Orlando is a city that appeals to children and adults of all ages. Seniors should enjoy the many restaurants, shows, and shopping opportunities. Couples without children will enjoy the fun filled days followed by energy filled evenings in any number of nightclub stops.
Families with children will of course want to take their children to Disneyworld, Universal Studios Orlando, and Sea World.
Those theme parks are the area's largest (but not its only) attractions by far. Here's a little info on each:
Disneyworld
*Magic Kingdom
- The perfect theme park for families with young children (and older kids as well) this theme park has rides even the smallest of tykes can enjoy along with the rest of the group! Little ones visiting will still believe in magic and think they are really meeting their heroes: Mickey Mouse and Cinderella.
*MGM Studios
- Teens and adults will really get into this trip into the movies. There are various rides that take you through your favorite screen stories and chances to see what it is like on a movie lot.
*Epcot
- If you can't afford to take your family on a trip around the world, this is the next best thing. Take stops on at "different" countries in a matter of hours and taste the food and see the sights!
*Animal Kingdom
- Everyone in your group will enjoy going on a safari right here in the US! Get up close with wild animals and meet characters based on wildlife from the Disney films.
Universal Studios
Perfect for teens adults and small children, this theme park focuses on the movies they have put out. Take a swim with Jaws and a trip to Nickelodeon Studios!
SeaWorld
Shamu is still there as well as millions of gallons of aquariums filled with fish from allover the world!
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The city of Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 185,951 (metropolitan area 1,644,561). A 2004 U.S. Census Estimates population count gave the city had a total population of 205,648 (metropolitan area nearly 1.8 million). It is the sixth-largest city in Florida, and its largest inland city. It is also at the head of the state's third-largest metropolitan area, behind Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach and Tampa-St. Petersburg.
Additionally, Orlando is home to the second largest university in Florida, the University of Central Florida.
The city is best known for the tourist attractions in the area, particularly the nearby Walt Disney World Resort, which is in the Reedy Creek Improvement District . Other area attractions include SeaWorld, Universal Orlando Resort and also the World's Largest McDonald's. Despite being far from the main tourist attractions, downtown Orlando has recently seen much redevelopment, with many more projects currently under construction or planned. One of the oldest attractions in this area is Gatorland. Orlando sees an estimated 52 million tourists a year.
Orlando is located at 28°32'1" North, 81°22'33" West (28.533513, -81.375789)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
261.5 km² (100.9 mi²). 242.2 km² (93.5 mi²) of it is land and 19.3 km² (7.5
mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.39% water.
Orlando is rivaled only by the Twin Cities in the number of natural lakes to be found in its metropolitan area.
The Orlando area is home to more than 100 lakes, the largest of which are Lake Apopka, Eustis, Griffin, Harney, Harris, Jesup, Monroe, Sand Lake, Conway, and Tohopekaliga.
The region Orlando occupies is generally low-lying, the only exception being minor sand hills formed by wave action in earlier geological eras when sea level was higher.
These sand hills are found primarily in the western sections of the metropolitan area, especially in Lake County. The area is also very prone to sink-holes due to the large number of underground limestone caverns that are located in the area. Many of the lakes started as sink holes in recent geologic history.
Neighborhoods
The city of Orlando has 115 neighborhoods in the city limits, some of which
are:
Airport North
Avalon Park
Baldwin Park
Callahan
Central Business District
College Park
Colonialtown North
Colonialtown South
Crescent Park
Delaney Park
EastWood
Lake Davis / Greenwood
Lake Eola Heights
Metro North
Metrowest
Millenia
North Orange
Park Central
Park Lake Highland
Richmond Heights
Roosevelt Park
Southwest
Stoneybrook
Thornton Park
University Heights
West Colonial
Winter Garden
Climate
Orlando, like much of the Florida peninsula, has a warm, humid subtropical climate year-round, with occasional cold fronts during the winter.
The area does not experience the four seasons of most of the rest of the U.S., the year instead being divided into just two seasons of roughly equal length.
The warm season, which largely coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season, is unpleasantly hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms.
It lasts from May to mid-October, when it gives way to the cool season, which features balmy temperatures and scant rainfall.
The area owes its warm, humid climate to its low elevation, location near the center of the narrow Florida peninsula (it is 50 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, and 80 miles from the Gulf of Mexico), flat terrain, and position just a few degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer. In addition, the Gulf Stream moderates the state's climate year-round.
A typical summer day does not see nighttime temperatures dip below 70ºF (21º C), while daytime highs hover from the upper 80s to the mid 90s (30-35°C), accompanied by oppressive humidity. The heat is often relieved by afternoon thunderstorms, which are followed by more moderate temperatures, though still within very muggy conditions. High temperatures typically do not differ more than 2-3ºF from day to day in the summer.
During winter, humidity is significantly lower, allowing for cooler and much more variable weather to develop. Average minimum temperatures in January are around 50ºF (10ºC), rarely dipping below 32ºF (0ºC), and the and maxima usually range between 55° and 80°F (27-13°C), with an average high near 70°F.
