Although Orlando, Florida is probably the theme park capital of the world, there are plenty of other attractions to keep visitors occupied if they are not that keen on non-stop roller coaster rides. There are many churches, museums, parks, markets and unusual tourist attractions to keep the most determined visitor happy. Everything a visitor could possibly want is in Orlando and that is why people return year after year.
There isn’t a friendlier city in the world and one where almost anything is possible with plenty of shopping malls, great food of every type and specialist shops like Outdoor World at the top of International Drive with a 17,000 gallon super aquarium, this store is so large you could spend all day there. With so many places to visit and things to see, the information provided here cannot even brush the surface but will give an insight into some of the not so well publicized attractions.
The Central Florida Zoo for instance only opened back in 1975 and was owned by the Sanford Fire Department prior to that but is the home to over four hundred animals and is well worth a visit. Even though it is privately owned, it is run by a charitable group with the intention of providing classes for children and protecting species that are only found in Florida and other world wide exotic animals.
Then there are the works of Louis Tiffany whose famous collection is housed here in the Morse Museum of American Art. Tiffany glass, clayware and ornaments are all on display here including a specially designed chapel interior shown at the Columbian Exposition back in 1893.
If you are looking for a variety of night life then it is in abundance in Orlando with two popular places being Universal’s Citywalk and Disney’s Pleasure Island, both of which are open until very late and cater mainly for adults with a range of street entertainment, bars, restaurants and clubs. This is certainly a city for all age groups and not solely designed for the amusement of children as family and adult attractions are in equal numbers.
Another popular attraction for people on an Orlando vacation is the Orlando Science Center and is in fact one of the largest buildings of its type allowing the visitor access to ten huge exhibition halls which range from the Florida swamplands to the surface of Mars and much more. If locomotives are your preference then you need to go along to the International Trolley and Train Museum which has fourteen trains running simultaneously in mountains, wilderness, urban areas and includes three waterfalls that use 12,000 gallons of water per hour.
The Mercado Center on International Drive, is the home to the Titanic Exhibition where you are treated as if you are a tourist traveling onboard the Titanic Ocean Liner; this is a really moving and eerie experience which includes many original objects from the Titanic. Away from all the hustle that Orlando has in abundance is the wonderful Lake Eola Park in the heart of downtown has beautiful sidewalks in over forty acres and it is possible to spend a peaceful few hours here.
But no trip to Orlando would be complete without a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort which comprises of four main theme parks plus water parks or Universal Studios resort complex which is equally as popular in this something-for-everyone town. Orlando has enough tourist attraction to last a year but the next time you visit, why not try one or two of the others less well known but just as impressive places.