Orlando, FL Road Trips

The Orlando area contains some of the world's largest and most famous theme park resorts. However, only one, Universal Orlando, is within the city limits. Walt Disney World and SeaWorld are in the immediate area, as are many of the more minor tourist attractions, and as Orlando is most associated with these popular attractions, you will find details and descriptions of them below. Until the Civil War, Orange County was widely considered a rural backwater. However, a Reconstruction-era boom in the area's population and the simultaneous growth of the citrus industry led to the establishment of the city of Orlando in 1885. Ten years later, the "Great Freeze" destroyed much of the citrus crop, forcing farmers to sell and the industry to shift southward. Around the turn of the 19th century, Orlando became a somewhat popular resort city, and its downtown population grew during the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s. During World War II, the United States Air Force positioned a base in the city, and the military would go on to become Orlando's major industry through the 1950s and 1960s. In 1965, Walt Disney went on television to announce his plans for "The Florida Project", the most important moment in Orlando's history. Walt Disney World opened in 1971 with one theme park – the Magic Kingdom – and development and population explosion rocketed the city into what it is today. Over the subsequent years, tourism has further entrenched itself as the center of Orlando's economy. SeaWorld Orlando opened in 1973, and Epcot, the second Disney theme park, came in 1982.

The Go Orlando City Pass is very useful to pay one price to visit many of these attractions. 1 UCF Arboretum, 4312 Scorpius St (University of Central Florida), ☏ +1 407-823-3583. Sunrise to sundown daily. An arboretum and botanical garden covering 80 acres (32 hectares), containing more than 600 species of plants in cultivated gardens. Its cultivated areas include a Conservatory, a bromeliad sanctuary, cycad garden, fern garden, palm collection, rose garden, swamp habitat, and a wetland plants display. Free, donations accepted. (updated Mar 2019) 2 Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N Forest Ave, ☏ +1 407-246-2620. 9AM-5PM daily except December 25, last admission at 4:30PM. Beautiful landscaped gardens and lakes set in nearly 50 acres (20 hectares) of land, featuring flora gathered from around the globe since 1936. Includes the largest rose garden in Florida and the largest camellia collection in the U.S. outside of California. The Leu House, set within the grounds and dating back to the 1880s, has tours every 30 minutes that explore its museum illustrating Florida living at the turn of the 20th century (closed due to Hurricane Irma damage). Special events throughout the year. Adult $10, child (4-17) $5. (updated Mar 2019) 3 The Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N Mills Ave, ☏ +1 407-896-4231. Tu-F 10AM-4PM, Sa Su noon-4PM. Ongoing exhibitions of American portraits and landscapes, American impressionist works, and art of the ancient Americas. Adult $15, senior (65+) $8, student $5, child (4-17) $5, active duty and Veterans free.

Orlando is one of the biggest tourist destinations on the planet because of the nearby theme parks and resorts. Close to International Drive is Universal Orlando, which includes two theme parks, a water park, several hotels and a shopping and dining district. Not far from Universal lies the small Fun Spot America Orlando, home to the only wooden coaster in the area. South on International Drive lies SeaWorld Orlando, a marine theme park featuring several thrilling roller coasters and a rapidly dwindling amount of animal shows. About 25 minutes southwest of downtown Orlando is Walt Disney World. Comprising four theme parks, two water parks, dozens of hotels, a large shopping and dining complex, and four golf courses, it is the largest privately managed tourist destination anywhere. Not far from Disney World lies the "Alligator Capital of the World": Gatorland. If you have limited time, you have to choose between quality and quantity. Do you go to fewer parks and see all of them? Or do you see a little bit of most of the parks? 1 Walt Disney World (18 mi S of downtown), ☏ +1 407-939-5277. Hours vary by park and season. The renowned gold standard resort complex, home to four iconic theme parks and much, much more. (updated Mar 2019) 2 Universal Orlando, International Dr, ☏ +1 407-363-8000. Hours vary by park and season. Top-ranked challenger to Disney and home to Harry Potter, with two theme parks, a nightclub and restaurant complex, and seven resort hotels.