Despite the constant summer heat, Orlando only very rarely records triple-digit temperatures (38°C), that mark having last been reached in 1998 (the all-time record high of 102ºF, or 39ºC, was recorded that year).
Extreme summer humidity, however, often boosts the heat index into the 110s
(43 to 48ºC). The coldest temperature ever recorded in Orlando was 19°F
(-7°C) in 1985. The city sees freezing temperatures three times a year on average. Although there have been recordable snowfalls in the past, snow is exceedingly rare (typically a generational event, occurring most recently in
1989) and almost always limited to no more than flurries. It should come as no surprise that the city's average annual snowfall is 0.00 inches.
The average annual rainfall in Orlando is 48.35 in (122.56 cm), most of it falling from June through September in the form of violent afternoon thunderstorms, sometimes at a rate of several inches per hour.
These storms are caused by colliding air masses from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and they frequently bring high winds, damaging hail, and lightning to the area. Orlando is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the lightning capital of the world.
It is actually second to parts of Central Africa in its frequency of lightning strikes, but it certainly has more lightning strikes than any other city in the United States.
The months of December through May are considered Orlando's dry season, with wildfires being a hazard, particularly in May. On occasion, these wildfires are severe enough that their smoke severely impacts air quality.
Orlando's hurricane risk, while considerable, is not extreme, as is the case in the South Florida megalopolis and other coastal urban areas in the state.
This is due to the area being located some forty miles inland from the Atlantic and sixty miles from the Gulf of Mexico, thus lessening potential wind damage somewhat.
In addition, an average elevation around 100 ft above sea level, high by Florida standards, precludes destructive tidal surges.
Nevertheless, during the notorious 2004 hurricane season, the area was assailed by no less than three separate hurricanes, incurring significant damage both to structures and to the area's tree cover
Transportation
A LYNX bus stop in downtown Orlando.[edit] Air Orlando is served primarily by Orlando International Airport, though nearby Orlando Sanford International Airport also serves the area. Orlando Executive Airport is used for charter flights and General Aviation.
Roads
Its major freeway is Interstate 4, which crosses Florida's Turnpike southwest of Downtown Orlando. It is also served by the toll roads of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, particularly the East-West Expressway (SR 408), which crosses I-4 downtown.
The East West Expressway (SR 408) is undergoing major construction with the addition of lanes, concrete barrier walls, sound walls, and a better scenic view. This project begun in 2005 and is not yet complete.
Rail
The Orlando area is served by one through railroad, CSX's A line (formerly the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's main line), and some spurs, mostly operated by the Florida Central Railroad.
Amtrak passenger service runs along the CSX A line. See also a map of these railroads. In 2005 Federal and state funding was granted for the establishment of the Central Florida Commuter Rail service to operate on the CSX A line tracks between Deltona and Poinciana, passing through the downtown area and surrounding urban neighborhoods along the way.
The service is expected to substantially reduce traffic congestion along the I-4 corridor, especially between downtown Orlando and the suburban communities in Seminole and Volusia Counties. The Federal and state funds would cover approximately 80% of the estimated $400 million cost for track modifications and construction of stations along the route. Pending approval by the county governments (Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola) involved and the set aside of matching funds, the line is projected to begin operations in 2009.
The following major railroad stations have existed in Orlando:
Amtrak Orlando station (originally built by ACL to replace Church Street Station, the only one still in use) Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Orlando station (now Church Street Station, a tourist attraction) Seaboard Air Line Railroad Orlando station (Central Avenue Station)
Buses
Orlando is served by LYNX, which runs bus service in the tri-county area (Osceola-Orange-Seminole).
Light rail
Several attempts have been made to bring a light rail system to Orlando, but each one has met with failure due to a perceived lack of public interest and various conflicts over a potential route.
Area attractions
Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau. 8723 International Drive. (800) 972-3304. The official sales and marketing organization for the Orlando and Orange County area.
The Orlando area is home to a wide variety of tourist attractions, including the Walt Disney World resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and Universal Orlando Resort.
The Walt Disney World resort is the area's largest attraction with its many facets such as the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Downtown Disney.
SeaWorld Orlando is a large adventure park that features numerous zoological displays and marine animals alongside an amusement park with roller coasters and water park. Universal Orlando, like Walt Disney World, is a multi-faceted resort comprised of Universal Studios Florida, CityWalk, and Islands of Adventure theme park.
Other attractions in the Orlando area includes:
Arboretum of the University of Central Florida Blue Spring State Park, which is the winter home of large numbers of Florida Manatees that come upstream from the St. Johns River to bask in the warm 72 °F (22 °C) waters of the springs. Canoeing, swimming and fishing are popular activities at Blue Springs.
Central Florida Zoological Park, located in Sanford on Lake Monroe. This 100 acre (400,000 m²) zoo is home to a butterfly garden, herpetarium, and numerous tropical animals. This zoo originally started as a collection in the Sanford Fire Department, but grew into a regional zoo in 1975. It is currently in the planning stages of expansion and renaming the facility to "Zoo Orlando at Sanford".
