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Orlando Beyond the Theme Parks
Orlando wasn’t always about theme parks – it started as a small citrus farming town in Central Florida. These days, while 75 million people visit the famous parks each year, the city and its neighboring communities offer much more than rides and character photos.
All these destinations are within 20 miles of downtown Orlando, making them perfect for day trips.
Winter Park Chain of Lakes
Winter Park’s chain of seven lakes creates a peaceful waterway where cypress trees and Spanish moss hang over narrow canals. You can rent a kayak to paddle past beautiful mansions from the 1920s and watch great blue herons catch fish in the shallow water.
The lakes stretch for 5 miles, with Lake Osceola at the center of it all. As you float along, you might see Florida red-bellied turtles catching some sun on fallen logs, and you could spot an American alligator or two swimming at a safe distance.
Harry P. Leu Gardens
A 50-acre garden shows off the many types of plants that grow in Florida’s warm climate. The garden’s pride is its rose collection – the largest in the state – with 215 different types that bloom all year long because of the warm weather.
Some of the oak trees here are more than 200 years old, and their branches are draped with Spanish moss that creates natural shade. You’ll also find special areas for butterflies and local Florida plants, along with rare camellias and azaleas.
The Milk District
Back in the 1950s, this area was known for its dairy plant. Now it’s one of Orlando’s most interesting neighborhoods, where old meets new.
The walls of old buildings are covered with colorful paintings of Florida’s animals and history, while the 1950s architecture reminds visitors of when this was a busy industrial area. On weekends, the streets come alive with food trucks serving everything from Cuban sandwiches to Vietnamese noodles.
Wekiwa Springs State Park
A natural spring pushes out millions of gallons of clean water every day. The water is so clear you can see down to 100 feet, making it perfect for swimming and watching fish. The spring is surrounded by forests where you might catch sight of otters playing in the water or wood storks fishing along the banks.
Sometimes you might even spot a Florida black bear. People have been gathering at these springs for thousands of years – archaeologists have found tools and artifacts that are over thousands of years old.
West Orange Trail
A 22-mile paved path follows where trains once ran through Central Florida. As you bike along, you’ll pass through old downtown areas and quiet neighborhoods with houses from the early 1900s.
Big oak trees make a natural tunnel of shade over parts of the trail. If you ride early in the morning, you might see white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, or gopher tortoises coming out to start their day.
Lake Eola Park
Since 1888, this lake has been where Orlando locals come to relax. In the middle, a fountain shoots water 100 feet high, while a one-mile path goes all the way around the lake.
Three types of swans – mute, black, and whooper – have lived here since the 1920s. You can often spot great blue herons and snowy egrets fishing near the shore, while 100-year-old oak trees provide spots to sit in the shade.
Cornell Fine Arts Museum
This museum sits by a lake and keeps one of Florida’s best art collections. Among its 5,000 pieces, you’ll find ancient Roman objects and paintings from the 1300s.
You can look at works by famous European artists like Dürer and Rossetti, along with pieces by modern artists. The museum often brings in new exhibitions, so there’s always something different to see.
Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve
This 440-acre natural area lets you see what Florida looked like before cities were built. Walking trails take you through six different types of Florida environments, from pine forests to swamps.
The preserve protects endangered plants like the scrub plum and Florida beargrass. Signs along the trails help you spot over 100 types of local plants and animals, and wooden walkways let you cross wetlands without harming them.
Rock Springs Run
A clear stream flows for almost a mile through untouched Florida wilderness. The water stays at 68 degrees and moves at a gentle pace – about one mile per hour – making it perfect for floating.
The stream runs over limestone rocks that formed 25 million years ago. Red maple and sweetgum trees make a natural roof overhead, while in the clear water below, you can watch largemouth bass, bluegill, and spotted turtles swim past.
Mead Botanical Garden
Across 47 acres, this garden shows off Florida’s natural plant life with three miles of walking paths. You can walk through a garden that attracts over 30 types of butterflies or take elevated paths through a cypress swamp.
The garden helps protect native orchids, including the Florida butterfly orchid. Throughout the space, you’ll see different Florida environments, from pine forests where gopher tortoises live to marshes where wading birds feed.
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum
This museum has the world’s largest collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany from the late 1800s. You can see his detailed stained glass windows, jewelry, pottery, and paintings that show his special way of working with glass and color.
The museum also has American pottery made between 1870 and 1930, plus paintings from America’s Gilded Age. Special lights in the building make Tiffany’s colorful glass shine even more beautifully.
Orlando Science Center
This 207,000-square-foot building has four floors of hands-on science exhibits. You can learn about how Florida’s environment has changed from prehistoric times to today, and try out more than 100 different science experiments.
The building has Florida’s biggest public telescope for looking at stars, and its planetarium shows what you can see in Orlando’s night sky. Scientists demonstrate experiments that help explain complicated ideas in ways that make sense.
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