3 Unique Orlando-Area Destinations

Having lived in Florida most of my life, it is sometimes easy to take for granted all of the fabulous destinations that are literally at my back door.  Having grown weary of taking visiting friends and family to the typical Orlando area theme parks,  I started mixing a few of the following destinations in the trip in order to have them experience the “Disney area” with more of a local feel.  It is definitely worth extending your holiday to Orlando by a few days so that you can enjoy some of the other wonderful things that are so close by.
 

The first hidden gem is a town called Mt. Dora.  Mt. Dora is a short 35 to 40 minute drive from most of the hotels in the Disney area.   It is a quaint village famous for its antique shops, tea rooms, and wonderful festivals and art fairs.  The town, surrounded by beautiful Lake Dora, is like taking a step back in time.  Impressive Victorian homes, B&B’s and a historic downtown Main Street are just some of the things you will find there.  Go to the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce website to see what upcoming festivals or outdoor concerts are in store for you.  There is literally something scheduled every weekend.

 

From the antique and old-fashioned, we then turn to the sleek and modern.  The Mall at Millenia is a new shopping mall 5 minutes from Universal Studios.  The 150 upscale stores are a paradise for anyone looking to get some “retail therapy”.  Great restaurants and watering holes are also included in this excursion.  A new 310,000 square foot Ikea store was built adjacent to the mall and opened in late 2007.  If you’ve never been to one of these Swedish home furnishing stores, you shouldn’t miss out on the experience.

 

Looking to see a bit of coastal Florida while you’re here?  It really is a shame to visit Florida and not at see some of the sand and surf.  Most people are surprised that they can get to the Atlantic coast beaches in such a short amount of time.  For example, the Kennedy Space Center, right on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, is a mere 50-60 miles from the greater Disney area.  You can make an entire day trip out of visiting the Space Center as well as hitting the beaches and then making the easy drive back to your hotel.

 

One of the best tips I can give to anyone is… pace yourself.  Unless you are a very young or are traveling with kids, don’t spend all day and every day of your vacation in the theme parks.  While I agree, they are fun and probably the main reason you planned the holiday, you are really missing out if you don’t carve out a little time for the other things.  I absolutely believe that it is best to stay at one of the properties owned by Disney or Universal.  While most aren’t “on property”, meaning IN the theme park, they offer free transportation to the park and many even have a service where guests are allowed into the park BEFORE it opens.  That is really a great way to get a jump on your day, leave earlier and avoid the crowds. 

 

Finally, be sure to take in some of the nightlife!  Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group have continuously running shows and Downtown Disney, and Universal’s City Walk have fantastic restaurants and nightspots such as Emeril’s and the New Orleans landmark, Pat O’Brien’s.

 

Technorati Tags: Orlando, Disney area, Mt. Dora, Kennedy Space Center, Space Coast, Mall at Millenia, Things to do Orlando

 

 

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