Ultimate First-Time Visitor Guide to Orlando

Nearly everyone has that one place in the world that they have always dreamed of visiting, placing it at the top of their bucket list and saving their pennies until that one wondrous day when their vacation dreams come true and they actually get to book their journey. It can be difficult, however, to know everything there is to do during your vacation of a lifetime, even in a place like Orlando which is obviously an extremely popular vacation destination, but because you chose Tropical Villas Orlando for your accommodations, you won’t have to worry about missing something important. This ultimate guide to a first-time trip to Orlando, FL will ensure that you will get to do, see, and taste everything our central Florida town has to offer and when you come home to our Florida sanctuaries every night you will rest assured that this truly has been a vacation where all your dreams come true.

A Walk in the Park

This is Orlando we are talking about, and of course we aren’t talking about a neighborhood park with jungle gyms and picnic tables. We are the “Theme Park Capital of the World,” after all, and although Disney is what comes to mind when you first started dreaming about an Orlando vacation, this guide will show you some other parks you won’t want to miss.

The World of Disney

In Orlando, Disney isn’t just one park. There are four parks in total, and if you want to see them all, you can buy a park hopper ticket that will allow you to visit each. The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios (home to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge), and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are each worth visiting in their own right, but seeing them all in one trip will make this getaway an unforgettable experience. If you really want to see them all, however, be sure to arrange for multiple days at the parks, because there is no way you could do justice to any of them if you tried to visit them all on the same day!

Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios has four of its own parks, just as Disney does, including Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay, and our favorite, Universal Epic Universe. The latter is home to Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon-Isle of Berk, and Celestial Park. Also offering multi-park passes, to see them all you should probably plan on making the Universal parks your only goal for all the days of your vacation.

LEGOLAND Florida

Just when you think you have reached the end of multiple parks under one name, LEGOLAND Florida reminds us there are always new ways to play. Offering three parks under its name, LEGOLAND Theme Park, LEGOLAND Water Park, and Peppa Pig Theme Park (This relatively new addition to the theme park world is ideal for families with younger children!), we assure you that kids of all ages will love the park.

SeaWorld Orlando

It’s almost a relief to tell you that SeaWorld is just one magical park, offering a newly revised way to enjoy the creatures of the sea. You probably have heard about the orcas, dolphins, and all the creatures that make their home there, but you may not realize that have shifted their purpose to conservation and education, or that they also offer a fantastic selection of rides, including “death defying” roller coasters that will become an integral part of your park experience.

Gatorland

We can’t end our discussion of parks without giving honorable mention to Gatorland, a park you may not have had on your radar. Serving as home for a variety of reptiles and wild animals, including alligators, crocodiles, wildcats, birds, capybaras, snakes, and more, they also provide ziplines, meet & greets, and a really wild Gator Night Shine experience where you can feed the gators at night. Given a flashlight and a pocketful of food, the way the gators’ eyes shine red under the light of the flashlight at night might be a little spooky, but it will be one experience you will never forget during your first time in Orlando, Florida.

A Little Bit of Culture

Not every Orlando vacation needs to be a family one, and if you prefer exploring the arts and cultural side of our Central Florida hometown, the museums and galleries listed below are destined to be a great start to your more sophisticated adventures in Orlando.

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

Located just outside of Orlando in the town of Winter Park, the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art celebrates the art of some of our nation’s finest artists while focusing on the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany. A part of the landscape since the 1940s, the museum showcases an awe inspiring Tiffany Chapel interior, transported from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

Corporal Larry E Smedley National Vietnam War Museum

The Vietnam War was a troubling time for Americans, and this fascinating museum pays homage to the sacrifices made. Including planes, helicopters, and tanks that provided transportation during the war, this museum is popular with military buffs.

Naturally Beautiful

The tropical climate of Orlando ensures that the landscape is one that will take your breath away and the places we list below celebrate that beauty while also offering a tranquil peace that can quiet the noises in your brain after too many theme park adventures on your trip to Orlando, FL.

Harry P. Leu Gardens

Offering nearly 50 acres of tropical and semi tropical gardens, the Harry P. Leu Gardens were once the private gardens of a local family. (The Leus, of course!) Trails meander through the beautiful flowers and plants, shaded by 200 year old oaks and a variety of trees and also offering a forest of camellias with blooms of many colors. It is impossible to feel anything but happy and at peace when exploring the gardens and if you have the time, we encourage you to explore the home attached to the gardens, the Harry P. Leu House, that offers guided tours.

