There’s More To Orlando Than Theme Parks {image]

Most people think about theme parks when they discuss Orlando, Florida as a place to go on vacation. It’s even got so that many people know about these theme parks, especially Walt Disney World Resort and SeaWorld, but don\’t know the name of the city these parks/resorts are in.

Even if the theme parks weren’t there, Orlando would make a great destination for a vacation, and people would still be touching down at Orlando International Airport; scouting through all the motels, hotels and vacation accommodation for the perfect place to stay with a family, booking stroller rentals in Orlando and packing their bags for sunny, tropical weather.

First of all, let’s take Orlando’s climate. We all know that Florida is well known for its balmy temperatures and its sunshine. Long before theme parks were invented and even before the airplane was invented, people were flocking to Florida on vacation, especially if they lived in the more northern states or in Canada, as Florida provided a nice, warm getaway to escape the snow and ice of winter. Orlando is located slightly inland, too, which means that its far away enough from the coast to escape the worst of the hurricanes that are part of living in a tropical area, but close enough to the coast so that people on vacation in Orlando can make a day trip in a rental car to the beach to spend the day there. Orlando’s climate also created another of the major industries that still flourishes in the area, although not to as great an extent as it did in former days: citrus fruit, which gave the Orange Blossom Trail and Orange County (for which Orlando is the county seat) their names.

The hot tropical climate of this part of Florida can take some tourists unawares, so if you are thinking of booking stroller rentals in Orlando, find a stroller that comes with the option of a chiller pack to keep drinks and other items cool, and a well-designed hood that casts a shadow from the side as well as overhead is vital for protecting children’s sensitive skins from strong UV rays. Also, as this is the tropics, sudden downpours (with some particularly dramatic thunderstorms – nature’s sound and light shows) can occur, so always pack a raincoat when you’re out and about.

What else has Orlando got to do and see apart from the theme parks? The majority of families who come to Orlando and book stroller rentals are in the area because of the theme parks and resorts – and justly so; these parks are world famous – but you can have a great vacation in this lovely city without setting foot in a theme park. Or perhaps you can combine visits to one, two or several of the theme parks in the areas with a trip to some of Orlando’s other points of interest.

Take sports, for example. Most of us have heard of the Orlando Magic NBA team, and the Amway Center is their home ground. Sports fans will do well to book their vacation to Orlando to time with a big clash at this stadium – but book your tickets well in advance because even though the Amway Center can seat over 18,000 for an NBA game, the Magic are very popular. And if you want to watch the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, which will be held in Orlando, you’d better be in quick! Other sports also use the Center, and it also gets used for concerts.

When it comes to shopping, Orlando has a number of very big malls and markets, where you can pick up your souvenirs – Disney or Universal branded gear, or Orlando Magic T-shirts and supporter must-haves – minus the extensive lines that tend to happen in the resorts’ on-site shops. Shopaholics will usually put the Florida Mall on their must-do list – the largest single-storey shopping mall in the USA, and that’s saying something – as well as the Mall at Millennia, Festival Bay Mall and the very glitzy Orlando Fashion Square. Florida Mall tends to be quite popular with parents of young children who are likely to book stroller rentals in Orlando, as the one-storey layout means that they don’t have to lug a stroller – complete with baby – up stairs or escalators, or crowd out an elevator with a stroller. A stroller also makes a great place to tote around all those great shopping finds…

When it comes to delights of the mind like art, science and culture, Orlando also has plenty on offer, thanks to a lot of high-tech industries in the area, and the NASA centre on the coast a mere hop, skip and jump away. On International Drive, you’ll see a peculiar lopsided building – Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium, which is a celebration of the bizarre, quirky and odd. It’s very hands-on and is likely to be popular with children and with adults. The Orlando Science Center, which has a huge range fascinating displays, is another popular museum.. A visit to the Orlando Science Center could well be combined into a vacation that includes a visit to the Gatorland theme park: learn all about the wetland environment of Florida first at the museum and then go and see some of the animals a bit more closely at Gatorland (but allow at least a full day to visit any theme park so you can make the most of it). Or visit the Orlando Science Center at night on a night the observatory’s open (two Saturdays a month from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm) so you can get a glimpse of the universe we live in – it’s amazing.

Orlando’s also got some great golf courses in the area, but for this you’ll need to think about renting a golf cart instead of stroller rentals in Orlando – small children just don’t seem to get golf, but a true golfing enthusiast will probably try to fit at least nine holes in at one of the popular courses.

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