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Zip through the treetops, visit the stars

Several brand new attractions have opened around the state, and a couple of old stalwarts have a brand new look.

jclarke@MiamiHerald.com

Florida is famous for its roller coasters, beaches, hotels, giant gators (real and otherwise) -- and at Weeki Wachee, even mermaids of a sort. Still, just when you think you've seen it all, something novel comes along.

Here's a selection of new things to see and do in Florida this summer:

Clermont: A new attraction, Revolution The Off-Road Experience, allows guests to choose from a variety of ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) and drive on grassy trails and sandy surfaces. Prices $69.99-$199.99. 352-400-1316; www.revolutionoffroad.com.

St. Augustine: Closed for nearly a decade, the Villa Zorayda, a grand Gilded Age residence built as a 1/10 scale replica of part of Spain's Alhambra Palace, has reopened to the public. Admission is $10 adults, $4 ages 8-13. www.villazorayda.com.

Holopaw: Florida's first and only zipline, a treetop tour reaching heights of 55 feet, opened in January at Florida Eco-Safaris at Forever Florida, located off U.S. 441 south of Holopaw (between Melbourne and Kissimee.) Tickets: $85 ages 10 and up, minimum 70 pounds. Florida residents $65.407-957-9794; www.floridaecosafaris.com.

Kennedy Space Center: Visitors can walk on a pathway to the stars at the center's new Eye of the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope exhibit. Admission $38 adult, $28 ages 3-11. 321-449-4444; www.kennedyspacecenter.com.

Orlando: ICEBAR, the first permanent bar made of ice in the United States, has opened on International Drive. Walls, tables, seating, sculptures and bar are all made of ice. The $15 admission to the 27-degree room includes a vodka drink in a glass made of ice. Adjacent is the Chill Lounge, a bar in a Nordic setting at normal temperature with live entertainment. Register online for a discounted rate which includes a free drink of vodka. 407-426-6090, www.icebarorlando.com.

Theme parks: Disney's Hollywood Studios has opened an American Idol attraction, based on the TV show, with audience participation. Sea World Orlando will open its new Manta roller coaster this summer, with riders soaring face down at 60 miles an hour. Universal Studios also is opening a new coaster, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit, with a take-home music video from the ride. 800-551-0181, www.visitorlando.com.

Winter Haven: The former Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, closed for several months, reopened in March with a new name (Cypress Gardens and Splash Island Water Park), a new plan and lower pricing. The park is removing all its carnival and adventure rides, has closed its zoo, and will focus on its botanical gardens and water park. Concerts and seasonal festivals will continue; water ski shows and electric boat tours may or may not. Tickets for gardens $12.95, for water park $23.95, combo $29.95, less for children and seniors. 863-324-2111, www.cypressgardens.com.

Punta Gorda: Rick Treworgy's Muscle Car City features nearly 200 automobiles of every era dating back to the 1920s. The main focus, though, is on the ''muscle cars'' of the mid '60s to early '70s -- Pontiac GTOs, Chevy Corvettes, Olds 442s and the like that revved up the imaginations of teenage boys all over America. If all the horsepower makes your mouth water, there's also a Motor City diner serving up the tasty treats we used to order from the car hop at a drive-in. Admission $10; children under 12 free with adult. 941-575-5959; www.musclecarcity.net.

Key West: The city's long-awaited new airport terminal has opened to serve departing passengers, part of a $31.6-million project that will double the size of the airport. Beneath the structure is parking space for 300 rental and private cars. 800-FLA-KEYS; www.fla-keys.com.

Panama City Beach: The new concrete Russell-Fields Pier, longest on the Gulf Coast at 1,600 feet, will open this summer. It's being built on the site of a pier that was wrecked by hurricanes. 850- 233-6603; www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.

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