27 Orlando venues where you can catch great music (or dance up a sweat)
In a conversation with Orlando Weekly earlier this year, veteran local musician Eugene Snowden said that Orlando was increasingly gaining a reputation as a music town, a place where musicians can take chances and the audiences will come. The evolution he is suggesting is emblematic of a larger shift within the Orlando club and live…
Welcome to the 2017 Orlando Weekly City Guide
Orlando and its surrounding areas are full of amazing wildlife, venues, events, activities and shops, and all of it is worth exploring. From day trips worth a tank of gas to the best things to do all year long, what we have here is a rundown of everything the City Beautiful has to offer, and…
Go spend an afternoon in Lakeland – yes, Lakeland
You might have a vague impression of Lakeland, just over an hour southwest of Orlando, as some backward, back-woods, Steel Magnolias-esque citrus town – and you wouldn’t be completely wrong. But beyond the rows of pomelos, honeybells, kumquats and tangelos, you’ll find mind-blowing architecture old and new, third-wave coffee and a budding new stop on…
11 good reasons to get to know Orlando’s Milk District
Look around and you’ll realize that the Milk District has changed more rapidly in the past two years than the preceding 10, and it’s not entirely clear what the future holds for this area. In the meantime, though, there is still so much to take in and discover in this deceptively unassuming area abutting the…
Winter Garden is worth the quick trip west on the 408
A quick trip west on the 408 expressway is all it takes to be transported to a historic downtown swaying with live oaks and Spanish moss. This town of just 34,000 has some Orlandoans giving up city life for small-town swagger, and Winter Garden residents are all too happy to show them the ropes. This…
15 amazing Central Florida attractions that have nothing to do with the theme parks
Orlando is more than just Harry Potter and Mickey Mouse – the region is home to a host of other attractions that have an appeal all their own. From ziplining to gator-wrassling, hang-gliding to horseback-riding, life-size dinosaurs to Bible scenes come to life, these are just a few of our favorite diversions. Airboat Rides at…
16 things every Orlandoan should experience in College Park
College Park’s denizens embody a strong sense of community and are as fiercely passionate about local businesses as they are about the housing developments newly intruding on their quaint bungalow-lined streets. But even change in the form of a much-contended new apartment complex (with a frankly hideous parking garage) can’t deter from this downtown district’s…
9 Orlando film events worthy of at least two thumbs up
SERIES: Uncomfortable Brunch uncomfortablebrunch.com The long-running film series at Will’s Pub is in a state of flux right now, as founder Joshua Martin is leaving for colder climes. New head honcho Katy Whitacre promises to continue the legacy of combining delicious Sunday breakfast buffets with gut-punching cinema like Requiem for a Dream or Straw Dogs.…
23 easy ways to get outdoors in Orlando
Whether you’re the outdoorsy type, looking for the best boating, biking and hiking – or more of an armchair goalie type in search of the best local sports teams to cheer on – Central Florida has you covered. Parks Lake Eola Park 512 E. Washington St., cityoforlando.net/parks/lake-eola-park The center of downtown Orlando life, Lake Eola…
30 annual Orlando-area events that should be on your radar
APRIL Spring Fiesta in the Park April 1-2, 2017, Lake Eola Park, North Eola Drive and East Washington Street, fiestainthepark.com Wander around Lake Eola and check out food, live music, and arts and crafts from tons of vendors. Florida Film Festival April 21-30, 2017, Enzian Theater, 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, floridafilmfestival.com Whether you’re a…
How to make the most of Orlando’s tourist district
We’ve all heard the conventional wisdom about our city’s world-famous attractions: Nobody goes there because it’s too crowded. Certainly, there are longtime Orlando residents who only venture into the tourism district in search of a paycheck, or when family visits from out of state. But ignoring all that Orlando’s theme parks and their surrounding strips…
15 reasons to explore Audubon Park
This leafy, bike-friendly district of mid-century bungalows and streets named after birds continues its upward rise – if you don’t already own here, buying is tough; but visiting is easy, and just gets better month by month. 2017 will bring two major new restaurants to the neighborhood – Bem Bom on Corrine and Kadence –…
Sanford doesn’t need the label ‘Orlando North,’ it stands on its own
Forget “Orlando North.” Seminole County officials adopted the term to attract tourists, but Sanford is lovely all on its own. This historic city has a charm that doesn’t wear off as time goes by and we’re grateful for it. Around the downtown area, find historic architecture, galleries, eclectic businesses and a long riverwalk. Greater Sanford…
Mills 50 is a great example of the ‘real Orlando’
Mills 50 may get its name from the intersection of Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive (aka State Road 50), but it’s earned its reputation by appealing to a broad cross-section of musicians, artists, foodies and drinkers of disparate tastes and backgrounds. Whether it’s all the young punks who pack out tiny Uncle Lou’s, or the…
