Things To Do in Orlando

You’ll be spoilt for choice of Disney theme parks in Florida. Meet Mickey and Minnie in the Magic Kingdom, go on safari at the Animal Kingdom, take a space flight to Mars at EPCOT, and let the force be with you on a 3D tour of the star wars movie sets. For the 360-degree Disney experience, you can choose to stay in one of Disney’s themed hotels, too.

Daytona Beach is easily do-able in a day. Head east from Orlando along the I-4 highway and you can be vegging out on the sands in just over an hour. The beach became a household name in the early 20th century, when it was the stage for epic car races. You can still drive on 18 out of the 23 miles of sand – although there’s a strict 10-miles-per-hour speed limit these days.

Clearwater Beach, on Florida’s Gulf coast, may be a 2-hour drive from Orlando, but it makes the journey worth your while. The sand here is powder soft and bright white. The beach doesn’t scrimp on facilities, either. There’s everything from shops and restaurants to a pier and an aquarium. There’s also a new shark-themed tour boat, called Mega Bite, which will take you out to sea in search of dolphins.

Busch Gardens, in Tampa, has a reputation for having some of the biggest rollercoasters in Florida. There’s Cobra's Curse^®, which sends you speeding and spinning backwards and forwards. Falcon's Fury^® tilts you into a face-down dive, just like a bird of prey. And SheiKra^® thrusts you down a 90-degree drop.

SeaWorld is packed with pulse-pounding rides and attractions. Hold on tight on Infinity Falls^®, as roaring rapids send you swirling towards the world's tallest river rapid drops. Journey to Atlantis^® takes you through caves and tunnels, before plunging down a drop and drenching you. If you want to up the adrenaline even further, strap yourself into MAKO^® – this hypercoaster is one of the fastest and tallest in Orlando.

Sunny Florida unleashes its dark side on Halloween. A lot of the theme parks open late to host special spooktacular events. Universal Orlando Resort creates haunted houses, scare zones, and twisted live shows, for example.

The main lure of this annual festival is a 83,000-slice never-ending pie buffet. You can also join in with baking competitions, kids’ activities, and a pie-eating competition. The festival takes place in the centre of Celebration, which is a 20-minute drive south from International Drive.

Clinging onto your rollercoaster seat for dear life can work havoc on muscles. That’s why a lot of the hotels in Orlando have their own spas. Disney puts the same attention to detail into its spas as it does its theme parks. The Mandara Spa at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel, for example, offers first-class treatments like frangipani body nourish wraps and enzyme resurfacing facials.

You’ll come face to face with the biggest characters in movies at Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure. Shoot to kill aliens on the Men in Black ride, dodge dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park attraction, and find out what it feels like to fly like a dragon on the Shrek 4-D experience. Later, head to Universal CityWalk to top your day off in the 20-screen IMAX theatre, or the world’s largest Hard Rock Café.

On Florida’s Atlantic coast, an hour’s drive from Orlando, Cocoa Beach is a runway of soft white sand. As well as being prime sunbathing territory, the beach is known for being a great place to learn how to surf. If you’re the sort of person who prefers their surf served alongside turf, there’s a great selection of seafood and steak restaurants close to the sand.

The sand at this beach, on Florida’s Gulf coast, stretches further than the eye can see. Watersports, like jet skis and pedaloes, are easy to come by, and there’s an A to Z of restaurants within a stone’s throw of the sand. There’s a pier on the beach, which is home to just over a dozen shops and restaurants. And if you’re here on a Sunday night, you can watch live bands play.

Just an hour’s drive from Orlando, the Kennedy Space Centre is the gateway to the final frontier. Space shuttles have been blasting off from here since 1968. The visitors’ centre includes an exhibition called the astronauts’ hall of fame, where you can learn about all the pioneers who have taken small steps for man and giant leaps for mankind.

Hot air ballooning might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Florida. But it’s just another one of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities available in the Sunshine State. From the basket of this air-lifted aircraft you’ll see a side to Florida that most grounded tourists miss. On most trips, you’ll fly over swamps, looking out for the unique wildlife of the state. Then, when your feet are back on the floor, you’ll toast your experience with bubbly.

The golf courses in Florida are at the top of their game. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have all voted for Florida with their feet by moving to the state from their hometowns. There are approximately 1,200 greens in total and courses like Celebration Golf Course, near Kissimmee, and Hawkes Landing, near Lake Buena Vista, take pole position on the list of the best.

Spreading out for 1.5million acres, the Everglades are an all-American wilderness. The wetlands and mangroves here are home to 36 species of endangered animals. American crocodiles skulk through the water and Florida panthers hold stakeouts in the pinelands. The best way to see what this natural expanse has to offer is by boarding an airboat.

Miami is the sort of city that needs no introduction. It’s world-famous for its beaches, where body beautifuls go to parade. Its nightlife outshines that of capital cities like London. And its cultural contingent includes the second-largest performing arts centre in the USA. What’s more, it’s one of Hollywood’s default film locations, so you’ll often spot celebrities walking around town.