Orlando isn't short on fun options thanks to distractions like a few world famous attractions and a pro basketball team. Its also got a lot of lesser known places to see and experience. Orlando is also in Florida, so the year round warm weather means the outdoor type can always find something to do.
Theme Parks
The Orlando/Kissimmee area is widely recognized as the home of the Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and Sea World. The attention given these parks often overshadows some charming smaller theme parks in the area. Gatorland was there before Walt Disney World and was still going strong in 2010 with alligators as its star attraction. For something really different, the Holy Land Experience features recreations of Biblical events.
Science Discovery
Four floors of hands-on scientific and technological discovery await visitors to the Orlando Science Center at Lock Haven Cultural Park. Dinosaurs, lasers, aircraft, and hurricanes are just a fraction of the topics explored in its many interactive exhibits. Regular star gazing events are held in the Crosby Observatory on top of the science center.
The Arts
The Mad Cow Theater in downtown Orlando and the Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Loch Haven Cultural Park cater to theater patrons, while the Orlando Ballet and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra enhance the menu of performance arts. The visual art options include the Menello Museum of American Art, the Orlando Museum of Art Orlando and the Morse Museum in nearby Winter Park which boasts the most extensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany art in the world.
Springs and Runs
The humid sub-tropical climate in Orlando drives visitors and residents alike to seek refuge in the cool waters erupting from area springs. Wekiwa Springs State Park and Kelly Park west of Orlando feed the Wekiva River and give swimmers a chance to splash in clear 72-degree water. Surrounding the springs and runs are miles of wilderness open to exploration by foot, bike, or horseback. Outside the springs, kayakers have 27 miles of paddling available on the Wekiva River Paddling Trail.
Paddling Trail
Northeast of Orlando lies the Econlockhatchee River Paddling Trail which winds toward the river's confluence with the St. Johns River. The trail traverses the Little Big Econ State Forest where otters, alligators, and bald eagles are commonly sighted. The Florida National Scenic Trail crosses the river in this forest, which gives hikers many miles of trails to explore the central Florida wilderness.
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