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Things to do / Travel Guide
Tampa and Orlando Tourist Attractions
The Orlando area is the prime family entertainment destination in the world. Resorts, sports, museums, shows, shopping, and beaches abound. Grandparents, honeymooners, children, foreign tourists, and Americans of all walks of life share in the region's fun with you.
The area is overloaded with activities that draw visitors to the Central Florida area over and over again. If there were to be only one officially sanctioned family-friendly getaway on the whole planet, it would probably be the Orlando/Tampa area.
Orlando Vacation Spots
Have we mentioned that Orlando is family-friendly yet? It almost seems like Central Florida was designed to provide to provide families (young and old) with a never-ending list of vacation spots and tourist attractions. It offers some of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, including Disney World, the supposed most magical place on Earth. And Disney isn't just a single park anymore (nor has it been for many, many years). When you say “Disney,” five or six different parks come to mind: There's Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Magic Kingdom, Blizzard Beach Water Park, MGM Studios, and Epcot Center.
Other non-Disney family-pleasers include Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium, the Orlando Science Center, the Orlando Museum of Art, the Morse Museum, the Harry P. Leu Gardens, Sea World, Gatorland, Holyland Experience, and Wet n' Wild Water Park, and Water Mania. Need I say more?
Tampa Vacation Spots
Fun vacation spots aren't contained exclusively near Disney; Tampa's got its share of fun as well. In terms of amusement parks there's the Busch Garden's Theme Park, Dinosaur World, and Celebration Station. The Florida Aquarium and the Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa are also in the area, offering families with the requisite zoo-stops during their vacation.
Other vacation spots in Tampa, Florida include the rock climbing wall Vertical Ventures, the Yuengling Brewery, the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens, Heritage Village, and the Museum of Science and Industry.
Just southwest of Tampa lies the beachfront town of St. Petersburg where you'll find some of the Florida's best beaches. These Gulf Coasts paradises offer tourists with ample opportunities to go fishing, boating, swimming, and lazing around in the hot sun. There are also beaches on the Atlantic Ocean side of the state, including Bathtub Beach on Hutchinson Island, called such for its warm, bathtub-like waters. The nearby Vero Beach Oceanfront & Coast is also worth a stop, as well as the more northern Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Orlando Getaway Planner
Your Orlando getaway itinerary should definitely include a trip to some of the Disney parks, but should also include time to drive around the Central Florida region. You'll stumble upon some of Florida's hidden secrets, like the Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards in Clermont, Florida, the Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, or an endless number of luxurious spas.
Your getaway would be incomplete without taking advantage of some of the fabulous shopping Orlando, Florida and its surrounding areas have to offer. Central Florida is a central shopping zone. From Seminole Towne Center Mall up by Sanford down to Lakeland Square Mall and everything in between, shoppers will be in merchandise heaven!
Tampa and Orlando, Florida Road Trip Getaway Planner
There is enough to keep families and singles alike busy for more than a week in the Orlando area, where you will likely be staying. Add on day trips to the east (Cape Canaveral area) and the west (Tampa area) for variety. Plan carefully to avoid crowds and high prices. If you have a free day, take a Orlando to Tampa road trip using the map of Central Florida on this page.
One final tip for road tripping golfers: Golf enthusiasts will feel right at home up and down I-4 around the Orlando area. For an exciting golf getaway, plan to start up by Daytona Beach and head down towards Haines City. Along the way you'll hit more golf clubs than you can imagine, including Victoria Hill Golf Club, Shingle Creek Golf Club, Bay Hill Golf Club, Mystic Dunes Resort, and Ginn Reunion Golf Resort.
Tourist Attractions and Highlights in Orlando, Tampa and Central Florida
Tourist-Attractions-Highlights
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