Lake Eola Park

Now we really are talking about a neighborhood park with Lake Eola Park being the center of local events, festivals, and fun. Rent a swan-shaped paddleboat at sunset or take out your cameras and photograph the live swans that live here. Offering tables for picnicking, gardens filled with beautiful flowers, and two playgrounds, one for kids 2-5 years of age and one for kids 5-12 years of age, Lake Eola Park is a family fun destination that will bring peace and serenity.

Epic Paddle Adventures

Offering both paddleboard and clear kayak tours, Epic Paddle Adventures will make you fall in love with the natural side of Orlando. Taking guests to where the dolphins frolic and the manatees roam, their Comb Jelly Bioluminescence Clear Kayak & LED Glow Tour never fails to make participants believe in magic. Honeymooners love their Date Night Neon Glow Clear Kayak OR Clear Paddleboard Champagne Tours, so if you are here celebrating your love, we’ve helped you figure out one date night activity.

A Taste of Orlando

All of this excitement is really making us hungry, and if your stomach is starting to growl as well, it is time to explore the epicurean landscape of Orlando. If you can think it, we can assure you that there is a restaurant that will offer it, but the ones listed below are just a few of our favorites.

@ The Diner

When you want to feel at home while far from yours at breakfast @ The Diner offers homestyle meals, casual vibes, and sprinkle pancakes that your kids are going to beg for! Reasonably priced and serving generous portions, we’ve spent a lot of time researching the food served here, and we promise they haven’t hit a sour note yet. Try their Bennyffle, a version of eggs benedict that substitutes crispy waffles in place of the more traditional English muffins! Open for lunch as well, this casual spot may become your regular haunt.

The Stubborn Mule

Locally sourced ingredients meet pub grub at the Stubborn Mule, and after one bite, you will never be satisfied with standard bar fare again. Their menu changes with the seasons, but the flavors will always explode in your mouth and if you happen to find their chipotle cheese steak on the menu when you visit, do yourselves a favor and order it. Triple chocolate cake from their dessert menu is the only proper way to finish off your meal, unless of course you prefer salted caramel cheesecake or seasonal bread pudding. They are open for dinner as well.

Victoria & Alberts

Every town has that one iconic restaurant that reminds people it is ok to spoil yourself, and in Orlando, that restaurant would be Victoria & Alberts. A Michelin star restaurant that offers an elevated prixe fixe menu that will literally change your life, this special place that is a part of the Disney resort does offer a hefty price tag, but the experience of a dinner at Victoria & Alberts is more than worth the expense. Even their wine menu will impress, offering selections that go back to the early 1900s, and their handcrafted cocktails are positively sublime.

Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food

If you aren’t willing to spend a few hundred dollars on a single meal (and not many of us are!), Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food offers much more reasonable prices (in the $20 to $30 range), an explosion of flavor, and the best margaritas in town. Colorful, exciting, and providing live mariachi music on select nights of the week, every moment of a meal enjoyed here will be memorable.

We Love the Nightlife

Orlando is a cosmopolitan city that celebrates sophistication as well as fun and our nightlife really rocks. The spots listed below are sure to add an extra sparkle to your first time in Orlando, Florida that will already be glittering and shiny!

Mather’s Social Gathering

Offering a speakeasy experience, Mather’s Social Gathering is located in a historic downtown Orlando building and its décor reflects the history of the 140-year-old structure. There is a dress code at Mather’s, so be sure to dress sharp and try to avoid club wear, but once you are inside the night is your oyster and the drinks they serve are your pearls. Nearly every night of the week they showcase a new form of entertainment, covering the spectrum from burlesque to live music to magic, and your night at this unique spot will be one you never forget.

Swirlery

Is there a finer pleasure than the ones experienced while sipping excellent wine and listening to live music? Swirlery, a wine shop and tasting room located in the heart of the SODO Main Street District, specializes in small production wines and offers a variety of events throughout the week, including Blind Tasting Tuesdays and Thursday Somm Sessions that allow you to understand wine a little better.

Attic Orlando

When your feet need to move and you can’t wait for the rhythm to get you, a visit to Attic Orlando will cure what ails you. Offering international DJs, special lighting effects, and table service for those willing to put out the extra dollars, this fun night spot is one of Orlando’s most popular and most famous.

Tropical Villas Orlando Welcomes You Home

However you spend your daytime hours in Orlando, coming home to Tropical Villas Orlando will make you feel welcomed and at home. Offering comfort, style, and luxury, our homes will be your favorite part of your Florida vacation—and knowing how much fun you are about to have, that is saying a lot. Book your favorite escape today!