The popular Velvet Sessions concert series returns to Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel with the appearance of musical guest Tonic on March 29, 2012.

Velvet Sessions offers an up close atmosphere as performers hit the stage in the hotel’s Velvet Bar and Lobby Lounge. Past performers include Brett Michaels, Joan Jett, The Romantics, Eddie Money, The Tubes, Psychedelic Furs, Blue Oyster Cult and Foreigner.

The award winning “Velvet Sessions” also showcases a different type of beverage theme each month. Admission is $29 when purchased online and in advance. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35. The admission price includes select specialty drinks and finger foods from 6:30-8:30 pm. There is a cash bar when the concert starts at 8:30 pm.

For details on 2012 Velvet Sessions concerts, visit http://www.velvetsession.com/. For additional information on Orlando theme park concerts and events, go to http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/. Or visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/ for up-to-date savings and discounts on Orlando family vacation packages and resort accommodations.

The 2012 air show season is upon us and visitors to Florida can gear up for a full year of exciting aviation ahead. Both the Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels demonstration teams are slated to appear multiple times across the Florida peninsula.

The Thunderbirds already did a flyover prior to the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. Their first air show appearance of the year will be during the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In (March 27-April 1) at Lakeland’s Linder Regional Airport, located just west of Orlando. The Thunderbirds will perform in Lakeland on both Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1.  You can also look to the skies and find the Thunderbirds practicing on the first two days of the event. For details, go to http://www.sun-n-fun.org/.

Those same Thunderbirds can be seen from the beach on April 28-29 at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show. They’ll return to central Florida in the fall at the Daytona Beach Wings & Waves air show, October 13-14. That show will also feature two other jet demonstration teams, the Canadian Snowbirds and the Black Diamond Team, a non-military group. For information, you can visit http://www.wingsandwaves.com/.

A complete schedule of 2012 performances by the Thunderbirds can be found at http://afthunderbirds.com/site/show-season/.

The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels team 2012 schedule offers Florida shows in Punta Gorda, Pensacola and Jacksonville. The Blue Angels’ next central Florida appearance isn’t until spring 2013 when they perform at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base.  The team’s 2012 and 2013 schedules can be found at http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/show/.

Looking for a sure sign of spring? Look no further than Daytona, FL where Bike Week 2012 is revving up for kick off.

As usual, Daytona will be the epicenter for myriad Bike Week festivities and nearly 500,000 people are expected to rumble into town to participate in the annual 10-day event that runs from March 9-18. The massive street party includes motorcycle racing, live music street festivals, bike and chopper shows and plenty of good time fun.

Entertainment runs the gamut from live music at local biker bars to a hard-rocking 9-day concert at Orlando Harley-Davidson featuring headliners, Soul Asylum. And, of course, there’s the annual cole slaw wrestling event at Sopotnik’s Cabbage Patch in Samsula.

Those looking for speed can enjoy the Daytona Supercross and Daytona 200 motorcycle races

For resort accommodations in Orlando and central Florida, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

What makes a classic ski town? According to the editors at National Geographic, it starts with skiing and snowboarding so good they attract people like youth-bestowing fountains. Then add an inviting mountain burg steeped in ski heritage, amenities and culture.

Those editors recently selected the world’s 25 best ski towns - a list that included Park City, Utah.

Home to the United States’ National Ski Team, Park City was cited for its three outstanding ski resorts andUtah’s feathery, desert-dry powder snow. One of the premiere ski towns in America, the 19^th century mining town has since established itself as a tourism boomtown, with a historic Main Street and a lineup of high-end restaurants, boutiques and art galleries. National Geographic also listed Park City for its vibrant and sophisticated bar scene and the annual Sundance Film Festival.

Just 45 minutes from the Salt Lake City airport, Park City also offers convenient and free bus service from the airport to the ski slopes.

The Park City listing offered this to say about the area’s three major ski destinations, each of which features more than 100 runs, ample high-speed lifts and nearly 3,000 feet of base-to-summit vertical skiing:

Park City Mountain Resort is the “right there” option, with access from town, four terrain parks for snowboarders and freestylers, night skiing, a cutting-edge ski school, and remarkably well-rounded terrain, from gentle beginner runs to powder-filled bowls.

Deer Valley, only one mile away, is unapologetically up-market. Its skier numbers are capped, grooming is scrupulous, on-mountain restaurants are gourmet, and snowboards are not allowed.

The Canyons, four miles from town, is the ever-expanding upstart that has quickly grown to become the largest ski area in Utah.

In addition to Park City, other Top 25 ski towns worldwide included Girdwood, Alaska; Fernie, British Columbia; Zermatt, Switzerland; Chamonix, France; Crested Butte, Colorado; Aspen, Colorado; Niseko, Japan; Kitzbuhel, Austria; Bend, Oregon; Mont Tremblant, Quebec; Taos, New Mexico; Truckee, California; Whistler, British Columbia; North Conway, New Hampshire; Banff, Canada; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Telluride, Colorado; Jackson, Wyoming; Wanaka, New Zealand; Stowe, Vermont; Ketchum, Idaho; Whitefish, Montana; Bozeman, Montana; Cortina, Italy.

