April 2020

Celebration, Florida is a charming town originally created by the Walt Disney Company in the mid-1990s. The entire town was built around the idea of American small towns, with all the quaint details and charm. Celebration has been named one of America's Top 10 prettiest towns, and the entire town is walkable and/or bikeable with pedestrian-friendly streets and sidewalks. All types of homes can be found in this town, including apartments, condos, townhomes, and estate homes. This is your guide to Celebration, Florida, including what to eat, where to stay, things to do, and special events. Guide to Celebration, Florida: Where to Eat. There are several different dining options to please everyone's taste in Celebration, Florida. For sushi, head over to Ari Sushi for quality Japanese food and sushi options. Avocado Mexican Grill is the place for all of your Mexican favorites, including margaritas and sizzling, hot fajitas. Cafe D'Antonio serves innovative Italian cuisine, with a front patio located right along the lake. Overlooking the lake as well, Columbia Restaurant offers Spanish/Cuban cuisine in a Mediterranean-style surrounding. Imperium Food and Wine is known for their namesake, with an award-winning wine list of over 80 wines and outdoor patios for you to enjoy. Ice cream cravings will be cured with Kilwin's, which serves ice cream, fudge, and chocolates for you to enjoy while relaxing on the water side seating. Even more dessert options can be found at Le Macaron, who bakes up luxurious french pastries for customers. Market Street Diner offers all of the best American diner food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; they also have a full, liquor bar and wine and beer offerings. Sweet Escape is a European style deli and bakery serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thai food and culture can be found at Thai Thani Restaurant, which offers the authentic taste of Thai cuisine. Celebration Town Tavern is a New England style tavern serving up food in a comfortable atmosphere. Celebration, Florida even has its own all-inclusive culinary school for both kids and adults alike called U Can Cook. There all all types of programs offered, but most are geared towards family cooking. A town would not be complete without a local pizza place and Upper Crust Pizza is just that! Upper Crust Pizza is a family owned pizzeria with a focus on their authentic New York style thin crust. Wonderland Cookie Dough Company is an edible cookie dough establishment; the cookie dough is 100% egg free, made fresh daily, and has no added preservatives. Inside the Bohemian Hotel, you can also find Lakeside Bar & Grill, an upscale American restaurant with a beautiful lake view. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you can even find live music here every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. There are more than enough restaurants in Celebration, Florida to satisfy your every desire. Guide to Celebration, Florida: Where to Caffeinate. There is truly only one coffee shop located in Celebration, and that is Starbucks. A couple of the restaurants do serve coffee in this small town, so all of the coffee options will be listed in this section. Easily one of the most charming Starbucks locations can be found here in Celebration, Florida. It even has a large mural outside the building that has the quote, "Every Cup is an Adventure." Market Street Diner serves up coffee, espresso, cappuccinos, and cold brew. Le Macaron also offers some coffee options for coffee lovers. Guide to Celebration, Florida: Where to Stay. There is only one resort that caters to the Celebration area, and that is the Bohemian Hotel. This upscale, boutique hotel is nestled right along the water in downtown Celebration. With plenty of amenities, such as a championship golf course and a full spa, Bohemian Hotel is the perfect oasis in the hustle and bustle of Orlando, Florida. Guide to Celebration, Florida: Where to Shop. Celebration, Florida currently has six stores in its main town center. One of the stores, Dazzling, is a small boutique, carrying jewelry, skincare, and handbags. Gypsy Moon Market is the place to grab smoothies and acai bowls, to-go meals, local produce and goods, as well as wine and beer. A craft studio shop, Little Thimble, sells art supplies and offers all kinds of craft classes, such as sewing and embroidery. Family resort wear can be found at Soft as a Grape, a family-owned small business. For all the dogs and dog lovers in their lives, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming offers both grooming services as well as pet supplies like toys, treats, and much more. Guide to Celebration, Florida: What to Do. There are so many ways to explore Celebration by self-guided walking tour, horse-drawn carriage ride, Segway Tour, or bike ride. The best way to see Celebration though, is definitely by experiencing one of the fully guided bicycle tours. It is perfect for everyone in the family, and you will get a personalized guide that is local to the area sharing all the history and fun secrets about this beautiful town. Bike tours must be reserved in advance on their website, which I have linked here. They are 90 minutes long, and the bike tour includes the bike rental and a water bottle for $35 per person. If you are not into tours, they do also offer regular bike rentals (including adult bikes, kids and infant bikes, tandem bikes, and 3-wheel adult bikes); these rentals come with a free bike trail map as well. You can rent each bike for 2 hours, and it is on a first come first serve basis. Bike rentals cost anywhere from $15-$30 depending on the bike. For those who prefer walking, Celebrate Food Tours offers their The Taste of Celebration Tour which takes you on a guided walking tour through the town of Celebration. Tours are on Saturdays at 11:30 AM and last roughly two and a half hours. You will experience nine different tastings at five of Celebration's restaurants. During this tour, you will learn about history, architecture, and food and drink of this "Disney" town. Prices are $49 per adult (includes tax) and $39 each for children 12 and under. If you are a golf lover, you can book a tee time through Celebration Golf Club. In the center of Celebration you can find a splash pad fountain, which is perfect for younger kids to enjoy during those hot Florida months. Guide to Celebration, Florida: Special Events. Celebration hosts its own Farmers Market every Sunday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM during the winter months and 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM during the summer months. The Celebration Farmers Market occurs on Market Street and is the place to find fresh produce, local goods, and delicious food. Food Truck Fridays are done once a month on the second Friday of the month from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Lakeside Park. Celebration Art & WIne Strolls are held 5 times a year during January, February, March, September, and October. This event features 50 local artists, live music, and wine. Celebration is known for many of its annual events hosted throughout the year. Celebration Exotic Car Festival is one of the annual events that visitors and locals look forward to. It is usually held in early April of every year, but the 2020 Festival (which will be the 17th annual celebration of this festival) has been postponed to June 3rd-7th. This four-day festival showcases America's largest collection of movie cars and race cars. The holidays are something to celebrate in Celebration Florida. The famous Jeater Bend is a road that has become known for it's fun and festive light shows during the holidays. Visit during October to see the Halloween themed lights or visit during November/December for their Christmas themed lights. Now Snowing is a special annual event held nightly in December. With a synthetic ice rink, special performances by the area's young talent, Charles Dickens carolers, train rides, a snowfall, photos with Santa himself, and horse drawn carriage rides, this event is sure to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. Admission is free to this fun-filled holiday event. Oktoberfest Falling Leaves is an annual event held on a weekend in October to celebrate the autumn season. With traditional German experiences, live music, hayrides, and pumpkin painting, this weekend is sure to be a perfect way to start the fall season. The Oktoberfest is also completely free. For Fourth of July, Celebration hosts a Star Spangled Independence Day Parade in the morning then continues throughout the day with activities for the kids, food, and fun filled events. In the evening, Celebration holds a live concert and then kicks off the end of the night with fireworks. Guide to Celebration, Florida: Overall Experience. Celebration, Florida has all the charm and magic of Disney with the quaintness of an American small town. Here in Celebration, you are introduced to all the traditions, events, and community that first inspired the entirety of the Disney Parks, while also getting away from the crowds and noise of the city. Whether going for a quiet bike ride along the many trails, grabbing coffee and brunch by the lake, or admiring all of the picturesque homes and streets, Celebration is the perfect escape for a quiet and relaxing day in Orlando, Florida. **For more ideas on non-park days things to do in Orlando, Florida, visit my blog post on my guide to Winter Park, Florida!**

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