Things To Do
Walt Disney World® Resort
The parks are amazing but there are also several free or almost free options to explore Disney while you are here! Pro tip - parking is free at the resorts if you have a pre-booked dining reservation! Our Recommendations: ~ The Polynesian: you can grab a dole whip, get drinks at Trader Sam's and watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from their beach without the price tag of going to the parks ~ Fort Wilderness Resort: This is an outdoor lover's dream! They have so many activities and you can rent bikes, hop on a fishing boat, go horseback riding, and more! ~ The Boardwalk Resort: This resort area connects three different Disney hotels and has lots of shopping and dining to check out! Epcot fireworks can also be viewed here. ~ Animal Kingdom Lodge: My personal favorite. Sanaa and Boma are both amazing restaraunts and you can see soooo many wild animals from their savannahs! ~ Disney Springs: This is WDW's shopping and dining district. Totally free to park and walk around!
Universal Orlando Resort
While we are both loyal to the mouse, we also LOVE Universal Studios Orlando. Their parks are a ton of fun and if you're a Harry Potter fan, it might be worth a visit. Like Disney, they also have a Shopping and Dining District called City Walk that is free to park but only AFTER 6pm. This is a great evening option if you want to grab a bite to eat for dinner or grab drinks at one of their bars/nightclubs. Two notable options at City Walk include: ~ Rising Star: This is karaoke but kicked up a notch. Those who volunteer to sing have a live band and backup singers which makes for a really fun night out. ~ The Great Movie Escape: Though we haven't tried this yet, these Escape Rooms are supposed to be really awesome! They have one themed to Jurassic Park and one for Back to the Future.
Clermont - Our Home Base
Clermont has a sleepy little downtown that is very family-friendly. Sunday mornings they host the Clermont Farmers Market and they have several little food hall-esque buildings with tons of dining and drink options. We recommend checking out Clermont Brewing Company, Suncreek Brewery, Montrose Street Market or The Downtown Exchange. There's also a really nice trail that runs along the lake down to Waterfront Park to the east or the Clermont Historic Village Museum to the west.
Winter Garden
Winter Garden is one of my favorite places in the area! Their downtown is the cutest tree-lined street with unique shops (check out Adjectives Market) and mom-and-pop restaurants. They have a huge Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings that I really recommend checking out. Dining: ~ The Hangry Bison (Restaraunt/Bar) ~ Crooked Can Brewing (Inside the Plant St. Market which is also filled with grab and go options) ~ Three Birds Cafe (Brunch/Lunch) ~ Rosalie French Cafe (Brunch/Lunch) ~ Piccolo Coffee (Try their Vanilla Coconut Iced Latte!) ~ The Whole Enchilada (I recommend sitting up on the rooftop with a drink!)
Beaches!
There are SO many wonderful beaches in Central Florida that it'll be hard to list them all! We'll just list a few of our favorites. Gulf Coast: (think warmer waters and white sand beaches) ~ Clearwater ~ St. Pete Beach ~ Sarasota and Siesta Key East Coast (picture bigger waves and more water activities) ~ New Smyrna ~ Cocoa Beach ~ St. Augustine: this is a bit of a drive but very historic and beautiful If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can take a road trip up State Road A1A which spans the whole east coast.
Other Recommendations
~ Seaworld Orlando ~ Gatorland ~ Busch Gardens Tampa ~ I-Drive and Icon Park ~ Golfing at Shades of Green in WDW or Top Golf near I-Drive ~ Mini Golf at Fantasia Gardens or Winter Summerland at Disney ~ Kennedy Space Center ~ Bok Tower Gardens ~ View the Manatees at Crystal River ~ Take an airboat tour through the Everglades ~ See the gators at Circle B Bar Reserve ~ Take a walk around Celebration (a town originally developed by the Walt Disney Company!) ~ Explore the Tibet Butler Nature Preserve ~ Take a boat, kayak or swim through one of Florida's many springs like Wekiva or Wekiwa