For information on discount accommodations in Park City, including Westgate Park City Resort & Spa, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/. Westgate Park City Resort & Spa was recently named for having the Best Timeshare Unit in North America by Perspective Magazine.

Looking for a great view of Orlando? One of the best views around just got better.

SeaWorld Orlando’s iconic ride, the Sky Tower, offers a spectacular 360 degree view of the park as well as Orlando and surrounding Orange Country. The 400-foot tower was built back in 1974. But now, that view can be accessed free of charge!

Since its inception, SeaWorld guests were required to pay an additional fee beyond theme park admission to take a ride to the top of Sky Tower. Now, as a way to add value to the park’s admission price, the ride is free to guests. The tower, which holds 50 passengers at a time, offers a two-deck, rotating platform that takes guests 350-feet in the air for the spectacular view.

A recording on the ride helps guests pick out different SeaWorld landmarks and adjacent sister attractions – Aquatica water park and Discovery Cove.

For information on Orlando theme park ticket discounts and savings on Orlando family vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

There’s a new event rumbling at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede in Branson.

“Rumble in the Treetops,” an all new lumberjack competition is being added to the friendly North vs. South rivalry that is part of the Dixie Stampede experience. The fun kicks off on Feb. 24, 2012 as the popular dinner show begins its 18^th season in the Ozark Mountains.

The entertaining new event is a unique opportunity for guests to witness a piece of history, as logging has played an important part in Branson’s development since the earliest days of the town’s development. It also coincides with this year’s 100^th anniversary Centennial Celebration of Branson’s incorporation on April 1, 1912.

The lumberjack competition will include four events. The first is a race to the top of a tall pine tree. That event will be followed by a two-man crosscut to see who can saw a giant log the fastest. A third event is the underhand chopping contest pitting lumberjacks in a race to split a log. And finally, there will be a fun-filled log roll to see which lumberjack can send his competition falling off a log into the water.

Rumble in the Treetops is just the start of your Dixie Stampede entertainment. You’ll also continue to experience the magnificent  horses, the pageantry, and the excitement of other events like Roman Riding, barrel racing and other feats of spectacular horsemanship…not to mention a delicious four-course feast!

Guests are also invited to meet the stars of the show - the horses - as you walk by their stalls when entering the arena. And there’s a preshow in the Carriage Room that starts approximately 50 minutes prior to entering the main auditorium.

For information on discount attraction tickets and resort accommodations, visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

Think Myrtle Beach and you’ll immediately think of warm, sunny weather, crashing waves and spending a leisurely day along the Atlantic Ocean. Yet Myrtle Beach also serves up plenty of fun and excitement year round, even when it’s too cold to splash in the surf.

A trip to Myrtle Beach could mean playing on one of more than 100 championship golf courses. You could experience a wide variety of shopping, from beachside boutiques to giant outlet malls. You  could walk the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. You could check out the many kid friendly attractions, or choose from myriad nightlife options.

Myrtle Beach is always more than just your average day at the beach. With an abundance of beach, an abundance of entertainment and an abundance of fun, you seemingly never run out of things to do along South Carolina’s beautiful Grand Strand! 

Westgate Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa in downtown Myrtle Beach puts you in the middle of the excitement - just a few steps from the beach and just minutes from most of the area’s popular attractions, shopping, restaurants, golf courses and hotspots.

Westgate Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa combines lavish comfort with one of the best locations on the Grand Strand. You’ll enjoy a wide variety of family style amenities.  Take a relaxing dip in an oceanfront pool or the lazy river. Take advantage of an on-site recreation center complete with whirlpool, sauna, exercise room and game room. Or experience delicious South Carolina seafood at the on-site restaurant.

For additional information and details on the spacious and luxurious Westgate Myrtle Beach Resort, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

The glitzy world of Las Vegas offers up a fast, non-stop pace with round-the-clock action and excitement. And if the glamorous shows, high stakes casinos and world famous strip aren’t enough, how about adding in the high speed thrills of a NASCAR race!

Just a few miles north of the Vegas strip, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway offers 1,600 acres of racing fury, including road courses, a short-track oval, a dirt track and a state-of-the-art drag racing facility. At the center of it all, you’ll find the spectacular 1.5 mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway - home to an annual 400-mile Cup Series race each March, as well as Nationwide and Truck series events.

The $200 million complex now offers a track seating capacity of 150,000.

This year’s premiere event, the Kobalt Tools 400, runs Sunday, March 11, 2012 with Carl Edwards as the defending champion. Rather than offer up the traditional winner’s trophy, the race champion receives a “championship belt” signifying the long Las Vegas tradition of being the boxing capital of the world.

For details on resort lodging at nearby Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort, please visit http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

While Orlando’s famous theme parks grab most of the headlines, the area also offers a wide variety of fun-filled dinner show options. Chances are, there’s a delicious option that’s a perfect treat for you and your family.

