The 2004 edition of the Official VISIT FLORIDA Vacation Guide is available. The guide is a one-stop source for visitor information about The Sunshine State and contains information on each of Florida�s unique vacation regions. The guide contains special sections focusing on beaches, festivals and events, outdoor adventures, state parks and public lands, golf, heritage, culture and camping. Handy resources include attraction and accommodation listings, traveler�s information, a drive times chart and a tear-out drive map. To obtain a free copy of the new Official VISIT FLORIDA Vacation Guide, call 1-888-7FLA USA (352-872).

Setting up a tee time at one of Florida�s golf courses is easier than ever with the newly-released 2004 edition of Play FLA Golf, Florida�s official golf guide. The guide is a one-stop source for visitor information about golfing in the Sunshine State. Play FLA Golf includes a comprehensive list of Florida golf courses by region, golf editorial and golf vacation information. Order Play FLA Golf by calling toll-free 1-877-PLAY FLA (752-9352) or visiting Florida's Official Golf web site, www.playfla.com. For Florida Vacation information, visit www.flausa.com.

SHOPPING SANDESTIN � The nation�s largest designer outlet center Silver Sands Factory Stores recently unveiled plans to expand, which includes the debut of Saks Fifth Avenue�s first two-story Off 5th Outlet store this spring. The new Off 5th Outlet will feature top designer names not only for women, but for men, children and home. The new store will offer a variety of evening wear, swimwear, jewelry, shoes & accessories and home decor. Silver Sands Factory Stores, a Howard Group Development, currently features more than 100 designer outlet stores with 450,000-square-feet of retail space. Silver Sands is located on U.S. Highway 98, eight miles east of Destin, near Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. www.silversandsoutlet.com

THEME PARKS ORLANDO � SeaWorld Orlando is making room for baby as the park welcomed a new baby killer whale to the Shamu family Monday, February 9. The calf�s mother, Kalina, gave birth to the 7-foot-long, 350-pound newborn at 10:10 p.m. in SeaWorld Orlando�s multimillion-gallon research and breeding facility, Shamu Stadium, following a seven-hour labor. SeaWorld visitors can catch a glimpse of the park�s new pride and joy during special family presentations at Shamu Stadium. www.seaworld.com.

ORLANDO � Be dazzled by this new attraction that bursts forth from one of the largest seamless screens in the world at the Walt Disney World Resort Magic Kingdom. Mickey�s PhilharMagic stars Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other beloved Disney favorites in a hilarious adventure through movies, music and mayhem. Experience Characters you love in a whole new dimension! This rollicking, frolicking 3-D "sym-funny" of surprises is guaranteed to delight the whole family. www.disney.com

ORLANDO � Universal Orlando has taken all the terrifying thrills and spine-tingling excitement of The Mummy motion pictures and placed guests ride in the middle of all the action with the newest attraction �Revenge of the Mummy.� Come face to face with the Mummy on a psychological thrill ride unlike anything that�s come along in the past 3,000 years. www.universalorlando.com

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS DAYTONA BEACH � Spring Daytona Beach Car Show & Swap Meet, March 19-21, 2004 In its fifteenth year, this popular event annually showcases more than 3,000 collector cars and trucks in the infield of Daytona International Speedway, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd. http://www.daytonabeachcarshows.com DELRAY BEACH (near Palm Beach) � Sogetsu Ikebana Flower Show, March 20-21, 2004 Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, is a colorful, delicate and subtle way of expression. It is an art form which is a visual and sensory delight. This event is held at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens at 4000 Morikami Park Road. www.morikami.org

GAINESVILLE � The Florida Museum of Natural History will open its McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Environmental Research at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14. The facility features a 6,400-square-foot Butterfly Rainforest exhibit with waterfalls, walking trails and 2,000 living butterflies. The main gallery of the public exhibit space will feature a spectacular "Wall of Wings" reaching 21 feet high and 200 feet long. The wall will contain thousands of scanned images and actual Lepidoptera specimens, as well as information panels about butterfly and moth biology and video plasma screens featuring live footage of Lepidoptera from different parts of the world. www.flmnh.ufl.edu/news/mcguire_opening.htm

LAKELAND � Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In, April 13-19, 2004

