Where to Watch the World Cup in Orlando

Anyone whose summer holiday clashes with the football (or ‘soccer’ as it’s known in the States) will be well catered for in Orlando this summer. All World Cup games will be shown live in selected venues around Orlando, perfect for some thrilling afternoon entertainment after a morning of white-knuckle rollercoasters. Here are the best places in Orlando to watch the action unfold between visits to the world’s most famous theme parks.

British Pubs in Orlando

Even those that like to escape any reminders of home on their summer holiday might just be tempted by some British Pubs for the England games. Any of the following pubs are sure to be packed to the rafters with English holidaymakers cheering on the team, and maybe even a few Scots cheering on the opposition.

Our favourite is The Orlando George and Dragon which has a beer garden; a varied menu; pool tables; quiz machines; and most importantly, a giant screen TV showing all matches.

The atmospheric Fox and Hounds Pub in Kissimmee will be serving staple favourites like fish and chips and showing all games on their wide screen TV.

The Cricketers Arms Pub – just off International Drive - has a wide selection of lagers and ales, and will be showing all games plus other entertainment.

Hotels in Orlando

Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa will be showing all matches

With matches on in the afternoon and early evening in the US, the best option might be to kick back and relax at your hotel after a busy day at the theme parks with various resorts across Orlando showing the games live for their guests. See our full list of Orlando holidays here.

Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa will be showing all matches at one80 Sportgrill and Bar. If the game’s a bit dull, there are plenty of other amusements including: dartboards, arcade games and Wii consoles.

The Crowne Plaza Orlando Universal will feature all games in their Elements Bar & Grille restaurant and will be putting on special buffets inspired by each of the competing teams. Cue the restaurant’s chefs frantically researching Bosnian cuisine!

Guests at the International Palms Resort will be able to soak up the Floridian sunshine by the pool while they watch all the matches on a large projector screen - nation-themed drinks are also promised.

Games will also be shown live on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC so those in self-catering accommodation will be able to keep up to date with the action.

   

Restaurants in Orlando

Universal Studios' CityWalk is a great place to catch a game

Footy-mad holidaymakers can combine an early evening meal with live football at various restaurants around Orlando.

Dewey's Indoor Golf and Sports Grill features an incredible 25 foot theatre screen with surround sound, perfect for feeling the big game atmosphere. With over 70 HDTVs at this sprawling state-of-the-art facility, there will be no straining to catch a glimpse of the screen here.

Universal CityWalk’s Hard Rock Café will be dedicating a room to the World Cup. Games will be shown in the venue’s Art Bar which hosts a variety of music memorabilia.

Just around the corner from the Hard Rock Café is the NASCAR Sports Grille – home to a whopping 37 foot media wall and a bevy of plasma TVs that will be showing all World Cup matches.

Where will you be watching the 2014 World Cup? Let us know in the comments section below. 

Top Reasons to Visit Barbados

Barbados holidays combine glorious sunshine, brilliant beaches and picture-perfect scenery, and with some exciting live events coming up over the next few months, it’s the perfect time to visit. Whether you’re looking to just sit back and relax or enjoy a more active holiday, you’ll find the perfect place on this sun-kissed Caribbean island. Here are our top reasons to visit Barbados.

Exciting Live Events

In May, Barbados hosts the first edition of the Top Gear Festival to be held in the Americas. The festival will feature a host of top names from the world of motorsport and will be presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. F1's Lewis Hamilton will be in action alongside popular Top Gear character The Stig will and the rest of the Top Gear Stunt Team and an array of other stars from the word of motorsport.

Top Gear’s live spectaculars are famous for their imaginative stunts. Previous editions of the festival have included a Guinness World Record indoor loop-the-loop and a 300ft car bungee, plus guest appearances from motorsport’s Casey Stoner and F1’s David Coulthard and Mark Webber.

Plenty of cricket loving Brits will be heading over to Barbados in March for the West Indies v England Twenty20 Cricket Series. England’s barmy army will no doubt be taking the opportunity to put the recent Ashes disappointment behind them and soak up the Caribbean sun whilst cheering on their team. The three match series will be contested at the Kensington Oval on March 9^th, 11^th and 13^th.

Unspoilt Beaches

There are unspoilt beaches dotted all along the coastline of Barbados, even on the outskirts of capital Bridgetown. Brandons Beach is just a short stroll from Bridgetown and is a fantastic place to spend part of the day with amenities close at hand. It’s also home to the Cockspur Beach Club which offers a guided tour of the rum distillery – and even a few samples. 

Many of Barbados’ most popular beaches are found on the calm west coast, also known as the ‘Platinum’ coast. Batts Rock Beach and Paradise Beach adjoin and offer plenty of shady spots under the palm trees and a community of green monkeys. The small rocky areas make it an interesting snorkelling location.

The island’s north coast offers spectacular views from steep coral and sandstone cliffs. Popular spots include: Cove Bay, Freyers Well Bay and Little Bay. At Barbados’ most northerly point is the intriguingly named Animal Flower Cave – a vast cave that offers dramatic views of the ocean. Over time, the walls of the cave have been made multi-coloured by the oxidation of copper and iron.

Barbados’ east coast is more windswept than the west which means big waves and lots of surfers. This distinctive rocky shoreline of Bathsheba makes a great photo opportunity and nearby Bathsheba Park is perfect for a relaxing picnic.

The south coast is livelier than the west - it’s possible to windsurf at the island’s southernmost point – but is still calm enough for swimming and snorkelling. Belair Bay and Carlisle Bay are popular spots to visit.

Loads of Fun Sports

Barbados’ clear, warm waters offer superb visibility of between 40 and 70 feet throughout most of the year, ideal for snorkelling and diving. The waters around Barbados are full of colourful fish, sea turtles and rays, not to mention multi-coloured coral. Divers will love the wrecks of Carlisle Bay which are teaming with colourful tropical fish and coral.

If you prefer to explore the bottom of the ocean at a more sedate pace than the scuba divers, there are even submarines that will take you to the bottom of the sea to marvel at the wonderful marine life found there

The more windswept east coast of Barbados is a magnet for thrill seeking surfers, especially the world-famous reef break known as the ‘Soup Bowl’. Surfing the Soup Bowl is a challenging experience even for skilled surfers with a ledge of spiny sea urchins underneath - March to May is best for beginners

Windsurfing is another sport that Barbados is just made for. The southern tip of the island is one of the best places on earth to windsurf, especially the area near Silver Sands.

If you like the sound of a holiday in Barbados, you’ll love the latest Globehunters competition! We’re giving away a dream 7 night holiday for 2 at the Travellers Palm on the island’s west coast.

If the lucky winner can take their holiday over the weekend of 17 & 18 May 2014 we’ll throw in 2 Club House tickets to watch the Top Gear Festival Barbados at the Bushy Park Circuit. We’ll also give a pair of free tickets to any customers booking a Barbados Holiday that coincides with the event.