Orlando is the third most popular US destination for overseas tourists after New York and Los Angeles; admittedly, Disneyland Florida has a lot to do with it, but it’s worth noting that the climate is very pleasant, and that the surrounding area is packed with a winning combination of even more theme parks and countless sites of natural beauty.
Things to see and do
• Walt Disney World - it’s the only reason a significant number of tourists come to Orlando at all, and it does what it does spectacularly - a great family holiday destination all the hotels, shops, restaurants and aspiring actors dressed as cartoon animals anyone could ever wish for.
• Universal Studios - at once a theme park and a working film studio, Universal keep their millions of visitors happy each year with a mixture of film exhibits and movie-based rides.
• Kennedy Space Center - to the east of Orlando on Florida’s Atlantic coast, you can take a tour of the NASA Space Center and view its gallery of spacecraft.
• Great outdoors - be at one with nature at any (or all) of Blue Spring State Park, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Ocala National Forest, or the many lakes in the vicinity of Orlando.
Getting there
Orlando International Airport is 9 miles to the southeast of the city, and is served by international and domestic flights alike; shuttle buses, taxis and car hire are all available to take you to and from the airport.
Weather and location
For most of the year the temperature in Orlando stays in the twenties; the summer months (June-September) are hotter, more humid, and there’s more rainfall. Orlando sits roughly in the middle of Florida, with Miami to the south, Jacksonville to the north and Tampa to the west.
Top tip
Enjoy a spectacle that isn’t in a theme park: the Silver Spurs Rodeo takes place in Orlando each February and July. |
