Attractions around Orlando: theme parks, museums, and natural sites in Central Florida

This theme park at Walt Disney World Resort divides into two sections: Future World features pavilions exploring topics like space travel, energy and oceans, while World Showcase presents eleven country stations with architecture, dining and cultural exhibits. The property covers 300 acres (120 hectares) and sits between Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios southwest of Orlando. The park opened in 1982 and combines entertainment with educational elements focused on science and international culture.

This entertainment complex spans 27,000 acres (11,000 hectares) in Bay Lake and includes four theme parks, two water parks and 31 hotels. Walt Disney World Resort forms the centerpiece of the Orlando region's attractions and draws millions of visitors annually who choose between Magic Kingdom with Cinderella Castle, Epcot with its country pavilions, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom with safari experiences.

The Magic Kingdom is the most recognizable of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, north of Orlando. This 107-acre park opened in 1971 and divides into six themed lands arranged around Cinderella Castle. Main Street U.S.A. leads visitors to the various lands, including Adventureland with its jungle themes, Frontierland featuring Western attractions, and Tomorrowland with futuristic rides. The park houses classic attractions such as Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion. With over 17 million visitors annually, the Magic Kingdom ranks among the most visited amusement parks worldwide.

Disney's Animal Kingdom spans 500 acres (200 hectares) southwest of Orlando, combining thrill rides with zoological sections housing more than 2,000 animals representing over 300 species. This theme park divides into seven themed lands, including Africa and Asia sections with safari excursions and nature trails, plus Pandora – The World of Avatar featuring two major attractions. The 145-foot (44-meter) Tree of Life at the park's center displays over 300 animal carvings embedded in its trunk. Rides include Expedition Everest, a Himalayan-style roller coaster, and Kali River Rapids, a whitewater raft journey through an Asian rainforest. The park typically opens before other Disney properties and closes earlier in the evening.

This museum presents exhibits and artifacts related to Christian history and biblical events. The collection includes manuscripts, archaeological finds and historical documents that trace different periods of biblical history. Located in the Orlando theme park area, the museum offers an alternative to the region's traditional entertainment attractions.

The wax museum displays over 100 life-size figures representing personalities from film, music, sports and history, including American presidents and international stars.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral presents American space exploration history through full-scale rockets including a Saturn V, interactive exhibits on the Apollo missions and Mercury program, IMAX films documenting space missions and simulators recreating various aspects of spaceflight.

This entertainment center in Kissimmee spreads across 12 acres (5 hectares) and features several roller coasters, go-kart tracks of varying difficulty levels, and play areas for all age groups, offering an alternative to the major theme parks in the Orlando area with shorter wait times and free admission without rides.

The Kissimmee Lakefront Park stretches along the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga and offers walking and cycling trails, fishing piers, a playground and views of the 22,500-acre (9,100-hectare) lake south of Orlando.

This interactive science museum in Orlando is recognizable by its upside-down building facade. The structure houses approximately 100 hands-on stations where visitors conduct experiments related to physics, natural sciences and perception. Beyond the exhibition floors, the facility includes a laser tag arena and a cinema with motion seats for 4D screenings. The museum sits on International Drive, the main thoroughfare lined with hotels and entertainment venues in Orlando's tourist district, roughly 20 minutes by car southwest of downtown.

This nature reserve covers 250 acres (100 hectares) in central Florida and protects native vegetation along maintained walking trails. The 205-foot (62-meter) bell tower rises above the grounds and gives daily concerts on its historic carillon. The gardens were established in 1929 on one of the peninsula's highest points and feature collections of subtropical plants along with a visitor center introducing the site's history.

This aquarium in the heart of Orlando displays over 5,000 marine creatures across themed tanks, from an underwater tunnel to touch pools with starfish and sea anemones. The exhibit features sea turtles, stingrays, tropical fish and a 360-degree ocean tunnel. The aquarium sits in ICON Park on International Drive, approximately 20 minutes south of the Walt Disney World theme parks.

These historic gardens in Orlando span 50 acres with collections of camellias, roses and palms, plus a restored 19th-century home.

This park along the Indian River in Cape Canaveral features observation platforms, a fishing pier and walking trails for viewing manatees that gather in the warmer waters during winter months. The facility provides free access to shoreline areas where the marine mammals seek refuge from cooler temperatures.

