Oak Island Cove is a small and peaceful community of just 91 properties and is part of the very prestigious Formosa Gardens Estates. Oak Island Cove is the perfect base for holiday makers who are looking for close proximity to the Theme Parks, in particular Disney World and yet want a place they can call home for the duration of their stay and be able to relax by the pool if they wish.

Some villa companies may claim to be '10 minutes to Disney' and if you are familiar to the area probably wonder how they are measuring the journey. Well Oak Island Cove is truly just 3.4 miles to the entrance of Disney's Animal Kingdom, with a wonderful shortcut via Entry Point and Sherberth.

Oak Island Cove is also just 1 mile south of Highway 192 between mile marker 4 & 5. Just on the highway is the Formosa Gardens Mall which can boast a number of excellent restaurants; a very well stocked Winn Dixie supermarket and a number of other shops and services, including Subway and World of Denim.

Formosa Gardens Mall Restaurants

• Outback - the Australian Steak House, possibly one of the most famous and popular restaurants in the area. It gets busy, so be sure to arrive early if you don't want to wait but your meal will be well worth the wait.

• TGI Friday's - Everyone knows TGI Friday's and knows what excellent burgers they serve. Plus they serve plenty of other delicious appetisers and main courses.

• Red Lobster - An excellent restaurant chain who server an really extensive range of fish and of course Lobster. The cheese scones they serve with every meal are very mor'ish, you'll be sure to go back again another day to try a different meal, I always do!

• Carrabba's - superb Italian food with a menu so good you cannot help but change your mind, several times. Also not to be missed is their happy hour, I won't tell you when, I will leave you to find that out for yourself!

• Giordanni's - another very good Italian Pizza restaurant. If you can imagine your favourite Pizza, I feel sure Giordanni's will have it on their menu.

• Cracker Barrel - Old Country Store. Not one I have personally tried but the car-park is always full, so it is clearly popular.
   

• Taste of China - a very good Chinese restaurant that offers a very extensive but reasonably priced menu to eat in or takeaway and they will even deliver to Oak Island Cove.

• Taco Bell - if you like your food to be spicy then this Mexican food restaurant chain is for you.

• Dairy Queen - If you are simply looking for an ice cream to cool yourselves on a hot Florida day, then Dairy Queen is sure to have just the flavour you are looking for.

Orange Lake Town Centre Shopping

Head west on Hwy 192 (2.2 miles from villa) and take a right onto Orange Lake Town Center you will find an excellent Publix supermarket, the shopping hours are 7am to 11pm Monday through Sunday.

Cagan's Crossing Shopping

Continue to head further west where Hwy 192 meets Hwy 27 (6 miles from villa). Head north on Hwy 27 for 1 mile to Cagan's Crossing and just there on the right is a superb brand new Wal*Mart. Wal*Mart is open 24 hours.

Celebration Town Restaurants and Shopping

Celebration Town has a great deal to offer anyone looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. With some excellent small shops and a good selection of restaurants, it is the ideal place to take the family for a stroll round the lake, to spend a few moments sat in the rocking chairs by the waters edge and to enjoy a good meal. Below are 2 of my favourites but take a look round my link to the Celebration Town website and discover for yourself the superb choice there is.

• Market Street Café - a Fifties style diner in Celebration town on Market Street that offers a really extensive menu, something for everyone and a homemade Chilli I cannot resist.
   

• Celebration Town Tavern - this restaurant can be found right in Celebration town at 721 Front Street. Here you can enjoy their great relaxed atmosphere and sample some New England Seafood, delicious.
   

Sand Lake Road Restaurants

• Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - this is the perfect venue if you are looking to enjoy a mouth-watering steak, I haven't found better in the area and Ruth's Chris provides the perfect atmosphere if you are looking for a venue for an intimate evening for two and yet Ruth's Chris is also a restaurant where families are very welcome.
   

• Season's 52 - vibrant busy restaurant. All dishes are calorie counted but there is no way you would suspect, the flavours are fantastic and the menu changes regularly with the seasons.
   

• Roy's - Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine, great food and a great atmosphere. A very memorable meal and evening.
   

• The Melting Pot - this is fondue dining you will not forget and nothing like most of us have experienced before. I won't give anymore away, you need to go and try it for yourselves.

The Florida Mall - Shopping

• The Florida Mall is a great place to shop in the Orlando area and enjoy all the best that Florida shopping has to offer and it is all under cover, air-conditioned and there is plenty of parking. Getting to the Florida Mall is simple. You can either take the I4 to Sand Lake Road exit. Exit right onto Sand Lake and follow the road until you reach the junction with Orange Blossom Trail and the Florida Mall or from the eastern end of Hwy 192 head North on Orange Blossom Trail until you reach the Florida Mall. The Florida Mall is located right on the junction of Sand Lake Road and Orange Blossom Trail.

Mall at the Millenia - Shopping

• Mall at the Millenia is another fantastic place to shop in the Orlando area. Very up-market with plenty of designer shops (sorry full prices here). Truly a theme park for the serious shopper. Free to get in but you will pay for every ride (rather purchase). Again the Mall at the Millenia is all under cover, air-conditioned and there is plenty of parking. Should you get hungry there are plenty of excellent restaurants but my favourite is P.F. Chang's China Bistro - wonderful food.
  Getting to the Mall at the Millenia is simple. You can either take the I4 to Conroy Road exit. Exit right onto Conroy and follow the road for a short distance until you reach the Mall at the Millenia.

Downtown Disney - AMC Cinema

• For those of you who like to catch up on the latest films then I would recommend you head to the 24 screen AMC Cinema at Downtown Disney™.

NB - I have compiled this list as a brief introduction to the some of the restaurants that are either local to my villas or that I have really enjoyed during a stay in Orlando. They are only a sample of the very many excellent restaurants that the Orlando area has to offer but they will hopefully whet your appetite to try some of them out for yourselves - enjoy.
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