The Sun �n Fun EAA Fly-In is the second largest event of its kind in the country and the largest gated event in Florida. Sun �n Fun EAA Fly-In visitors can enjoy the static display aircraft, more than 500 commercial exhibits, Ladies Pavilion, Parts Exchange and a daily air show. Guests can also tour year-round venues, which include the Florida Air Museum at Sun 'n Fun and Gifts of Flight. www.sun-n-fun.org

ORLANDO AND ST. PETERSBURG � Chihuly Across Florida: Masterworks in Glass, until May 30, 2004

Orlando Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg are hosting this simultaneous, site-specific exhibition, which constitute one of the largest presentations ever of Chihuly glass and the first time two major art museums have collaborated to show Chihuly work at the same time. www.ChihulyFlorida.com

ST. PETERSBURG � Dali�s Centennial: The American Collection, until September 26, 2004 The Salvador Dali Museum celebrates 100 Years of Dali in 2004. Running through the end of September, this exhibition showcases the depth of the museum�s collection in chronological order. It includes many rare and rarely exhibited objects such as Dali�s sculptures as well as never-before-exhibited objects such as Dali�s birth certificate, school grades and handwritten manuscripts. The St. Petersburg museum houses the most comprehensive collection of Dali works in the world. www.salvadordalimuseum.org

WINTER PARK (near Orlando) � Sculpting Nature: The Favrile Pottery of L.C. Tiffany until January 9, 2005

Morse Museum of American Art�s exhibition coincides with the 100-year anniversary of the introduction of Tiffany pottery. The exhibit features 66 examples of Tiffany pottery from the Morse collection, including eight new acquisitions. On Easter weekend, April 9-11, admission will be free to the Morse Museum of American Art. Visitors will be able to enjoy at no charge Louis Comfort Tiffany�s 1893 chapel, and his 100-year old stained glass windows Sculpting Nature. www.morsemuseum.org

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

COCOA BEACH � Island Boat Lines is completing the renovations of their newest vessel �M/V Indian River Queen� to be available for tours in April. The "M/V Indian River Queen" was commissioned by MGM for the filming of the Denzel Washington film "Out of Time." The crew on board the �M/V Indian River Queen� will dress in uniforms representing turn of the century clothing. Island Boat Lines is known for eco-tours of the Cocoa Beach Thousand Islands. www.islandboatlines.com

FORT MYERS � After forty years of demonstrating the highest standards in sailing education, Offshore Sailing School has joined with Mainship Yachts to introduce Steve and Doris Colgate�s Power Cruise School. The only powerboat school offering certification and programs taught by certified instructors, Steve and Doris Colgate�s Power Cruise school combines classroom and on-water instruction in a formula that provides maximum skill training. Home to Offshore Sailing School since 1975, South Seas Resort on Captiva Island is known for its luxury accommodations wide variety of amenities, a beautiful yacht harbor and excellent cruising grounds. www.powercruiseschool.com

RENOVATIONS/OPENINGS

CLEARWATER � The historic Belleview Biltmore Resort is undergoing an estimated $16 million make over scheduled for completion June 2004. The Belleview Biltmore Resort provides Victorian accommodations, a world-class golf club, soothing spa, new beach club and legendary customer service. www.BelleviewBiltmore.com DAYTONA BEACH SHORES � Perry�s Ocean Edge Resort is undergoing a substantial renovation program scheduled for completion spring 2004. The renovations will preserve the family atmosphere of the resort, while adding significantly to the guests� comforts. www.perrysoceanedge.com

FORT LAUDERDALE � The Estoril Paradise Inn is opening the "Ernest Hemingway Royal Suite." The suite contains furnishings and fine art in a tropical retro motif that Hemingway made popular. The owners, John and Aileen, traveled to Key West looking for the right pieces of furniture and artwork to tastefully decorate the Royal Suite in order to create a tropical �Hemingway� experience. www.estorilparadiseinn.com

SANDESTIN � Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort readies for the spring 2004 opening of the new restaurant, Finz. The new restaurant, which is located directly on the Gulf of Mexico, will transform its Elephant Walk Restaurant and Governor�s Attic Lounge into a new split-level, dual-themed dynamic concept featuring a colorful, retro-chic theme that will enhance the family dining experience at the resort. The $500,000 renovation and remodeling project is set for completion April 2004. www.sandestin.com/pr.asp.

###

For additional information, contact Betsy Caire, (850) 488-5607, ext. 302 betsyc@VISITFLORIDA.org.