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| WAVE Journey |
| Women's Adventures, Vacations, Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
Florida's hidden resorts and beachfront hotels
Article & photos by Lucy Komisar
Article & photos by Lucy Komisar
A Woman's Directory For Travel and Life.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented businesses and
services around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities
this website is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are
interested in finding businesses or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online
resource.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented businesses and
services around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities
this website is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are
interested in finding businesses or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online
resource.
OK, you know about Miami, but do you know about Florida's hidden resorts and beachfront
hotels? This year, I decided to do a little investigating and check some of them out.
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club
I flew into Tampa in the early evening, and it was dark a half hour later when we drove into
the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on the Gulf Coast. I say "into" with good reason.
Innisbrook is a village unto itself, with a few dozen two-story creamy gray clapboard
residence and activity buildings scattered along curving roads and situated in 900 wooded
acres of green hills, lakes and even a nature preserve.
hotels? This year, I decided to do a little investigating and check some of them out.
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club
I flew into Tampa in the early evening, and it was dark a half hour later when we drove into
the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on the Gulf Coast. I say "into" with good reason.
Innisbrook is a village unto itself, with a few dozen two-story creamy gray clapboard
residence and activity buildings scattered along curving roads and situated in 900 wooded
acres of green hills, lakes and even a nature preserve.
Our apartment was beautiful and spacious, with high ceilings, a full kitchen, and a balcony. In
the morning I would discover a calming verdant view of one of the four championship golf
courses that surround the buildings. We slipped out for a night cap at one of the club bars.
Exploring started in the morning. We walked along those curved roads which make the resort
feel like a woods community. There's lots of foliage and bright flame colored plants.
the morning I would discover a calming verdant view of one of the four championship golf
courses that surround the buildings. We slipped out for a night cap at one of the club bars.
Exploring started in the morning. We walked along those curved roads which make the resort
feel like a woods community. There's lots of foliage and bright flame colored plants.
First destination was the Tennis Center which has
11 perfectly maintained Hartru clay courts, 7 of
which are lit for night playing. Will Rhame, the
center director, explained that they are flooded at
night and rolled in the morning. There are also
three indoor racquetball courts, two outdoor
practice walls and a ball machine. Will's staff of
pros is from around the world, including Croatia,
Japan and England, teach private and group
classes. For kids of 5 and 6 they use a new "quick
start" teaching style that uses larger colored balls
with different compression, so they are easier to
hit. "They learn and love it and pick it up quicker,"
he said. I thought, I could use that advantage too!
11 perfectly maintained Hartru clay courts, 7 of
which are lit for night playing. Will Rhame, the
center director, explained that they are flooded at
night and rolled in the morning. There are also
three indoor racquetball courts, two outdoor
practice walls and a ball machine. Will's staff of
pros is from around the world, including Croatia,
Japan and England, teach private and group
classes. For kids of 5 and 6 they use a new "quick
start" teaching style that uses larger colored balls
with different compression, so they are easier to
hit. "They learn and love it and pick it up quicker,"
he said. I thought, I could use that advantage too!
Seems a good and protected place for families. We saw kids also playing basketball, miniature
golf, and wooshing down the slide at the Lock Ness Monster pool. One of the six heated
swimming pools, Lock Ness has sandy beaches and a poolside grill. It's a good place for
adults, too. There's a camp for kids and a lap pool that's free of them. I'm not a golfer or a spa
buff, but I checked out the facilities. Among Innisbrook's championship golf courses featuring
72 holes is famed Copperhead Course, host to the PGA Tour's Transitions Championship every
March. There are three golf clubhouses. A large driving range, of course. If you don't care to
walk or drive to the spread-out destinations, a dial-a-tram will pick you up and carry you
where you want to go.
golf, and wooshing down the slide at the Lock Ness Monster pool. One of the six heated
swimming pools, Lock Ness has sandy beaches and a poolside grill. It's a good place for
adults, too. There's a camp for kids and a lap pool that's free of them. I'm not a golfer or a spa
buff, but I checked out the facilities. Among Innisbrook's championship golf courses featuring
72 holes is famed Copperhead Course, host to the PGA Tour's Transitions Championship every
March. There are three golf clubhouses. A large driving range, of course. If you don't care to
walk or drive to the spread-out destinations, a dial-a-tram will pick you up and carry you
where you want to go.
