Disney World and Universal Orlando might be the main reasons many UK families travel to Central Florida, but there’s considerably more to see beyond the theme parks.
Stay in an Orlando villa and you have an excellent base for exploring further afield.
The Kennedy Space Center and Atlantic beaches are within reach to the east, Florida’s Gulf Coast lies to the west, while natural springs, wildlife and smaller towns provide completely different experiences within Central Florida.
The difficulty isn’t finding somewhere to go.
It’s deciding how much travelling you realistically want to fit into an already busy Orlando holiday.
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Don’t Turn Every Rest Day into Another Big Day
A day away from the theme parks doesn’t automatically qualify as a rest day.
Leaving your villa at 7am, driving for 2 hours, spending all day sightseeing and then driving back that evening can be just as tiring as a full day at Disney World.
When planning your itinerary, treat major day trips as proper sightseeing days.
If you’re staying for 14 nights, you might comfortably include 1 or 2 trips away from the main Orlando attractions.
On a shorter holiday, decide whether the destination is important enough to sacrifice a theme park, shopping or villa day.
If you’re staying in villas in Kissimmee, your precise starting point can make a difference to journeys outside Orlando. Companies specialising in Orlando accommodation, such as Debbie’s Villas, offer properties across the main villa areas surrounding Disney World.
Always calculate your route from your actual villa rather than from “Orlando” generally.
The Space Coast
One of the most popular day trips from Orlando is Florida’s Space Coast.
The obvious attraction is Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where visitors can explore America’s space programme, see historic spacecraft and learn about past and present NASA missions.
For many families, this is easily substantial enough to fill most of the day.
From the main Orlando villa areas, you should generally think in terms of roughly 1½ to 2 hours each way, although your actual journey will depend on where you’re staying and traffic conditions.
If Kennedy Space Center is a priority, plan an early start rather than arriving halfway through the day.
It’s also sensible to check opening times, admission arrangements and whether anything you particularly want to experience requires advance planning.
A rocket launch can make a visit even more memorable, but launch schedules can change, so don’t build an inflexible holiday itinerary around one without understanding that possibility.
Combine Space and the Beach Carefully
Look at a map and it’s tempting to combine Kennedy Space Center with an Atlantic beach on the same day.
You can.
The question is whether you should.
Cocoa Beach and other Space Coast locations can work well as part of a day in the area, particularly if your family only wants a short visit to the beach.
But trying to enjoy Kennedy Space Center properly, spend several hours on the beach, have dinner and then drive back to your villa can turn into a very long day.
If the space centre is your main priority, give it the time it deserves.
You can always make the beach a separate trip.
Atlantic Coast Beaches
Florida’s Atlantic coast provides several possibilities for an Orlando day trip.
Cocoa Beach is one of the most familiar choices for UK holidaymakers because of its location relative to Orlando and the Space Coast.
Depending on your villa location and traffic, allow approximately 1½ to 2 hours for many journeys towards the nearest Atlantic beaches.
Travel further north or south and your driving time will naturally increase.
For a beach day, an early departure can be worthwhile.
You’ll arrive before the strongest heat of the day, potentially find parking more easily and have plenty of time to enjoy the coast without constantly watching the clock.
Before travelling, check parking arrangements, beach facilities and any local conditions that might affect your visit.
The Gulf Coast
Head west instead and you can reach Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The white-sand beaches around the Tampa Bay and Clearwater area are particularly popular with Orlando visitors.
But this is where it’s important to be realistic about journey times.
Depending on where your villa is located, your destination and traffic, a Gulf Coast beach can involve around 2 hours or more in each direction.
Traffic around the Tampa Bay area can add considerably to the journey, particularly at busy times.
A Gulf Coast day trip is certainly possible, and thousands of Orlando holidaymakers do it.
Just remember that 4 or more hours in the car can be a substantial part of your day.
If you’re travelling with young children or anyone who finds long car journeys tiring, consider whether the destination justifies the drive.
Natural Springs
Florida’s natural springs offer something completely different from the theme parks and beaches.
Depending on which spring you choose, you might find opportunities for swimming, kayaking, tubing, walking or wildlife watching.
Some spring destinations can be reached from the Orlando villa areas in roughly 1 to 2 hours, but the distances vary considerably.
This is another occasion when researching the specific destination matters.
Don’t simply search for “Florida springs” and assume they’re all close to Orlando.
Popular parks can also reach capacity, and some activities may require reservations or have seasonal arrangements.
Check before leaving the villa.
Remember Your Starting Point Matters
“How far is the beach from Orlando?” sounds like a straightforward question.
