Know before you go · Theme park capital of the world

What Orlando Is Known For

The local food, the experiences you shouldn't leave without, the sights worth your eyes, and how the locals actually talk.

Eat like a local

Gator bites

Fried alligator is the classic Florida dare food, tender when done right, and most Old Florida restaurants serve it.

Cuban sandwich

Central Florida's Cuban comes pressed with ham, roast pork, Swiss, pickles, and mustard, a legacy of Florida's Cuban communities.

Key lime pie

Florida's official state pie, born in the Keys from condensed milk and real key limes. Tart, never neon green.

Dole Whip

The pineapple soft-serve that became a Disney cult item; locals argue it's the real reason to visit Magic Kingdom.

Don't leave without

Airboat ride on the headwaters of the Everglades

Skimming a marsh at 40 mph past wild gators is the most Florida hour money can buy.

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Theme park fireworks

Every park closes with a show; Wayfind's park itineraries already map the times.

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Worth your eyes

Winter Park

Brick streets, oak canopy, and the Morse Museum's Tiffany glass, the elegant old-money Orlando most tourists never see.

Lake Eola swans

Downtown's postcard: swan boats and a lakeside skyline walk, free and genuinely pleasant at sunset.

Talk like a local

I-4The interstate everyone complains about; 'I-4 traffic' excuses any lateness.

The parksDisney and Universal collectively; locals rarely name them individually.

Good to know

Afternoon thunderstorms roll in almost daily in summer, usually 2 to 4pm, then clear. Plan indoor time then, not your only pool window.

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Visiting Orlando? Wayfind ranks every restaurant, attraction, and hotel near you with live hours and honest scores, and our non-theme-park Orlando guide covers the days between parks.