What else is there to do in Orlando?
When you book a Disney or Universal Vacation, sometimes you tend to be isolated to their “world.” There is so much to see and do, often you didn’t bother renting a car and you’re not even sure where the exit is. But what about if you’re coming to town because of a conference? Or maybe you just want to get out and do something else? Well, great news, there is a lot to do and see in the Orlando area outside of the parks!
This list is by no means all-inclusive. We’ve lived here a little over 5 years, and have made many trips to visit before that. I’ve included things that we’ve actually done during that time, and things that are on our to do list. I’ll be sure to keep adding to this post as we explore even more. I hope it’s helpful!
International Drive
This area is dubbed “I-Drive” by the locals, and is located south of Orlando. Because it’s near the theme parks, it’s really easy to get to. It’s right next to Universal and Seaworld, and a little north of Disney. The conference center is also located in this area. I’ve also included places that are not technically “I-Drive” but are in the same general area. As you can imagine, it’s packed full of fun things to do and great places to eat. Be sure to check the websites before you go, often they have deals if you buy your tickets online ahead of time!
Things to do:
Cash spent his birthday with friends at Wonderworks
Wonderworks: This is one of Cash’s favorite places to go. I don’t think it’d be all that interesting for adults only, but I enjoy bringing Cash and his friends there. It’s full of all kinds of hands on science stations, and includes a small restaurant, ropes course, and laser tag course. They also have a magic/dinner show, which we have not tried out. This is definitely a great option if you’ve got wiggly kids and it’s raining out.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not: Another fun and strange museum type experience. We haven’t made it here yet, but it looks fun.
World’s Largest McDonald’s = One happy kid
World’s Largest McDonald’s: I put this on the things to do list, rather than under restaurants, because you’re not coming here for the food. However, this McDonalds has their full menu, plus a pizza oven and a lot more. They also have a giant play place and a full arcade. It’s definitely something to see. Great place to earn some cool points from your kiddos.
Putting Edge: Glow in the dark mini golf…need I say more?
Feeding the baby alligators at Congo River Golf
Congo River or Pirates Cove: More mini golf, if the outdoor life is more your style. Cash loves Congo River in particular, because they have baby alligators that you can feed.
Top Golf, Orlando
Top Golf: For the grown up version. Basically, if you want to play a game of fake golf, Orlando has you covered.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games or I-Drive NASCAR: If you’d like to try your hand at some grown up (and big kid) go kart racing. These places also include bowling and arcade games.
iFly Orlando: This place has indoor skydiving and is HIGH on our must try list!
ICON Park: This area includes Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, the Sea Life Aquarium, and the GIANT ferris wheel that you can see from miles away, and because it’s all owned by the same people, you can get discounts if you buy the tickets all together.
My brother and his kids petting the stingrays at Seaworld Orlando.
Seaworld: I always recommend setting aside a day at Seaworld when friends and family come to town, particularly if you love roller coasters. I would argue that Seaworld has some of the best in the area, easily holding their own when compared with the ones at Universal and Disney. They often have a food festival running, their animal shows are really fun, and they have really great animal encounter experiences. If you have little ones, their Sesame Street world is also super cute.
Orlando Premium Outlets: What’s a vacation without shopping? Both of these outlets are huge. One is closer to Disney, the other closer to Universal. Pro tip: Go to the one further north, by Universal; it has a giant Victoria’s Secret. ;)
In addition to all of this, you can find escape rooms, helicopter tours, and all kinds of dinner experiences. The ones listed above are the ones that have caught our eye, but you can find even more on the I-Drive website here.
Bars and Restaurants:
A local artist at Cafe TuTu Tango. They also feature belly dancers and fortune tellers.
Cafe Tutu Tango: This is our favorite place to eat on I-Drive. Embarrassingly so, because we haven’t really ventured out anywhere else in the area. It’s a tapas place with huge portions and incredible atmosphere. They also have an endless brunch that is fantastic and the BEST sangria I’ve ever tasted. Just trust me.
