Whether you’re here to relax, shop, swim, play golf or thrill-seeking at Orlando’s world-famous resorts, visitors are spoiled for choice.
With most attractions less than 30 minutes’ drive away, you can enjoy a fun day out before returning to the beautiful villa for a well-earned swim, jacuzzi spa or just to chill on the sun deck.
Spacious, comfortable and clean, it’s a welcoming home-from-home – perfect!
And if all that retail therapy, teeing-off or rollercoaster-riding leaves you feeling peckish, there are plenty of restaurants for eating-out or ordering-in.
Mexican, Italian, Cuban, American – all are just a phone call or short drive away.
Here’s what you’ll find within 25 mins’ drive from the villa:
- Walt Disney World – 16 mins
- Sea World – 21 mins
- Discovery Cove – 22 mins
- Magic Kingdom – 22 mins
- Epcot Centre – 20 mins
- Animal Kingdom – 20 mins
- Hollywood Studios – 17 mins
- International Drive – 24 mins
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – 24 mins
- Suhls Rodeo – 15 mins
A little further afield:
- Busch Gardens – 1hr, 15 mins
- Kennedy Space Centre – 1 hour
Golf
You’re spoilt for choice here when it comes to golf! There are more than 50 golf courses locally, so whatever kind of course you’re looking for or level you play at, you’ll find the course for you.
There will only be one problem – deciding which to go to!
If your bucket list includes playing at the world’s top golf courses, then this location puts you a couple of hours from TPC Sawgrass and Seminole, plus the PGA National Golf Club is the same distance.
Within 90 mins are:
Nature/exploring
Florida is sunny on 360 days of the year – so the chances are, whatever time you come to stay, you will have lovely weather!
The theme parks are fun but if you want to experience true Florida, you can travel slightly further afield to find some amazing places to visit.
Hop the tropical islands of the Florida Keys, take an overnight trip to the Everglades, historic cities await – St Augustine is the oldest in the US.
Beaches on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts are waiting for you to put a towel down and soak up the sunshine or paddle in the sea.
Days out
Here you’ll find beautiful and uncrowded beaches for relaxation or watersports and high-end shopping, golf courses and dining.
If you have more than a day to spare, an overnight trip to the Everglades National Park would make a lovely mini-break.
Sports, shopping, culture and a fabulous museum all await you here.
The restaurants are award-winning and the Ringling Museum boasts an impressive collection of European paintings and tapestries.
Stunning beaches are your backdrop!
Families flock here to enjoy wildlife and nature on foot, by peddle, kayak or boat. A real gem worth making the time to visit.
Jump in the car for 90 minutes and you arrive here – where 35-miles of spectacular white sandy beaches await you.
Sun-worshippers, sports lovers and culture vultures will all find something here.
It’s a 3-hour drive down to Sanibel Island but well worth it when you get there. It’s famous for spectacular sunsets, finding amazing shells, watersports, fine dining and luxurious hotels. It’s teeming with wildlife so do some fishing, go out in a boat or just relax – it’ll be worth the trip away from the madness of the theme parks.
You can also pop onto Captiva Island to where they’re all geared up for children with beach and water activities for them to enjoy.
Drive for just over an hour east and you’ll get to Cocoa Beach, right near Cape Canaveral on their ‘Space Coast’.
Plenty to do here – kayaking, deep sea fishing, wind / water sports, golf, shopping, pop to the Kennedy Space Centre, or go historical and cultural with a trip to their museum and places of interest.
Tickets, tips and planning
Tickets
Take a look at the Visit Orlando website for information on parks and tickets
Florida Tix is also a popular website for buying your tickets before you go
Tips:
- Book in advance – tickets and parking
- Pay for priority parking if you can – it will save you time
- Look for packages on flights and tickets
- Voucher books – collect them up from hotels and attractions to see what deals they have
- Use supermarkets, not hotel supermarkets for your food, snacks and water to save money
- Outlet Centres – take a spare suitcase because they have good bargains, but visit a few to see what you can find
- Souvenirs – buy on International Drive; cheaper than in the parks
- The I-RIDE Trolley is great if you don’t want to drive or worry about parking, taking you to various stops within the International Drive Resort Area. You need to book in advance though.
- Wear comfy shoes
- Keep hydrated
- Take and use plenty of sunscreen
- Budget for parking
Planning
We like this Facebook group to help you plan your trip too:
It’s Orlando Time
This Facebook group updates every Monday with the latest ticket offers too:
Deewol’s Orlando Park Tickets Update