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Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a major city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan region. The Greater Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2,082,628 and it is the 27th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The city-proper population is 230,519 making Orlando the 82nd largest city in the United States. It is Florida's third largest metropolitan area and it's fifth largest city by population. It was incorporated on July 31, 1875, and became a city in 1885.

City of Orlando's History

Orlando’s history dates back to 1838 and the height of the Seminole Wars. The U.S. Army built Fort Gatlin south of the present day Orlando City limits to protect settlers from attacks by Indians. By 1840, a small community had grown up around the Fort. It was known as Jernigan, named after the Jernigan family, who had established the first permanent settlement in the area. Jernigan had a post office, established May 30th, 1850. Six years later with the settlement expanding northward, the community officially changed its name to Orlando. In 1857, the U.S. Post Office adopted the name change. The Town of Orlando was incorporated in 1875 with 85 inhabitants, 22 of whom were qualified voters. Local legend says the name Orlando originated from a soldier named Orlando Reeves who died in the area during the Second Seminole War. There are conflicting legends, however, as Orlando Reeves (sometimes Rees) operated a sugar mill and plantation about 30 miles (50 km) to the north at Spring Garden in Volusia County. Pioneer settlers simply found his name carved into a tree as "Orlando Acosta" and assumed it was a marker for his grave site. They then referred to the area as "Orlando's grave" and later simply Orlando. According to written evidence, Orlando Acosta was also a soldier, but most details of his life are uncertain. Another popular local legend says the city was named after one of the main characters in the Shakespeare play As You Like It. One of the main streets in downtown Orlando is named Rosalind Avenue, after Rosalind, the heroine of the play. A third version has Mr. Orlando on his way to Tampa with a caravan of ox. It is said that he got ill, died and was buried, and that folks would come by and say, "There lies Orlando"

Orlando Tours and Attractions

Orlando is the theme park capital of America, a title that is well-deserved. Orlando and the surrounding areas have major international parks, smaller attractions, and incredible family-entertainment. Orlandois the place every kid dreams of visiting, and it has something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Enjoy sightseeing tours and activities in the Orlando area. Most visitors go to theme parks like Disney World and Universal Studios, but our most popular tours are to the Kennedy Space Center. The Kennedy Space Center Tours provide a fascinating experience for all ages. The Ultimate Space Experience is a special tour that provides a maximum access badge, the lunch with an astronaut experience, as well as the NASA up close bus tour. Church Street Station is an entertainment complex in the vein of Universal's CityWalk and Downtown Disney. Discovery Cove is a theme park in Greater Orlando, Florida. Guests can interact with a variety of marine animals, most notably bottlenose dolphins. The park is located adjacent to sister parks SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica. In addition to swimming with dolphins, Discovery Cove guests can interact with exotic birds, tropical fish, rays, and land mammals. Gatorland is a one-of-a-kind, protected habitat for man and beast where adventures lurk around every corner! Internationally known as the Alligator Capital of the World, Gatorlandís 110-acre theme park and nature conservatory is located in Central Florida at the head of the Florida Everglades. Silver Springs was definitely at the front of the line when Mother Nature was handing out raw natural beauty. The springs themselves are the source of the beautiful Silver River, a gloriously unpolluted glassy ribbon that winds it's way throughout the park and is home to all kinds of wildlife. Numerous golf courses can be found in the city, with the most famous being Bay Hill Club and Lodge , home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Walt Disney World

Parents, you might think you are planning an Orlando vacation for your kids but once you arrive in Orlando, you'll realize that this trip is just what you needed, too. After all, where else but Orlando can you race your kids from exciting ride to breathtaking show one day, and sneak away guilt-free for a round of golf, spa treatment, relaxing dinner or show the next day? In a destination built especially for families, you will find that childhood is a place you can revisit time and again as you reconnect with your own children in this magical place where fantasy and reality meet. Orlando is the perfect destination for the kids, for the two of you, for the extended family — for everyone in your family. The Walt Disney World Resort covers over 47 square miles, hosts thousands of visitors each day and we're about to give you a crash course in finding your way around. There are 4 major theme parks, Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

Magic Kingdom Park
Magic Kingdom theme park captures the enchantment of fairy tales with exciting entertainment, classic attractions, backstage tours and beloved Disney Characters. Designed like a wheel with the hub in front of Cinderella Castle, pathways spoke out across the 107 acres of Magic Kingdom theme park and lead to these 7 whimsical lands.