Mangos: This place is definitely an experience, from what I have heard, and not really for kids. They have a dinner and show, a nightclub, and what they call a Vegas style ultra lounge.
Icebar: Throw on a parka and enjoy your beverages at 27 degrees F. This is obviously a bar, but they do have non-alcoholic drinks, and advertise that children 8 and up are welcome from 5pm-9pm, so I have considered taking Cash for the experience, since he loves the cold so much. They also have something called the Fire lounge (adults only) that is kept at a normal temperature.
Soupa Saiyan: Cash is a HUGE anime fan, so when we found out that there was a Dragon Ball themed Ramen restaurant, it quickly went to the top of our list! There is also a Naruto themed one called Naroodle. Both of these are really close to Universal.
Hash House A Go Go: I’ve heard lots of great things about this place, particularly that it’s great for brunch.
Local experience: orlando
For the purposes of this article, I grouped together downtown Orlando and all of the suburbs surrounding it in the north, east, and west. Most of these places are a reasonable Uber Drive away, and great if you would like to get out of the touristy areas and get a little more of the local experience. There is so much more than I have listed here, these are just a few of our top favorites and want-to-try places.
Things to do:
Gatorland: A local theme park dedicated to Florida’s wildlife. I’ve been intrigued by this place since we moved here. It’s pretty inexpensive and actually looks really fun.
Central Florida Zoo: Everyone loves the zoo!
Orlando Science Center: Lots of hands on exhibits and a fun day of learning for the whole fam.
The Black Hammock: More gator sightings! They have a bar and restaurant, air boat tours, and a lot of fun local wildlife adventures.
Bars and Restaurants:
Se7en Bites: I believe this place is very difficult to get into, but it looks amazing and I’ve heard wonderful things. Just reading the menu had me drooling (and gaining 5 lbs). They are open for Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch only.
Pig Floyd’s: This place describes itself as “Barbacoa” which is a form of cooking cooking that encompasses BBQ and Mexican cooking.
Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Cafe: An authentic German restaurant that is a local must-try. The atmosphere includes live bands (with lots of diners singing along at the appropriate parts in German; don’t worry, you’ll catch on fast), excellent beer (of course), authentic food, and a rooftop biergarten.
Park Ave: This is more of an entire area of restaurants, shops, and bars located in Winter Park, FL. I’m including them in a group here because I have eaten out here quite a bit, and I haven’t tried one restaurant that I didn’t like. It is full of local favorites, and is a beautiful area to walk around. Perfect for a night out with friends or a date night.
A short Drive away
Of course we can’t forget one of Florida’s biggest draws: the beach! Orlando is located in central Florida, which means that the Atlantic beaches are about 1 hour away, and the gulf beaches are about 2 hours away, depending on where in Orlando you start out. Admittedly, we haven’t explored as much as we would like to, but here are some places we’ve been (or have our eye on) that are within a two to three hour drive from Orlando.
Things to do
Legoland: Yes, it’s another theme park, but definitely one worth checking out! You can cover most of it in a day, and it’s really fun for adults and kids alike.
Hanging out at New Smyrna Beach with friends
Daytona Beach: Daytona is known for its spring break beaches and NASCAR. This is a great beach to visit if you would like a short drive and want to visit a place you’ve heard of.
New Smyrna Beach: This beach is just slightly north of Daytona, and tends to be where the locals go. It’s a tad bit closer, and still has great restaurants and beaches.
Kennedy Space Center: Located at Cape Canaveral, this is an excellent option for an educational day trip. I haven’t had the pleasure of going yet, but Cash went for a school field trip and loved it. Be sure to check and see if there are any rocket launches scheduled near the time of your visit!
Clearwater Beach: This beach is absolutely beautiful and is located on the gulf side of Florida. The gulf beaches tend to have clearer water (hence the name), but are a little further drive. If you visit any of the gulf beaches, I’d recommending snagging a hotel or airbnb for the night before you head back to Orlando.