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Orlando, Florida, is often called the theme park capital of the world, but it thumps with a different sort of life with its buoyant energy found around every corner. There are many things to do in Orlando, from the legendary amusement parks to peaceful gardens. It is the city of creativity and learning, where every experience here seems gigantic. It has vibrant nights, unique shopping districts, and family-friendly experiences designed to fit the needs of all ages. Foodies can appreciate the artistic yet local twists in flavourings dished out by the city in everything from street food to fine dining.
10 Best Things To Do In Orlando
There are several things to do in Orlando like visiting the Walt Disney Resort, parks and gardens for a fun holiday:
1. Walt Disney World Resort
Photo: Senior Airman Dakota C. LeGrand / Wikimedia Commons
Walt Disney World Resort has four iconic theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Each park offers a unique feature that is not found elsewhere, such as the magic of Cinderella’s Castle or Showcase in Epcot or the thrill rides like Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom. Beyond the parks, Disney Springs is an excellent haven for dining and shopping. And to make it even more magical, there are always seasonal parades, fireworks displays, and character meet-and-greets. The resort also boasts themed hotels and recreation options like golf courses and water parks.
Location: Lake Buena Vista, Orlando
Top Experience: Meeting Disney characters, and fireworks at Magic Kingdom
Timings: 9 AM – 9 PM (varies by park)
Entry Fee: Starting at $109 per person
2. Universal Orlando Resort
Photo: Paulo Guereta / Wikimedia Commons
Universal Orlando Resort offers many attractions that cater to every passion and age group. This place boasts two major parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Key highlights include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Diagon Alley, which features the adventure-filled ride Escape from Gringotts and Ollivander Wand shop. Islands of Adventure contains thrill rides and imaginative theming. The Hogsmeade contains Hogwarts Castle and the ride, Forbidden Journey. Thrill-seekers can enjoy roller coasters, such as VelociCoaster and Hulk. The complement to the parks is Universal CityWalk, with its sensational mix of restaurants, shops, and nightlife.
Location: Universal Blvd, Orlando
Top Experience: Harry Potter rides, Volcano Bay water park
Timings: 9 AM – 9 PM
Entry Fee: Starting at $109 per person
3. SeaWorld Orlando
Photo: Jeremy Thompson / Wikimedia Commons
SeaWorld Orlando combines entertainment, education, and adventure and sits atop every visitor’s things to do in Orlando list. It boasts a great reputation for marine life conservation through the activities taking place in various animal rescue programs. At the Manatee Rehabilitation Area, one gets to understand the need to protect delicate marine environments. Thrill seekers can try heart-stopping rides like Mako, Florida’s tallest and fastest roller coaster ever built, or Manta, simulating swimming below ocean waves like a manta ray. Family-friendly activities are stingray feeding, visiting Antarctica, Empire of the Penguin, as well as the TurtleTrek 3D experience.
Location: Central Florida Parkway, Orlando
Top Experience: Dolphin and orca shows, Mako roller coaster
Timings: 10 AM – 7 PM
Entry Fee: Starting at $99 per person
4. ICON Park
Photo: Kiran891 / Wikimedia Commons
One of the more energetic destinations in Orlando, ICON Park is where entertainment and dining come together with attractions. The park’s centrepiece is the 400-foot observation wheel, which provides a bird’s-eye view over the whole of Central Florida, spread from downtown skylines to theme parks and natural landscapes. Guests can also walk by Madame Tussauds Orlando, which has lifelike wax figures of celebrities, historical leaders, and icons of pop culture into realities for interactive experiences. The other very popular attraction is the Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, which features Florida’s only 360-degree underwater tunnel.
Location: International Drive, Orlando
Top Experience: The Wheel, dining at local restaurants
Timings: 10 AM – 2 AM
Entry Fee: Free entry; attraction fees vary
5. Gatorland
Photo: elisfkc / Wikimedia Commons
Gatorland, more popularly known as the Alligator Capital of the World, ranks among the most exciting attractions and things to see in Orlando. Thousands of alligators and crocodiles, live feedings, and other unique exhibits give you a chance to see them up close. Take a gator zipline ride over the alligator breeding marshes and above a crocodile pond. The other family-friendly shows include Gator Jumparoo and other interactive animal shows that feature huge reptiles jumping out of the water to catch their food. Such great attractions include splash parks for the children, walking trails, a dedicated aviary, and others.