Epcot theme park
Epcot theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, sprawls across 300 acres—twice the size of Magic Kingdom theme park —and is divided into Future World and World Showcase.

Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Unlike the other Walt Disney World parks, Disney's Hollywood Studios does not have a defined layout; it is more a mass of streets and buildings that blend into each other, much like a real motion picture studio would. The park consists of six themed areas. Unlike the other Walt Disney World parks, Disney's Hollywood Studios does not have a defined layout; it is more a mass of streets and buildings that blend. Attractions at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park , centered on stardom and spectacle, include high-speed rides, high-octane stunt shows and hilarious live performances: something for everyone!

Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park
Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, is full of attractions, adventures and entertainment that reflect Walt Disney's dedication to nature and conservation, and in doing so, the Park leads the way in animal care, education and research. Home to more than 1,700 animals from 250 species and sprawling across 500 acres of lush landscape, Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park is the largest animal-themed park in the world!

Orlando weather

Orlando Weather is tropical, with high humidity, and high heat prevalent through most of the year. Winter is perhaps the most pleasant time to be in Orlando; the weather is often so warm in winter that swimming is an option. The humidity levels and temperatures climb higher in spring, and by the end of spring the rainy season will have started (although rain is always a possibility in Orlando). Summer is always hot in Orlando, with high temperatures that often reach the 90's and high humidity levels a sure thing. Of course everything is air conditioned in Orlando, the theme parks sell inexpensive umbrellas and rain parkas, and there are a number of water parks. One of the area's biggest attractions is its year-round mild weather. At the heart of the "Sunshine State," the area's average annual temperature is a comfortable 72.4 degrees.

Water Parks in Orlando

Orlando has some great water parks most of which are superbly themed, beautifully landscaped and lots of fun. Lockers are generally available for your valuables and you can also rent towels. Check before you bring your own snorkels, flippers, masks, rafts or innertubes - some parks prefer that you use their equipment.

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park, one of 2 Water Parks in Walt Disney World Resort, features one of the world's tallest and fastest free-falling waterslides, as well as slides and rides for the whole family—like a kid-sized, snow-castle fountain play area with scaled-down versions of the more thrilling attractions. Attractions at Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park consists of raft rides, toboggan slides, a one-acre wave pool, the Tike's Peak children's play area and intense waterslides—including one of the the tallest and fastest in the whole U.S.A.!
Aquatica is a whimsical, one-of-a-kind water park only the clever folks at SeaWorld could create – a fab combo of up close animal encounters, flowing waters from serene to extreme, high-speed thrills and wide, sandy beaches.
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, one of 2 Water Parks in Walt Disney World Resort, features attractions for the whole family—from fast waterslides to a children's area with pint-sized raft rides. The park, which opened on June 1, 1989, is home to the world's largest outdoor wave pool.The theme of the park is the "Disney legend" of a typhoon that wreaked havoc upon a formerly pristine tropical paradise.

Museums, Parks & Gardens

Orlando, as our name suggests, is all about the attractions. There are some days though, especially after back to back visits to the theme parks, when something a little more gentile is required.
Cornell Fine Arts Museum
Leu Gardens
Central Florida Zoo
Orlando Museum Of Art
Morse Museum Of American Art
Wekiwa Springs State Park
Blue Spring State Park

Kultur and Festivals

Greater Orlando, in the heart of Florida, hosts an abundance of annual events, from arts fairs and food festivals to huge conventions, nationally televised sports events, and more. The Florida Film Festival in nearby Maitland is one of the most respected regional film festivals in the country and attracts budding filmmakers from around the world. The Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival , which draws touring companies from around the world, is hosted in various venues over Downtown Orlando every spring. At the festival, there are also readings and fully-staged productions of new and unknown plays by local artists. Also in the spring, there is The Harriett Lake Festival of New Plays, hosted by Orlando Shakespeare Theater.
College Baseball, St. Patrick's Day Party, International Flower and Garden Festival, Silver Spurs Rodeo, Bach Festival, Summer Music Games World Championships, Halloween Horror Nights, National Basketball Association, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade and Party

Sport

Orlando is the home city of the Orlando Magic NBA team, the Orlando Predators Arena Football League team, the Orlando Titans NLL indoor lacrosse team, the Florida Tuskers UFL team, the Orlando Fantasy LFL team and the UCF Knights college athletics teams.
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