The first thing people think of when they think of Orlando is Disney World! It’s the top vacation destination in the world and entertained 82 million visitors in 2008. But Orlando is more than the Mouse House destination and even though the four theme parks and two water parks are a great family trip, there are still tons of fun adventures waiting to be discovered.
Orlando can be divided into roughly four areas, think of it like a big plus sign with the I-4 corridor as the vertical dividing line, and the 408 toll-way as the horizontal line. Disney World would be in the lower left hand side, if you were looking at the map. But Disney isn’t there alone! There’s I-Drive, or International Drive, a vacation destination like no others. Packed with restaurant after restaurant and dozens of fun spots, like Pirate’s Adventure Miniature Golf and Fun Spot, a small theme park custom designed for thrill seekers, a family could make a visit to I-Drive a two or three day part of their vacation. Fun Spot has the sky sling, go cart racing, arcade games and much more. Visitors can also find Wonderworks, a museum fun house, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and much more in this area.
North of Disney is Lake Apopka, and the Wekiva Spring Basin. A paradise for outdoor adventures and wildlife lovers, visitors can swim in crystal clear springs, paddle along serene waterways, and maybe glimpse an alligator in the wild. There are miles and miles of trails for hiking, not to mention an occasional bear sighting!
There’s also UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, two theme parks jam packed with adventure rides, great shows, and Universal City Walk, home to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, the NBA Café, free concerts and all night dance clubs.
East of Disney is Kissimmee FL, a vacation destination in itself. OLD TOWN hosts dozens of shops, outdoor concerts, classic car crawls and more. Dine in any number of café’s, and stroll along the avenue to do some people watching and discover the hidden wonders of OLD TOWN.
For water lovers there’s SEA WORLD, and the brand new AQUATICA water park where visitors can swim beside and around creatures of the deep.
Keep going east and you find the Space Coast. Even though the shuttle program is slowly being phased out, Cape Canaveral still has NASA and museums. The Space Coast is also home to Cocoa Beach, Orlando’s closest beach, tons of beachfront nightspots. Port Canaveral hosts several gambling cruise ships like the SEA ESCAPE and SUNCRUZ where visitors can take a five hour trip out into international waters to enjoy Vegas style gambling, shows and dancing.
The North East part of town has all of the downtown clubs, but also a couple of bedroom communities that lead straight out to serene beachfronts just a short drive from the city in New Smyrna Beach. Here locals gather to sun themselves on quiet beaches and enjoy surfing and fishing in the Atlantic surf, then enjoy a dinner at THE FISH CAMP or another local restaurant.
Orlando is home to hundreds of golf courses, like the world famous ARNOLD PALMER’S BAY HILL GOLF CLUB or THE GRAND CYPRESS RESORT. Orlando has a year’s worth of fun adventures a family or couple could do every day with plenty of time left over to enjoy each other’s company. Orlando is a top vacation destination for the simple reason that there’s just so much to do. For the vacation of a lifetime, make Orlando the next stop on your list.
