The photo above was taken at Icon Park.
Updated May 2023.
The City Beautiful
This central Florida city has a lot more to offer than Disneyworld (although that is a great thing to do) and other theme parks. Surprisingly, it has a lot of lakes to take a nice stroll, a surprisingly incredible food scene, and a lot of attractions around the area.
Its nickname is The City Beautiful due to the 1920s “The City Beautiful Movement” urban design trend to add parks and landscaping to improve resident morale and the city sponsored a contest to adopt the nickname.
It’s really difficult to create a day-plan since it truly depends on where one wants to go. While one option is given, most people might need to spend more time in Orlando since there's a lot to see and do!
Its nickname is The City Beautiful due to the 1920s “The City Beautiful Movement” urban design trend to add parks and landscaping to improve resident morale and the city sponsored a contest to adopt the nickname.
It’s really difficult to create a day-plan since it truly depends on where one wants to go. While one option is given, most people might need to spend more time in Orlando since there's a lot to see and do!
Overview
- 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Winter Park - garden and Saturday farmer's market
- Kraft Azalea Garden
- Scenic Boat Tour
- 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM: Downtown - Sunday farmer's market and gardens
- Harry P. Leu Gardens
- Lake Eola Park
- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures - airboat adventure
- 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Icon Park - ferris wheel and entertainment hub
Click the star to add the map to your Google Maps! To view it, simply open Google Maps, navigate to the Menu, choose “Your Places,” click "Maps", and voila, the map should be added.
Transit
Unfortunately, the urban sprawl of Orlando makes it difficult to get around without a car. However, there is the LYNX Bus system for those seeking public transit.
LYNX Bus
One can pay a flat fee of $2.00 per ride with exact change. Otherwise, one can request All-Day passes ($4.50) or a 7-Day pass ($16) from bus operators when boarding.
LYMMO
The free downtown circulator bus that runs every 5-10 minutes with 21 stops along the way.
LYNX Bus
One can pay a flat fee of $2.00 per ride with exact change. Otherwise, one can request All-Day passes ($4.50) or a 7-Day pass ($16) from bus operators when boarding.
LYMMO
The free downtown circulator bus that runs every 5-10 minutes with 21 stops along the way.
1-Day Plan
The day plan suggested below is for those who are interested in spending more time outdoors, exploring more of the city than the theme parks.
8:00 - 11:00 AM: Winter Park
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- Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art: Collection of artwork from Lous Comfort Tiffany, who is specifically known for Tiffany glass, and the museum boasts the largest collection of Tiffany glass in the world. Be sure to visit the Tiffany Chapel, a full-scale recreation of a Chapel on the Tiffany’s Long Island Estate with stained glass windows and mosaics designed by Tiffany. The museum is named after Charles Hosmer Morse, a Chicago industrialist who spent winters in his home here.
- Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Garden: Named and dedicated to Albin Polasek, a Czech-American sculptor who lived in the area, the museum has over 200 works of art by the artist with his sculptured displayed in the gardens.
11:30 AM - 2:00 PM: Downtown
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Harry P. Leu Gardens
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3:00 - 4:00 PM: Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures
About an hour south of Florida, one can experience a fun airboat on Lake Tohopekaliga. The headwaters of the Everglades are in this area, and one can take an airboat ride through the swamp, visit an indigenous village, and walk through a butterfly garden. One can book tickets here.
6:00 - 8:00 PM: Icon Park
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Considered Orlando's "Ultimate Entertainment Destination", it boasts the Wheel, a ferris wheel providing a 400-foot aerial view. One can also head to the or eat at some of the restaurants in the area. Other attractions include an arcade, the SEA LIFE Aquarium, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, the 7D Motion Adventure, and a lot of other activities.
Note that it is mostly a place for dining and it does close a little early (~9 PM). |
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Theme Parks
The main two amusement parks around Orlando where one can spend one day if not multiple days at each one:
Disneyworld
No explanation is needed for Disneyworld, but I've created a separate page to help you plan for your time in Disney!
