The city is full of hidden gems and treasures. If you’re tired of always hitting the same spots, take a look at all the options below. We showcase businesses near you where you could spend countless hours of endless fun with your entire family.
Say goodbye to the boring weekends and routine birthday parties. Think outside the box and dare to try something new. Take a look at what your city has to offer – all within driving distance of your location. You might be surprised!
400 W Church St
Orlando, FL 32801 Directions
Get the best arts, music and entertainment value at Amway Center, where there's always an event going on to suit your taste. Sports? Check. Musical performances? Definitely. Family shows? Covered. From the Orlando Magic, to Elton John, to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, your entertainment buck stops here.
Amway Center is a multi-purpose arena and home to the NBA's Orlando Magic, Arena Football's Orlando Predators and MISL Soccer's Orlando Sharks.
The arena's seating accommodates up to 17,000 spectators for basketball games, but can also be rearranged to seat a few thousand concert-goers in a more intimate setting.
The Amway Center opened in 1989 with a performance by Bill Cosby. It has hosted a myriad of talented performers like Jimmy Buffett, Elton John, Billy Joel, Cher, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and a host of other legendary performers.
Family-friendly events are also a big hit here, with shows like Disney on Ice, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey's, Mannheim Steamroller and Blue Man Group returning to sold-out crowds.
1534 Blizzard Beach Dr
Orlando, FL 32830 Directions
Have a blast at Blizzard Beach, a Disney water park that features free-fall water slides, toboggan races, chair lifts, and other fun blizzard-themed rides. It won't take long to find out how Blizzard Beach got its cool name, since it's the perfect place to chill out on a hot day. You've got to sample each of the nearly one dozen water slides, including the one that's the tallest in the world!
401 W Livingston St
Orlando, FL 32801 Directions
If there's a show worth catching, you'll find it at the Bob Carr Theater. The center is Orlando's crown jewel of culture, with touring Broadway shows, famed musical acts and don't-miss events and attractions. It's also home to the Orlando Ballet, Orlando Opera and Orlando Philharmonic.
The Bob Carr Theater is the cornerstone of the Orlando Venues entertainment complex, constructed in 1926 and flourishing throughout the years.
Originally known as the Municipal Auditorium, the venue got its start hosting grand-scale operas, stage productions and organ recitals. It even dabbled in the movie-house business for awhile, to the chagrin of neighboring competitors at the time.
In 1975, the venue was slated for renovation and expansion, transforming it into a world-class auditorium, theater and concert hall.
Today, the Bob Carr Theater is known to host some of the largest and most popular touring productions of Broadway shows. Famed cultural programs like the Orlando Ballet, Orlando Opera, Orlando Philharmonic and the Festival of Orchestras also call the Bob Carr Theater home.
10165 N McKinley Dr
Tampa, FL 33612 Directions
Gaze at the exotic animals of Busch Gardens, a theme park that offers guests an up-close view of amazing animals in a variety of outdoor settings. Walk through the Serengeti Plains, the deep jungle and a rain forest. Themed rides like the Kumba roller coaster offer plenty of thrills.
3755 NW Hwy 17-92
Sanford, FL 32747 Directions
Connect with the outdoors and the animals at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. Featuring more than 400 creatures, the zoo holds fascinating educational and interactive opportunities for visitors, including Keeper Chats and Elephant Encounters.
7400 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819 Directions
Experience one of the most exotic and fun water parks in Florida, the CoCo Key Water Resort. With overhead canopies and a variety of towers, slides and floats, the water park provides water recreation fun for everyone.
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, FL 32821 Directions
Swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove. You'll attend a short training session before venturing into the water for your very own face-to-face experience with a trained dolphin. Photo and video opportunities are available to document your experience at this attraction. Reservations are a must.
Discovery Cove takes you inside the special world of marine animals, where you'll get the chance to swim with dolphins and interact with exotic birds and other creatures.
Conveniently located next to SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica, Discovery Cove is truly a one-of-a-kind adventure.
First, you'll attend a short training course with your dolphin adventure guide. The safety orientation and information session will prepare you for the next piece of excitement: Getting in the dolphin pool.
You'll learn how to use hand signals and positive reinforcement to encourage the dolphins to perform their special tricks. Then you'll participate in a one-on-one swim with a bottlenose dolphin!
Guests also have the option to extend their experience with the "Trainer for a Day" package. In addition to the 30-minute dolphin session, you'll also get a private photo session, more time with the dolphin trainers and a behind-the-scenes tour.
There are plenty of other fantastic opportunities to interact with marine and wildlife at Discovery Cove.
A coral reef section filled with thousands of tropic fish awaits. You can put on snorkeling gear and hit the reef, where you'll also find an underwater shark and barracuda tank. You can view these intimidating creatures up close, where they swim behind a wall of protective glass. Guests can also swim in the stingray tank, which features dozens of rays.
On land, more than 250 tropical birds await, including parrots, toucans and more than 30 other species. And when you're ready to relax, a man-made Tropical River flows around the park, and you can float past Discovery Cove's beaches, waterfalls and rainforest landscape. There's also a freshwater resort pool for more fun in the sun.
The all-inclusive price for admission includes all you can eat or drink, including alcoholic beverages. All guests receive snorkeling gear, which includes a mask and a wetsuit or vest. Lockers, towels, sunscreen, and beach chairs are also included in admission to the park.
1 Citrus Bowl Pl
Orlando, FL 32805 Directions
Catch all the action at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, a 70,000-seat arena that hosts major football games and big-name entertainers. Main events include the Capital One Bowl, the Champs Sports Bowl, and Monster Jam.
The Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium calls the Orlando Venues complex home, and dominates the landscape as the largest tenant.
The stadium seats over 70,000 patrons and hosts some of the most-talked-about bowl games of the year.
Since the time it opened in 1946, the Citrus Bowl Stadium has grown and undergone numerous updates. The venue has hosted not only legendary bowl games, but also World Cup soccer games and concerts by iconic performers like the Rolling Stones
7011 Grand National Dr
Orlando, FL 32819 Directions
Tour practically every nook and cranny of Central Florida with Florida Dolphin Tours. The tour company doesn't just book dolphin encounters. You can also swim with the manatees, watch a Space Shuttle launch, go to an Orlando Magic game, visit Cocoa Beach by air boat or glide past gators in the Everglades.
5700 Fun Spot Way
Orlando, FL 32819 Directions
Go for the thrill of it at Funspot Action Park, where go karts, thrill rides and kiddie activities await the entire family. A multi-level go-kart track will have you zipping around like a pro in no time.
14501 S Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, FL 32837 Directions
If you've ever dreamed about wrasslin' gators, this is your chance to watch it up close. At Gatorland, you'll see plenty of gators and crocs, an aviary, breeding marsh and petting zoo, as well as the infamous Gator Wrestlin' Show and other attractions.
Bring on the gators! At Gatorland, you're never far from the snapping jaws of these incredible reptiles.
Known as the Alligator Capital of the World, Gatorland is home to thousands of alligators and crocodiles. There's also plenty of interactive fun with a petting zoo, swamp walk and reptile shows.
The art of alligator wrestling is a huge draw here, where crowds can safely watch from the observation tower.
A new feature at Gatorland is the Gator Gully Splash Park. More than ¼ acre of water fun awaits guests, providing the perfect chance to cool off during those hot Florida afternoons. Fun features at the water park include dueling water guns mounted on two giant gator rides, a tame dash-n-spray for the little ones, and a water-play fountain perfect for kids (and grown-ups) of all ages.
Gatorland is a 110-acre theme park founded in 1949, and is the perfect getaway for families large and small.