Guide to Orlando: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to go in the evening. The most interesting in Orlando: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and shops.
According to mcat-test-centers.com, the city of Orlando is located in the center of Florida, USA. It is the fourth largest city in the state with a population of over a million people. Orlando is a city of vibrant colors and is often referred to as the Hollywood of the East due to the amount of entertainment associated with cinema.
According to one version, the city is named after a soldier named Orlando Reeves, who died in these places during the second war with the Seminoles.
Here the sun shines almost all year round, a huge amount of entertainment, restaurants and shops, modern comfortable hotels, interesting museums and more than 80 parks with rich tropical vegetation, many lakes and amazing fauna.
How to get there
There are no direct flights from Moscow to Orlando, so it is most convenient to fly with a transfer in New York. You can fly to New York by Aeroflot and Delta Airlines, the flight time is about 10 hours. From New York to Orlando can be reached by plane or train. The flight will take just under 3 hours. Minibuses run from Orlando Airport to the city, the fare in which is 27-35 USD, depending on the destination. The train ride is much longer, a little less than a day, the issue price is from 200 USD. The prices on the page are for August 2021.
You can also get from New York to Orlando by bus – this is the most uncomfortable option: you will have to spend 22 hours on the road in an uncomfortable position, and the ticket price is from 95 USD.
Find cheap flights to Orlando
Weather in Orlando
Orlando has a humid and hot subtropical climate. The sun shines 300 days a year, and the year is divided into two seasons: from June to October it is hot and rainy here, and from October to May it is cooler and with less rainfall. The reason for such features is that Orlando is located almost at sea level and close to the Tropic of Cancer.
During the peak of the wet summer season, temperatures in Orlando rarely drop below 21°C. During this period, severe thunderstorms occur almost daily. These storms are caused by air masses coming from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean and colliding over Central Florida. During the dry season (especially in its last months) there is often a threat of fires, the temperature maximum is +38 °C.
Transport
The best way to get around Orlando is by rental car, especially since Orlando is famous as the capital of car rental, as there are a lot of companies specializing in this: Alamo, Avis, Enterprise Rent-EZ-car, L&M Rent a Car, International, Thrifty and many others. The car will be convenient also because all the attractions are widely spread throughout the city and even the outskirts. Getting to them along the highway is quite easy, as there are signs everywhere.
Traffic jams form around the city center in the afternoon, and around the tourist areas on Friday evening and all day on Saturday. Traffic and traffic information is available free of charge by calling 511.
If you don’t have a driver’s license, Orlando’s public transportation system is stable. Lynx buses run on 60 routes, a trip to them costs about 2 USD. The exception is Lymmo city buses – they are free and serve a certain route in the city center. There is a special strip for Lymmo.
The I-Ride Trolley is an urban trolley that primarily serves tourists in the area’s attractions. There is no special dedicated lane for it, which makes the movement on it quite slow and long. There are 85 stops along the main routes on International Drive and 22 stops on the Universal Drive route. The fare is 2 USD per trip. Opening hours: 8:00 – 22:30.
Getting to your destination by taxi, such as Yellow Cab or Meares Transportation, is also not difficult. The trip will cost an average of 25-32 USD.
Unfortunately, some of the taxi companies are not licensed or insured and operate illegally. Be careful!
Car rental in Orlando
Orlando is a mecca for Disney fans, adrenaline and amusement parks in general, like any other city in the States, it is unthinkable without your own car. Most of the tourists, without even leaving the walls of the airport, rent a car. This pleasure is not so expensive – for 50 USD per day you can rent a pickup truck. for this you need to have a driving experience of more than a year, plus a credit card for making a deposit.
Cuisine and restaurants in Orlando
Like most US cities, fast food establishments predominate in Orlando. At first, it even seems that, apart from McDonald’s and Burger King, there is simply nowhere to eat here. But this impression is deceptive – the city has a lot of establishments with classic cuisine, as well as fine restaurants.
Fans of meat dishes should definitely visit Charley’s Steak House, there are only ten such restaurants in the country. For quiet friendly gatherings, Citrus Restaurant is perfect, which is appreciated by locals and tourists for its friendly atmosphere. Diner Johnson is located in the south of the city and is known for its fried dishes, while the Celt Irish Pub serves delicious snacks and draft beer. In downtown Orlando, head to Lac-Viet Bistro for Vietnamese cocktails and traditional noodle dishes. Located in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel, Sixty South Bar & Trattoria is considered a peaceful place to enjoy drinks with friends in the evening. And don’t miss the Spice Modern Steakhouse overlooking Lake Eola!
Entertainment and attractions in Orlando
One of Orlando’s most notable and popular attractions is the Epcot Center, which is a prototype of the society of the future. It is divided into two parts: the “Showcase of the World” with pavilions displaying exhibits from all over the world, and the “World of the Future”, in which you can see models of our planet, a time machine and a spaceship. The main pavilion showcases the latest technology of the 21st century, and next to it is an 11,000-hectare model of the world. This vast territory is home to French, English, Italian, Mexican, Chinatowns and parks.
Of course, the local Disneyland is a success, where you can meet the characters of your favorite Disney cartoons and ride the rides. And fans of the film industry are advised to visit UNIVERSAL Studio World, Steven Spielberg Film Studio Park, where you can plunge into the world of famous films.
The main tourist street of the city is International Drive – it houses most of the hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment centers. We advise you to visit the oceanarium “Sea World”, which presents a variety of inhabitants of the deep sea. There are also shows and rides with the participation of the inhabitants of the oceanarium – dolphins, walruses and killer whales. In the water park “Bay of Discoveries” you can ride water slides and swim with dolphins.
Orlando’s largest entertainment center is City Walk, which has many cafes and restaurants with live music, dance floors and much more.
Along with entertainment venues, picturesque botanical gardens, clean beaches and calm lakes are concentrated in Orlando. The city has a historical museum, an art gallery and a modern science center. And of course, you can’t help but visit the Space Center. Kennedy, which is located on Cape Canaveral an hour’s drive from the city. There are guided tours to the launch pads and the Space Hall of Fame.
Orlando Museums
The Museum of American Art (Mennello Museum of American Art; 900 E Princeton St) features a considerable number of traveling exhibitions. Children under 3 years old enter free of charge.
The Orlando Museum of Art, featuring American and African art, as well as unique traveling exhibitions, can be visited for $12 for adults and $7 for children aged 4 to 17.
