Category: Destinations

5 Things to Do in Orlando, FL

Boasting more than 250 days of sunshine each year, a trip to Orlando is an option if you’re seeking the rays. It’s also a favorite spot for thrill-ride lovers, hikers, bikers, birdwatchers, festival-goers, foodies…and the list goes on. In a nutshell, Orlando has something for everyone. Here are five things to see, not including the fabulous glamping accommodations at Encore Tropical Palms or Thousand Trails Orlando , if you’re Orlando-bound:

1. Take the International Drive: I-Drive, as it’s known in Orlando, is almost like an all-inclusive destination for everything from food to fun and more. There are outlet malls, plenty of restaurants (check out the Pirate’s Dinner Adventure or Taverna Opa for an authentic Greek experience); attractions such as the Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe or Not; a chocolate museum (The Chocolate Museum and Cafe); gator shows (Gator Golf); plenty of golf options from mini-golf courses to Top Golf simulators and whole lot more on this one exciting strip. For all the fun on I-Drive, visit internationaldriveorlando.com.

2. Board the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit: Get a feel for what it was like to be aboard the Titanic (before the iceberg) in an opulent recreation of the ill-fated ship that has more than 300 artifacts, full scale room replicas from the ship, and costumed actors to give you the feeling it’s 1912 all over again. Guided tours are available as well as other options that include the Titanic Gala Dinner and the Titanic Teatime Experience. For information, go to titanicorlando.com.

Elite Cottage at Thousand Trails Orlando
Elite Cottage at Thousand Trails Orlando

3. Be a Spectator: Orlando is home to many sporting teams, and depending on the time of year, you can catch multiple games in a single trip. The Orlando Solar Bears are an NHL affiliate, and the hockey season here begins in October and extends to April; the NBA’s Orlando Magic play their home basketball games at the Amway Center and the regular season runs October to April, and Orlando City is the team for soccer and regular play begins in February. Orlando is also a great homebase to catch Major League Baseball’s spring training games, aka the Grapefruit League, played in several nearby locations including Tampa (NY Yankees) and Lakeland (Detroit Tigers).

Cottages at Encore Tropical Palms
Cottages at Encore Tropical Palms

4. Enjoy a Festival or Two: Any time of year here, you can find a festival celebrating heritage, music, food and more. Some biggies include Universal’s Mardi Gras (held in late winter each year); EPCOT’s International Food and Wine (July to November annually); and EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays (set for November 24 through December 30 this year). To find a festival to coincide with your visit, go to orlandoinsidervacations.com/annual-events-in-orlando-kissimmee.

5. Visit Mount Dora: Just about 40 minutes outside of the popular and populated Orlando, you will find the small-town charmer of Mount Dora. Visitors to this lakefront town (the lake being Lake Dora) will love the historic buildings, shops, green spaces, and authentic southern charm found here. Mount Dora fun fact – Presidents Coolidge and Eisenhower came here for a winter retreat. One fun way to see the historic buildings and the town is to take the one-hour, narrated historic tour aboard the Mount Dora Trolley. There are also opportunities for fishing (Lake Dora); antiquing (Renninger’s); shopping in the historic downtown and browsing modern art (Modernism Museum).

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Where to Go Glamping in the Most Sustainable Cities

Why not choose your next glamping getaway by supporting one of the cities named to the 2025 Greenest Cities in America list? These cities are known for increasing green spaces, supporting local green initiatives, offering eco-conscious tourism and in general, doing their part to make a difference. WalletHub named 100 cities on the list, and these are a few to consider on your next glamping trip: 

Thousand Trails Pio Pico
Thousand Trails Pio Pico

San Diego comes in at #1. From banning plastic bags to having 43% of their electricity come from renewable sources, San Diego knows it is cool to be green. In fact, according to WalletHub, San Diego’s green energy helps keep it from being an excessively hot city environment. One great thing about San Diego is that the trolley system can take you all around the city and beyond (for routes, visit sdmts.com/transit-services/trolley). For green spaces to visit, consider Balboa Park, the 1200-acre public park that houses the San Diego Zoo, plus museums, gardens and walking trails. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is considered “a wilderness island in an urban sea” featuring miles and miles of unspoiled beaches and wild landscapes which are home to many species of migrating birds. Book a glamping stay at Thousand Trails Oakzanita Springs or Thousand Trails Pio Pico. 

Yurts at Thousand Trails Thunderbird
Yurts at Thousand Trails Thunderbird

Seattle, Washington makes the top 10 at #6. With initiatives like food scrap collection, food waste reduction as well as extensive parks and green spaces, Seattle is pretty, pretty green. Book a glamping cabin or yurt at Thousand Trails Thunderbird and explore the aptly named Emerald City. Green space tourist options include Olympic Sculpture Park, located on the waterfront overlooking the Salish Sea or Gas Works Park, a 19+ acres park built on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant. Of course, Pike Place Market with its abundance of fresh produce and flowers is a great spot to visit. Continuously operating since 1907, this market really knows how to do it from the flying fish show at the fish market to the incredible views of Puget Sound, this is another list maker when in Seattle.  

Glamping Cabin at Thousand Trails Natchez Trace
Tiny house at Thousand Trails Natchez Trace

Nashville makes the list thanks to its greenways systems and renewable energy and sustainability initiatives. With over 100 miles of paved greenways trails, it’s easy to explore Nashville and its neighborhoods by biking or walking. The city’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is a 19-acre urban park in downtown Nashville that features fountains, walkways and rows of tulip poplars, Tennessee’s state tree. Another urban park, Centennial Park offers 130 acres of green space plus a stunning replica of the Parthenon, which is a nod to the city’s nickname, The Athens of the South, due to its many universities and colleges. Another outdoor option is Old Hickory Lake, a 22,500- acre reservoir on the Cumberland River with fishing, swimming, hiking and boating opportunities. Book a glamping stay at the Natchez Trace Tiny House Village.

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