Orlando, more than Disney & theme parks

Walk over Church Street and you arrive at Church Street Station, where the Old Orlando Railroad Depot building is still standing after 135 years. Today, with more than 20 venues, including international restaurants, this place is a thriving after-hour scene.

And there is Orange Avenue, where the old First National Bank Building sticks out as a testament to the city’s history and architectural elegance with an attractive fusion of Art Deco’s geometric patterns and Egyptian motifs.

Stop by Downtown PourHouse. This is an all-American bar with a cozy atmosphere, a diverse drink menu featuring cocktails at reasonable prices and a bar food highlighted by snacks and burgers.

On Orange Avenue you can see what is left of the iconic Beacham Theater, where great musicians like B.B. King and Ray Charles used to play. Unfortunately, the venue, including the art deco facade, underwent several transformations before it was granted local landmark status in 1987.

Wall Street Plaza is another iconic urban mark in the heart of Downtown Orlando, enhanced by the bars and restaurants that line the street on both sides. The brick pedestrian road, which is in the shadow of 1923’s Angebilt Hotel, delivers a pleasant setting for concert experiences.

Across the Orlando City Hall’s 120-foot copper dome, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a state-of-the art artistic complex, with five different venues, built on a nine-acre site.

It holds the name of Philip Phillips, a prominent figure in citrus farming in Central Florida who remains known in Orlando for his philanthropy.

Designed with crafted, exposed structural elements, this multi performance center stands out with frosted glass panels and a hovering 75-foot cantilevered silver steel canopy that undulates as it stretches over the street below.

Sports

Within close walking distance, you find the Kia Center, surrounded by high-rise apartments and condominiums, which is home to the Orlando Magic of the NBA, and entertainment experiences.

A few more steps and you arrived at the Inter&Co Stadium (formerly known as Orlando City Stadium and Exploria Stadium), where the local Major League Soccer team Orlando City SC plays.

And yes, Orlando is becoming a sport hub in the United States. The Inter&Co Stadium even welcomed in January Brazilian soccer teams São Paulo FC, Atlético Mineiro, and Cruzeiro for a series of exhibition matches in preparation for hosting some of the 2025 FIFA World Cup games, as the tournament is hosted by several cities in the country.

Winter Park

Only six miles away from Downtown Orlando, Winter Park offers a blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and a vibrant community that makes it a charming place all year round.

Here The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art stands out with a comprehensive collection of works by artist Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933), including jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass, leaded-glass lamps, and windows.

Here you find the elaborate 800-square-foot celebrated chapel interior that Tiffany created for the Chicago World’s Fair exhibition in 1893, with such elements as the electrolier and the baptistery.

The collection also includes American art pottery, late 19th- and early 20th-century American paintings, graphics, and decorative art.

Take a walk along Park Avenue and enjoy the 10 tree-line blocks with more than 140 boutiques, restaurants, and specialty shops.

Let’s stop at Prato for lunch or dinner. This is an outstanding Italian restaurant with patio seating and indoor décor marked by contemporary and rustic design elements, and a full bar with capacity for 60 guests.

If you’re seeking an off-the-beaten-path vacation experience, you won’t be disappointed by the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour from 10am to 4pm daily except Christmas.

The dock, less than 5 minutes from Park Avenue, is located on the East end of Morse Boulevard on Lake Osceola.

On a given tour, you will aboard an 18-passenger max pontoon boat, and tour through the canals and lakes, as you enjoy the view with plenty of swaying palms, towering cypress trees, lush ferns, and magnificent mansions along the route.

Back to Orlando

Let’s save the morning for a convenient visit to the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA), where a group of enthusiasts bring together creativity and intellectual curiosity by connecting people with compelling art and innovative ideas.

Besides the permanent collection, enhanced by American art from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as African art, Ancient Americas, and contemporary, the OMA features temporary exhibitions like Torn Apart, until February 2nd., that brings together Andrew Krivine’s extensive collection of punk graphics and ephemera; and Edouard Prulhière: The Inverted Sound of Painting, until May15th.

“Art is alive and not just an object that you put in a box and store away. My role is to interpret it, bring it back to life and get great conversations going around it,” said chief curator of the OMA, Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon.

Right across OMA, the Orlando Science Center offers a wide variety of learning opportunities for curious minds of all ages. From a kids’ place designed especially for children and a secret agent lab, where you and youngsters uncover the science behind espionage, to a Kinetic Zone to design, build, and test your own creations.

It also displays a prehistoric world of dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and megafauna that once roamed the land we inhabit today.

More gastronomy

Orlando is a vibrant city with plenty of restaurants to suit all tastes. It offers an array of cuisines from across the world, with some fun venues where the restaurant is a destination.

The Great Southern Box Company Food Hall & Bar is a bustling culinary hub focused on international cooking for the whole family and yes, including kids.

Located on N. Orange Blossom Trail, this food park transforms the original citrus warehouse from Dr. Phillips’ into a bustling culinary hub focused on immigrant cuisine that have settled in the United States.

Besides the full bar, the backyard deck and the grand lawn, the 13,000-square-foot food & beverage destination offers a wide selection of food options, from Cuban traditional meals and Brazilian recipes to unusual sushi twists and Nepalese dishes.

Also, Reyes Mezcaleria is a great option for real Mexican food lovers. Executive Chef Wendy López knows how make and beautifully present great dishes from her home country.

On famous international Drive, Corazón by Baires counts on vibrant flavors and immersive dining experience with a blending international recipe, from Latin America to Italy and Asia.

Near to Corazón by Baires is The Pointe, an energetic 17-acre entertainment and dining complex with more than 30 venues.

Here you can enjoy from belly dancing on table tops and samba into the early morning hours to stand-up comedians and experience blockbuster movies in 4DX.

Are you into country music, dance, and fun? Don’t miss the PBR Cowboy Bar. The nightclub offers high-energy music, two extensive bars, private VIP tables, great sound & lighting, and a mechanical bull for you to ride or watch to laugh.

How to get there

Airlines provide a service to Orlando from Miami and several US major airports. However, you can drive over or travel by train from Miami and other cities.

Brightline trains offer a convenient ride to Orlando station from Downtown Miami multiple times a day.

While in Orlando, you might want to rent a car, take a cab, or request a ride on Uber of Lyft.

Where to stay

The Orlando area has a wide range of hotels, guest houses and apartment rentals for all budgets.

However, if you want to stay at a state-of-the-art and beautifully designed modern hotel, Wave Hotel is the answer.

Located four miles from Orlando airport and Brightline train station, and 20 miles from Downtown Orlando, this smart hotel opened in December 2021, and it offers stylish standard-setting technology and design you might not find often.

The hotel is part of the Lake Nona Town Center, a 100-acre, open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment destination with plenty of parking garage you’ll be happy to visit.

Here you find Boxi Park, an outdoor entertainment venue constructed from repurposed shipping containers.

Please, Visit VisitOrlando.org or OrlandoMeeting.com for information on accommodation and much more.