Most visitors see Orlando only through the gates of its resorts, but the real city hides in plain sight — a place of lakes, brick streets and spring-fed rivers that ran wild long before the mouse arrived.
Winter Park and the neighbourhoods
Start in Winter Park, where cobbled Park Avenue is lined with independent boutiques and the Morse Museum holds the world's most complete collection of Tiffany glass. Take the hour-long Scenic Boat Tour through a chain of lakes and canals for a glimpse of old Florida grandeur. Then wander the murals and third-wave coffee shops of the Mills 50 and Audubon Park districts.
The springs
An hour north, the water turns impossibly clear. Wekiwa Springs and the more remote Alexander Springs stay a constant 72 degrees year-round; you can paddle, swim and, if you are lucky, drift past a manatee. Bring water shoes and arrive early — the parks cap entry once they fill.
Where to eat
Orlando's dining has quietly become excellent. The East End Market food hall and the restaurants of the Milk District serve everything from Vietnamese to Neapolitan pizza. Skip the resort buffets and eat where the locals do.
