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I hate the winter. I hate the cold, and the snow, and temperatures that prevent outdoor activity. I love the warm, and the sun, and to be outside as much as possible. So to combat the winter blues, I’ve realized that I need to head south several times each winter.
It’s essential for my survival.
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Orlando twice in the last two months. Both trips were awesome and I love that we got to experience some of the lesser known attractions. Yes, most people head to Orlando for Disney or Universal but there are lots of things to do in Orlando besides Walt Disney World!
Heading to Disney for just one day? Then check out my tips for maximizing your One Day at Disney World
Heading to Disney Springs? Check out all you need to know about the re-opening of Disney Springs
Things to do in Orlando Besides Disney
Where to Stay in Orlando, Florida
We were fortunate enough to be able to stay with family in the Lake Nona section of Orlando. Orlando is huge! Seriously, it is so spread out, I definitely suggest doing your HW as to where in the city you want to stay.
When we went to Disney, we stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter which we loved when we visited two years ago (need to write about that soon!).
Recently I stayed at Loews Royal Pacific on a Universal Studios trip.
If you are looking for a hotel, check out these cool hotels in Orlando!
Another great option is a home rental. We are lucky, we always stay at a family condo, but my friend Emily from Journey of Parenthood has an amazing rental house right near Disney that would be the perfect home rental!
Where to Eat in Orlando, Florida
Let’s face it, dining in Orlando is synonymous with the large chains. And yes, they are abundant, inexpensive and you know what you are getting. I mean I love the Olive Garden more than most… but if you want something a little different, here are my recommendations:
Il Pescatore: We ate here for lunch one late afternoon with my aunt and my mom’s 80-year-old cousin. And honestly this was probably one of the best eggplant Parmesan dishes I have ever had! The food was amazing, the wine delicious and lunch here was so reasonably priced! Friendly service too! I highly recommend this place!
Tijuana Flats: Okay, I guess Tijuana Flats is technically a Florida chain, but I love the food here so much. I do wish they would expand to Long Island! I took out from here twice while in Orlando.
If you have never been, Tijuana Flats is a casual dining Mexican restaurant. They offer all the usual Mexican fare, and their shtick is their hot sauce bar. You can choose spicy sauces by levels of Sissy Sauce, Middle Weight, Tear Jerker and Death Wish. I personally like the green jalapeno middle weight sauce.
Besides the hot sauce, the food at Tijuana Flats fresh and delicious and there are a ton of vegetarian combinations. I love the Throwback Thursdaze pricing – $5.99 for a burrito, chips and a drink. I also love the fact that you can mobile order. Again, any time I don’t have to interact with a human is a win in my book.
Chef Mickey: Or any Disney character meal, really! You don’t have to be staying at Disney or even visiting the park to enjoy a meal with the character. It was so great, I wrote an entire post about our Chef Mickey brunch.
Toasted: With several Orlando locations, Toasted a a grilled cheese lovers paradise – and there is a full vegan menu as well! I always visit Toasted in Lake Nona, and ALWAYS order the vegan angry fries – try them if you can handle the spice!
Shake Shack: Again, technically a chain, but one that is more prevalent in the Northeast. There are only five locations in Florida and one in Orlando at I Drive 360, adjacent to the Orlando Eye.
The kids and I are big fans of Shake Shack, and I personally love the ‘shroom burger and the cheese fries. What I love about this location is the outdoor seating complete with corn hole court! We so enjoyed sitting out here late in the day after touring around.
Cracker Barrel: Okay one last “chain” establishment, but you gotta bet when this New York girl visits the South, a Cracker Barrel stop is always on the agenda! My daughter loves the country store and little man loves the golf-tee peg game that is at each table. Plus the food is decent and affordable. I personally love ordering the southern staples – grits, mac and cheese and sweet tea! Plus Cracker Barrels are all over Orlando, so no matter where you are, there is probably one close by!
Looking for more Orlando eats? Then check out 10 amazing places to eat in Orlando
Orlando Fun Besides Disney Parks
Orlando is so packed with fun activities, and not just the big theme parks!
Legoland, Florida: Okay, so technically a theme park, but not one you immediately think of when planning your Orlando trip. If you are wanting rides, but maybe not quite the intense Disney experience, I highly recommend visiting Legoland Florida in Winter Haven (about 45 minutes from the Lake Nona area of Orlando). We loved Legoland so much we visited twice this winter, and recently got a chance to check out the Legoland Florida Water Park.
