Like vacationing in Florida but want to avoid the crowds at Disney and Universal? Not a problem.

In fact, you can take your vacation up a notch beyond the theme park hotels and character meet-and-greets with a variety of luxury options in Central Florida.

During a recent visit to the area, my son and I stayed at the Conrad Orlando at Evermore. Overlooking a man-made lagoon — Evermore Bay — we enjoyed luxurious accommodations at this Hilton property that included views of the nightly fireworks at both Epcot and the Magic Kingdom right from our balcony.

The hotel also features five on-site restaurants, so we didn’t have to travel far to eat. For instance, while spending the day at the pool, we ordered pizza that was delivered right to our lounge chairs.

For dinner, we dined at Ceiba

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