No explanation is needed for Disneyworld, but I've created a separate page to help you plan for your time in Disney!
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Universal Studios One should spend a full-day exploring Universal Studios and purchase the two-park ticket to see both the main Universal Studios and the Universal's Islands of Adventure. However, given the breadth of each park, only visiting one park each day might be a better alternative. I will defer you through Mousehacking or NerdWallet, who created great day itineraries and explain the difference between these two. Personally, I would recommend heading to Disneyworld, because while tickets are about the same price, Disney does have shorter wait times for rides, the staff are consistently friendly, and better themed experiences. However, Universal Studios does offer fun roller coasters. |
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Water Parks
- Discovery Cove: Part-aquarium, part-waterpark, and part resort, this is considered one of the best water parks where one can get close to dolphins, sharks, rays, and tropical fish. There is also the option of a morning flamingo walk and playing with otters.
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach: Trendy water park mixing tropical vibes with melting snow. It's known for the Summit Plummet ride, a 120-ft tall slide with speeds 60 mph. It is the world's the third-tallest and fastest free-fall slide.
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon: It contains one of the world's largest outdoor wavepools. It is the second-most visited water park in the world, and while it has fun rides, for the price, I wouldn't recommend it since the rides are on the less exciting side. It does have the relaxing lazy river.
- Universal’s Volcano Bay: Universal Studio's first water park known for the artificial 200-ft volcano "Krakatau". Its claim is the tallest body slide in the world at 125 ft tall.
- Aquatica Orlando: Named "Orlando's best water park" that combines 42 slides, beaches, and a lazy river. Reef Plunge is a slide that sends one through marine life, including black-and-white Commerson's dolphins.
- CoCo Key Water Park: Family-oriented water park with 14 slides and a tiki bar for adults while children are supervised in a water park area.
Other Theme Parks
- Gatorland: Park dedicated to alligators with gator wrestling, Screamin’ Gator zip line, and the famous Gator Jumparoo Show, which demonstrates how high gators can jump.
- Fun Spot America Theme Parks: Small theme park with free entry and one pays for each ride separately. There is go-karting and Orlando’s first wooden roller coaster.
Museums
- WonderWorks: Child-friendly interactive science museum near Pointe Orlando which has upside-down attractions, a glow-in-the-dark ropes course, and laser tag.
- Orlando Science Center: Multi-story museum that focuses on ecology and interactive exhibits.
- Orlando Museum of Art (closed on Mondays and holidays): First art museum in Orlando with changing exhibitions.
Other Activities
- Bok Tower Gardens: A 3.5-mile hike through Pine Ridge Preserve, but the main attraction is the “singing” tower that plays carillon music throughout the day.
- Kelly Park - Rock Springs: Beautiful waterway in Florida created from the Rock Springs that heats the water and produces a natural lazy river.
- Wekiwa Springs: Spring-fed river for swimming, kayaking, and canoeing.
Restaurants
- Mills 50: A neighborhood north of downtown that is also known as Little Saigon with Vietnamese and Asian influences.
- King Bao Mills: Fiilled bao buns with traditional and seasonal flavors. Recommend the Hogsville or the Cuban with Curry.
- Hawkers Asian Street Food: Fusion Asian restaurant known for their drinks and food. Recommend the Roti Canai, Curry Laksa, and Korean fried chicken.
- Mamak Asian Street Food: Malaysian and south Asian food with great house special options and spicy options.
- Sampaguita: Ice cream shop with unique flavors such as pineapple cake, ube latte, mango peach pie, banoffee, and soy suace butterscotch. They also have great vegan/non-dariy options like the mango float and the buko panda.
- Quantum Leap Winery: Winery with worldwide selection that has affordable flight of wine tasting for $7-$8.
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Lava Custard Buns (Dim Dim Sum)
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