Orlando Travel Guide and Tips

Orlando

Orlando is appropriately considered as the “Vacation Capital of the World.” Great climate, sparkling tourist attractions, amazing nightlife options and a splendid array of daytime activities blend together to make Orlando an excellent family destination. For most, Orlando is almost a synonymous for theme parks. And these celebrated theme parks permeate each and every corner of the city, even engulfing and influencing city’s restaurants and hotels with their slick and ever-growing tentacles. For those who are looking for more relaxing options, Orlando features a couple of impressive and enriching museums. Families can take a break from the hustle and bustle of amusement parks and can also spend an afternoon relaxing on a beach. Holidays in Orlando can turn out to be an expensive affair given the ample amount of must-visit attractions in the region. Stay on budget and try to get the best holiday deals, including low cost flights, cheap hotels and theme park tickets.

Tourist Spots in Orlando

Not without any reason Orlando is one of the leading tourist destinations in the United States. The fantastic and incredible attractions in the city provide travellers with ample opportunities to remain entertained throughout their holidays. Orlando features astounding theme parks of almost all major Disney characters. The city of theme parks offers good clean fun along with great educational opportunities. No wonder, Orlando ranks at the top of families’ choice of holiday destination. Here is a look at the most popular tourist spots in Orlando:

Shopping Attractions in Orlando

Shopping is one of the major attractions in Orlando with a plethora of swanky malls, outlet centres and chic boutiques. Retail therapy in the city is indeed a thrilling affair with a mind-numbing array of options that provide all kinds of enticements to shoppers. Whether you’re looking for cheap deals, exclusive personal shopping expeditions or the hottest in luxury brands, Orlando has something to delight everyone, even the most astute shoppers. Below listed are some of the shopping attractions in the city:

Eating Out in Orlando

Orlando has metamorphosed into a major culinary destination with sophisticated tastes for even the most discerning appetite. The city has a myriad of fine dining eateries along with casual eating joints. Travellers to Orlando are offered a wide array of international cuisines including Brazilian, Lebanese, Argentinean, Ethiopian, Moroccan, Turkish, Russian, Colombian, Polynesian Norwegian and Peruvian. For visitors in the city it is all about finding their epicurean favourites. Some of Orlando’s popular eating joints are:

Hotels in Orlando

With a hotel virtually around every corner, travellers will always find a perfect place to stay in Orlando. Holiday travellers can choose from a range of hotels, resorts, suites and villas that are located near different major city attractions. Several tourist families prefer to rent their own private villas as it provides them with much more private space and personal facilities.

Cheap Flights to Orlando

Find the latest airfares and discounted offers on flights to Orlando operating from UK.

Preferred Airlines to Orlando from UK

American Airline | US Airways | United Airlines | Air Canada | Delta Airline | Continental Airlines | KLM Royal Dutch | Air France | Lufthansa Airline | Kuwait Airways

Airports in Orlando

The Orlando International Airport (Code: MCO) is the major international airport that is located in the southeast of Orlando’s central business district. It is one of the busiest airports in the United States with annual passenger traffic of more than 35,000,000. The airport serves as a hub for AirTran Airways and is a focus city for JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and Allegiant Air. The Orlando International Airport offers multiple transportation options such as public transit, personal conveyance and car rental.

Best Time to Visit Orlando

March and April are generally considered to be the most popular months to visit the city of Orlando as it is the time of Easter break for kids. Families can enjoy the various attractions without worrying about children missing their schools. The water parks in Orlando also attract the maximum crowd during the summers.

The period of January and February is the off season and if one is looking forward towards a quieter and less frantic vacation, then this is the time to visit the city’s theme parks. Fun activities and attractions are less as compared to the summer months but availability of cheap flights, low hotel rates and other off-season discount deals more than make up for the loss.

Getting Around in Orlando

Orlando’s major public transportation is the Lynx bus service that operates on more than 60 routes throughout the metro Orlando area. While, taxis in Orlando are few and far between, travellers can enjoy a ride on I-Ride Trolley, a bus service that operates around the city’s attractions.

With most of the big car rental companies accessible, Orlando is considered the hub of car rental companies. Dollar, Alamo, L & M Car Rental, Enterprise, Budget, E-Z Rent-a-car, Avis, National and Thrifty are some companies that operate within the airport area.

Orlando Travel Tips

Safety :

Overall the city of Orlando is pretty safe; however there are certain parts in the city which are not exactly known for their hospitality and safety.

Orange Blossom Trail, the unofficial red light area of the city, is one such part of the city. Prostitution is illegal in Orlando and one can land up in jail if found indulging in the act.

The Parramore District and Pine Hills area are other regions that are notorious for their high crime rates. It is advisable for tourists to avoid such places completely.

Orlando is a well-known tourist destination and crime against tourists is something that is not unheard of in the city. However, common sense and basic precautions can prevent most of the crimes.

• Always lock your hotel room doors behind you when you are in the room.
• Do not leave valuable items in your cars.
• It is also advisable to never leave small kids unattended.
• One must keep in mind to never leave children or pets in a parked car. High temperature of the city can prove to be lethal as the interiors of the car heat up pretty soon.

General:

You must have a valid British driver’s license in order to hire a car in Orlando. It should also be noted that drink driving limits in the US are lower than in the UK. Additionally, it is illegal to carry open alcohol bottles or cans in your car in the city.

Almost all major banks and hotels in the Orlando area offer money exchange services.

(Note: This destination guide is based on information gathered from reliable resources available on the internet and provides only general information about the destination. Southall Travel holds no responsibility for any misrepresentation of facts and will not be in any way liable for any kind of eventuality arising from the use of information given in this guide)