Orlando’s theme parks are great, but there’s so much more to the city beyond them. If you’re looking to plan for a grown-up Orlando vacation for the future or want ideas for a day away from the parks when travel re-starts again, check out these Orlando neighborhoods. They feature activities that appeal to anyone looking for a more authentic Orlando experience for post-pandemic travel.
Winter Park
Canal in Winter Park, Orlando, Florida
Winter Park, technically its own city, is a tony Orlando neighborhood with plenty of outdoor space ideal for strolling. The boutiques, galleries and cafés along Park Avenue are a draw, as is the Saturday farmer’s market. It’s normally held at the old train station (but during summer 2020 is on Central Park’s West Meadow). Winter Park is also the home of the Mead Botanical Garden, Kraft Azalea Garden as well as several museums.
You can explore Winter Park’s waterways with a Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour (it’s operating with mandatory masks and onboard distancing during the pandemic). The open-air boats slip through the canals connecting three different Winter Park lakes. You’ll learn about Winter Park’s history and admire mansions and 130-year-old Rollins College. Rollins College has one of the country’s most beautiful campuses and has famous alumni like Mr. Fred Rogers.
Audubon Park Garden District
East End Market patio, Orlando, Florida
This suburban neighborhood near Winter Park is known for its shopping and eateries. A highlight is East End Market. This two-story food hall is the original location of Gideon’s Bakehouse, famous for its immense almost-half-pound cookies (arrive early or pre-order—they almost always sell out). On Fridays, sample a tasting flight of grilled cheese sandwiches, paired with three beers, at La Femme du Fromage’s Grilled Cheese Happy Hour. East End Market also has specialty coffees, organic juices, a bakery, several eateries, a shop selling Japanese mochi doughnuts, flowers and plants, and Freeland Goods, which sells handmade artisan items like leather.
Mills 50
Vegetarian treats at The Sanctum Cafe in Orlando's Mills 50 district.
The central Orlando neighborhood of Mills 50 is also known as Little Vietnam and ViMi. It gets its Mills 50 name from its main intersection, Mills Avenue and State Road 50. You’ll find unique shops and restaurants here, as well as lots of street art on everything from traditional walls to storm drains, electrical boxes and even dressing up dumpsters.
Sample lavender lattes and plant-based foods at The Sanctum Cafe, a cheese mousse latte or bubble tea at RoyalTea, or have a Beer Lao (known as the best beer in Asia) and street food snacks at Sticky Rice Lao Street Food.
The Milk District
Orlando’s Milk District is named for the T.G. Lee Dairy Plant and is a great neighborhood for dining, whether you finish with ice cream or not. Se7en Bites is very popular for its southern comfort food for breakfast, brunch and lunch. You won’t have room for everything you want to sample, but you can take baked goods home with you to spread out the joy. The Milk District also has interesting restaurants like Saigon Noodle & Grill, Bad As’s Sandwiches, as well as The Milk Bar, for craft beer and cider.
Tuesdays are Tasty Tuesdays with several food trucks congregating near The Milk Bar. The Milk District also has several live music venues, unique shopping, outdoor activities and unusual street art.
Where to Stay
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek's lazy river
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and sister Waldorf Astoria Orlando are located next to the 18-hole Rees Jones Waldorf Astoria Golf Club. The two hotels have 12 restaurants and lounges to sample including the award-winning Bull & Bear (order the lemon dessert as soon as you sit down to be sure it’s not sold out), La Luce for modern Italian by Chef Donna Scala, and Zeta Asia for sushi and and pan-Asian specialties. Autumn, when Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival is on, is also traditionally the time for Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek’s Food & Wine Weekends. Stay tuned for whether it will be on offer in 2020.
If you brought the kids with you—or just want to have some kid-like fun yourself—Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek has a lazy river to float through, you can see Disney fireworks (when they re-start) from within the hotel and grounds, and guests have access to Disney’s Extra Magic Hours and FastPass+ (reminder: until the pandemic is over, Disney has reduced the number of visitors and their opening hours).
