Orlando Things To Do

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.

Hit the coasters at Islands of Adventure and the water slides of Wet 'n Wild for adult-size thrills; visit Universal Studios for movie-themed rides and a behind-the-scenes look at a working studio. Keep your eyes open for the new Harry Potter ride – scheduled to be unveiled in fall of 2009. 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.

Swim with dolphins, snorkel on a coral reef, and feed birds at Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive tropical park that promotes wildlife conservation. Reserve one to three months in advance (attendance limited to 1,000 people per day). Open daily 9am-5:30pm (check-in begins at 8am).

Get acquainted with Florida's largest reptiles at this 110-acre park, which also houses a petting zoo, birds, and a gator-free splash zone for kids. Open daily 9am-5pm.

Culture connoisseurs can get a fix at the Orlando Museum of Art, the Mennello Museum of American Folk Art, and the Orlando Science Center, conveniently packaged in a scenic 45-acre lakefront park. Open 5am to sunset.

This museum is renowned for its collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany glass, including mosaics, lamps, pottery, and jewelry. Open 9:30am-4pm Tues-Sat; 1-4pm Sunday.

Acres of live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, rose and butterfly gardens, and sweet smelling Magnolia groves centered on a pretty lake make this park one of downtown Orlando’s hidden jewels. Live concerts and outdoor movie screenings are staged here throughout the year (check the website for dates and times). A springtime stroll will show you Orlando at its natural best. Open daily 9am-5pm (last admission at 4pm).

Orlando kitsch was never so fun – hire a giant plastic swan boat and pedal your way around downtown Orlando’s centerpiece waterway, Lake Eola. Make it a goal to pedal out to the floating fountain in the middle before heading back to shore to grab lunch at the water’s edge at Lake Eola Café, which is also where you go to rent the boats (407-232-0111). Boats are available for rent between 12-6pm Mon-Fri; 10m-8pm Sat-Sun.