Conquer Some Of The World's Best Theme Parks In Orlando

A first time visitor to Orlando could easily spend an entire week and never stray that far beyond the city limits. That fun city can also provide you with a wide selection of accommodations. Be it a cheap Orlando hotel, an Orlando bed and breakfast or an Orlando vacation home rental, you are sure to find the perfect home away from home in this Florida destination.

Over forty million tourists a year can't be wrong; if you're looking for the best theme parks in the world, Orlando is the place to find them. To no great surprise, it's the theme park industry here, along with its related services such as Orlando Florida hotels and restaurants, that employ nearly half of the city's population.

Not only is it home to Walt Disney World/Epcot Center and Universal Studios but popular animal attractions such as Sea World Adventure Park, Circus World, Discovery Cove, Safari Zoo and Gatorland, mythic realms like Arabian Nights and Splendid China, and Cypress Gardens (plants galore, a midway and water shows, too!) and Wet 'n' Wild. The younger set will also enjoy a visit to the Orlando Odditorium. This is part of the Robert "Believe it or not" Ripley collection of quirky artifacts that have boggling minds and imaginations for decades. Even the building that this particular collection is housed in is by no means "normal" in its appearance.

While your Orlando Florida vacation rental is planted firmly on the ground, the Orange Blossom Balloons will take you up, up and away into the Orlando skies. If you don't mind getting up early (dawn, to be exact), it's an exhilarating experience that will give you a bird's eye view of all the major theme parks and other attractions of the area. Talk about a Small, Small World...

For those of you daredevils who want to try flying without a balloon at all, check in to SkyVenture. This is an amazing vertical wind tunnel that allows participants to experience the adrenalin rush of skydiving without having to rent a plane or even don a parachute.

What would you get if you crossed the Pirates of the Caribbean with miniature golf? The answer would be Pirates Cove Adventure Golf at 8501 International Drive. This family fun venue includes shipwrecks, buried treasure, tropical lagoons and pirate themed signage, parrots and other seafaring props throughout its two courses. A tad corny in spots but still a lot of goofy fun.

Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando that dates from 1887, is the place where theaters, art galleries and outdoor concerts-on-the-green abound. If you're a fan of Tiffany glass, be sure to include a visit to the Morse Museum of American Art at 445 North Park Avenue. Some great treasures can be found shopping in your area to bring back to your Orlando Florida hotel and then on to your final destination.

It's also a great place for shutterbugs if you like old and majestic architecture. Likewise, the sidewalk cafes are a pleasing spot to sit and people-watch for awhile. Winter Park is the address of Rollins College; one of its claims to fame is a border of 500 stones inscribed with the names of luminaries representing a wide spectrum of careers. The Cornell Fine Arts Museum, housed at the college, has an excellent permanent collection as well as rotating exhibits that celebrate the American experience.

If your travels take you to Orlando in the middle of November, you won't want to miss the two-day fiesta that takes place at Lake Eola. The entire area transforms itself into a giant street fair where you can purchase all manner of hand-crafted furniture, clothing, jewelry, pottery, candles, rugs, etc. It's also an opportunity to watch the artists at work, as well as stop and listen to local performers. When it comes time to recharge your batteries for more shopping, you won't go home hungry. The fiesta is as much a celebration of ethnic eats as it is an artists' plaza. Advice: eat a very light breakfast so you can sample a little bit of everything! It's further recommended that you have some cash on hand. While many of the larger merchant stalls will take credit cards, the smaller ones aren't set up to accommodate plastic transactions.

Orlando is all about fun so be ready for a big injection of emotions!