Fun in Orlando
Disney offers 4 different passes with varying levels of access restrictions and lockout dates to the parks, resorts, and attractions. Some passes are only available to Florida residents and passes include discounts on some merchandise and dining venues. Many passholders. Many active adults particularly enjoy the music concerts and food festivals at Epcot.
Legoland is an excellent and more affordable complex of parks designed for children, and offers a variety of season passes, starting at just $150 for Florida residents. Legoland was developed by the Danish toy manufacturer after the huge success of their toy stores. It has 2 theme parks and one water park, and is currently building an aquarium as their latest attraction.
The site is an operational center for space mission launches and a massive museum for historic and upcoming space programs. The visitor complex is the closest possible public viewing site for rocket launches, if program your visit for a launch day, and the launch happens on schedule. There is a discount for Florida residents for seasonal 4-day passes.
Central Florida is home to many Florida state parks, such as Lake Luisa, Caladesi, Silver Springs, and Big Talbot. These spectacular natural reserves showcase the region's diverse flora and fauna and offer excellent sites for camping, walking, riding, boating, fishing and swimming. The parks' entry fees vary, and there are available annual passes.
There are many excellent lakes for boating in central Florida. Whether you are into kayak, jet ski, power boat, sailboat, or Florida's iconic airboats, Florida is known for our 30,000 lakes, and Central FL is home to some of the most gorgeous bodies of water where you can bring, store and sail your boat. A license is not required, but you must complete safety training.
Universal offers discounts to Florida residents for several different passes, with varying levels of access restrictions and lockout dates to the parks, resorts, and attractions. Some of the passes include discounts on parking, merchandise and dining venues. Universal pass holders also enjoy varying access or discount for special events and concerts.
Sea Life is a world-class aquarium, with a vast display of marine life across several exhibits. It features biologists' tours and presentations and opportunities to get upclose and feed the fish. Discounts are available to Florida residents for annual or day passes, with the option of combo passes, including the Madame Tussauds wax museum and the Orlando Eye.
We have a philharmonic orchestra, a ballet company, world-class concert hall, fantastic museums and great theaters. The Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando Museum of Art, and Bob Carr Theater stand out, but there is much more. Whether you want to follow the Opera season, or love mindblowing modern art installations, we got you covered here.
Old Town is a permanent county-fair-style entertainment center combining carnival rides and a variety of dining venues. Old Town is a casual and more affordable option for family fun, with several scheduled shows and events.
There is free street parking as well as paid parking lots available.
If you love alligators, when you walk the trails of Circle B Reserve, you will see one, or many, from huge to babies. Also, among many fantastic reserves, the Disney Wilderness Preserve is a conservation area that has been sponsored by the Walt Disney Company, as a testament to the founder's admiration for the Everglades ecosystem.
There are over 40 bike trails in the Greater Orlando. For those of us seeking a longer, uninterrupted, flat ride where you can keep your pace, the secluded Van Fleet Trail has only a handful of crossings along its 30 miles of tarmac. For a casual ride crossing charming city areas, the 22 paved miles of the West Orange Trail are a great choice.
SeaWorld generally does NOT offer discounts to Florida residents. Their various annual passes, are significantly less expensive than those from Disney and Universal and include varying levels of access restrictions and lockout dates to the parks, resorts, and attractions. Passes include varying access to special events, concerts and animal feeding.
Gatorland is a zoo focused on alligators, snakes, and a variety of reptiles and amphibians, also showing Florida's native as well as international fauna including bobcats, capybaras, tropical birds, and giant turtles. Discounts are available to Florida residents during certain times of the year and annual passes are fairly inexpensive..
You might remember it as "Downtown Disney". An impressive open mall with iconic shopping and dining. There are scheduled free shows and events. Disney Springs is also home to Florida's permanent Cirque du Soleil "big top", in the form of a beautiful and comfortable theater, and a 24-theater AMC, six of which offering dine-in.
When you come from another state, it may take a while for you to embrace the local teams. Yet, perhaps you can start by attending a game with your former state's team as a visitor. Orlando Magic (NBA), Orlando City (MLS), Orlando Pride (NWSL) and Orlando Valkyries (PVF) are the major league pros, and there are many minor leagues of every sport under the sun that would love your support.
This bird sanctuary and natural life preserve was founded in the 1920s to protect local species and display manicured gardens. Edward Bok, bored with the view of a water tower, decided to replace it with a more interesting construction and fit it with a 60-bell carillon. Named the "Singing Tower", it features short concerts are at 1 & 3 p.m. daily.
When the going gets hot, the tough go cruising, and the major cruise companies sail from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean. The port is a close by convenient major cruise hub.
Whenever you find the need to take a moment away from the Florida summertime, there are many options to sail into the cool Atlantic breeze.
