Orlando/Central Florida

Inexpensive and smothered in nature, these scenic campgrounds are the best for RV and tent campers within an hour’s drive of Disney World.

Travel and Leisure magazine calls New Smyrna Beach “Florida’s most underrated seaside city”. We think it is “Florida’s best little beach town.”

Florida Southern College in Lakeland has been named one of the 20 most beautiful college campuses in the country. The campus is unique: Nowhere else in the world has more buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Twenty minutes off I-4 between Orlando and Tampa, there is a little-known wildlife preserve that one visitor calls “a free safari.” It attracts thousands of migrating birds in winter, but it has more to offer than just excellent birding.

Orlando Wetlands Park is a must-stop for birders and wildlife fans; it’s home to over 100 roseate spoonbills, 1,700 alligators and 200 species of bird. What’s even better: A half-mile boardwalk opened this winter providing great views of nesting birds in a cypress island. It’s only 20 minutes off I-95.

The Peace River has been a beloved paddling destination for decades. It was heartbreaking to see the floods after Hurricane Ian, which closed the long-time outfitter for paddling trips in Arcadia for months. But the Peace is back and it is as beauiful as ever. It’s also a great river for groups, families and beginners.

Fireflies in Florida? It’s a thing! Blue Spring State Park offers special viewing in spring ‘firefly season.’

Sebring, a small town along the lovely Lake Wales Ridge in Central Florida, is staking a claim for something new — Florida’s first (and only) craft soda festival, the Sebring Soda Festival. Local small-batch sodas made with real sugar are making a comeback, partly as an outgrowth of the craft beer phenomenon. This Sebring festival is a good opportunity to taste what it’s all about.

Chinsegut Hill Historic Site in Brooksville is a rare Antebellum plantation in Florida. Beautifully preserved atop a high hill, it introduces you to remarkable people, black and white, who lived here over 180 years. What a great place to discover!

This region may be known for its theme parks, but it should really be famous for its springs and rivers. If you like paddling, you’ll find some of the Florida’s best kayaking in Central Florida.

Christmas, Florida, is an old-time roadside attraction that is a throwback to another era. It’s close to the outstanding Orlando Wetlands Park.

A peaceful park shaded by magnificent live oaks is a good place to soak up some Florida history and take a walk or have a picnic. The battlefield tells a dramatic and thought-provoking story.

This 46-mile paved Central Florida rail trail is a smooth, safe ride. But what makes it special is the scenery, parks & towns to explore along the way.

The Withlacoochee River meanders through an unspoiled forest in rural Florida but still within an hour of Orlando and Tampa.

Things to do in Melbourne Florida including kayaking in an interactive zoo, strolling historic streets, visiting breweries and nearby hiking and biking.

Like a state fair, the Strawberry Festival has agricultural displays, livestock shows, arts and crafts, local food and a stunning carnival midway. The entertainment line-up is extraordinary year after year.

Mount Dora has a lively downtown and a well-preserved historic district on a pretty lake. It’s a walkable small town with good dining and shopping. What we like just as much: There is great kayaking and biking nearby.