Orlando City Guide

Activities in Orlando

You'll find your simulacra appreciation has a limit if you resolve to spend all your time in fun parks. Water slides and dancing dolphins have nothing on the local national parks: they offer real wet 'n' wild adventures at much less cost.

Participate

There are heaps of first-class walking trails in the national parks to Orlando's north. Closest to town, Wekiwa Springs State Park has miles of well-maintained hiking trails. In Ocala National Forest, the Salt Springs area has a splendid loop trail through a cypress forest. A 100km (65mi) section of the Florida National Scenic Trail runs right through the Juniper Springs area. The 8km (5mi) Cruickshank Trail surrounds a shallow marsh within the Space Coast's Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. It begins along Black Point Wildlife Drive.

Rent a bike at Wekiwa Springs State Park and cycle along trails that run through unique palmetto wilderness. Throughout central Florida, you can cycle on the fantastic network of of 'rail trails' - abandoned railway tracks that have been converted for two-wheelers.

Paddle along crystal-clear rivers that wend their ways through untouched wilderness at one of Florida's best national parks: the Ocala National Forest, northwest of Orlando. Other places for canoeing include the Wekiwa Springs State Park and Mosquito Lagoon in the Canaveral National Seashore.

There's good swimming in the Ocala National Forest at Juniper Springs, Alexander Springs, Clearwater Lake and Lake Dorr. You can also swim in Blue Spring State Park's 22°C (72°F) translucent waters when no manatees are present. Apollo Beach and Klondike Beach at the northern end of Merritt Island have gentle surf and soft sand.

Tours in Orlando

International Driving Pleasure

International Drive is Orlando's fun and amusement main drag. Whether you count in kilometres or miles, it's quite long, and chances are you haven't come to Orlando to hike. What's more, you can spend a half-day at several of the following attractions, so consider the following tour an itinerary of sorts, rather than a tour that can be knocked over in a day or so.

Working from north to south, we begin at Orlando's strangest theme park experience, the Holy Land Experience, which is a Biblical theme park designed to convince Jews of the important of accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It's not as amusing as it sounds. Further southwest along International Drive is Universal Orlando Resort, consisting of two of the area's top attractions, Universal Studios and the arguably more thrilling Islands of Adventure. These two parks are aimed more at teens and adults than the Disney parks. Also of interest to teens and adrenaline junkies of all ages is Vans Skateboard Park, where boards and bikes can be rented.

If the glitz of theme parks proves too much for you, you can get some more down-at-heel thrills at nearby Fun Spot Action Park. Moving on, you pass the Skull Kingdom, Wet'n'Wild and the truly retro Magical Midway. The fun doesn't stop there: Ripley's Believe It or Not is next on your left as you head south, closely followed by Titanic - Ship of Dreams, the Hard Rock Vault (the museum of the international music-themed bar franchise) and Masters of Magic. Wonderworks is as educational as it is fun.

The Drive doglegs to the left and then to the right; heading south, you pass under the Bee Line Expwy toll road and arrive at SeaWorld Orlando on your left, as well as the adjacent Discovery Cove, a deluxe attraction limited to 1000 visitors daily, with an astronomical entrance fee.