Two days packed with adventures adventure
While visitors are mainly drawn to Orlando by its famous theme parks, a few other attractions are worth fitting in as well, writes Chris Leadbeater
DAY ONE
Take a hike
International Drive stretches for 20km, but the tourist heartland is the strip north from the Peabody. The giant Orange County Convention Centre is hard to miss, but business turns to pleasure at 9101 with the Pointe Orlando complex of fashion stores and restaurants (pointeorlando.com). Continue to Wonderworks (wonderworksonline.com), an indoor theme park at 9067, with rope courses and laser games.
At 8969, Hawaiian Rumble Adventure Golf (hawaiianrumbleorlando.com) has water-themed putting.
Take a ride
Orlando’s two core resort areas need little introduction. Walt Disney World resort (disneyworld.disney.go.com) is laid out around World Drive, 32km from Downtown. Its four parks include the Magic Kingdom, with its Cinderella Castle.
Closer to the centre at 6000 Universal Boulevard, Universal Orlando (universalorlando.com) has two parks: Universal Studios Florida; and Islands Of Adventure, with its Hogwarts re-creation at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Walt Disney World: There is a huge
range of tickets, but a basic one-day
pass to one theme park costs $US95
($103), $US88 for a child (3-9).
Universal Orlando: One-day, one
park passes cost $US100 an adult,
$US94 a child (3-9).
Lunch on the run
Both resorts have food and shops open to visitors without having to pay an entrance fee. Downtown Disney has the Earl Of Sandwich (earlofsandwichusa.com) at 1750 East Buena Vista Drive, where The Earl’s Club (turkey, bacon, cheese) costs $US6.
Universal Citywalk at 6000 Universal Boulevard has Nascar Sports Grille (nascarsportsgrilleorlando.com). A Pit Road Burger (beef, pork, cheese) is $US14.
Walk in the park
If you like a bit more bite, head to Gatorland at 14501 South Orange Blossom Trail (gatorland.com), with its snapjawed beasts. Adults $US25; child (3-12) $US17. At SeaWorld Orlando on 7007 SeaWorld Drive (seaworldparks. com), there are dolphins and sharks.
One-day passes $US79 adults, $US71
child (3-9).
An aperitif
Brick House Tavern + Tap is a classic sports bar at 8440 International Drive. An Orange Blossom Pilsner costs $US5 (brickhousetavernandtap.com).
Dining with the locals
The Peabody’s fine in-house restaurant, Napa, has cioppino (fish stew) that’s nicely spicy for $US35.
At the Pointe Orlando complex, The Oceanaire Seafood Room (the oceanaire.com) has pan-seared triggerfish for $US33.
Also, “Restaurant Row” is more than a kilometre chunk of West Sand Lake Rd. Chatham’s Place does black grouper with spring onion for $US33 at 7575 Dr Philips Boulevard (chathamsplace.com).
DAY TWO
Go to church
Downtown offers a glimpse of local Orlando — not least in the calm form of St James Cathedral at 215 North Orange Ave (stjamesorlando.org).
This Catholic bastion, which dates to 1887, is a mixture of styles: plain and pale on its exterior, a colourful cocktail of murals within.
Window shopping
Orlando specialises in gargantuan shopping temples such as The Florida Mall, which has Macy’s and Sears among its 200 outlets at 8001 South Orange Blossom Trail (simon.com).
Winter Park is the “secret” spot, where residents meet for coffee. Stores here include The Ancient Olive (theancientolive .com), which sells olive oils at 324 North Park Ave.
Adjacent at 318 North Park Ave, Tugboat & The Bird (tugboatandthebird.com) has toys and children’s clothes.
Out to brunch
Winter Park lunch options include Prato at 124 North Park Ave (prato-wp.com), a popular Italian eatery with epic fresh pasta, such as buckwheat tagliatelle with pork ragout and spinach for $US16.
Cultural afternoon
Morse Museum of American
Art, at 445 North Park Ave, is famed for its Tiffany glass. Closed Monday. (morsemuseum.org; $US5).
In Downtown, the Orange County Regional History Centre tells the story of central Florida from Native Americans to the Spanish arrival (Courthouse, at 65 East Central Boulevard; thehistorycenter.org).
Open daily, entry $US9.
Icing on the cake
Try a one-hour cruise around three of Orlando’s lakes via Scenic Boat Tour (scenic boattours.com), which operates from a jetty at 312 East Morse Boulevard in Winter Park. Sailings depart on the hour, from 10am until 4pm; $US12.
If you prefer an adrenalin rush, iFly, off International Drive at 6805 Visitors Circle (iflyorlando.com), deals in “indoor skydiving”.
Thrill-seeking customers take to the air on gusts of up to 160km/h in a vertical wind tunnel.
Open daily.
A package of two one-minute flights
costs from $US60.