Arabian Nights Dinner Show

Arabian Nights remains the Most Honored Dinner Show in the World. The popular Orlando attraction brings guests into the magical world of Scheherazade, a young girl who dreams of becoming a princess. A magic genie takes her on a thrilling and romantic adventure filled with lights, music and daring acts such as gypsies flipping and dancing atop moving horses. More than 60 beautiful horses perform inside the Palace of Horses arena where you’ll also enjoy a delicious dinner.

http://www.arabian-nights.com/

Capone’s Dinner Show

Set in the early thirties when prohibition ruled, Al Capone is here to provide bootleg spirits. Fun for the entire family, Capone’s is full of song, dance and comedy, not to mention an all-you-can-eat buffet and unlimited drinks. Get your secret password to enter and you’ll be escorted to a table by mobsters and dames. The show is filled with fun from the song and dance provided by emcee and hostess Miss Jewel to Buggs Moran, the villain looking to move in on Al Capone’s territory.

http://www.alcapones.com/

Medieval Times Dinner Show

Step back in time and be swept away to an age of bravery and honor while witnessing epic battles of steel and steed. This rousing two-hour live jousting tournament is filled with amazing horsemanship, falconry and magnificent stallions. You’ll enter the majestic castle to discover that the King has invited six of the noblest knights to compete in a tournament of games, jousting and hand-to-hand combat. One knight will be victorious is this battle of champions. Cheer on your favorite while enjoying a true feast fit for a king.

http://www.medievaltimes.com/orlando

Outta Control Magic Show

Enter the upside down building then step inside the inversion tunnel where you’ll be turned right side up to begin your journey. WonderWorks offers more than 100 hands-on exhibits. Then head over to the Outta Control Magic Show, an interactive mix of magic, impersonations and improvisational comedy for all ages. Minds will be read, predictions will come true and personal items will vanish and re-appear. It’s all part of the unique entertainment and audience participation that comes with pizza, salad, popcorn and unlimited beer, wine, soda and dessert.

http://www.wonderworksonline.com/orlando/

Pirates Dinner Adventure

Enter a world of pirates where you’ll find an authentically replicated 18th-century Spanish galleon measuring 46 feet long, 18 feet wide with 40-foot masts anchored in a 300,000-gallon indoor lagoon. Guests sit in their own “ship” and cheer on their pirate mascot while surrounded by an action packed adventure complete with cannon blasts, pyrotechnics, wit and wizardry. Play along as the evil Captain Sebastian the Black leads a crew of renegades to the ship. Even the youngsters can get involved, donning costumes to row dinghies in a pirate race around the lagoon or to board the galleon and help rescue a beautiful princess.

http://www.piratesdinneradventure.com/florida/show.html

SeaWorld Makahiki Luau

Don your island gear and get ready for a tropical good time. As the sun sets over the harbor, the Seafire Inn turns Polynesian, offering a bountiful celebration featuring ancient customs, rhythmic music and dance, authentic costumes the delicious Pacific Island cuisine. This Polynesian festival fills the air with exotic energy while bringing a unique taste of the Islands to Orlando. You’ll also enjoy a breathtaking fire dance during a luau that celebrate’s man’s co-existence with the earth and sea. Guests also receive a complimentary flower lei and a tropical welcome drink in addition to the island fare.

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/Dine-and-Shop/Dining/Makahiki-Luau

Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows

Put on your detective cap and help solve the crime and don’t be surprised if you’re chosen for a cameo role in a show! You’ll enter one of three theatres where you’ll be greeted by outrageous characters. Start nibbling, but watch out for suspicious people and happenings. A 45-minute comedy mystery will present all the clues. Then enjoy a delicious dinner as your table formulates questions for a live interrogation. After dinner, a detective moves about the room offering additional clues and laughter. Then get ready to make your final guess on who committed the crime.

http://www.sleuths.com/

Treasure Tavern - Adults Only

While most Orlando attractions are full of family fun, this one encourages guests to leave the kids at home and enjoy some naughty but good natured fun. Madame Gretta the tavern proprietor delivers a night of non-stop amusement featuring a trio of pick pockets, the beautiful “jewels,” dancing rum girls and Jinx, a special jewel. This variety show offers everything from a magician/mime, to a contortionist, acrobats and lots of song and dance. Upscale food courses are delivered during lavish musical numbers performed by the jewels who dance right up to the table while serving your meal.

http://www.treasuretavern.com/

One of Orlando’s most popular and iconic rides is getting ready for a makeover.  The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure will temporarily close on Feb. 7 as the park upgrades the attraction. A newer, more vivid high definition version of the ride should be ready for guests in March. The original Spider-Man ride opened in 1999.  The new technology is designed to add even more exquisite detail to the scenes thanks to a new projector system, 4K digital high-def animated picture, new optical 3-D glasses and improved lighting. In addition, Universal will update some of the real life sets within the ride and along the queue.