I always get excited just to see the dolphin statues in the fountain at the entrance to Emerald Island Resort. My name is Dave. Along with my wife, we own a vacation rental home in the Emerald Island Resort (EIR). We live in New England in the US and although we love where we live, winters can be brutal. When it gets really cold and snowy, it is like a little piece of heaven to spend some time in our home at EIR.
Once we turn into the entrance, we then proceed down the palm tree-lined lane to the security gate. There is only one way in or out. The security gate helps to ensure only the people that are staying in the resort enter the resort. The first thing you see is more dolphin statues in a very large fountain in the middle of a round-a-bout.
I can almost feel my stresses melt off me as we approach our home. The lush well cared for vegetation is a pleasure to the eyes. We have been coming to Emerald Island Resort for several years now and it is always the same, absolutely wonderful! My wife and I are both at-home workers. We both can work as effortlessly at Emerald Island Resort as at our home in New England. The biggest difference, particularly in the winter, is when I take a coffee break, I can just walk out the door. No putting on four layers of clothing and heavy boots, and enjoy the fresh air. Most of the time I will walk around the many ponds in the resort taking pictures of of birds and animals.
Occasionally we will walk the paths of the nature preserve located in the middle of the resort. On these trails, you can see many examples of native Florida flora and fauna. For me, it is an amateur photographers’ dream.
Sometimes in the evening, we like to stroll down to the Tiki Bar for a drink and a little something to eat. It is fun to listen to accents and try to imagine where the speakers are from. Quite often, you could hear ones from almost anywhere in the world.
Another thing we like to do at night is float around in our own heated pool. We love enjoying the warm Florida weather almost any time of the year. We also enjoy the lanai for breakfast in the morning listening to all the birds waking up and singing. Occasionally we will see an Armadillo or Raccoon wander by, and of course, you will see lizards everywhere. In fact, we often see an egret walking along behind the homes looking for lizards to eat.
We even frequently see hot air balloons float gracefully by while enjoying our second cup of coffee in the lanai.
Of course, many of the renters are here for the parks. We are only minutes from all the Walt Disney World parks and a half-hour from the Universal ones. At night, we can sit on the lanai and listen to the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. In fact, you can even see some of them from the resort. Do not be shocked if you see a rocket ascending from Cape Canaveral. One day we saw one of the Elon Musk rockets take off. And then watched the twin boosters slowly ascend to earth on long tongues of flame as the rocket engines safely brought them back to earth.
The resort is also located only minutes from a huge array of retail outlets, including many gift stores. Publics Grocery, Walmart, Target, Lowes, and more are just a short ride away. If you like Disney themed gifts you can find many economically priced items at Walmart or Target. This includes a large selection of T-Shirts and Hoodies.
Restaurants, many of which will deliver to homes in the resort, are also very close by. There is a very large amount of them to pick from in all price ranges. Some are larger chain restaurants. But you can also find local places to eat or just have an ice cream cone.
Beyond all the retail, restaurants, and parks there is a great deal of slower-paced things to do. Rent a bike and explore the area. go kayaking at Shingle Creek. These activities can get youcup close to some more of the wildlife in Florida.
You would never run out of things to do in this area! Of course, if you do run out the ocean or gulf are just a little over an hour ride away. Picking shells or lounging on the beach is also a great way to chill out between days at the parks.
No matter how you spent your day, you can come back to a quiet peaceful surrounding. Enjoy some downtime, maybe just watching the kids enjoy the pool. ensuring they will sleep very soundly through the night. If someone is ready for bed early, they can retire to their own bedroom.
Occasionally, I like to walk over to one of the ponds to photograph a fantastic sunset. A great way to end the day!
