Best Time to Go
Any time is a good time to visit Orlando.
Because the weather is warm year-round,
Orlando is an ideal travel destination.
There are a few things to consider when
planning your trip to Orlando. If you're
taking the kids, you'll more than likely
have to visit during the sweltering summer
months, along with thousands of other
school's-out families. It may benefit you
and your family to visit a tad earlier, when
the weather is perfect and the crowds are
thinner. Remember, though, Orlando prices
are often higher during the winter months
and about 40 percent less from June through
November.
Average Weather
Average yearly temperature is a hair over 72
degrees. Winter temps average in the 40s and
50s at night with highs in the 60s and even
the 70s during the days. Summer days can
sizzle with highs in the 90s and lows in the
mid to upper 70s. Thunderstorms are common
on summer afternoons, contributing to the
area's 50-60 inches of rainfall per year.
Remember to keep an umbrella in your car.
Transportation
Face it, you're probably going to have to
rent a car. The good news is, the rental
companies regularly offer discounts and
deals within Florida. Many hotels provide
airport pick-up as well. Orlando does have a
bus service (called Lynx), but it caters to
working locals, not visitors. There are two
forms of mass transit useful for tourists:
the I-Ride Trolley, which makes 54 stops to
connect the hotels, restaurants, attractions
and nightspots of International Drive. Fare
is 75 cents for adults (25 cents for
seniors). An all-day pass, available from
the front desk of most hotels, is $2. Lymmo
is a free bus service within the downtown
Orlando core.
In-Season
Costs
As the temperature rises, so do the prices.
They go up at holiday time, too. A room with
a queen bed in a moderately priced
International Drive chain hotel costs $79 in
November and $199 at Christmas. The best
price you'll get in the summer is $109 for
two double beds.
Day Trips
Daytona Beach -- 55 miles.
Calls itself "The World's Most Famous
Beach." The city that lays claim to this
wide, driveable stretch of sand is a
rallying point for bikers, spring breakers,
NASCAR fans and just about everybody else.
Kennedy
Space Center -- 50 miles. Get an
up-close look at the space program. The
tours cost a little extra, but they're worth
it; take the one that goes by the shuttle
launch pads.
Tampa/St. Petersburg -- 83 miles.
Not all theme parks are in Orlando. Busch
Gardens Tampa Bay features African animals
and a safari theme. Across town is the
Florida Aquarium, which specializes in
Florida fish species. Nearby is Ybor City,
the historic Cuban part of town. The
Salvador Dali Museum is one of several
cultural venues in downtown St. Pete.
Gainesville -- 116 miles. Home of
the University of Florida. Football,
football, a couple of museums, football,
concerts and more football. Just south of
Gainesville is Cross Creek, where Marjorie
Kinnan Rawlings wrote Cross Creek, The
Yearling and other books.
South
Florida -- Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, roughly
2-3 hours. South Florida houses a hotbed
of nightlife. There are several areas in
this part of the state suitable to travelers
of all types. A slew of beaches, museums,
restaurants, tropical gardens and an
accommodation for all tastes exists in the
southern part of the state. Head a little
further south and you'll fun into Key West. |
