Downtown Orlando has plenty of great things to do and see, and guess what – none of them involve trudging around a theme park taking selfies with Micky Mouse and trying to hold in lunch while you take on that 10th rollercoaster of the day. For Downtown Orlando is much more about history and culture; book your hotel here and you are also spoilt for choice in terms of restaurants, cool bars, theaters and late-night clubs. The area is pretty small too, so you can easily walk around the compact quaint city streets for the day, while Disney World, Universal and Sea World are all just a short drive out of town south on International Drive.
Go boating at Lake Eola
Located in the heart of Downtown Orlando, Lake Eola Park is located off East Washington Street features an almost one-mile-long walkway around the lake perimeter, and is one of the region’s most famous attractions – and at its heart is its huge swan-filled lake. You can spend a day relaxing by the water and feeding the birds, or you can rent a swan-shaped boat and enjoy a cruise around the lake. Boats are available to rent for $15 per half hour and can hold up to 5 people. Hours of operation are 10am – 7pm Sunday through Tuesday, and 10am – 10pm Wednesday through Saturday.
The park also features a kids’ playground, a Chinese pagoda and the Walt Disney Amphitheater which hosts many community events and performances. Once you’ve enjoyed boating around the lake you can stop stop off for a bite to eat at the Relax Grill, a great picnic, exercise, paddle-boating or just a quick escape from the nearby high-rises.
Head to the Farmers Market
The Orlando Farmers Market takes place at Lake Eola Park so If you’re in the downtown area anytime on a Sunday between 10:00-16:00, be sure not to miss out of Lake Eola’s very own farmers market located at the corner of E. Central Boulevard and N. Eola Drive. Expect handicrafts, locally-sourced produce, plants, a pet section, ready-to-eat food and live music and the beer garden.
Visit the history center
Anyone who is interested in Central Florida’s rich heritage should visit the Orange County Regional History Center. Housed in a historic courthouse in the heart of Downtown Orlando, the museum offers 4 floors of fascinating exhibits plus a wide range of programs for families, children and adults.
Explore a pictureque estate
Another top attraction in Downtown Orlando is the Leu House Museum & Gardens. A beautifully restored 19th-century home set in 50 acres of landscaped grounds, the museum is open 7 days a week for guided tours of the house and the surrounding gardens, woodlands and lake.
Shop ’til you drop
While the wider Orlando area is a renowned destination for its malls and outlet stores, shopping options in the central hub of Downtown Orlando are smaller and less commercialized. You’ll find an excellent line-up of ‘niche’ places to shop including independent boutiques, local markets and one-of-a kind fashion stores. Church Street is one of the best places to head. As the historic center of Orlando, the old Railroad depot built in 1889 still stands a reminder of the city’s long-lost past well before Disney and Universal arrived, while the SunRail commuter rail project links Church Street with three other downtown areas of Orlando. You won’t find any outlet action here but there are some great arts and crafts shops, fashion boutiques, antique dealers and souvenirs stores on both sides of the road.
The quaint East End Market just northeast out of the Downtown area is another good shopping stop. Open every day except Monday, this two-story market-cum-arcade is the place for go for cooked food, local art and fresh produce.
Go on a special guided tour
What better way to make the most of Downtown Orlando than to go on a special tour? You can join the Crafty Cocktail Tour and sample a variety of eclectic beverages hand selected by local mixologists. History buffs will love the Downtown Historic Tour which gives visitors the opportunity to experience Orlando’s history first-hand. And if you join the Downtown Orlando Food Tour you’ll get to walk the Central Business District visiting some of the region’s best eateries for food samples along the way.
Come to visit an art gallery
No trip to Downtown Orlando would be complete without a trip to at least one of its many art galleries. The City Arts Factory is located on East Pine Street and is where you’ll find the largest collection of art in the region. The venue is home to classic and modern artworks including locally produced and international pieces.
Play golf at a top club
The prestigious Country Club of Orlando is definiely the place to go if you want a few roundsof golf. Surprisingly close to the high-rises of Downtown Orlando, it’s one of the largest and oldest country clubs in Florida. There’s an 18-hole Donald Doss-designed course as well as a junior-Olympic sized swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a grand clubhouse with a restaurant, banquet rooms and meeting facilities.
Things to do at night
Orlando’s Downtown area really comes alive at night with a whole host of nightlife venues. From hole-in-the-wall wine bars and local-style taverns to huge music arenas and all-out nightclubs, you’ll find something to do in every direction.
Check out Church Street
The unofficial center of Downtown Orlando, Church Street is the place to go if you want to get to know the area a little better. You’ll find some of the city’s best restaurants here, plus plenty of cool bars and nightspots. Church Street is also home to the historic Railroad Depot, as well as theaters, shopping plazas and the huge Amway Center sports arena.