And then it was time for lunch. There are four restaurants and three bars in Innisbrook! We
chose the Turnberry Pub garden patio in the Island Club House overlooking the golf course.
(Well, almost everything is overlooking a golf course!) Lunch was terrific: peppercorn brandied
chicken, grouper sandwich, even the chicken noodle soup was special. All washed down with
the house white, an excellent Trinchera Chardonnay.
Since we're onto food, dinner that night on the terrace of the Osprey Clubhouse Market
Salamander Bar was a spectacular aged and flavored Rib Eye steak with brown sauce (just
$22!), delicious arugula salad with a balsamic dressing enhanced by blue cheese, and a
fabulous chocolate cheese cake. This is top quality food. We stayed on to enjoy the live
music, a singing jazz trio.
chose the Turnberry Pub garden patio in the Island Club House overlooking the golf course.
(Well, almost everything is overlooking a golf course!) Lunch was terrific: peppercorn brandied
chicken, grouper sandwich, even the chicken noodle soup was special. All washed down with
the house white, an excellent Trinchera Chardonnay.
Since we're onto food, dinner that night on the terrace of the Osprey Clubhouse Market
Salamander Bar was a spectacular aged and flavored Rib Eye steak with brown sauce (just
$22!), delicious arugula salad with a balsamic dressing enhanced by blue cheese, and a
fabulous chocolate cheese cake. This is top quality food. We stayed on to enjoy the live
music, a singing jazz trio.
After lunch, we took a walk in the wildlife
preserve, entranced by the hanging Spanish
Moss and water fowl. Then my companion
went home for a nap, while I crossed the
road to the spa and fitness center.
“Indaba” is Zulu for “gathering place.” The
Indaba Spa and Fitness Center sprawls over
20,000 square feet of mind and body
attention. There are 12 treatment rooms,
including private outdoor terraces, and a
couple’s treatment room with a fireplace and
shower. Outside, I wandered along the
meditation labyrinth, the paths lined with
small green shrubs and red azalias, which is
designed to be a way to slow down, reflect as
you walk and quiet the mind. Pretty, but too
slow for adrenalin-spiked me!
preserve, entranced by the hanging Spanish
Moss and water fowl. Then my companion
went home for a nap, while I crossed the
road to the spa and fitness center.
“Indaba” is Zulu for “gathering place.” The
Indaba Spa and Fitness Center sprawls over
20,000 square feet of mind and body
attention. There are 12 treatment rooms,
including private outdoor terraces, and a
couple’s treatment room with a fireplace and
shower. Outside, I wandered along the
meditation labyrinth, the paths lined with
small green shrubs and red azalias, which is
designed to be a way to slow down, reflect as
you walk and quiet the mind. Pretty, but too
slow for adrenalin-spiked me!
Innisbrook is owned by Sheila C. Johnson, who this year was nominated by President Obama
as a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. She is a classically
trained violinist who began her career as a music teacher. Beyond that, she is quite an
extraordinary woman: co-founder of Black Entertainment Television; a documentary film
producer; and the only African-American woman to co-own three professional sports teams.
When she took over Innisbrook in 2005, she ordered a total renovation. That adds a whole
new dimension to saying there.
as a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. She is a classically
trained violinist who began her career as a music teacher. Beyond that, she is quite an
extraordinary woman: co-founder of Black Entertainment Television; a documentary film
producer; and the only African-American woman to co-own three professional sports teams.
When she took over Innisbrook in 2005, she ordered a total renovation. That adds a whole
new dimension to saying there.