2 Best Sights in Orlando, Florida

Background Illustration for Sights

Orlando is a diverse town. The Downtown area, though small, is dynamic, thanks to an ever-changing skyline of high-rises, sports venues, museums, restaurants, nightspots, a history museum, and several annual cultural events—including film festivals and a world-renowned theater fest. Downtown also has a central green, Lake Eola Park, which offers a respite from otherwise frantic touring.

Neighborhoods such as Thornton Park (great for dining) and College Park (an outpost of quirky shopping) are fun to wander. Not too far to the north, you can come in contact with natural Florida—its manatees, gators, and crystal-clear waters in spring-fed lakes.

Closer to the theme-park action, International Drive, the hub of resort and conference hotels, offers big restaurants and even bigger outlet-mall bargains. Sand Lake Road, between the two, is Orlando's Restaurant Row, with plenty of exciting dining prospects.

The Wheel at ICON Park

International Drive Fodor's Choice

The star ICON Park attraction is the 400-foot-tall observation wheel known simply as The Orlando Eye at ICON Park, which offers an almost unobstructed view of all the distant theme parks, lush green landscape, and the soaring buildings of the City Beautiful. Visibility on clear days can be more than 50 miles, reaching all the way east to Cape Canaveral. The Eye's 30 high-tech capsules complete a rotation every 30 minutes, and riders can use onboard Apple iPad Air tablets to locate points of interest. Rent a private capsule for up to 15 people, with champagne, for a sky-high experience. Ticket packages for ICON Park attractions are available.

Orlando Starflyer

International Drive

You can travel at 45 mph on this 450-foot-tall swing, said to be the tallest in the world, which also rotates 360 degrees. It's as terrifying as it sounds, so this ride is not for either the faint of heart or small children. Ticket packages for ICON Park attractions are available.

8265 International Dr., Orlando, FL, 32819, USA
407-640–7009
Sight Details
$14 (combo tickets, coupons, and online discounts available)

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