A wide variety of restaurants can be found in CityWalk at Universal Orlando, including Margaritaville and Hard Rock Cafe. Parking is $20 during the day and free after 6PM (except during holidays or special events, such as Halloween Horror Nights). Much choice can also be found in Disney Springs, including Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, and Wolfgang Puck Cafe. Texas de Brazil, is a Brazilian steakhouse in the heart of downtown, serving beef, chicken, lamb and pork in many preparations. 310 Lakeside. Classic American cuisine overlooking Lake Eola. 1 A Land Remembered, 9939 Universal Blvd, ☏ +1 407 996-9939. A steakhouse named after Patrick Smith's rich novel featuring Florida's historical moments and landscapes. Serves a variety of cuisine and accompanying wine list. Serves Harris Ranch all Natural Prime Black Angus Beef, and menu items catering to all tastes. 2 Boston's Fish House, 6860 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park, ☏ +1 407 678-2107. People drive from hours away to this charming family-owned restaurant that brings the fish and flavors of Boston to Orlando. Authentic New England Clam Chowder, cod, and steak tips. Worth the wait for a fresh meal made to order. Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ, 3 locations. BBQ ribs, sandwiches and other smoked delights. Atmosphere has a home-style feel and plenty of pig companions. 3 Calypso Bar and Grill, 6300 Parc Corniche Dr. Great menu with a Key West themed dining experience. 4 Everglades Restaurant, 9840 International Dr, ☏ +1 407 996-9840.

Orlando nightlife away from the theme parks is centered mostly around Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. Here you can walk and find many bars. A short walk away is the tiny Thornton Park District, near the intersection of Washington and Summerlin. Among the dozens of cafes and pubs, you might stop in for a drink and a quick bite at Dexter's on Washington. For local flair head across the street to Burton's Frosty Mug, or sample the hip urban environment at the trendy HUE at the corner of Washington and Central. Although most of the downtown Central avenue crowd is comprised of the "twentysomething" generation, for a more 30s-and-over entertainment experience, visit the lounge of the Grand Bohemian Hotel, downtown on Orange Avenue. The ambiance is quite comfortable, although drinks tend to be pretty pricey here. Also, for a more professional crowd with a Latin twist, there is the Samba Room, on Sand Lake Road, about 3/4 west of I-4. This is a lively restaurant and happy hour type of place. The look is chic and the locals and tourists alike gather here for a quality food, beverage and people watching experience. You should ditch the shorts and flip-flops for a more casual chic look, but if you do you will be rewarded with a nice experience here. If you are traveling west on Sand Lake Road, after passing I-4, The Samba Room is on the left in a large shopping plaza. Latin food, music and mojitos are just some of the specialties here.

With a hotel around virtually every corner (actually 4 or 5 around every corner) it seems impossible to throw a rock and not hit a hotel. There are hotels to meet every traveler's need, whether it be a hostel or a 5-star resort, although many visiting families often prefer to rent a private villa as they usually provide much more personal space and have their own private facilities. There are also a lot of lodgings in the surrounding cities and towns. 1 Avanti Palms Resort and Conference Center Orlando, 6515 International Dr, ☏ +1 407 351-3500. (updated Dec 2019) 2 DASKK Orlando Hotel near Universal Blvd, Ascend Hotel Collection, 7400 Canada Ave, ☏ +1 407 363-0332, fax: +1 407 352-2598. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $100. 3 Floridian Hotel & Suites Orlando, 7531 Canada Ave, ☏ +1 407 226-9887. (updated Dec 2019) 4 StaySky Suites I-Drive Orlando, 7601 Canada Ave, ☏ +1 407 228-2027. (updated Dec 2019) 5 Best Western Plus Orlando Gateway, 7299 Universal Blvd, ☏ +1 800 445-7299. Near popular Orlando attractions such as Universal Studios Orlando and SeaWorld (updated Dec 2019) 6 Comfort Suites Universal Studios Area, 5617 Major Blvd, toll-free: +1-800-475-1694. Less than one mile from Universal Studios, free ground transportation to theme parks available. 7 Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection, 8629 International Dr. Designed as a medieval-themed palace. 216 rooms and suites. (updated Dec 2019) 8 Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive Convention Center, 8978 International Dr, ☏ +1 407 352-1400. 244 two-room suites.

