Things To Do In Orlando

Chances are, if you are thinking of traveling to Central Florida for your next family vacation, you know more or less about what this area has to offer your family. That is because Orlando is known to the majority of the world’s population for one thing and one thing only – its world-class theme parks! And while a trip to either the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort or Sea World is surely on your itinerary, you should know that there are so many things to do in Orlando besides going to see Mickey or Shamu. In fact, the Orlando area community has grown vastly over the past 30 years or so since these theme parks really began booming, meaning that there is now an endless supply of entertainment options right at your fingertips that don’t involve waiting in long lines – or spending too much of your hard-earned money!

One area that Central Florida is quickly becoming known for outside of its entertainment options is shopping. With three outlet malls that house every store you can imagine – including some of the top designers on the market – Orlando is quickly becoming one of the leading outlet shopping destinations in the country. The area is also home to two large malls that are within a 10-15 minute drive from the attractions area – the Florida Mall and the Mall At Millenia. The Florida Mall is a nice mixture of designer and upscale shops with affordable options, while the Mall at Millenia is known for its designer boutiques, trendy stores and upscale dining establishments. If you are planning on hitting up any of these shopping experiences, just be sure to plan ahead and bring lots of extra cash along with you to take advantage of the great deals you will find here, especially at the outlets.

Next, since you are in Central Florida, you might as well find a way to take advantage of the spectacular year-round weather. Orlando has lakes around every corner and plenty of ways to experience them. Many of the Disney resorts have marinas right on their property with boat rentals, or you could also visit the nearby Buena Vista Watersports, which is located on Lake Bryan in the Lake Buena Vista area, for jet ski and boat charters as well. Another good way to utilize the weather is by getting in a round of golf at one of the area’s championship golf courses, many of which are open for public use. You can play right where the pros do at the many facilities that are just within minutes of the Orlando attractions area.

Also within close proximity to the attractions is Orlando’s downtown district, which is full of small shops and picturesque restaurants that are set right on Lake Eola. Downtown Orlando is also home to the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, where you can catch concerts or traveling Broadway shows, Amway Arena, home to the NBA’s Orlando Magic and the AFL’s Orlando Predators, the Orlando Museum of Art and Church Street and Wall Street, home of Orlando’s most popular local nightlife destination.

If you don’t plan on venturing far from the attractions area, however, no need to worry! On top of the four theme parks at Disney, two at Universal and the three that are affiliated with Sea World, there are tons of entertainment options along International Drive, such as Wet ‘n’ Wild, in addition to other area parks like Gatorland in nearby Kissimmee, Fla. Or, for a good time and a good meal all in one, Orlando also has several dinner shows that combine a theatrical performance along with all of the food you can handle!