So you want to take a trip to the awesome city of Orlando in Florida?
Great! Traveling has so many benefits for people who have hectic lives and are bored with their regular schedule. You (and your family) deserve some time to rejuvenate yourselves from the monotone everyday routine.
So let’s give you some tips and pointers for a successful trip to Orlando, Florida – one of the most popular travel destinations in the US boasting over a dozen theme parks and beautiful landmarks in the center of the US state of Florida.
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Contents
Orlando – a city of many attractions
You may already know it, but Orlando is one of the main ‘tourist capitals’ of the USA and one of the most visited cities with just shy of 60 million visitors per year from all over the world.
For good reason. Orlando is most known for an abundance of theme parks. If you enjoy theme parks, rollercoasters and wild rides, you will LOVE Orlando. There are over 50 (!!) theme parks in Orlando to choose from, including:
Walt Disney World. Yep – you already know it. Disney Worlld is particularly famous, with fun attractions such as Magic Kingdom and Epcot, as well as huge and exhilarating water parks and rollercoaster rides.
Another top choice is the Universal Studios theme park which really is a highlight for theme park lovers and movie enthusiasts alike. The absolute highlights of Universal Studio are the new “Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts”, the “Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon” and the “Island of Adventures” which boasts the insane Hulk Coaster and the Jurrasic World VelocCoaster – these two should be on the top of the to-do list for rollercoaster fans.
However, aside from the many theme parks, Orlando is a city that offers a wide range of cultural and natural attractions:
Orange County is famous for its history and museums. The Morse Museum in Winter Park houses the largest collection of glass artwork by Louis Tiffany. It’s definitely worth checking that one out. Aside from that, Madame Tussauds or the Orlando Science Center are always worth a visit and offer super interesting exhibits.
For the nature freaks among us we recommend a walk through Harry P. Leu gardens – a 20 hectare natural paradise right on the shores of the beautiful Lake Rowena. Or take a trip to Blue Spring State Park over the Interstate 4.
For sports and animal lovers: Rent a bike and wheel it around the beautiful Downtown area of Orlando. Or enjoy a swim with the Manatee’s in Crystal River. Alternatively, you can rent a Kayak or take a guided Kayak-tour through the crystal clear waters of the Rock Springs.
If you are looking for some relaxation: Just hit the beautiful downtown of Orlando. Enjoy some delicious food at one of the many 5* restaurants, get a beer in a bar or take a trip to the farmer’s market on Sunday. It’s a great city with so much to see. Tip: Don’t use those sightseeing buses, just walk or bike through the city.
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Where to stay in Orlando?
During the past two years, larger hospitality chains have done everything to keep people interested in travel, including investing in their property’s wellness, like these of Orlando hotels by Westgate. Westgate is one of the top choices for tourists, as it’s only a few steps away from the bigger theme parks.
However, there are many other resorts and hotels in the surrounding area that are worth a look.
Just make sure to book your room way ahead of time, as Orlando is incredibly popular among tourists from all over the world.
These areas are the most popular for a stay in Orlando:
- Kissimmee/Celebration.
- Lake Buena Vista / Walt Disney World.
- International Drive.
- Downtown Orlando.
- Universal Studios Area
Avoid these areas if possible:
- Holden- Parramore.
- Lorna Donne
- North Orange.
- Signal Hill
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Best time for the trip:
The weather in Orlando is tropical all year round, hitting north of 30° C in the summer months. The humidity is high all year round and during the summer season (May to September) there’s also a high risk of rainstorms. Subsequently, we wouldn’t recommend going in mid-summer, but delay the trip for the colder months.
Autumn is typically a better choice for a trip to Orlando (October – November). The temperature is more pleasant and it’s less rainy. But January through April are also good choices for a trip to Orlando – also more affordable and less crowded.
Essentials you need:
Here are a few key items, that you need for an awesome trip to Orlando:
- Hand Luggage: Essential medicines, chargers, sunglasses, comfortable clothes, a mask (if needed), reading material, a change of clothes and all important documents. For example: Your ID, photocopies of passports, tickets for your international flights, tickets for domestic flights, tickets for trains, boarding passes, visas, photocopies of travel insurance policy, and international travel medical insurance.
- Travel insurance is also vital because if anything goes wrong during your trip, the travel insurance will most likely cover it. It covers many things, including flight cancellations, theft, and vandalism. In addition, the coverages provided by the travel insurance are repatriation, hotel accommodation, flight change fees, stolen baggage, and lost items. Another advantage of having travel insurance is that the travel insurance will cover medical expenses incurred while away from home (e.g if you get sick while traveling). Orlando is prone to hurricanes and rain storms, so travel insurance is absolutely mandatory (in our opinion).
- Sunglasses and SPF: Orlando has subtropical climate. That means it WILL get hot. Invest in some good sunglasses and a heavy SPF50+ sunblock.
- Rain-proof clothes: While it tends to get super hot in Orlando, it also rains a lot. Not to be a downer, but you should definitely bring a light rain coast and maybe 1 or 2 hats that can shield you from heavy downfalls.
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Conclusion
Orlando is an awesome city. A ton of theme parks, beautiful landmarks, great food and nice climate make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Florida. We hope you could use some of our tips to make the most out of your trip.