No other part of Orlando changed so much last year as SoDo
No other part of Orlando changed so much last year as SoDo. South of the 408 and along Orange Avenue and Michigan Street, this nascent area was struck hard after the mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse, in which 49 people were killed. Pulse was blocks away from the Orlando Regional Medical Center, the…
You don’t have to be a student to enjoy the UCF side of Orlando
The University of Central Florida is home to thousands of Knights, but you don’t have to be a student to enjoy everything this college kingdom has to offer. The nation’s second-largest university has a sprawling domain of student housing and shopping plazas, complete with coffee shops where you’re sure to find desperate souls hunched over…
Apopka is definitely worthy of a weekend day trip from Orlando
Thirty minutes from downtown Orlando, Apopka gets a bad rep as a place where nothing happens. But perhaps that’s where the trick is. Time has seemingly stood still at several nature hangouts surrounding this small city, making it one of the best spots in the county to reconnect with our wild side. Apopka is home…
6 ways to get into Orlando’s thriving comedy scene
Orlando’s comedy scene has experienced tremendous growth within the last four years. Clubs like the Improv and SAK continue to shine, but the city’s independent comedians have created their own shows in bars, coffee houses and music venues to offer something off the beaten path. The introduction of the annual Orlando Indie Comedy Festival in…
Ivanhoe Village is on the come up
The Ivanhood is growing more each year, though so far (so good), the area has maintained its quirky and human-scale charm. All the new bars and restaurants are fitting in well with the overall eclectic vibe of this artsy, walkable neighborhood – as is the presence of Orlando’s first medical marijuana dispensary. North Orange Avenue…
Good things are happening in Parramore
The neighborhood just west of downtown has had more than its share of trouble over the years, but a slow flowering of business and art may turn it around yet. Local African-American history and culture is preserved at the Wells’ Built Museum, while the West Art District is a joyous explosion of brand-new culture and…
10 things worth doing in Conway and Belle Isle
This easygoing neighborhood southeast of downtown has been quietly residential for years, with nearby ’hood Belle Isle as a slightly scruffier and more industrial neighbor. But its long-appreciated small local businesses are gaining wider acclaim (ZaZa, Mediterranean Blue, Johnny’s); its craft-beer scene rivals the one that’s popped up on Virginia Drive; and the newer, higher-profile…
There are still plenty of things to discover in Winter Park and Maitland
The oldest incorporated town in Central Florida, Winter Park melds seamlessly with Orlando on one side, Maitland on the other, forming an amalgam of hipster hamlets and affluent areas. Winter Park’s getting her groove back, beyond all the bucks on display along Park Avenue and in Hannibal Square – and Maitland is getting in on…
We dare you not to be charmed by Orlando’s Thornton Park neighborhood
This neighborhood is where you take visitors who think Orlando lacks allure. Thornton Park’s historic markers, sidewalk terraces and walkable boutiques are the ultimate in adorable. Claim your spot in the sun and spend the day strolling Thornton’s brick-lined byways – we dare you not to be charmed. Just promise not to climb into the…
A timeline of Orlando’s greatest (and not so great) historical moments
If you’re new to Orlando or are one of the rare people who were actually born in the City Beautiful, then you’ve probably figured out Orlando’s a hard place to define. We’ve been a frontier, a cattle stronghold, a hub of the state’s citrus industry and the tourist capital of the world. Located in the…
Lake Nona is shaping up to be quite the upscale, busy district
Between the Eagle Creek golf course, Medical City, the U.S. Tennis Association headquarters and Orlando City Soccer’s soon-to-appear new training facility, Lake Nona is shaping up to be quite the upscale, busy district. The Lake Nona Institute’s Life Project is a long-term study tracking the wellness effects of making exercise and healthy foods readily available…
Wandering through historic DeLand is a day well spent
It’s a college town – home to Stetson University – with a historic downtown bustling with people of all ages. You may feel as though you’ve stepped into Stars Hollow when you realize how tight-knit the community is, but don’t worry, they like strangers too. So feel free to wander among the restored old buildings…
Orlando’s Sand Lake and Dr.Phillips area is bougie in a good way
Long considered a desirable place to live for its proximity to theme parks, major shopping malls and downtown, the sprawling “neighborhood” with its exclusive communities of Bay Hill, Windermere and Isleworth is home to many of the city’s upwardly mobile. Naturally, many of the businesses cater to Dr. Phillips’ well-heeled residents, including the ever-growing string…
Downtown Orlando is way more than just bars and a fountain
The Lake Eola fountain serves as a centerpiece for the Central Business District, where there’s much more than meets the eye. Beyond businesses and bars – oh, all the bars; so many bars – you’ll find arts, architecture, history, outdoor space, major-league sports and more. Instead of hunting Pokemon with your face in your phone,…