Church Street Station, a multi-level shopping mall and entertainment center that features specialty shops, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Now defunct -- area suffered in post-9/11 tourist-industry slump.
Cirque du Soleil, in Downtown Disney West Side, features its renowned blend of acrobatics and special effects with more than 70 artists from around the globe performing in a custom-designed, 1,671-seat theater.
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, which is situated on the campus of Rollins College, this free museum features significant loans, recent acquisitions, and items from the Cornell's renowned permanent collection.
Cypress Gardens Adventure Park
Discovery Cove, part of the SeaWorld Adventure Park complex. This attraction features tropical fish in a coral reef, snorkeling with stingrays, and interacting with birds in an aviary, as well as swimming and playing with dolphins during a half-hour dolphin encounter.
Gatorland is home to thousands of alligators and crocodiles. A few of Gatorland's residents have made wrangling appearances in movies, television shows and commercial spots. The 54 year old park combines a petting zoo, bird sanctuary, mini-water park, eco-tour and outdoor entertainment, including daily alligator wrestling.
Hard Rock Live & Hotel is the Hard Rock Café chain's featured location in Orlando. It features a concert venue and large restaurant with typical rock style memorabilia. The Hard Rock Hotel is a featured resort hotel with a California-style restaurant called The Kitchen.
International Trolley and Train Museum features 14 model railroad trains with sound and lighting traveling through an indoor garden with 12 foot (4
m) high mountains, waterfalls, and more than 30 trestles and tunnels.
Also on display are toy trains from the 1920s to the present. Visitors can catch a ride in a California Victorian Style half open/half closed trolley or the
5/8 replica of an 1880 locomotive (a Mason Bogey) with its passenger cars.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is 45 minutes from Orlando and south of Daytona Beach. Visitors can tour launch areas, see giant rockets, "train" in spaceflight simulators, and much more. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open every day except Christmas and certain launch days. Apart from the Astronaut Hall of Fame, Space Center bus tours run every 15 minutes with stops at an observation gantry and the Apollo / Saturn V Center. Other guided tours include NASA Up Close, Cape Canaveral: Then and Now, and Lunch With An Astronaut. Combo tickets offer maximum access admission, plus one guided tour.
Jack Kerouac residence
Harry P. Leu Gardens, which is an inner city oasis covering 50 acres (20,000
m²) and features colorful annuals, palms, an orchid house, a floral clock and a butterfly garden.
World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's® & PlayPlace, located on the corner of Sand Lake Rd. & International Dr, looks like a fry box from the exterior.
The interior features an arcade with 60+ games with prize redemption, a 1950's room, a waterfall and a gift shop. The Bistro Gourmet at McDonald's features chef-prepared food, such as panini & deli sandwiches, pasta, soup, desserts, and hand-dipped ice cream, plus the standard McDonald's menu.
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, located in Kissimmee, Florida. Six brave knights on horseback compete in tournament games, jousting, and sword fighting while guest dine on a medieval banquet.
Morse Museum of American Art, which houses a permanent Tiffany collection featuring a large array of Tiffany glass, an exhibit on the Tiffany home, and American paintings from the 19th century.
Old Town features 8 restaurants, 15 amusement park rides and 75 shops along its brick-lined streets. Classic car shows every Friday and Saturday feature hundreds of vintage automobiles. Admission and parking are free.
Orange County Regional History Center
Orlando Museum of Art, which has ongoing exhibitions of American portraits and landscapes, American impressionist works, and art of the ancient Americas.
Orlando Science Center, a 207,000 square foot (19,000 m²) hands-on learning center with hundreds of interactive exhibits for visitors of all ages.
Images surround visitors on the giant screen of the Dr. Phillips CineDome.
Other attractions include the Body Zone, teaching health and fitness, as well as an observatory.
Orlando/UCF Shakespeare Festival, an award-winning theatrical company housed in the refurbished John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center adjacent to the new Science Center. Each season features performances from professional actors in such diverse shows as Julius Caesar to children's theater. Ticket prices vary but can be found here
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium is located in a building artfully constructed to appear as if it were collapsing to one side, along with a sly reference to central Florida's infamous sinkholes. Explore artifacts, collections, weird art/hobbies and interactive exhibits in 16 odd galleries. For more than 40 years, Robert Ripley traveled the globe collecting the unbelievable, inexplicable, and one-of-a-kind. His collections are housed in 27 museums in 10 countries.
Wekiwa Springs State Park, which comprises around 700 acres (2.8 km²) of wild Florida. The springs pump out 42 million gallons of crystal clear water a day.
Popular activities at the park include canoeing, swimming, picnicking and fishing.
World of Orchids, featuring thousands of blooms in an enclosed tropical rainforest. World of Orchids is a working greenhouse shipping orchids and other plants nationwide.
A greenhouse covers nearly an acre (4,000 m²), and in this controlled climate of warm, humid air some 1,000 orchids are displayed in a natural jungle setting, with streams, waterfalls, and squawking parrots. World of Orchids also has a 1,000 foot (300 m) long boardwalk meandering off into nearby wetlands. Admission is free.
