We usually drive to Tampa and then stay overnight. Have you considered that?

Tampa
 

When we went there we stayed over night. Honestly, I have no interest ever going there again. We had friends who flew in specifically to eat at Berns. All of us walked out and said tourist trap.

It is called sarcastic humor.

Well said.

Bern's Steak House is in Tampa.

We have been in The Villages for eight years today. Since moving here we have eaten in 355+ non fast food restaurants and 175 of them more than once. We have been to Bern's three times including taking the MIL there for her 90th birthday. All three visits have been top notch from all aspects, Spent the night, sans MIL, on one trip for Valentines day. Dessert in the Harry Waugh Dessert room is a mandatory experience. To the question between Turner's and Rose Plantation both are similar as to quality. I would lean toward Rose Plantation because of ambience and adaptability on the menu. They will accommodate requests for alternate sides where the chef at Turner's believes he knows what combination/side I like more than I do. Other options are Fish Bones in Lake Mary and Fancesca's Tratorria in Gainesville if you like Northern Italian cuisine.

The Rose Plantation is our dinner choice for special occasions and a delicious casual lunch with friends. We've never been disappointed.

Culinary Institute of America
 

We lived for many years just a couple of miles from the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, NY. There are 55 Master
Chef's in the World and 30 of them are at the Institute. It has about 2000 students and about 4-5 individual restaurants and it's own bakery where you can buy bake goods and books and Magazines on food, cooking etc. If you are going to spend foolish money on a or many meals you should direct your attention to the Culinary where you will truly have outstanding meals. Once a year the Culinary hosts what is known as the most outstanding meal in the world. It is for the Master Chefs only and some are assigned responsibilities for their part of the meal. If it for Trout they will be flown in that day from the best sources in the world,etc. We have dined there many times and the service and food is as you would expect it..Outstanding. You will be served by one of the students who is also being watched by a Professor
and marked on the service he/she is performing that day. We have friends who graduated from the Culinary and good friends of the Nurse's there. They said they were called on most of the time for cuts and burns. The main building was a Catholic Seminary. There are many more buildings now. If you go to Hyde Park (Better known for Pres Roosevelt's home) or Poughkeepsie, NY
and go into a Diner you may be served by a Student of the Culinary or the "Short Order Cook" is a student. When I hear of someone spending a huge amount for transportation and a meal I think why not go to the best and really have an experience. Some of the super rich come up the Hudson out of NY, dock their mega boat
at a small dock near the Culinary and have Limo's take them to the Culinary for a meal. Some of the restaurants are reasonable and then there are a couple that are more expensive. :eclipsee_gold_cup:

Thats why we have minimal landscaping ,live in a designer with kissing lanai--we don't do anything to keep-we interested in great experiences -& we're fortunate we been able to have our fair share of great experiences

I have been to the CIA a number of times on business trips to Poughkeepsie (you can probably guess where I worked). Always a treat.

We were there when we live on our boat and docked @ the Poughkeepsie YC-it happened when we commuted from Fl & the Bahamas for the summer to the Great Lakes & the Canadian waters

Ibm
 

I was there many times.

It has changed. No longer so pretentious.
 

Actually Gracie, until that Culver's comment this was a pretty good thread.. Regarding your comment on the poster's wit, I would 50% agree with you.

There are good restaurants all over this country.
 

///