The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens displays over 200 works by the Czech-American sculptor in his former residence on Lake Osceola. The collection includes figurative bronzes, marble pieces and religious sculptures created between the 1920s and 1950s. The 1.2-acre (0.5-hectare) garden features several monumental sculptures along maintained paths with lake views. The museum sits in the historic district of Winter Park, about 20 minutes north of downtown Orlando.

The Mennello Museum of American Art houses the largest public collection of works by American artist Earl Cunningham alongside rotating exhibitions of American art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Located on Lake Formosa in Loch Haven Park, this museum includes a sculpture garden featuring works by contemporary artists.

This 1920s residence served as a writing space for author Jack Kerouac during 1957 and 1958, when he completed his novel The Dharma Bums. The modest wood-frame house in the College Park neighborhood, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) north of downtown Orlando, belonged to his mother at the time. Kerouac occupied a back bedroom where he wrote the novel based on his experiences with Buddhism and travels through the American West. The house now operates as a private literary center offering residencies to writers, functioning as a retreat for creative work.

Universal Studios Florida forms one of the two main parks within Universal Orlando Resort, focusing on film and television productions. This theme park covers approximately 110 acres (44 hectares) and features attractions such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, Transformers: The Ride 3D, and The Incredible Hulk Coaster. The themed areas represent different film genres and offer interactive experiences along with live shows. The park sits roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of downtown Orlando and connects via Interstate 4.

The Orlando Museum of Art in Loch Haven Park presents American, African and contemporary art across 14 galleries spanning around 34,000 square feet (3,200 square meters). Founded in 1924, this museum features rotating exhibitions and maintains a permanent collection with works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol, plus a substantial collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. The museum complex includes a sculpture garden and offers educational programs for different age groups, complementing the many entertainment options available throughout the Orlando region.

This theme park at Universal Orlando Resort features six themed islands, each with its own attractions and rides. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter stands as one of the main draws, featuring Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Journey ride. Other areas include Marvel Super Hero Island with roller coasters like The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Jurassic Park with water rides through dinosaur habitats, and Toon Lagoon and Seuss Landing for younger visitors. The park covers approximately 110 acres (45 hectares) and sits adjacent to Universal Studios Florida.

Volcano Bay is a water park at Universal Orlando Resort that spans 28 acres (11 hectares) and centers on a 200-foot (61-meter) artificial volcano that serves as the park's visual centerpiece. The park features 18 attractions including multi-lane racing slides, tube slides with drops reaching speeds over 40 mph (64 km/h), a winding river that circles the property, and a wave pool generating surf up to 6 feet (1.8 meters). The TapuTapu wristband system allows guests to reserve ride times electronically, eliminating the need to wait in physical queues. Tropical landscaping and structures inspired by Polynesian design define the environment throughout the park, which opened in 2017 as the third theme park within the Universal complex.

This marine park south of Orlando spans 200 acres (80 hectares) and combines large-tank aquariums housing orcas, dolphins and sea lions with roller coasters and themed shows. The Mako coaster, opened in 2016, reaches speeds of 73 mph (117 km/h), while the Antarctica Empire of the Penguin habitat houses a colony of over 200 penguins. The Shark Encounter aquarium features an 18-meter (60-foot) underwater tunnel surrounded by sharks, rays and tropical fish.

This entertainment center on International Drive combines retail, dining and attractions on grounds anchored by The Wheel, a 400-foot (122-meter) observation wheel. ICON Park includes a wax museum, an aquarium and multiple indoor rides featuring interactive simulators and flying experiences. The complex holds around 40 dining options ranging from quick service to table service establishments, along with retail shops selling souvenirs and branded merchandise.

The Orlando Eye is a 400-foot (122-meter) observation wheel on International Drive, part of an entertainment complex that includes the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and Madame Tussauds wax museum. The climate-controlled capsules complete a full rotation in approximately 18 minutes, offering views across central Florida that extend from the theme park corridor to downtown Orlando. A ground-level bar and separate fast-track entrance serve visitors looking to reduce wait times.

The Orlando Science Center presents scientific concepts through interactive exhibits spread across four levels, covering topics from dinosaurs to human anatomy. This science museum features a 240-seat planetarium, a giant screen theater and multiple hands-on experiment stations designed for children and teenagers. The facility regularly organizes educational programs and themed events that make scientific principles accessible through direct experience.

