day trips from Orlando
Mar 14th, 2005, 09:25 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
day trips from Orlando
Coming to Orlando for 10 nights. Will have a 5 day Disney pass and would like to do some day trips, will have a rental car. Probably, Kennedy Space cnt and perhaps an Everglades type tour. (or is that way too touristy!!!) We don't have either of those things in Australia. Any other suggestions greatfully accepted.
Mar 16th, 2005, 11:24 AM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would suggest you come to the Sarasota area. We have some of the most beautiful beaches here. There are many wonderful hotels and resorts in the area as well. You may want to try Siesta Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key. They are all wonderful and you will receive great rates because our season is almost over. I hope you will have time to drive to our coast! The drive time from Orlando will probably be 2 - 3 hours depending on traffic. Happy traveling!
Mar 16th, 2005, 11:58 AM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi,
The Kennedy Space Center is a great idea! It is a really memorable experience and it makes a big impact when you see the space shuttles launch after your trip. There is a great museum with a moon rock on display, but my favorite part was going out to the hangars where the shuttles are stored, and going out to the launch site.
Also, lots of people go over to the Tampa area....
Best Regards,
Julia
The Kennedy Space Center is a great idea! It is a really memorable experience and it makes a big impact when you see the space shuttles launch after your trip. There is a great museum with a moon rock on display, but my favorite part was going out to the hangars where the shuttles are stored, and going out to the launch site.
Also, lots of people go over to the Tampa area....
Best Regards,
Julia
Mar 16th, 2005, 01:21 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In addition to the Cape (which is also on the coast - but the Atlantic side) and Tampa (so you can see the Gulf coast beaches... very different!), you may want to venture up to North Centeral FL. You can go through Ocala (about an hour and a half or so from Orlando) through the BEAUTIFUL horse country - big live oaks, rolling hills, HUGE farms (for FL) with MAGNIFICENT barns/farms etc - and from there the Gainesville area is only another hour. Plains Paririe is on the way to the G'ville area which is yet another glimpse of a FL that most people don't see. The Suannee river is always nice (and less touristed than the Everglades with much of the same wildlife, just not the same terrain...), the place is chock full of Springs in that area - including Fanning Springs which is world renowned for cave diving! Cedar Key is a quaint fishing village on the Gulf Coast up towards G'ville...
I like it when tourists see the other parts of FL instead of the "usual supspects" of Miami, Orlando, the Keys, the Everglades etc - FL is really much more diverse than those places would lead you to expect!
I like it when tourists see the other parts of FL instead of the "usual supspects" of Miami, Orlando, the Keys, the Everglades etc - FL is really much more diverse than those places would lead you to expect!
Mar 16th, 2005, 01:59 PM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,336
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Neither the Everglades or Siesta Key are what I'd call a day-trip from Orlando, unless you want to spend most of your time in your car. But you might want to take a trip to Tampa for the day, then drive down to Naples and spend the night. Next day, do the Corkscrew Swamp tour and an Everglades Tour, and head back to Orlando.
For a day trip to Tampa, get on the road to Tampa (I-4 west) and stop halfway at Buddy Freddy's for breakfast ala southern style with an all-you-can-eat buffet that includes pork chops and fried chicken. Once in Tampa go to the HB Plant Museum, which focuses on the early history of the city and includes a tour of the fascinating 105-year-old Tampa Bay Hotel. Next, go to the Ybor City State Museum to get a feel for Tampa's early cigar industry and its immigrant roots. Eat lunch in Ybor City, have a Cuban sandwich, black beans, and some cafe con leche at the beautiful Columbia restaurant. In the afternoon, take the trolley from Ybor to the Tampa Aquarium, or go to the Lowry Park Zoo and see their underwater manatee exhibit. Or take a trip to St. Petersburg across the bay and the Salvador Dali Museum. Shop at the retro antique stores on Central Avenue. Have a hamburger at the outdoor Chattaway restaurant, or a hot dog at Coney Island Hot Dogs, two very unique Florida spots.
Happy trails.
For a day trip to Tampa, get on the road to Tampa (I-4 west) and stop halfway at Buddy Freddy's for breakfast ala southern style with an all-you-can-eat buffet that includes pork chops and fried chicken. Once in Tampa go to the HB Plant Museum, which focuses on the early history of the city and includes a tour of the fascinating 105-year-old Tampa Bay Hotel. Next, go to the Ybor City State Museum to get a feel for Tampa's early cigar industry and its immigrant roots. Eat lunch in Ybor City, have a Cuban sandwich, black beans, and some cafe con leche at the beautiful Columbia restaurant. In the afternoon, take the trolley from Ybor to the Tampa Aquarium, or go to the Lowry Park Zoo and see their underwater manatee exhibit. Or take a trip to St. Petersburg across the bay and the Salvador Dali Museum. Shop at the retro antique stores on Central Avenue. Have a hamburger at the outdoor Chattaway restaurant, or a hot dog at Coney Island Hot Dogs, two very unique Florida spots.
Happy trails.
Mar 16th, 2005, 02:04 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
The Kennedy Space Center is cool and an easy 60-minute drive or so on the "beeline" from Orlando. Check to see if the space center has a launch scheduled. They can tell you precisely when it will be, if one is planned. You'll want to know in advance, because the roads get really jammed driving into Cape Canaveral on launch mornings, so you could plan accordingly. We saw a satellite launch last spring and it is awesome, even from Cocoa Beach where we viewed it.