Soak up the nightlife
The best nightlife venues in Downtown Orlando are located around East and West Church Street which both get pretty lively after-dark. One of the most popular spots is Chiller’s Bar which has two additional venues (Big Belly and Latitudes) upstairs. You can enjoy tasty American food, craft beers and happy hour specials either inside or out on the rooftop terrace.
Watch a concert at the Amway Center
Downown’s famous Amway Center is home to Orlando’s 3 major sports teams; the Orlando Magic, the Orlando Predators and the Orlando Solar Bears. It can also be transformed into a live music hall and has hosted shows by big name artists including Madonna, Justoin Bieber and Katy Perry. Amway Center is one of the main live music venues in Orlando, and many big-name music stars travelling through the Central Florida region will make a stop-off here to perform. You can check out the Amway center events calendar here.
Catch a movie
Gather your family and friends and head down to the Cobb Plaza Cinema right in the heart of Downtown Orlando. You can catch a blockbusting new release or go for something different a little different with one of the current showings of independent and foreign films. If you get peckish, the 12-screen theater has everything from popcorn and soft drinks to beers, wines and even caviar.
Go for an evening stroll
Pretty oak trees line the quaint streets and surrounding neighborhoods such as Thornton Park and Lake Eola Heights. Known as Downtown’s quintessential historic neighborhoods, these upscale districts offer first-rate eateries, inviting neighborhood bars and trendy boutiques. Some of the oldest houses in Orlando are based around nearby Lake Eola.
Hang out at the Wall Street Plaza
One of the best venues in Downtown Orlando, the Wall Street Plaza is a top evening entertainment venue. A complex of bars, restaurants and nightclubs all located within one city block, it hosts outdoor block parties every weekend, plus some of the region’s biggest parties and special events.
Dine out
Downtown Orlando is home to a raft of top-notch dining venues. You’ll find everything from cafes and All-American diners to tapas bars, sushi bars, French bistros, Thai restaurants and much more.
Ride the Orlando Eye
It’s just a few miles from Downtown Orlando, but you can get a bird’s eye view of the whole of Orlando from the top of the 400-foot-high Orlando Eye ferris wheel. You can take a group ride with other guests in tow, or treat yourself to a private capsule with a glass of champagne included. Either way, there’s nothing quite like seeing the entire city lit up at night.
Things to do for free
Exploring Downtown Orlando doesn’t have to be expensive – there are plenty of cheap and free things to do if you know where to look!
Go on a free brewery tour
The Orlando Brewing Company is the only certified organic brewery in the whole of Florida. It holds free tours from Monday through Saturday at 6pm. You can learn all about the brewery and try a variety of different beers as you go. Tours are on a first-come-first-serve basis. Just see your server to get a ticket.
Get a dose of culture
There are heaps of museums in Downtown Orlando and many of them offer free entry. The Orange County Regional History Center offers free admission for moms on Mother’s Day and for dads on Father’s Day, then again in September to celebrate Museum Day. The City Arts Factory on Orange Avenue offers free admission from Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm. The Grand Bohemian Gallery at the Grand Bohemian Hotel is also free to have a wander around, while the the Orlando Science Center is free for members and kids age 2 and under.
Enjoy free events at Lake Eola
If you’re not planning on renting a boat, you can enjoy a day at Lake Eola Park without spending a cent. There’s a walkway around the lake for scenic strolls. The park also has a large kids’ playground which is free to use. The onsite Walt Disney Amphitheater hosts many free community events and performances. At night the fountain in the center of the lake comes alive with a choreographed show set to lights and music. Shows run nightly at around 8pm and 9.30 pm.
Celebrate art, music and business
On the third Thursday of every month, thousands of visitors head to Downtown Orlando to celebrate art, music and business. There are various free business networking events in the Central Business District, plus gallery tours, exhibitions, music events and the Gallery Hop After Party which runs from 9pm until 11pm at Wall St. Plaza’s Hooch.
Go on a free walking tour
The See Art Orlando program installed 9 large-scale works of public art around the Central Business District and Lake Eola Park. You can go on a self-guided free walking tour of these, a must-do for art lovers visiting Downtown Orlando.
So what are you waiting for? Book early, book often, book local and stay in a vacation rental!
Other useful resources
If you’re thinking of booking an Orlando vacation and you need advice on where to stay then contact us today. Additionally, our dedicated concierge team can arrange any added extras you need such as great value car hire and attraction tickets.
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Taylor-made Concierge Service
Overlooking the championship fairways, you can easily optimize your stay at Reunion Resort & Champion Gates with our optional concierge services. Contact us to arrange tee times, golf lessons and equipment rentals to enhance your golf experience. Off the greens, you can easily customize your vacation with private chef and bartender experiences, personal car rentals, housekeeping, attraction tickets, childcare, grocery packages, in-house spa treatments, and more. All Vacation Dreams ensures that every aspect of your stay at Golf Escape exceeds expectations, creating a truly exceptional Golf Orlando experience.
