Tourist haunts and theme parks only show one side of Orlando. For something a little different, get off the beaten track, escape the crowds and check out some fantastic things to do that many visitors miss.
Book flights to Orlando [http://www.skyscanner.net/flights/uk/orlb/cheapest-flights-from-united-kingdom-to-orlando.html] and have something different to write home about!
Hannibal Square Park
This quiet and quaint little shopping and dining district is located a short stroll from Park Avenue West on New England Avenue. There you'll find about a half dozen fantastic little restaurants, plenty of unique boutiques and a great new bakery ideal for nabbing a sweet treat as you take a tour of the shops.
Adventures in Florida
From short trips to local lakes to week-long expeditions through the Everglades, Adventures in Florida has the staff, the gear and the know-how to provide the prefect kayak adventure you seek. Local day trips include places such as Wekiwa Springs and the Econlockatchee River. Equipment and instruction are provided as needed.
Farris & Foster's Fine Chocolates
Besides being a great place to buy gourmet chocolates, this working chocolate factory in Baldwin Park offers nightly chocolate parties that give visitors the opportunity to take over the factory to create and sample decadent chocolate treats. Upon your arrival, guests are given an apron and chef's hat while a friendly guide gives advice and ideas for types of chocolates to make and a quick lesson in chocolate making. Guests are then set loose in the factory given a pound of chocolate with which to carve their creations (and which they get to take away with them afterwards). Make truffles, peanut butter cups and chocolate dipped strawberries while dipping anything you can find in chocolate from pretzels, biscotti, marshmallows and cookies. Each station is given a plate of divine nibbles to keep you going!
Winter Park Farmers Market
The Winter Park Saturday Farmer's Market is a local legend and is one of the most established and well-attended farmer's markets in the Orlando area. You'll find a couple of dozen stalls outside featuring fresh produce from locally made honey to bonsai bushes, gourmet pasta and lots of ready-to-eat treats like corn chips and frozen lemonade. Inside a small building you can sit and sample delicious bagels, lattes, freshly baked good, and artisan cheeses. This is a delicious day out!
Scenic Boat Tours
Get a lakeside view of the rich and famous with Scenic Boat Tours of Winter Park. This tranquil, one hour tour begins just minutes from Park Avenue on Lake Osceola, where you board your pontoon boat with your guide and captain. The just sit back and enjoy the view and the fresh breeze off the lake. Winter Park is filled with great architecture and the view from the lake is quite possibly the best view you'll get of these spots. History buffs will enjoy the tour for all its facts and stories about famous families that have lived here and the controversial developments that have transpired over the years.
Monkey Trunks
Monkey Trunks is a vertical adventure park featuring two high-flying courses filled with aerial walkways, bridges, ladders, zip lines and more. Described as an "up-and-down-and-all-around environment", this outdoor aerial park consists of three levels that tower fifty feet above the ground. Admission includes two hours of heart-stopping fun with features like a 600-foot zip line and a forty-foot swing that's not for the faint hearted.
Date Night at Leu Gardens
On the first Friday of most months of the year, Leu Gardens becomes a couple's most favorite date night spot. A giant screen is installed just beyond the picturesque rose gardens and on it a romantic film' is shown. Couples bring blankets and baskets filled with goodies (even chilled wine) and lie on the lawn facing the screen to enjoy the show. Gardens open at 6:30pm and the shows start when the sun goes down. Admission is around $10. Very romantic.
Truffles & Trifles
Truffles and Trifles offer dozens of exciting cookery classes every month including their sought-after date night class which almost Harmoni Market and K Restaurant and Wine Bar are excellent restaurants nearby to check out after your class...perhaps with a date?
Wekiva Island
Wekiva River is an outdoor oasis where you can rent kayaks or canoes to head out on the pristine Wekiva River, play volleyball or horseshoes, join in on a guided excursion or simply kick back and sip a beer while you take in the gorgeous scenery. Riverside cabanas, decked out with cosy couches are available for rent. Live music is scheduled most weekend evenings.
Misty Blue Acres Carriage Company
This is The Official Carriage Company for Florida. Make reservations for a weekend ride in the nearby beautiful and tranquil town of Celebration. Rides are offered Friday and Saturday nights as well as Sunday afternoons. Choose from a one or two horse-drawn carriage ride between two elite teams of Percheron horses for a romantic ride just for two, or make arrangements for a special group or family ride. The company also offer pony rentals, hayrides and sleigh rides for special occasions.
