ORLANDO is just a hopping-off point for the Florida theme parks, right? Seriously wrong. Last month I spent proper time actually in and around the city, an oasis alive with attractions, great food and surprising wildlife.
All without an oversized mouse in sight. Statistically, Orlando is one of the most visited US destinations. A city that is warm year-round has finally realised the opportunity its nearby theme parks offer and it has really put an effort into getting tourists to spend time beyond Disney and Universal.
Orlando has a proper downtown with skyscrapers, but I chose Winter Park, just a 20-minute drive from downtown, as a base. Central Florida’s oldest community eschews theme park neon for elegant mansions, lakes and greenery.
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I took a boat tour that puttered around the lakes, which are connected by wee canals overhanging with tropical greenery. I felt right at home as Scottish names lingered between Winter Park and Orlando’s centre, with the likes of the St Andrews Bridge, Loch Haven and Lake Highland. The boat captain had family in Paisley too.
Things turned wilder thanks to Adventures in Florida. Driving north to meet them in the Seminole State Forest, I had an inking I was in for something special when instead of directing us towards theme parks, the road signs warned about wild bears. Greg, the owner, met me, beaming.
“Three million people live within an hour’s drive of here, but it doesn’t feel like it. Today we’re going to ease you back in time to a very different Florida.”
Greg was true to his word. Soon I was paddling gently down the Wekiva River through a world more Jurassic Park than theme park.
“To our left is a wild nature reserve and on the right bank is the largest bear reserve on the whole of the eastern American seaboard, it’s proper wilderness,” Greg smiled. Right on cue a hulking male alligator loomed into view, sunning himself on the banks.
As we paddled on. more alligators appeared, watchfully drifting by us, mercifully as reluctant for contact as we were with them. An osprey broke the calm waters in search of lunch, then a snake slithered its way up onto the bank.
Suddenly a strange periscope-like tube popped up, Greg explaining it was an injured manatee that was being tracked. These lumbering, hulking crosses between a seal and a dolphin are fascinating creatures and these waters are great for spotting them.
Heading back south into the city I’d heard good things about Orlando’s food scene, with Michelin starting awarding stars here in 2023. There are now almost 50 Michelin-listed restaurants. I wasn’t able to get to any of the hallowed starred gastronomic temples, but in Mills 50, I discovered a brilliant foodie quarter.
This public mural-kissed area was once populated by Vietnamese people fleeing the war and the superb food at Banh Mi Boy harked back to those days – their spicy, flavour-laden French-Vietnamese fusion baguettes were delicious.
“The food in Mills 50 is about far more than just superb Vietnamese cuisine these days,” explained Ricky Ly (above), a celebrated local food blogger and man about town.
“The younger generation are expanding with this old market here now also home to excellent Cantonese food and Japanese rice balls, as you can see. Their parents came here chasing their dreams, now everyone can taste and share their dreams.”
I pushed on to Tori Tori, a buzzy on-trend bar restaurant listed by Michelin. Their small plates were delicious – crisp chicken was a highlight, as were the crab and the beef skewers, washed down with a local craft beer. My last Mills 50 stop was Sampaguita, a bright and welcoming Filipino-run and themed ice cream parlour that has been featured on TV. I lost myself in the Halo-Halo, a sicky sweet, but delicious Filipino version of a knickerbocker glory.
At Tori Tori, I met Paula Ramirez from Visit Orlando, who was positive – and not just about Mills 50. “Michelin recognition has given a real boost to the city’s food scene and we are seeing new places pop up all over Orlando, everything from plant stores that are also bars, through to a new alcohol-free speakeasy. There is a real buzz and a lot of creativity in Orlando.”
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I thought I could cover Orlando over three days. I left still wanting to visit “Restaurant Row”, get on two wheels in what has been hailed as a “bicycle-friendly community” by the League of American Bicyclists and visit the Orlando Science Centre.
And take in the Aventura Mall – the largest mall in Florida and the fourth largest in the US. There are a whopping 130 golf courses in the Orlando area too.
Orlando today is a far cry from the wee town Greg told me about growing up in. This confident, welcoming city is also a far cry from the theme parks that have put it on the world map and given it the opportunity to shine that it is finally grasping with both balmy tropical hands.
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