The Crayola Experience at Mall of America in Bloomington spans over 60,000 square feet (5,600 square meters) across more than 25 hands-on attractions centered on color and creativity. Visitors can design custom crayons with personalized wrappers, transform digital drawings into animated characters and watch live demonstrations at the melting studio where crayons are made. This indoor facility targets families with children between three and twelve years old, combining activities like painting stations, coloring areas and a modeling clay studio. The experience includes color theory demonstrations and interactive exhibits that explain manufacturing processes while keeping younger audiences engaged through practical participation.

This entertainment complex on International Drive combines several attractions under one roof: a collection of American automobiles, trampolines, a movie theater and bowling lanes. The facility spans several thousand square yards and displays over 1,800 vehicles from different eras, from classic sports cars to movie replicas. The indoor facilities work well during rainy weather or as an alternative to the area's outdoor parks. Dezerland Park sits in Orlando's tourist district, a few miles north of Universal Studios and about 30 minutes by car from Walt Disney World.

This shopping and entertainment complex in Kissimmee combines over 70 stores and restaurants with multiple rides including roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. Old Town hosts weekly car shows featuring classic American vehicles from the 1950s through the 1970s and offers arcades plus regular live entertainment. The complex spreads across several interconnected pavilions and attracts families seeking an alternative to the major theme parks in the greater Orlando area.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon sits within Walt Disney World Resort and covers 56 acres (23 hectares). The water park opened in 1989 and features a wave pool generating waves up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) high, multiple water slides of varying intensity, and a lazy river for tube floating. The park's theme depicts a fictional tropical paradise island ravaged by a storm, with wreckage and a stranded shrimp boat perched atop Mount Mayday. This facility closes annually for several months for maintenance work.

This central city park lies at the heart of downtown Orlando and covers approximately 43 acres around Lake Eola. The park features a 0.9-mile walking trail along the lakeshore, a fountain in the center of the lake, swan boat rentals, and an amphitheater used for public events and concerts. The grounds also include a children's playground and several picnic areas shaded by mature trees. The lake supports a population of swans and other waterfowl that visitors can observe along the shoreline. Lake Eola Park serves as a central green space for residents and visitors looking to step away from the urban environment for a while.

This 110-acre park houses over 2000 alligators, crocodiles and other reptiles, offering bird watching and educational programs about Florida's native wildlife.

This zoo in Sanford, about 19 miles (30 kilometers) north of Orlando, combines animal exhibits featuring roughly 400 animals from around the world with botanical collections across 114 acres. Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens displays giraffes, cheetahs, rhinoceros and various primate species in habitat-style enclosures. The tropical Splash Ground provides water features for children, while elevated boardwalks lead through tree canopies and offer views into different ecosystems.

This wildlife preserve south of Orlando organizes airboat tours through wetlands along Cypress Lake. The grounds cover several dozen acres and house alligators, native bird species and other Florida wildlife in natural habitats. The airboat excursions navigate through swamps and marshlands where visitors observe the region's vegetation and fauna at close range. The preserve operates a gator and wildlife park area with encounter opportunities and feeding demonstrations, complemented by walking trails and observation platforms for wildlife viewing.

This dinner theater in Kissimmee transports guests into a medieval knight's world with a multi-course meal and a two-hour show featuring jousting tournaments, sword fights and equestrian performances in an arena seating over 1,000 spectators, while audiences cheer their knights and dine without utensils in medieval fashion.

This theme park in Bay Lake celebrates Hollywood's golden age and studio productions. Disney's Hollywood Studios spans 135 acres (55 hectares) and divides into themed areas recreating film and television sets. Main attractions include simulated studio backlots, rides based on Star Wars and Toy Story franchises, and live shows featuring stunts and musical performances. The park houses the Tower of Terror attraction set in a recreated Art Deco hotel and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith theming.

Disney's Blizzard Beach is a water park within Walt Disney World Resort, located about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Orlando. The facility covers 66 acres (27 hectares) and offers attractions for different age groups, including water slides with drops reaching up to 120 feet (37 meters), a wave pool spanning roughly 43,000 square feet (4,000 square meters), and a ski slope replica with artificial snow as its central design element. This park ranks among the most visited water parks in the United States and adds an alternative to the traditional theme parks in the region.

This theme park in Winter Haven targets families with children ages two to twelve and spreads across 150 acres with more than 50 attractions. The complex combines rides, shows and interactive areas where visitors can build with the colorful plastic bricks. Main attractions include several roller coasters, a water park and detailed miniature landscapes built from millions of bricks depicting American and international landmarks. The park sits about 45 minutes southwest of Orlando and opened in 2011 on the grounds of a former botanical garden.