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Cypress Gardens is one of the lesser known parks but well worth a visit. It was founded in 1936 well before Disney and Universal arrived. Situated in Winterhaven it's about an hours drive from Orlando. From the 192 go South down Highway 27 and follow the signs. The park has plenty of rides (over 40 of them) and usually the lines won't be as long as the major parks in Orlando. Check out the Paradise Sky Wheel first of all. From here you can see the whole park and choose what you want to do. There are more than a dozen thrill rides / coasters and another dozen rides for the less adventurous. A further 9 rides are just for the little ones. In addition to the rides are botantical gardens, shows, concerts and animal enclosures. Check out their web site for details of the shows and concerts. There is also a large lake where water skiing displays can be seen. As with all parks you will have your choice of indoor restaurants and picnic style restaurants so you can dine al fresco. For a special experience book on the Cypress Belle for a dinner cruise around Lake Eloise. Adjacent to Cypress Gardens is Splash Island Water Park. Your daily admission gets you into both, so don't forget your costume. The Cypress Gardens web site www.cypressgardens.com has a map that you can download so you can plan everything that your want to do in advance. If you feel the urge you can even get married there, but best to let them know in advance!