Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is a frequently traveled destination in and of itself; however, there is much more to see in the area surrounding Orlando.

Florida Coast

Orlando is centrally located within Florida, making it convenient to either the Atlantic coast or the Gulf coast. Visitors to Disney World Resort in Orlando can make time to get beachside along these beautiful stretches of Florida coastline. Any time of year is generally pleasant on Florida’s beaches.

East of Orlando lies Daytona Beach, one of the most popular on the east coast. In Daytona you can drive your car onto many areas of the wide, gently sloping beachfront. From this vantage visitors can watch surfers, fishermen and all manner of water sports. Heading north along the east coast vacationers will come upon Jacksonville and historic Amelia Island in the northeast corner of the state.

West of Orlando is the breathtaking gulf coast stretch of St. Petersburg and Clearwater. This area of coastline is characterized by barrier islands that are environmentally protected and home to many species of plant, animal and marine life. Visitors will find numerous state park beaches in the St. Pete/Clearwater area that provide recreational opportunities such as camping, picnicking, snorkeling and scuba diving. Take your camera out for some bird watching or collect shells along the white sand beaches.

Orlando Attractions

Besides the world-famous Disney World Resort, Disney vacationers will not be able to ignore some of the alternative Orlando attractions. Universal Studios Islands of Adventure is a popular movie theme park that highlights action rides and attractions themed around the movie world.

Sea World is the premier marine theme park on the east coast. Sea World hosts some of the most popular live sea animal shows daily. Part of the park’s appeal is that it provides visitors with plenty of educational opportunities to learn about sea life while visiting with the animals and their trainers.

Busch Gardens is another popular theme park loaded with thrill rides for those looking to step outside Disney World’s gates for a day.

For the space buff or aspiring astronaut in the family, a visit to Kennedy Space Center is not to be missed while in the Orlando area. Here visitors can learn about the history of the United States’ space program and see some of the inner workings of a world-class space center.