It isn’t.
An Orlando villa might be in Kissimmee, Davenport, Clermont, Haines City or another community surrounding the main attractions.
Likewise, “the beach” could mean Cocoa Beach, Clearwater Beach or somewhere entirely different.
A family staying in eastern Kissimmee might have a different journey towards the Atlantic from someone staying west of Disney World.
Someone in Davenport or Haines City may find certain westbound journeys more convenient.
When comparing villas through Debbie’s Villas or another Orlando villa specialist, consider your planned day trips as well as your journeys to the theme parks.
If you know you’ll be spending most of your holiday at Disney, villa location near Disney may quite reasonably remain your priority.
But if exploring Florida is a major part of your plans, look at the wider road network too.
Check More Than the Journey Time
Before setting off on any day trip, check:
- Opening and closing times
- Admission prices
- Whether advance reservations are required
- Parking arrangements and charges
- Toll roads along the route
- Current traffic
- Weather conditions
- Any local restrictions or temporary closures
Do this shortly before travelling rather than relying entirely on research carried out months before your holiday.
Opening arrangements and admission systems can change.
For beaches and outdoor destinations, weather can change the day completely.
Understand Your Hire Car Toll Arrangement
Longer Florida journeys may take you onto toll roads.
These can be extremely useful, but you should understand how your hire car’s toll arrangement works before setting off.
Rental companies offer different toll-payment programmes and charges.
Eligible visitors travelling through Orlando International Airport may also want to investigate the Visitor Toll Pass as an alternative.
Whichever system you use, sort it out at the beginning of the holiday rather than trying to avoid toll roads because you’re unsure how you’ll be charged.
A navigation app can help with routing, but don’t automatically select “avoid tolls” without looking at the consequences. Saving a relatively small toll could sometimes result in a considerably longer journey.
Leave Early
For many Florida day trips, an early start makes sense.
You can potentially avoid some traffic, maximise the time at your destination and reduce the pressure of needing to rush home.
Prepare the night before.
Fill the car with fuel if necessary.
Save the destination in your navigation app.
Check the route.
Have beach bags, swimming equipment or other essentials ready.
If you’re taking food and drinks, prepare those too.
Then everyone can have breakfast at the villa and get on the road without spending the first hour looking for missing sunglasses.
Plan Food into the Day
Don’t let meals become an afterthought.
If you’re driving for 2 hours, spending a full day somewhere and driving back, everyone will need to eat.
You might prepare snacks or a simple picnic at the villa where your destination permits outside food.
Alternatively, research somewhere for lunch.
For the return journey, decide whether you want to eat near your destination, stop somewhere along the way or get back to the villa first.
After a long day at the beach, the idea of cooking dinner may become considerably less attractive than it sounded that morning.
Think About the Drive Home
It’s easy to concentrate on getting somewhere and forget that you still have to drive back.
If your destination is 2 hours from the villa and you stay for sunset and dinner, you could face a lengthy drive after a very long day.
Consider who will be driving.
If 2 adults are insured to drive the hire car, sharing longer journeys may be useful.
Most importantly, don’t create a schedule that depends on an exhausted driver completing a long journey late at night.
Leaving a little earlier can be the sensible choice.
When Should You Stay Overnight?
Not every Florida destination needs to be a day trip.
If you want to travel considerably further from Orlando, an overnight stay may provide a much more enjoyable experience.
Even some destinations that are technically possible in a day can be better with a night away if you want to explore them properly.
Ask yourself:
How many hours will we spend driving?
How many useful hours will that leave at the destination?
Will we need to leave before we’ve really enjoyed it?
Will the return journey be tiring?
Would an overnight stay allow us to see considerably more?
If the answers point towards an exhausting day, consider booking accommodation for the night.
You don’t earn a prize for making it back to your Orlando villa every evening.
Use Your Villa as a Base, not a Boundary
One of the benefits of an Orlando villa holiday is the freedom to explore.
You can spend one day at Disney World, another relaxing beside your private pool and another watching waves roll onto a Florida beach.
Your villa becomes somewhere familiar to return to between adventures.
Whether you’re staying with Debbie’s Villas or another Orlando accommodation provider, look beyond the theme park map when planning your holiday.
The Space Coast, Atlantic beaches, Gulf Coast and natural springs can all add something completely different to an Orlando itinerary.
Just be realistic about distances.
Choose the trips that genuinely interest your family, allow enough time to enjoy them and remember that sometimes the best decision after several busy days is not another 4 hours in the car.
It’s a day beside your own pool instead.
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