Location: South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando
Top Experience: Zipline over gators, Gator Jumparoo Show
Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM
Entry Fee: Starting at $32 per person
6. Lake Eola Park
Photo: Benoît Prieur / Wikimedia Commons
An oasis of relief from all the frenetic pace of theme parks, Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando beckons with a picture-postcard beautiful lake right in the middle and has an extremely popular fountain turned on every evening and almost magic. Within this park, other related cultural events take place, like the local farmers’ market, yoga sessions, and family-friendly festivals. Walking along the one-mile-long pathway winding around the lake exposes hidden attractions, such as a Chinese Ting gazebo or a Japanese Rock Garden, to retreat into to sit back, relax, and take photographs.
Location: East Washington Street, Orlando
Top Experience: Swan boat rides, farmers’ market
Timings: Open 24 hours
Entry Fee: None
7. Leu Gardens
Photo: KimonBerlin / Wikimedia Commons
Harry P. Leu Gardens is a lavish 50-acre botanical oasis just a few minutes away from downtown Orlando. This lush garden contains many thematic sections, including the world-famous Rose Garden, Butterfly Garden, and Tropical Stream Garden. With each section, one is bound to experience beauty in a well-designed plan that engulfs nature. For instance, the Tropical Stream Garden is like the tropical jungle, and the Rose Garden is Florida’s biggest, an ocean of colours and fragrances. Some other features include the Idea Garden and the Herb Garden, which are suitable for plant enthusiasts looking to draw inspiration.
Location: North Forest Avenue, Orlando
Top Experience: Guided garden tours, seasonal flower exhibits
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Entry Fee: $10 per person
8. Orlando Science Center
Photo: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons
The Orlando Science Center is a vibrant, interactive family attraction and also an attraction for science fans. With 207,000 square feet of exhibit space, the centre has a variety of exhibits, from physics and anatomy to engineering and astronomy. Hand-on exhibits let visitors explore scientific principles through tactile displays and challenges. Kids Town is one of the many attractions in which the children have the opportunities to roam around safely while being educated, with lots of interactive facilities such as a climbing tree and a juice-squeezing station.
Location: East Princeton Street, Orlando
Top Experience: Planetarium shows, KidsTown interactive exhibit
Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (closed on Wednesdays)
Entry Fee: $21 for adults, $15 for children
9. Kennedy Space Center
Photo: yeowatzup / Wikimedia Commons
A must-visit thing to do in Orlando for anyone interested in space exploration, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida runs the gamut of attractions to bring NASA’s incredible history and future into focus. It has major attractions, including a Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit that lets visitors see the actual Atlantis shuttle, which is the centrepiece of the exhibit. One of many major attractions is the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where you can walk under the world’s largest rocket ever flown, the Saturn V.
Location: Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island
Top Experience: Rocket Garden, Atlantis exhibit
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Entry Fee: Starting at $57 per person
10. Dr. Phillips Center For The Performing Arts
Photo: Elisfkc / Wikimedia Commons
It is situated in downtown Orlando and happens to be the inspirational centre of the culture known as the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. For architecture aficionados, this venue is also a marvel of modern structures. The sleek lines and expansive glass walls invite this abundant space into the arts. Its Walt Disney Theatre is very famous for hosting big shows, such as the touring version of The Phantom of the Opera, and the community-orientated Bob Carr Theatre can accommodate diversified events in an intimate setting.
Location: Magnolia Avenue, Orlando
Top Experience: Broadway shows, symphony performances
Timings: Show timings vary
Entry Fee: Prices vary by event
Orlando is much more than an adrenaline-packed destination and a space-place. Whether one marvels at a space shuttle launch, kayaks under a canopy of stars, or absorbs the city’s rich history, things to do in Orlando invite you to look and experience beyond what people have always expected. Plan your trip with TripXL for unforgettable memories with every adventure, proving that it is indeed a place that has something for everybody.
Cover Photo: DarwIn /Wikimedia Commons