Save up to $25 on LEGOLAND Florida Resort tickets!
ICON Orlando, previously known as The Orlando Eye: The Orlando Eye is a 400-foot “Ferris wheel” type observation experience. I had done something similar in Vegas, the high roller, and I thought the kids would really enjoy this.
ICON Orlando (Orlando Eye) is located at the I Drive 360, which is basically a touristy shopping, eating and sightseeing area off of International (I) drive. I bought discounted tickets to ride the Eye through Groupon. At I-Drive 360 there is free and ample parking. We visited on a Friday afternoon and there was hardly a wait to board. We had 8 people in our party and we were able to enjoy our own pod. The ride lasts 23 minutes and there are two iPads set up in the pod to give you more information about what you are seeing. The boys loved this and for days were reciting Orlando facts that they learned!
The Orlando Eye is adjacent to the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Sea Life Aquarium. In retrospect, I should have purchased a combination ticket, which affords you the opportunity to visit all their attractions. Maybe next time!
There is so much to do in this area, check out the 20 Best Things to do on International Drive.
Buy discount tickets to the Orlando Eye here
Want more attractions? Check out this awesome Orlando combo ticket!
Epic McDonald’s: Yes, there is a McDonald’s that has been deemed epic. It has its own hashtag, #epicmcdorl. I’m not making this up! This is located on International Drive, near the Orlando Eye, so after riding the Ferris wheel and eating at Shake Shack, we drove over to this two story McDonald’s!
The first floor looks like your typical Mickey D’s, except for the wood burning pizza oven, the pasta bar, and the dessert bar! Oh and the completely automated ordering area! The upstairs is a giant play area and arcade. The climbing structure in the play area is free, and our kids loved it! The arcade was really nice, but you have to pay for the games and we were pretty tapped out at this point.
This was a fun, relatively cheap activity and a chance for our kids to run around and blow off some steam! And if you are a McDonald’s aficionado you should definitely check this out!
Orlando Crayola Experience: We loved this so much I have a whole post dedicated to our trip there! Located in the Florida mall. (PS there is also an American Girl Doll Store and Cafe here as well)
Wild Florida: Looking for an airboat gator tour? Then definitely check out Wild Florida! Only 25 minutes south of Lake Nona, you can spend a whole day here experiencing the animals on the boat, and on land!
TAKING A DAY TRIP FROM ORLANDO? THEN CONSIDER A RIDE TO THE CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA. HOME TO WINTER AND HOPE, THE DOLPHIN STARS OF THE DOLPHIN TALE MOVIES
Aquatopia: Okay I guess a water park is a theme park, but Florida is HOT and you might want to hit this awesome water park to beat the heat! Baby girl and I visited Aquatopia one November day and we LOVED it!
There is so much to eat and do in Orlando, we didn’t even scratch the surface! We did spend time lounging by the pool in our condo complex and enjoying the company of family. But please let me know, what are you favorite Orlando attractions?
a video about our trip to the Orlando Eye!
Heading to Orlando? Need help planning this trip? The click the banner below to get started planning your Orlando Vacation today! I am a full-service travel agent and do it all – Disney, Universal, Legoland, and all the Florida resorts! As always, my services are FREE!
Got more time in Orlando, Florida? Then check out:
6 Day Orlando Family Itinerary, by Five for the Road
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I’m in the Tampa area, but definitely could use the recommendations when we head over that way! We love Tijuana Flats too!
I know they are all over FLorida (Tijuana Flats) and they even have one in NC. None up here in NY though!
We love Orlando! We’ve visited many time over the years. There is so much to see and do that we’re never bored.
I’ve never seen a 2-story McDonald’s! That’s funny it has its own hashtag. I still haven’t made it to Shake Shack, but I must add it to the list. We tried to go in Vegas and the line was ridiculously out the door. Tijuana Flats sounds like my kind of restaurant
yes, we have a shake shack here on Long Island and you cant even park it gets so packed!
Wow! This looks so fun! I love that there was so much to do for the kids. 🙂
Sincerely Miss J
http://www.sincerelymissj.com
I think my two boys would enjoy this trip! Thank you for sharing yours! 🙂
Virtuous Mama
http://www.virtuousmama.org
Wow! Great info for Orlando. Thank you!
