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.
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