Orlando Travel Guide
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Ask almost anyone what comes to my mind when you say “Orlando,” and you’ll likely get a response that sounds an awful lot like “Disney World,” or some equally popular theme park/resort destination. However, upon setting all clichéd realities aside, you’ll see that Orlando, Florida has a much to offer beyond that. Nonetheless, the Mickey Mouse draw can probably be attributed for turning Orlando into the fourth-ranking US destination for overseas travelers, coming right behind that of Miami, Los Angeles and New York City.
Orlando’s near tropical climate and never-ending chain of activities and attractions make it a year-round destination. Even if your Orlando vacation plans will not be incorporating time at or near Walt Disney World, it’s crucial that you remain aware of the impact it has on peak travel times. As you might expect, school holidays constitute the busiest times of the year, in particular Spring Break and the weeks leading up to the beginning of the school year. There’s also some consideration to be given to avoiding the peak summer period when hotel rates and airfare spike, though booking far enough in advance will leverage your chances at securing hassle-free accommodations and discount airfare to Orlando.
In briefly examining its place in the international tourism hall of fame, it should come as little surprise that a hotel (or 2 or even 5) can be found on just about every corner within the city. What this means to the traveler is an abundance of hotels, one of which should certainly meet your needs, be it a hostel or an all-inclusive luxury resort (Westgate Lakes comes to mind). Presently, many families are teaming up to use the financial power of their collective budgets in securing a private villa, which provides an extra degree of personal space and often features extended amenities, such as community pools and sport courts, or even a fully-stocked kitchen. The market for Orlando vacation rental properties has increased dramatically in both availability and offering of services over recent years, although there also remain a large number of preexisting properties in the surrounding area, wherein the further out you’re willing to stay, the more the rates drop.
There’s no denying the attraction to the myriad of theme parks Orlando has to offer. Yet this attraction has its limits for some, in that several weeks of nonstop thrill rides and marine life undulating through hoops builds a disconnect with a natural element in Orlando that is just as great of an adventure, minus the hoards of animatronic branding tools that are so costly by comparison to visit. Orlando is a city full of gorgeous national parks, as well as ownership of the beautifully managed Orlando Museum of Art. The opportunities for outdoor fun in the way of hiking, swimming, cycling, and a range of water sports are everywhere you turn. In the grand scheme of the city versus its stigma as merely a gateway to Disney, you mustn’t forget that its grounds are actually 35 miles to the south and not just a quick 5 minute drive. Take the time to explore the heart of Orlando, and you may just find a vision of it that’s not wearing mouse ears.
The car remains the preferred mode of transport in Orlando, as it’s an exceedingly convenient way to get around the sprawling city and the attractions that lay far to the south. The general infrastructure is replete with wide, accommodating roadways, but traffic jams in and around downtown are all too common throughout weekday rush hour and the majority of the weekend. To its credit, Orlando is the top car rental car market in the world (seriously), wearing the title “Capital of Car Rental Companies” proudly. Bus service in Orlando is available to most of the outlying regions, and the theme parks enthusiasts will be glad to know that frequent shuttle service is available from most downtown hotels. Taxi service is increasingly popular too, and can be very helpful when used to augment shuttle and local bus service.