Cocktails, Sculptures, and Gators
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Danny’s daughter met us in Orlando for breakfast at the restaurant at Lake Nona Wave Hotel, right next to the Lake Nona Sculpture Garden. Breakfast turned into a long, relaxed morning, followed by cocktails by the pool before heading out to explore the garden. The sculpture garden itself was genuinely impressive, with large modern pieces spread across open green space lined with tall palms. Towering abstract metal sculptures featured clean, geometric lines, giving the garden a contemporary, museum-quality feel. We couldn’t resist taking a few photos, posing like the statues.
Lake Nona Wave Hotel
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After that, we leaned fully into Florida and headed to Gatorland. Gatorland may be commercialized, but it still captures natural Florida in a big way. Wild birds flock to the park, drawn in by the gator food, turning it into an unexpected birdwatching spot. It’s wild to see herons and egrets standing inches from massive alligators like it’s completely normal. There’s no shortage of gators, from tiny hatchlings to absolute giants. I was especially amused by the birds casually riding on the backs of gators, completely unbothered by their toothy taxis. Only in Florida.