There is no doubt that Universal Studios City Walk has some of the best restaurants in all of Orlando, possibly even in the entire country! People flock to Orlando for the many theme parks, water parks, resorts and family things to do, but they stay for the fabulous food. No matter what type of cuisine you are looking for, from classic French food to good old American home cooking, Universal Studios City Walk has a restaurant for you. With so many tasty choices to attempt to pick from, it can be overwhelming to choose an eatery that you will love. If you want to make absolutely certain, check out the popular eatery that many revere as the best restaurant in the area. Hands down, the most sought after and highly acclaimed restaurant at Universal Studios City Walk is Emeril’s.

Emeril’s Orlando is one of the top-rated restaurants in all of Orlando for many reasons and with just one visit you will see why. Created by famous chef Emeril Lagasse, this eatery serves up some of the best New Orleans creole cooking with hints of southwestern and Asian flavors to give diners a unique culinary experience they cannot get anywhere else. This Orlando establishment uses local Florida seafood for fresh and exciting meals with a Louisiana touch.

Emeril’s Orlando, which is conveniently located right on the City Walk at Universal Studios, has been a well-loved restaurant for years. It was recently voted as the top fine dining restaurant at a theme park by Orlando Vacations Magazine and was given high marks by AOL City Guide. The restaurant is a free-standing, two-story building bursting with excitement, music and fun. The center of the restaurant on the first floor features a bustling area where diners can watch the skilled chefs prepare mouthwatering meals. On the second floor of the high-energy eatery there are two private dining areas that you can use to celebrate a special occasion with family and friends. The open dining areas upstairs overlook the first floor of the restaurant.

The elegant and delicious food and fine wines that Emeril’s Orlando has to offer can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner every single day. Tasting menus can be crafted especially for you at your request, masterfully paired with wines that artfully compliment the flavors of the food.

Next time you book your Universal Studios Orlando vacation package, make a stop at the fine dining mecca that is Emeril’s Orlando for a dining experience you will never forget.

Aside from being the location of multiple running events such as the Disney World Marathon, the park is friendly to members of the running community all year round. While the theme park itself is too crowded to jog in, there are a lot of great trails in the area and surrounding resorts for those who love to lace up and run. These routes range the full spectrum of scenery that the area has to offer, making a run just as much an enjoyable part of a vacation as visiting the Orlando theme parks.

Many of the jogging trails around Disney World are meant to be leisurely jogs to unwind from the crowds and park rides. For example, the popular jogging trail around the Old Key West Resort is only 1.37 miles but includes enough scenery to make it comparable to a much longer trail. Of course there is always the choice of going around the loop more than once to get in all of the views and a longer workout.  This is one trail that leaves more to be desired with its length, but the wide sidewalks and peaceful area make for a good morning or evening quick jog.

You will never know what characters you will run into at Disney World.

Those looking for more length or variety to their jogging can enjoy the trails in the Epcot Resort area. They have trails ranging from an all too brief .8 of a mile to a more interesting 2.4 miles for running the Epcot Boulevard and Buena Vista Drive. This run goes right by the beautiful World Showcase Lagoon; so while it may not be a good length for anyone training for a marathon, it is a nice trail with an even better view.

Though most of the trails are meant for the casual runner, it doesn’t mean taking safety casually is an option. Due to the humidity and heat of Florida there is always the challenge of staying cool and well hydrated. Try to run during the cooler times of the day to avoid overheating and never leave for a run without a water bottle.  These are true concerns for Florida, but there is also still a need to watch for cars, bikes and pedestrians. Many of the trails cross roads, making cars a hazard; and are shared pathways for bikes and pedestrians.

Though most of the trails are fairly short by some runners’ standards, Disney Resorts offer so many different choices for jogging that one will feel like it is a part of the vacation fun.  Try a variety of paths but remember to be careful of the Florida heat when running, for those not used to the humidity it can make cooling down with sweating almost impossible.  But running during the cooler parts of the day can make for an exciting jog for vacationers and with so many trails nearby you can have a different view each day. On the exceptionally hot days, you might want to stay in doors and run on a treadmill, most hotels in Orlando offer great workout facilities.