A Night on The Town

I left Windsor Hills around 5 o’clock for Pleasure Island and arrived a quick 10 minutes later.  I found a parking spot very easily which I was pleasantly surprised about – I had no game plan for Pleasure Island and simply walked around aimlessly until I found a restaurant that looked interesting. 

After about 20 minutes of walking, I found an authentic Italian looking restaurant called Portobello’s Yacht Club and decided I would try it out.  I had an excellent dinner at Portobello’s – the chicken parmesan was fantastic and they carried my favorite wine, so all in all, great experience.  After dinner I decided to check out the nightlife I had heard so much about. 

There are a variety of different themed bars and clubs in Pleasure Island – the first I visited being 8 Trax.  8 Trax is a 70’s and 80’s dance club that plays all the retro favorites including the Bee Gees, Donna Summer and the Village People.  I spent all of my time while at 8 Trax people-watching and laughing at the tourists busting a move on the dance floor and letting loose on their vacations.  Very amusing for me!

After, spending a few hours exploring Pleasure Island I decided to jump ship and head to Universal’s City Walk – an area similar to Pleasure Island that has dining, nightlife and entertainment.  The main reason why I decided to do this was because I knew Jimmy Buffett owned a restaurant in City Walk called Magaritaville.

I am a huge Buffett fan so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out Margaritaville.  Margaritaville is the ultimate tropical paradise – there are several different bars within the restaurant including a tiki bar and, my personal favorite, the Volcano Bar which has a giant exploding margarita!  The outdoor dining area, The Porch of Indecision, is a place where guests can sing along to Buffett tunes and enjoy a relaxing meal with friends.  As the evening turns to night, the restaurant transitions into a nightclub where live bands perform each night of the week.  I sat outside and drank, you guessed it, margaritas and listened to a cover band attempt to replicate Buffett classics. 

I could have easily continued my night and ventured in and out of the dozens of other bars City Walk has to offer, but it was getting late and I decided to call it a night.  I had a blast checking out the nightlife at Pleasure Island and City Walk and was incredibly impressed with the variety and amount of entertainment in each respective area.  There is literally something for everyone.  I arrived back at my Orlando vacation home a little after midnight and immediately turned in for the night.  I needed my rest as I planned to conquer Disney World the next day!

Jordan