to experience Chicago’s literary treasure. 
I cap off the evening taking in the light show on the surface of the Beacon and Code Wall overlooking the town center. 
The community took root in 1996 when Tavistock purchased Lake Nona Golf and Country Club and began building out its master plan, along the way curating an impressive collection of public art. Today, Lake Nona is home to approximately 15 thousand residents and growing. In 2018, Lake Nona sold 750 homes with 550 families moving in. Most of the community’s
Today, Medical City encompasses more than 2.6 million square feet of clinical, institutional and laboratory buildings. The University of Central Florida has a strong presence in Medical City with the UCF Health Sciences Campus that includes the College of Medicine, the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, and the University of Central Florida (UCF) Lake Nona Cancer Center, which recently moved into a 175,000-square-foot facility vacated by the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. 
Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute recently relocated into a larger, new 35,000-square-foot facility double the size of its previous Lake Nona building. In 2020, UCF Lake Nona Medical Center is set to open as a UCF/HCA Healthcare teaching hospital.
Lake Nona also is a living lab for human performance with a Sports & Performance District, anchored by the USTA National Center, the largest tennis campus in the world with 100 courts in a 270,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility on 64 acres.
Sprinkled throughout the community are retail venues including Lake Nona Village, Lake Nona Plaza, Vickrey Place, Laureate Park Village Center and Lake Nona Creekside which opened in 2019. Soon, residents will be able to use an app to summon a self-driving shuttle to the many nearby amenities. 
The 15-passenger, the battery-powered vehicle has no driver, no steering wheel, no gas pedal, and no brake pedal. Once in operation, they will be the first-ever autonomous public transit vehicles in Central Florida. Launched by the company Beep, headquartered in Lake Nona, and manufactured by Navya, a French company, these autonomous shuttles are marked with decals that read “go-beep.com” and “MOVE NONA.”
Created by 
Anchoring Lake Nona is a mammoth 
“The latest tile trends comprise the most nuanced and interesting design language we have ever had at our disposal. Tiles tell stories through the spaces we create for them. Ceramics this year are daring us to express ourselves and providing all the technical and aesthetic solutions to do so 
Simple and sleek steps aside for the more-is-more design language of Maximalism, expressed in tile with bold colors and contrasting patterns.
Maximalism brings a vibrancy to interior design that in recent years has been zombified with minimalism. Tile designs in clashing prints are expressed as graphic interruptions in contemporary living spaces without overpowering.
Maximalism, on the trend radar since 2018, gains traction as the leading design ethos with decadent textures, colorful tones and pattern clashes.
Self-expression in living spaces becomes playful with asymmetrical, randomized looks in the latest tile styles. Urban inspired designs such as graffiti also lighten up a living space. 
Popular cartoons illustrated on ceramic with Del Conca’s Felix the Cat and pop art inspired graphics take tremendous creative license to experiment with color, size and patterns to create one-of-a-kind surfacing for architects and designers. 
Some of t
One example is Dash by Raw Color with its grid-like pattern, random ever-changing rectangular compositions that combine different shades and different lengths. 
Modern interpretations of Art Deco, the Roaring 20s and organic art nouveau styles are gaining traction in living spaces. Tile designs draw influences from all of the aspects of the era, from fashion to lighting, architecture to jazz and a bohemian spirit in literature, photography, and theatre.
Tile styles reference Cubism, organic floral textiles of the period and geometric 
At the Coverings show, blue made a strong showing in tile designs with blue hues layered on floors and walls.
Expect to see a lot of c
Ceramic Wallpaper
Large porcelain slabs with minimal grout lines create the effect of wallpaper with the technical benefits of ceramic. 
These patterns are digitally printed on large ceramic surfaces that can be used as furnishing elements.
Dramatic Veins
Stone looks are making strong statements with dramatic veining amping up common varieties of stone including carrara, statuario, and travertine. “Popular aggressive stone looks include marble, granites, onyx and quartzite with dramatic veins and patterns,” says Fasan.
Dark marble looks with large swaths dominate this stone-inspired tile category according to Tile Council of North America. Also expect to see more tone on tone larger veins and intense contrast veining.
I saved the best for last. The following tile styles are my favorite picks at Coverings 2019. They rank at the top of my design radar for their fresh designs, fascinating textures and innovative technologies. My best in show pick is The Foundry Collection because it embodies all of the latest trends in tile: imperfectly perfect styling with its timeworn, weathered surfaces, strong use of blue, and mix of textured tile in random patterns. It really encompasses all that is happening at the forefront of design at the moment.
Also, I spotted several collections worth of show stopper status including this worn blue jean inspired tile with a texture that mimics the feel of denim.
My final show stopper pick is this modern interpretation of Terrazzo with geometric accents and large flecks. 
The Adirondack Folk School is on my must-see list of authentic experiences that connect travelers wit