I have heard of the glory that is Shake Shack, but I’ve never been to one! We are definitely going to have to make a stop next time we are in Florida!
Now this looks like a trip my girls would love. We want to take them to Orlando soon, but didn;t want to focus all our time on Disney. So now I have a guide to do just that.
What a fun post! All awesome suggestions of things to do in Orlando! We are big Disney World fans, so I second your recommendation for Port Orleans French Quarter! Also, LOVE Tijuana Flats! We first ate there during a trip to Orlando, and now we are hooked on it! And yes to Chef Mickey’s! 🙂
Wow, That McDonanlds sounds super fun. I am sure my two year old would love it. Great suggestions. Thanks for sharing. I will make sure to check them out when i visit Orlando.
Vrithi Pushkar
http://www.epicuriouspassport.com
Excellent recommendations! Us Floridians love our Tijuana Flats and Shake Shacks!
I love Tijuana Flats. They need to come to NY!
We live in Winter Garden, so about 30 minutes west of downtown Orlando. If you’re ever looking for an indoor activity, I would recommend the Orlando Science Center; five floors of interactive exhibits including sand pits to dig for ‘dinosaur fossils’ and 3D movie theaters. We love Tijuana Flats too!
we went to the Science Center in 2012 (On a rainy summer day) the kids loved it but they were really little, def need to go back!
I have always wanted to go to Chef Mickeys! We go to Disney World often and we have tried many restaurants, but not Chef Mickeys!
We love Orlando. We are fortunate enough to have family nearby, but occasionally we do stay at a hotel. If you live in Florida, check out the yearly family passes. It is totally worth it. Dining is a challenge for those who must be gluten free, but that is the way it is everywhere. I suppose, I should write a blog about adventures with a toddler in central Florida!
I have been to Orlando and would love to go back again. Will definitely check out these places. Thanks for sharing.
Wow you did a lot! We always head right to Disney but I’ve always wanted to visit the Orlando Eye, it looks like so much fun! Shake Shack and Chef Mickey’s are both on our favorite Orlando restaurants list…that shroom burger…life changing! Next time you visit, get reservations at Ohana’s at the Polynesian, it’s our #1!
that sounds hawaiian and I totally want to go there! I am thinking Disney World 2018
Man, y’all fit a lot in!! We still haven’t done the Orlando Eye actually, but part of it is because we’ve seen more of the places already and haven’t wanted to spend the money yet. Maybe someday soon!!
Another link up is live today if you wanted to join in again 🙂 Happy Tuesday!!
I did link up! The eye was okay. I wouldnt do it again. The kids liked it, but the Vegas High Roller is so much better, more to see
Great ideas! My brother and his family are actually in Orlando right now… I’m definitely going to tell them about Lego Land and Shake Shack!!
Sounds like like some great times were had!
We love Orlando. We haven’t ventured much out of Disney World to explore it because when we’re not doing Disney, we’re near the Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach area. I’d like to go back one of these times and see more of Orlando but I just can’t seem to pull myself away from Disney. #traveltuesday
i wanted to go to Cape Canaveral, but the kids wanted Legoland!
Orlando looks like a family-friendly place. Lots of great things to see and do in so little time!
That looks like a fun 48 hours in Orlando! We always go to Disney when we do a park in Orlando, but we might need to check out Legoland next time we go. Thank you for the tips, I can’t wait for our next trip to Orlando! 🙂
Ugh I despise the winters as well. We’re expecting more snow here in Boston tomorrow and all I want is warmth and sunshine!
seriously!!!!??!???!!? I hate spring snow!
Kind of jealous about this post! Want to go back to America for quite some time now, and friends of ours went to Orlando this year! So we saw a lot of sunny pictures pass by! It seems like such a great place to stay with a family! Hope I’ll ever see it with my own eyes, and hit the amusement parks when I’m around!
yes!! the weather is great. Hot in the summer, and sometimes rain, but it really is very nice.
It looks like a very children-friendly place! Love all your recommendations!
Looks like you all are having a blast. I cannot wait to take our kids to the beach soon. I don’t like winter, I’m ready for the summer weather.
I bet my daughter would love the feeris wheel and lego land. Good post!
I love the heat too. Living in London, that doesn’t happen often! On our recent trip to NY, my husband has crowned Shake Shack as the best burger he had on the trip haha!
shake shack is really good! We were at Citifield the other night and the line was too long… I should have waited.