Greetings from Orlando
Springs, lakes, side streets and the parks, done right. Pick the time you have and start there.
November has some of the best weather of the year and a mix of quiet and very busy weeks. Book the weeks between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving for the best balance. The holiday decorations are usually up early, so you get Christmas without the December crowds.
Postcards worth sending
Six places to start, none of them a ride line.
- Free & outdoorsWekiwa Springs
Arrive before the gate opens on a weekend, or come on a weekday, because the park closes to new cars when it fills.
- Free & outdoorsThe Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
Arrive before 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m. to avoid the longest wait, then ride the hour-long tour across three lakes and two old canals.
- EatVietnamese Food in Mills 50
Head to the blocks around Colonial Drive and Mills Avenue, pick a busy pho shop and order a large bowl with the works.
- Day tripsKennedy Space Center
Leave Orlando early, arrive when the gates open and take the bus tour to the Apollo/Saturn V Center before anything else.
- Free & outdoorsLake Eola Park
Walk the loop around Lake Eola late in the afternoon, then stay for the fountain lights after dark.
- ParksPark Tickets: How Not to Overpay
Buy online in advance from the park or an authorized seller, never at the gate.
Pick a way in
- Orlando plans by the time you have
An evening, a free day, a weekend or a week: start from the time you have.
- Orlando month by month
Weather, crowds and what is usually on, January to December.
- Orlando areas and neighborhoods
Where to walk, eat and stay, from Mills 50 to Winter Garden.
- The theme parks, done smarter
Plans for every big park and how not to overpay for tickets.
- Free, cheap and outdoors in Orlando
Springs, lakes, gardens and trails, most of them free or close to it.
- Orlando events through the year
Festivals, fairs and big nights, with when they usually fall.
- Where to eat in Orlando
Pho in Mills 50, food halls, brunch and cheap eats near the parks.
- Getting around Orlando and keeping costs down
Airports, trains, buses, cars, budgets and resort fees.
- Day trips from Orlando
Rockets, beaches, manatees and old towns within a couple of hours.