Central Florida is home to America’s favorite theme parks with so many things to do, you could go for days without doing the same thing twice. There are restaurants that will please everybody and shopping for every budget.
Orlando is known as a family destination but it’s also a great place for singles, girlfriend getaways and romantic couple weekends. Orlando has nightclubs and dinner shows featuring world class entertainers.
View my tips for visiting Orlando with tips for where to go, stay, do and much more.
Places to Stay in Orlando
Orlando is a great place not only to vacation but to stay. With so many hotels to choose from you can actually plan to make the place you stay part of your vacation experience.
Disney offers some great examples of this, you can choose a ‘themed’ resort like the Fort Wilderness Lodge or the turn-of-the-century styled Disney Beach Club Villas, if you’d like a little high end, ultimate luxury, stay at the Disney Dolphin or Disney Swan Hotel or one of the many other Disney resorts.
If your looking for some place outside Disney, try the Sheraton Vistana Resort and villas are right there in Lake Buena Vista too. International Drive has many hotels as well such as the International Plaza Resort & Spa. They also have all the familiar names too such as the Quality Inn at International Drive, the Hilton Garden Inn, the Doubletree Hotel, which is at the entrance to Universal Orlando.
If you’re looking for rooms that run a little more budget friendly the Rodeway Inn International and the Orlando Days Inn International have rooms priced under $50 at certain times of the year. No matter what kind of experience you’re looking for or what your price range is it’s almost certain that you’ll find Orlando very accommodating.
Orlando Attractions
Walt Disney World Resort
Disney World Resort is a contiguous 40-square-mile, world-class entertainment and recreation center featuring four theme parks; two water adventure parks; 32 resort hotels; 81 holes of golf on five courses; two full-service spas; Disney’s Wedding Pavilion; Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex; and Downtown Disney, an entertainment-shopping-dining complex encompassing the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and West Side.
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is one of the world’s most popular adventure parks with 200 acres of shows, rides and animal encounters. Millions of people visit every year but I don’t recommend going. I find keeping orca whales captive in tiny pools with no shade, and being made to do shows for the public pretty horrific.
Aquatica Water Park
Aquatica Water Park features the most thrilling water rides in the world with 36 water slides, six rivers and lagoons, and more than 80,000 square feet of beach area. Designed in a way that could only be done by SeaWorld, these distinct attractions will zoom, float and splash guests through amazing animal habitats and undersea adventures.
Blue Man Group at Universal Studios
Universal Studios features an array of exhilarating, state-of-the-art rides, attractions and shows. Hollywood blockbuster films and hit television shows–transport visitors into a highly imaginative world where they can become heroes of their own adventures. Islands of Adventure and Universal have entertained millions with their own unique options for fun.
Blue Man Group performs continuously throughout the week from Universal Orlando Resort’s Sharp AQUOS Theatre. The 1,000-seat theater, complete with a 30-foot-tall Blue Man facade, is accessible from both Universal CityWalk and Universal Studios theme park.
Wet ‘n Wild
Experience the world-class rides, quality service and more multi-passenger tube rides than any other waterpark in Orlando, and you will see why Wet ‘n Wild is consistently voted America’s number one waterpark!
Experience an explosion of pulsating lights, dynamic effects and cosmic energy on THE BLACK HOLE: The Next Generation, as your two-person hydra capsule blasts off to new out-of-this-world thrills! Encounter a splashing dose of group therapy on Brain Wash, or boogie down on the retro raft adventure – Disco H2O.
Children love the Kids’ Park featuring smaller versions of the park’s popular rides. Soak up the sun by the Surf Lagoon or challenge yourself to the ultimate “free-fall” on the Bomb Bay. Open year-round with pools heated seasonally, Wet ‘n Wild is the perfect place for the entire family to relax, have fun, and soak up the warm Florida sun!
Hidden Gems of Orlando
Orlando is most commonly known for it’s theme parks and tourist attractions illuminated in neon lights, but the City of Orlando offers a lot more than roller coasters, characters, water rides and discount buffets. If you’re looking for something beyond what’s published in the Florida guidebooks, try some of these hidden, Orlando gems that are favorites of the locals.
One of Orlando’s signature events is their food trucks. You can get everything from Barbeque to cupcakes, dog treats to vegan specialties and even breakfast. Always arrive early to minimize your wait in line and bring a few chairs to eat in. And if you go with friends, you can split up to the different trucks and sample everyone’s food.
Dessert is a favorite of mine and Twistee Treat provides a quick sugar fix for a really low price. They are a Central Florida landmark and aren’t hard to spot. Each location looks like a giant ice cream cone. And during the Christmas Season, they place a giant Santa hat on the top and decorate it in lights. You have to see (and taste it) to believe it!
If shopping is your thing, skip the outlets and head over to the neighboring City of Winter Park. Park Avenue offers great shopping in Orlando and is filled with boutique shops and restaurants. One step inside the Spice and Tea Exchange and your senses will be overwhelmed with a blend of curries, flowers and more. You can create your own blends or purchase one of their recommendations. They are great for gifts or for yourself!
Orlando lights up at night. You’d be surprised to learn that world class touring Broadway shows stop by at the Bob Carr center. The Bob Carr is part of a complex of events that feature an arena for basketball and symphony orchestras. There is a convenient parking garage nearby and just a short walk away, plenty of dining options pre-post the show.
Speaking of food and drink, Spice is one of my favorites for both it’s menu and location. While they are know for their Sunday brunches and Bloody Mary bar, their dinners on the patio overlooking Lake Eola are very picturesque.
One of the often over-looked attractions is Lake Eola itself. It’s most popular resident are the swans, but the fountain is a show in and of itself too. Each night, the Lake Eola Fountain is illuminated in lights that are synchronized to music. It’s perfect for an evening stroll during the day or night!
But of course, if you’d like to learn more about its tourism offerings, you have to actually Visit Orlando. International drive is where the majority of the hotels are located, most are easy to find on sites like trivago.
You’ll find something for every price range. Downtown Orlando has a few options too. The Bohemian offers luxury and proximity to Orlando’s nightlife. And for something in the tourist district, the locally owned Rosen Hotel Chain provides great accommodation – even though it’s name may not be known outside Orlando.
Want to see an alligator? Gatorland is the place. Gatorland Zoo is one of Central Florida’s oldest attractions, providing a unique and natural alternative to the larger theme parks.
Cypress Gardens was the birthplace of performance water skiing in 1943 and continues to be a family favorite, one adventure after another offering thrilling and wholesome family entertainment at affordable prices.
Old Town has amusement rides the whole family will enjoy and the home of Florida’s largest weekly car cruise, the Saturday Nite Cruise, with over 300 classic cars. Old Town also is home to over 75 specialty shops and plenty of places to eat.
The Central Florida Zoo is a resource center for wildlife and conservation education. Enter the enchanted, tropical world of the Central Florida Zoo, a relaxing, entertaining and educational experience for the entire family.
You should also visit one of the beaches near Orlando. Surf and sand are nearby with Cocoa Beach being the closest and it’s also possible to see a Space Shuttle launch too. If you’re looking for a beach you can drive on, visit Daytona Beach, its one of the most popular Florida beaches and home to the infamous Daytona International Speedway.
You might also like to view my guide to the best hiking destinations near Orlando.