Museums · Winter Garden
Central Florida Railroad Museum
Free railroad-history museum in downtown Winter Garden with exhibits, artifacts and a large dining-car china collection.
Free
Greater Orlando · Florida
Discover more. Explore Florida.
Springs, lakes, museums, local kitchens and the parks everyone comes for — an independent guide where every listing is checked against official sources.
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Free things to do
Plenty of Orlando costs nothing
Every place here has free admission confirmed on an official source. Parking or special events may still cost money.
Museums · Winter Park
Crealdé School of Art
Winter Park art school with free public galleries, a contemporary sculpture garden and the Hannibal Square Heritage Center.
FreeAttractions · International Drive
Fun Spot America Orlando
Family amusement park near International Drive with rides, go-karts, an arcade, and free parking and admission.
FreeParks · Winter Park
Mead Botanical Garden
47-acre Winter Park garden with hiking trails, a creek, a boardwalk and a butterfly garden; open daily, free to the public; leashed dogs welcome.
Free
Parks & outdoor adventures
Springs, lakes and old Florida
Crystal-clear springs, chain-of-lakes parks and trails that feel far from the resort corridor.
Photo: LeonidasB / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Parks · Downtown Orlando
Lake Eola Park
Downtown Orlando lake park with a 0.9-mile paved loop, swan paddle boats, the Centennial Fountain and an amphitheater; open daily to nearly midnight.
Family-friendly
Photo: Miosotis Jade / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Parks · Kissimmee
Shingle Creek Regional Park
Osceola County regional park along Shingle Creek near the Everglades headwaters, with several sites for walking, biking, fishing and paddling.
Photo: DanTD / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Outdoors · Winter Garden
West Orange Trail
Paved 22-mile Orange County trail through Killarney, Oakland, Winter Garden and Apopka for cycling, skating and walking.
Parks · Around Orlando
Barnett Park
159-acre Orange County park on West Colonial Drive with a splash pad, outdoor amenities and a recreation center with a gymnasium.
Family-friendly
Family & kids
Good with kids
Places whose own information says they welcome families — from science centers to petting zoos.
Photo: LeonidasB / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Parks · Downtown Orlando
Lake Eola Park
Downtown Orlando lake park with a 0.9-mile paved loop, swan paddle boats, the Centennial Fountain and an amphitheater; open daily to nearly midnight.
Family-friendlyAttractions · International Drive
Aquatica Orlando
SeaWorld-affiliated water park with slides, pools, kids' areas, cabanas and a dolphin tour upgrade.
Family-friendlyParks · Around Orlando
Barnett Park
159-acre Orange County park on West Colonial Drive with a splash pad, outdoor amenities and a recreation center with a gymnasium.
Family-friendlyParks · Dr. Phillips
Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake
City of Orlando lakeside park with nature trails, a fishing pier, disc golf, camping and playgrounds; seasonal hours, closed Dec. 24 and 25.
Family-friendly
Restaurants & dining
Eat where Orlando eats
Local kitchens, food halls and neighborhood institutions — from Mills 50 to Winter Garden.
Dining · Around Orlando
Achilles Art Cafe
Independent coffee shop and café on South Hiawassee Road serving the Metrowest community for over eight years.
Dining · Kissimmee
Al Toque Perurrican Fusion
Peruvian restaurant on Vineland Road in Kissimmee, open Wednesday through Sunday with online ordering.
Dining · Lake Nona
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine (Lake Nona)
Turkish restaurant in the Lake Nona area, part of a Florida group with several locations including Dr. Phillips and Winter Garden.
Dining · Altamonte Springs
Broadway Ristorante & Pizzeria (Altamonte Springs)
Italian restaurant and pizzeria in the Oak Grove Shoppes on SR 434 in Altamonte Springs, open daily until midnight.
Neighborhood discovery
Pick a neighborhood
Orlando is a patchwork of lake towns and districts, each with its own pace.
- Mills 50Orlando's Vietnamese and pan-Asian restaurant corridor, with murals and small bars.10 places
- Lake NonaA planned community southeast of the airport with sports, medical and public art.4 places
- Dr. PhillipsSand Lake Road's "Restaurant Row" and quiet lakes near the parks.4 places
- International DriveOrlando's main tourist corridor: attractions, hotels, dining and the convention center.26 places
- Lake Buena VistaThe area next to Walt Disney World, including Disney Springs and resort hotels.6 places
Seasonal visitor guides
When to go, and what to expect
- Orlando Weather and When to VisitGeneral notes on Central Florida's heat, humidity, thunderstorms and hurricane season, plus official sources for forecasts and alerts, to help you plan any time of year.
- Hurricane Season in Orlando: What Visitors Should KnowGeneral background on the Atlantic hurricane season and where visitors to Orlando can find official forecasts, alerts and county emergency information. Not an emergency plan.
Practical travel resources
Before you go
Airport, transportation, weather and safety basics, with links to the official sources.
- Orlando International Airport (MCO): A Visitor's GuideHow Orlando International Airport is laid out, how to reach the terminals, and the main ways to get from the airport into the Orlando area, with links to the airport's own pages.
- Getting Around Orlando: Your Transportation OptionsAn overview of the main ways to move around Greater Orlando: rental cars and tolls, buses, commuter rail, a downtown circulator, shuttles, ride services and bikes, with links to official sources.
- Parking in Orlando: What to Know Before You DrivePractical notes on parking at the airport, downtown and at events: cashless payment, accessible parking rules, shared bikes and scooters, and where to confirm current rates.
- Emergency Resources for Visitors to OrlandoWho to call in an emergency, what 311 and 211 are for, how to get weather alerts, and links to official weather and road information for Greater Orlando.
- Accessible Travel in OrlandoWhere to find accessibility information for Orlando's airport, buses, commuter rail, parking and attractions, plus what the ADA says about service animals. Confirm details with each provider.
- Traveling to Orlando with ChildrenPractical, official-source notes for families: airport facilities, transit fares for kids, heat, storms and water safety, and what theme parks publish for families. Always confirm current rules.
Explore more of Florida
Orlando is just the beginning
We're building this guide one destination at a time, and only publish a destination when it has enough checked listings to be genuinely useful.
See what's comingTampa
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Miami
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Fort Lauderdale
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Florida Keys
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