Planning an Orlando Florida Vacation - Be Sure to check out the "Other" Attractions Too

A favorite destination for many people is Orlando, Florida. With its many theme parks, it has become 'the' place to visit. Not only for the young, Orlando has a variety of attractions from the youngest member of the family to the oldest! There are enough shops, markets, museums, art galleries and much more in Orlando to keep even the most 'difficult to please' person engaged. Whilst a vacation here has been popular for many years now, the reason to visit continues to grow as the number of facilities and attractions increases.

As one of the most tourists centered cities in the world, Orlando a great deal to offer including large shopping malls, restaurants, night clubs, bars and many specialist shops.

Apart from the magical Disney themed attractions, there are also other places of interest too. Central Florida Zoo in Sanford has been recognized for its value to education and the preservation of species. The Central Florida Zoological Park and Botanical Gardens is dedicated to preserving the beauty and wonder of animals including their habitats.

Back in 1942, the Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park started exhibiting the world's most extensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany glass, clayware and ornaments are all on display here including a specially designed chapel interior shown at the Columbian Exposition back in 1893.

Orlando is certainly a city for all age groups and not solely designed for the amusement of children as family and adult attractions are in equal numbers. For adults, there are a number of places of interest; nightclubs, bars, and restaurants.

Another great place to visit about twenty minutes drive from Orlando Airport is The Orlando Science Center, which originates back to 1955. It is a huge building, with over 200,000 square feet of exhibition space spanning ten halls. If your preference is in railways then the International Trolley and Train Museum on International drive will be a pleasant surprise with 14 trains running continuously and three waterfalls in a space of about 4,000 square feet.

We all remember the famous story of the movie Titanic, well on International Drive; you can find The Titanic - Ship of Dreams Exhibition. This is a touching, often eerie representation of the great Ocean Liner with a tour guide depicting a character from the ship with many original items on display. It will take you to another era, this haunting and true story that will tug your heart strings.

Away from all the hustle of Orlando, is the wonderful Lake Eola Park in the heart of downtown. If you are looking for some serenity, and would like to soak up the Florida sunshine, this is an ideal relaxation spot. It has beautiful sidewalks in over forty acres where it is possible to spend a few peaceful hours.

However, there aren't that many visitors who visit Orlando without a trip to one of the four main Disney theme parks or the equally impressive Universal Studios, where there are no age restrictions. If you have never vacationed in Orlando before, you must try it at least once in your life. Although every season tends to be busy, a very special time to visit is during the Christmas holidays. The magic of Disney is magnified even more so during the holiday season, after all who wouldn't want to spend Christmas with Mickey and Minnie Mouse?