1 Orlando International Airport (MCO IATA). The city's primary airport and the busiest airport in the state. It's 12.5 mi (20.1 km) southeast of downtown, close to the attractions in the area, and is a hub or focus city for Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways & Southwest Airlines. Flights are also offered from many international destinations throughout North America, South America and Europe. Orlando International has two key components: landside and airside. There is a central landside terminal (one building divided into sides "A" and "B"), containing the airline counters, baggage claim, rental car agencies, and a hotel. It's connected by elevated trams to four other terminals, known as Airside 1-4, where the boarding gates are. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in both the central terminal and the four airsides. A newly constructed "C" terminal isn't connected to the central (A/B) terminal but is accessible via the same elevated tram system. Security lines can become extremely long (1 hr+) during the summer tourist season and near holidays. Combined with long check-in lines, it is advisable to arrive 2–3 hours before your scheduled departure. Orlando is the "rental car capital of the world" and, as can be expected, there are many car rental agencies at the airport offering a large number and wide range of vehicles for rental. There are also many off-site car rental agencies which provide free shuttles to their location and may offer lower prices (See OIA website.) Public transportation in the Orlando area is provided by the Lynx (☏ +1 407-841-5969) bus system.

The highway is omnipresent in Orlando, and it is a very easy and convenient (if sometimes congested) way to get to your destination. Orlando is a sprawling city, with most attractions lying far to the south of downtown and spreading into adjacent cities like Kissimmee. The roads are all wide and easy to drive on, with all major attractions well-signed. However, traffic jams around downtown are common during the morning and afternoon rush hours, and around the tourist areas when the theme parks close up each night. Orlando ranks 8th in the nation in terms of traffic congestion, and there are numerous ongoing construction projects on area highways. Traffic information is available from electronic signs over roadways, most local radio stations, and by calling 511 (a free, automated service which provides current traffic info). As with most urban areas in the U.S., there are plenty of drivers who prefer to speed and drive aggressively. The Orlando area receives over 50 million visitors each year, many who drive while in town with little knowledge of the roads, while also home to 2 million permanent residents. The combination of these two types of drivers can make Orlando's roads a bit hectic at times. Speed limits in the Orlando area are higher than some parts of the U.S., around 45-50 mph (~80 km/h) on major roads. The speed limit on highways like Interstate 4 and the toll roads is 65 mph (~110 km/h), with urban sections closer to downtown posted at 55 mph (~90 km/h). Drivers in the left lane tend to drive 5-15 mph faster than the speed limit.

Like most cities in America, there are certain areas of Orlando which are more dangerous than others. Some areas travelers should be cautious of are: Parramore District, area in downtown Orlando is a location where a lot of the area's homeless population congregates and crime rates are higher in this area. Orange Blossom Trail, north of Sand Lake Road is known to be a bit of an unofficial red light district. Drug and prostitution-related crime is common here. Prostitution is not legal in Orlando, so you could spend a night in jail if you decide to indulge. Pine Hills, around Silver Star Road and Pine Hills Road west of John Young Parkway. This is a lower income area that has struggled with high crime rates. The Greyhound bus station is in Pine Hills and is a place to use caution. While it is unlikely that any one individual would experience serious crime in these areas, tourists stand out in these areas, and can unwittingly do things that can make them targets for criminal behavior, so it is sensible to stay away. While crime in the Orlando area is not particularly high, with the annual tourists far outnumbering the regional population (~2 million), a substantial amount of local crime ends up being directed at tourists. The most common crimes are theft of items from cars and hotels, so following common sense travel precautions are particularly important in an area like Orlando. Never leave valuable items in your car unattended, and get any purchased items to your hotel room as soon as possible. Consider utilizing the hotel room safe.