Florida! Any help gratefully received. (Read 236 times)

Try living in that awful metroplex for years....

Commercials with MickeyMouse.

Local news have the Disney weather forecast and assume that everybody watching is from out of state.

The toll roads are expensive!

The airport says "thank you for visiting Orlando, please come back to visit" as you head out on your business trip.

 

I'm glad I don't live there anymore

 

I'm trying to think of local things you should do and you might enjoy.

Others have mentioned Mount Dora.  That is nice.  For a 'new' state, the old city of Mount Dora is nice.

Winter Park is really cool (already mentioned).

Cape Canaveral is great (already mentioned).

Up in DeLand, there's an opportunity to swim with the manatee, but there's seasons for that, and it isn't August.  (Note for others that come in early spring and want to avoid everything Disney, though.  That's my favorite thing in Orlando area.

 

I can't think of anything else that is awesome in Orlando right now.

Actually, the only great thing about Disney is knowing people who work there and getting buddy passes from them.  Sorry Spaniel, in all the years of living there (10+), and all the visits to Disney I made during those years while having a young son, I don't think I ever paid for park entry

My husband reads books about Quantum Physics for fun (I kid you not), so Cape Canaveral is first on his list!

Also his parents are coming so that means they will babysit a few nights, with that in mind, where are the best adult restaurants and venues off International Drive? Something a bit classy and not full of 25 year olds (showing my age a bit here).

...Also his parents are coming so that means they will babysit a few nights, with that in mind, where are the best adult restaurants and venues off International Drive? Something a bit classy and not full of 25 year olds (showing my age a bit here).

Universal City Walk is just off International Drive (at Universal Studios) and you only have to pay for valet parking (or you can park yourself for a lower cost).

https://www.universalorlando.com/Restaurants/CityWalk-Restaurants.aspx

My favorite for dinner:

Emeril's Restaurant

After dinner options.

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville

Hard Rock Cafe

On International Drive.... I don't know.  Too touristy and busy to drive along.  There are a lot of restaurants along there, though.

Someone in work today said to go to Siesta Key rather than Clearwater, yes/no?

Busch Gardens in Tampa.

Ft. De Soto, south of St. Pete.

Running In The USA is a great way to find races.

 

Hey! Where you been?

+1

And you show up here of all places.

My husband reads books about Quantum Physics for fun (I kid you not), so Cape Canaveral is first on his list!

Also his parents are coming so that means they will babysit a few nights, with that in mind, where are the best adult restaurants and venues off International Drive? Something a bit classy and not full of 25 year olds (showing my age a bit here).

The previous suggestions in Universal City Walk are quite close to International Drive.

On I-Drive itself, I like Taverna Opa and Texas de Brazil. They're both a little pricey, but the food is good. The crowd is more mature earlier in the evening and younger as it gets later. So, if you're wanting to avoid the 25-year-olds, make reservations between 6 and 7:30. I also like Maggiano's. Taverna Opa and Maggiano's are in the Point Orlando shopping center. Unfortunately, all three restaurants are chain restaurants and do not in my opinion have intimate, romantic, or particularly classy atmospheres. They are large restaurants with quite a lot of seating, and they move a lot of people through them. But they do have good food, are fun, and the good thing about their being chain restaurants is that you can often find coupons and discounts.

http://locations.maggianos.com/us/florida/orlando/orlando

http://www.tavernaopa.com/orlando

http://www.texasdebrazil.com/locations/florida/orlando/

http://www.pointeorlando.com/

Both Universal City Walk and Point Orlando provide options to drink, eat, dance, listen to music, and otherwise have an adult evening out. Both of them are going to have the more mature crowds earlier in the evening and the younger crowds later at night. Both are a little pricey.

Regarding the suggestion to go to Siesta Key, I would also ask why.  Going there rather than Clearwater is going to and another 30-45 minutes each way to your drive from Orlando.  Although, if you go to Siesta Key, you can also spend some time in Sarasota, which is a lovely place.