Hello there, today’s blog is a little bit different. We are going to mention 10 cool things to do in Orlando that aren’t the main theme parks of Disney World and Universal. No doubt every place in Orlando is worth seeing but there are so many places to visit and so many things to do that one is sure to get confused especially if this is their first visit. So we wrote this blog to help you get an idea about what places you can visit that are not the main theme parks of Disney world and universal. There are some things in our opinion that you should do and never miss out.
Let’s us get started with our list of 10 cool things to do in Orlando.
Cool Things to Do in Orlando That Aren’t Theme Parks Related
1. Icon Orlando
First up is Icon Orlando. This is Orlando’s relatively new entertainment complex. It’s full of lots of different shops and restaurants and other attractions and it’s also home to Icon Orlando Wheel which is a big wheel. It goes 400 feet up in the air and gives you incredible views of Orlando below you but it’s just a really fun place to spend a few hours either in the afternoon or evening. You can grab an ice-cream and go and sit in the sunshine on a bench or on the artificial grass. It’s never been that busy during the week in the daytime so it’s been a really lovely way of escaping the crowds at the theme parks .There are loads of different props for photo opportunities and lots of dress-up opportunities as well. So it’s just a really nice place to spend a few hours.
2. Ifly
Next up on International Drive is Ifly. This is Orlando’s indoor skydiving Center, so you mimic going and parachuting and skydiving out of a plane except it’s all done indoors. In this big indoor there are RE wind tunnels and it’s just such good fun. Anyone from ages 3 to 103 can fly obviously depending on if you are fit and healthy. If you are a little bit apprehensive about doing it, the instructors really put you at ease. They fly with you and it’s just so much fun and great experience to have.
3. Wonderworks
Next up down the road again is Wonderworks. From the minute you set foot in the crazy vortex tunnel, you are immersed in what they call a world of edutainment which is educational entertainment and they aren’t wrong. It’s full of three floors of science experiments and fun games and interactive exhibits. There’s loads to do for all ages. It’s just a really fun place to visit. It’s open till really late so it’s never really busy all in one go. Again it’s nice to escape the craziness of the theme parks. There’s also a really cool laser Quest and also an indoor rope challenge on the roof and it’s also home to the outer control comedy magic show which is so much fun and definitely worth looking into too.
4. Celebration
Few minutes from Disney World is another amazing place – Celebration. The Celebration is a beautiful but slightly surreal little town. It was built in the 1990s by Disney to create the perfect town but it ended up getting sold by the company in 2004. However, it does still have an element of the kind of Disney Dream perfect town about it. There are lots of little shops and restaurants, a beautiful lake that you can sit by. You have to go to the Wonderland Cookie Day Company where you can get all the most amazing different flavors of cookie dough and it’s just a really pretty little town to come and visit. It’s quite chilled out and it’s a really nice place.
5. Disney Springs
The next one on our list is technically Disney but we are talking about Disney Springs. Disney Springs is a massive entertainment center. It’s full of so many different restaurants, fast food, live music, shops etc. It’s just brilliant and it’s definitely worth a visit .You have to go to the cupcake sprinkles ATM where you get delivered your cupcake like in a cash machine. The cupcakes are actually really delicious. There’s such a great atmosphere and there are always new restaurants to try as well. It’s just a really cool place and one thing to note as well is that you don’t need to have a Disney park ticket in order to visit Disney Springs so it is definitely worth a visit.
6. Gatorland
Next up is Gatorland. You must have heard of the famous Florida residents that alligators and here is where you can learn a lot more about them. There are loads of different shows and exhibits and it’s just a really great way of learning more about alligators. It has their stomping Gator off-road adventure where you go on a big Jeep. Screaming zipline is one of our favorite trips here. This is absolutely amazing and one of the best things is when you go on 1200 feet of zipline all across the swamps where the alligators are swimming below you and it’s honestly just brilliant. So we definitely recommend doing that.
7. Winter Park
One of our other favorite places in Orlando is Winter Park. Winter Park is about half an hour away from Orlando and it’s a beautiful little town. It’s got lots of upmarket shops and restaurants. It’s got a street that you can walk down where a lot of the restaurants are outside so you can see out and watch the world go by. It’s really nice to visit on a weekend because it always seems to be things going on or you can just sit on the grass and watch the world go by and enjoy the sunshine. It’s just a lovely way to get away from the business of the parks and it’s a really beautiful place. There’s also a lake nearby as well where you can walk down on the dock and take in all the beauty around you. Also for a few dollars, you can go on a boat ride which is run by local residents where they tell you all the gossip around the big houses that surround the lake.
8. Aquatica
It’s a water park and it’s a really great one to visit if you don’t want to go to either the Disney water parks or to Universal’s Volcano Bay. It’s a really big water park and there are loads of different rides. There’s a huge splash zone for the kids, there are river rapids, all sorts of different slides and things. You can also hire a cabana if you want to have a little bit of shade. I think sometimes the other ones are a little bit busy and this one is a really nice lovely water park.
9. West Orange bike trail
Its 22 miles long but you can hire bikes from a place called bikes and blades and head out to Winter Garden which is another beautiful little suburb. You can have food at a place called Plant Street Market which is a really cool place. In this big warehouse there are lots of independent vendors and street food type things and we really recommend it. It is lovely to get a bit of exercise and feel the sun on your skin.
10.De León Springs State Park
This is actually an hour and a bit out of Orlando but we definitely recommend a visit here. All America’s state parks are lovely. There’s lots of hiking you can do and walks and biking. There are playgrounds for the kids but there’s also a really cool restaurant called the sugar mill restaurant where you can make pancakes on a griddle in front of you. The pancake mix is delicious and you got all sorts of different toppings to put on them. De Leon State Park also has other cool things to do as well. The natural beauty of the Park is an amazing view.
So these are our 10 cool things to do in Orlando that aren’t Disney or universal. We really hope this blog would be of your help if you are planning a trip to Orlando. Let us know if it helped you in your amazing trip to Orlando.