Book flights to Orlando [http://www.skyscanner.net/flights/uk/orlb/cheapest-flights-from-united-kingdom-to-orlando.html] and have something different to write home about!
Hannibal Square Park
This quiet and quaint little shopping and dining district is located a short stroll from Park Avenue West on New England Avenue. There you'll find about a half dozen fantastic little restaurants, plenty of unique boutiques and a great new bakery ideal for nabbing a sweet treat as you take a tour of the shops.
Adventures in Florida
From short trips to local lakes to week-long expeditions through the Everglades, Adventures in Florida has the staff, the gear and the know-how to provide the prefect kayak adventure you seek. Local day trips include places such as Wekiwa Springs and the Econlockatchee River. Equipment and instruction are provided as needed.
Farris & Foster's Fine Chocolates
Besides being a great place to buy gourmet chocolates, this working chocolate factory in Baldwin Park offers nightly chocolate parties that give visitors the opportunity to take over the factory to create and sample decadent chocolate treats. Upon your arrival, guests are given an apron and chef's hat while a friendly guide gives advice and ideas for types of chocolates to make and a quick lesson in chocolate making. Guests are then set loose in the factory given a pound of chocolate with which to carve their creations (and which they get to take away with them afterwards). Make truffles, peanut butter cups and chocolate dipped strawberries while dipping anything you can find in chocolate from pretzels, biscotti, marshmallows and cookies. Each station is given a plate of divine nibbles to keep you going!
Winter Park Farmers Market
The Winter Park Saturday Farmer's Market is a local legend and is one of the most established and well-attended farmer's markets in the Orlando area. You'll find a couple of dozen stalls outside featuring fresh produce from locally made honey to bonsai bushes, gourmet pasta and lots of ready-to-eat treats like corn chips and frozen lemonade. Inside a small building you can sit and sample delicious bagels, lattes, freshly baked good, and artisan cheeses. This is a delicious day out!
Scenic Boat Tours
Get a lakeside view of the rich and famous with Scenic Boat Tours of Winter Park. This tranquil, one hour tour begins just minutes from Park Avenue on Lake Osceola, where you board your pontoon boat with your guide and captain. The just sit back and enjoy the view and the fresh breeze off the lake. Winter Park is filled with great architecture and the view from the lake is quite possibly the best view you'll get of these spots. History buffs will enjoy the tour for all its facts and stories about famous families that have lived here and the controversial developments that have transpired over the years.
Monkey Trunks
Monkey Trunks is a vertical adventure park featuring two high-flying courses filled with aerial walkways, bridges, ladders, zip lines and more. Described as an "up-and-down-and-all-around environment", this outdoor aerial park consists of three levels that tower fifty feet above the ground. Admission includes two hours of heart-stopping fun with features like a 600-foot zip line and a forty-foot swing that's not for the faint hearted.
Date Night at Leu Gardens
On the first Friday of most months of the year, Leu Gardens becomes a couple's most favorite date night spot. A giant screen is installed just beyond the picturesque rose gardens and on it a romantic film' is shown. Couples bring blankets and baskets filled with goodies (even chilled wine) and lie on the lawn facing the screen to enjoy the show. Gardens open at 6:30pm and the shows start when the sun goes down. Admission is around $10. Very romantic.
Truffles & Trifles
Truffles and Trifles offer dozens of exciting cookery classes every month including their sought-after date night class which almost Harmoni Market and K Restaurant and Wine Bar are excellent restaurants nearby to check out after your class...perhaps with a date?
Wekiva Island
Wekiva River is an outdoor oasis where you can rent kayaks or canoes to head out on the pristine Wekiva River, play volleyball or horseshoes, join in on a guided excursion or simply kick back and sip a beer while you take in the gorgeous scenery. Riverside cabanas, decked out with cosy couches are available for rent. Live music is scheduled most weekend evenings.
Misty Blue Acres Carriage Company
This is The Official Carriage Company for Florida. Make reservations for a weekend ride in the nearby beautiful and tranquil town of Celebration. Rides are offered Friday and Saturday nights as well as Sunday afternoons. Choose from a one or two horse-drawn carriage ride between two elite teams of Percheron horses for a romantic ride just for two, or make arrangements for a special group or family ride. The company also offer pony rentals, hayrides and sleigh rides for special occasions.