Things to Do in Orlando: A Local’s Guide

Published April 30, 2016 | By ncmarsh

Things to Do in Orlando: A Local’s Guide

Nathan Coe Marsh

As an Orlando resident, here’s what you need to know about the convention corridor and where I take my friends and family when they visit

As someone who travels for events, I’ve been there: you get into town. You see the airport, you see the hotel ballroom, you eat at national chains, and while you’ve physically been in the place — it often all blurs together and feels basically the same as every other business trip.The Orlando You’ve Never Seen:

Orlando is built on imagination — it is home to many attractions designed just for visitors. These are phenomenal (and we’re grateful for the business they bring to town). But there is a story just underneath the surface: the work provided by the theme park and live event industry has attracted a vibrant creative community to Orlando; actors, musicians, chefs, artists, and many others who have created a blossoming cultural scene that — while a short Uber ride away from the convention district — is rarely experienced by the millions who visit Orlando each year.

There are two basic goals to this guide:

To give you a practical, quick overview of the neighborhood where you’ll most likely be when attending a conference in Orlando (the stretch of International Drive adjacent to the convention center).
To give you a quick overview of the Orlando that visitors almost never see. A neighborhood guide with extraordinary dining and live entertainment options that locals seek out for ourselves. This is especially useful if you are entertaining C-level guests, or “seen-it-all” attendees who can be tough to wow with the aggressively marketed experiences for tourists.

If you think you know Orlando, let me show you our other side.

International drive — specifically the stretch between Sand Lake Road and the Orange County Convention Center — is one of the most heavily visited areas of Orlando. If you’re attending a conference here, you’re likely to spend some time in this area.

There are two major hubs of development (with a third major project beginning soon near Mango’s and the intersection of Sand Lake and International) along this stretch:

iDrive 360: Shopping and entertainment complex centered around the Orlando Eye (a large ferris wheel that offers spectacular views of Orlando). Parking is free, and there are a wide variety of dining and attraction options that are easily walkable within the complex (personal favorites: The Orlando Eye, live bands at Tin Roof, and dining at Yard House.)
Pointe Orlando: Directly adjacent to the convention center and the primary convention hotels (Hyatt Regency Orlando, Rosen Plaza, and Rosen Centre); Pointe Orlando is also a project with many dining and entertainment options that are easily walkable within one complex (personal favorites: the mojitos at Cuba Libre, the bands at BB King’s, the Sushi at RA, the atmosphere at Minus 5, and the comics at The Orlando Improv).

Between these two development hubs is a long stretch of straight road with hundreds of dining and entertainment options side-by-side; everything from helicopter rides, to escape rooms, to fine dining.

Conference party at Cuba Libre in the Pointe Orlando complex.

Getting Around:

Because there are so many attractions nestled against each other, traffic can be brutal (at peak times it can take 20 minutes to travel a half-mile or so). Compounding the volume of traffic is that — again because of the density of venues — it can be difficult to see your destination. The result is that visitors often clog traffic by crawling along the road, only to suddenly — and often without using their turn signals — fly across four lanes of traffic when they realize the place they’re looking for is on the other side of the road. For this reason, it can be a huge help to do a little bit of extra preparation if you are driving somewhere on the I-drive corridor. Before leaving, I highly recommend taking a moment to look carefully at the map for the landmarks near your destination, knowing which side of the road it is on, and checking google images to see what it looks like. It will save you stress and create a better experience for everyone.

Pedicabs:

A great option for many are the bicycle cabs that go up and down I-drive. These operate on a pay-what-you-want system: there is no set fee for a ride, there is simply the expectation that you tip the driver what you feel at the end of the trip. For this reason, the drivers tend to be friendly, entertaining, knowledgeable, and helpful. They are a terrific resource.

Pedicabs outside the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive.

One amazing case of “New Orlando:” Benoit Glazer’s White House

A fantastic example of creative people drawn to the area to work for major attractions — who also then serve the less well known creative culture of Orlando — is Benoit Glazer and his White House concerts.

Mr. Glazer, the musical director of Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba in Disney Springs, has converted his home into an amazing small concert venue, which has been host to more than 600 performances from musicians from 24 countries and exhibits from over 300 artists.

The video below, the trailer to a film about the White House, gives a quick overview; but you can learn more at: http://www.timucua.com/

Things to do in Orlando Beyond the Convention Corridor:

Often, lists of things to do in Orlando — by focusing first on individual venues — can make it tough to get a sense of what is near what, and what the flavor of different neighborhoods is. Here is a quick overview of some of the identities of Orlando neighborhoods that are home to culture, nightlife, and dining and the places and experiences we seek out as Orlando residents.

Downtown Orlando

20-45 minutes from the Orange County Convention Center (depending on traffic), Downtown Orlando is in the midst of a major resurgence.

Culture:

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is the cultural jewel of Downtown. Completed in November of 2014, the center spans two city blocks and brings nationally touring Broadway shows, concerts, and performances along with arts education to Orlando. It is a phenomenal venue in which to entertain clients for a night.

Personal Favorites:

The Abbey, Sak Comedy Lab, Ceviche, The Woods, Courtesy

The Abbey, Downtown Orlando

Winter Park

A beautiful, charming and historic neighborhood of Orlando — Winter Park is a 30 min drive from Orange County Convention Center and features small, upscale restaurants and shopping without the tourist vibe and with a picturesque stroll.

Personal favorites: The Wine Room on Park Avenue Bosphorous (Turkish fare)

Watercolor of The Hotel Alabama in Winter Park

Loch Haven Park

Loch Haven Park is home to many of Orlando’s key cultural institutions — most within walking distance of each other — surrounded by beautiful greenery. Many of the venues for Orlando’s Fringe Festival are located in or near the park.

Personal Favorites:

Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Science Center