Orlando Editor Picks

Business travelers to Orlando frequently book into the Peabody for its free wireless internet and proximity to the Convention Center. For families, however, the ducks are the main draw: everyday the hotel’s legendary web-footed entourage parade through the hotel lobby in a spectacular march that children and adults alike adore. Quacky quirks aside, The Peabody is an über-comfortable property with marble halls, antique furniture, nightly turn-down service, and an Olympic size heated lap pool. There’s even free shuttle service to the theme parks.

A former youth hostel, EO Inn underwent a serious facelift in 1999 to create 16 fashionable, minimalist rooms - most with lake or skyline views. There’s a day spa and a rooftop hot tub, and it’s a short stroll to restaurants, bars and boutiques in the trendy neighborhood of Thornton Park. The theme parks, should you wish to visit, are less than half an hour away.

Experience the fantasy of the Magic Kingdom, the international flair of Epcot Center, the safari style of Animal Kingdom, or the movie-making themes of Disney-MGM Studios. Hours vary daily; check website for exact times.

Watch orcas and dolphins defy gravity, feed a sea lion, meet the beluga whales of the Wild Arctic, and face down the Kraken, a hair-raising floorless roller coaster. Hours vary daily; check website for exact times.

Step off the beaten path for this antidote to chain-restaurant overload, which serves its...more

Inventive salads, fresh fish, and white spinach lasagna combined with a casual, art-lined space...more

The cachet of past celebrity visits, a VIP room with bottle service, and its cool digs inside a renovated 1920s theater keep the buzz swirling around this dance club.

Cricketers Arms Pub is authentically English, with 17 beers on tap, bangers and mash on the menu; plus live music most nights of the week. Expect a cover charge and lots of energy and British patriotism on nights when English soccer matches air – check the events calendar on the website for sports schedules.

Bargain-hunt for designer duds at Ralph Lauren, Barneys New York, Diesel, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, and over 140 other discounted designer shops.

Home to the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral's shuttle launches, and the family-friendly sands of Cocoa Beach, it's the closest spot for an ocean dip from Orlando.