Orlando Holidays

from £ 764 pp

With theme parks, loud-and-proud attractions and a buzzy night scene, it's a case of full speed ahead on holidays to Orlando.

Big-hitter

Orlando follows the classic USA mantra – bigger is better. First off, there are the mega-sized theme parks that call this city home. Then there are the huge golf courses, the multi-storey malls and the 11-mile-long International Drive. It’s no wonder this place regularly tops the charts as the most visited city in the States.

Theme park capital

The city’s fame can be whittled down to one thing – theme parks. Walt Disney World Resort's the best known of the bunch, and Universal, SeaWorld and Legoland are also in the line-up. Each one's like a mini-city in its own right. Take Disney Springs, for instance – it's got a bumper crop of restaurants, bars and shops. The Parks, meanwhile, include everything from safari trips at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park to futuristic coasters at Magic Kingdom Park. Water-based thrills are covered by Disney's splash-happy duo – Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park.

Best of the rest

Just talking about Orlando’s theme parks would be selling it short. The city’s got a tonne of theatres, golf courses and shopping malls, too. I-Drive’s packed with attractions like Madame Tussauds, sci-fi museums and a 400-foot-tall observation wheel – not to mention a load of restaurants and bars. And out of town, you’ve got the bargain-filled outlet centres.

Daytrippin’

Orlando’s not all manmade marvels. Base yourself here, and you’re close to truckloads of Florida’s top sights. The city’s cushioned by state parks, lakes, springs and forests. Head up to Crystal River to swim with manatees, watch rockets take off at the Kennedy Space Center or bake yourself on Cocoa Beach. For a full-on road trip, set the sat nav for the Everglades, where you can zoom through the mangroves on an airboat.

At a glance

Shake hands with Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World Resort
Tee off on a pro-worthy golf course
Eat with swashbuckling pirates at a themed dinner show

Destinations in Orlando

Top Destinations

Lake-fringed Orlando

Orlando takes up a pretty central spot in Florida. This means the beaches aren’t right on your doorstep, unless you count Disney’s Blizzard Beach waterpark. The good news? You’ve got two coasts-full to choose from – go east for Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach, or west for Gulf Coast beauties like Clearwater and St Pete Beach.
The big beach

Orlando locals consider Cocoa Beach one of their own. Zip straight down the Beachline Expressway, and you’ll be toe-deep in sand in just over an hour. Sun-worshippers aside, this vanilla-white stretch is a popular spot for space watchers. If you get lucky, you can watch rockets launch from nearby Cape Canaveral. Once you’ve done your time on the sands, head for the seafood joints and tiki bars on the pier.
The secret beach

Ok, so this one’s not exactly a beach. But it’s the perfect place to cool down on a hot, humid day. Wekiwa Springs State Park is just 20 minutes’ drive from Orlando. Here, the kidney-shaped natural pool is cuddled by greenery, and the waters are toasty and crystal-clear. For a bit of adrenaline, grab a kayak from one of the stalls and make tracks for the river. You can paddle right past gators – don’t worry, they’re usually more scared of you, than you are of them.

Bargain Buys

Orlando racks up an insane, 500-odd factory outlet stores, so an empty suitcase is a must. Deal hunters will love places like Orlando International Premium Outlets, where the prices are slashed by up to 65%. You can stuff your suitcase with cut-price Coach, UGG and Nike – enough said.
Mid-Range Buys

At 1.7 million square feet, the Florida Mall dwarves most shopping centres. To give you some idea of its size, you can squeeze six of your average, standalone department stores inside its walls. As well as the usual Forever 21, Zara and H&M, there are exclusive shops like American Girl and Crayola Experience. You can even drop the kids off at the state-of-the-art Play Park.
Designer Buys

The Mall at Millenia is a one-stop shop for luxury buys. It brings names like Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Gucci to the table, as well as Florida’s biggest Macy’s and New York favourite, Bloomingdale’s AKA Bloomie’s. By day, it’s the shopping that drags in the crowds, but it’s worth staying after-dark to refresh with dinner and drinks at one of the restaurants.

Laid-back evenings

Got kids in tow? The good news is your theme park ticket usually throws in some after-dark action. It can be anything from dinner shows and concerts to water parades or those world-famous fireworks. Outside the parks, I-Drive handles things, with a load of themed theatre shows, so you can dine surrounded by pirates or Medieval jousters. For something more sedate, grab a cab out to Winter Park – a suburb brimming with wine bars and German-inspired beer parlours.
Lively evenings

Orlando might be an icon of family-friendly fun, but it’s got its fair share of night spots, too. I-Drive’s got more bars than you can count. A stroll will lead you past ice bars, cocktail lounges and wild tropical-themed clubs with dancers. Over in Downtown, meanwhile, there are retro watering holes with burlesque performances, speakeasy-style bars and ones dedicated to daiquiris, buckets of booze and multi-coloured beer.

Rock shrimp

Taste-wise, this crustacean’s a cross between a shrimp and a lobster. They’re dubbed the peanuts of the ocean, due to their tough, rock-like shell – fishermen used to throw them back into the water. Not in Florida – here, they’re battered, fried and served with a spicy, mayo sauce.
Gator bites

No, not a nasty snap from a gator, but a tasty snack. After all, Florida’s home to over a million of these scaly reptiles. The chicken-like meat’s cut into bite-sized pieces and covered in batter. Like your food with a kick? Dip the crispy, golden balls into the special gator sauce, which is usually a mix of hot peppers, garlic and vinegar.
Conch fritters

Shellfish is big business in Florida, and Orlando’s no exception. A conch is a big, edible sea snail, and you can grab fritters at most restaurants in the area. Chopped conch meat’s mashed up with vegetables like peppers, onions and celery, then fried. As with most seafood, it comes with a slice of lime and dips.
Key Lime Pie

Florida’s official dessert was invented a little further south in Key West, but you’ll still find it in bakeries and restaurants all over Orlando. The zesty pud packs a punch, with its fresh lime filling made with Key limes, egg yolks and sweet, condensed milk. It’s dumped onto a crunchy, biscuit base and topped with a dollop of cream.
Freshly squeezed OJ

The Sunshine State’s orange-mad. Orange juice is the official state beverage, oranges are the state fruit, and orange blossom’s the state flower. It’s also the biggest producer of the fruit in the USA, so you don’t need to worry about getting your Vitamin C hit in Orlando. You can pick up a cup of the fresh stuff from most stalls or cafés.

Orlando Holidays

Big-hitter

Theme park capital

Best of the rest

Daytrippin’

At a glance

Destinations in Orlando

Top Destinations

Top things to See and Do in Orlando

Lake-fringed Orlando

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Rock shrimp

Gator bites

Conch fritters

Key Lime Pie

Freshly squeezed OJ

SIMILAR DESTINATIONS

Our destinations in Orlando

Championsgate

Clermont, Davenport and Haines

International Drive

Kissimmee

Lake Buena Vista

Universal Orlando Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

Popular holidays

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