5 things to do within driving distance of Orlando that are not theme parks
By Brian Miller
Theme parks are a big draw for the Orlando, Fl area but that is not the only thing to do.
Imagine making plans to go to Orlando and then not being able to go to the theme parks. What would you do then? There is more to see and do.
When we think of Orlando we tend to think of Mickey Mouse and Disney, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld. Maybe some of us think about Legoland. What if all those options were taken off your itinerary? What would you do then? Well as luck would have it, there is a lot of things to do along the coast-to-coast I4 corridor.
Beaches
Orlando isn’t known for beaches because it is inland but you can be in Tampa Bay in 90 minutes or you can be on the east coast in about the same give or take traffic. Traffic is your worse enemy and there is no denying that a trip to either coast from Orlando can easily get delayed or canceled just by the traffic alone.
There are other routes to take to get to the east coast and west and while they may not be ideal, the drivetime vs. the traffic is a plus.
The east coast could bring you to Daytona Beach where the Daytona Motor Speedway is. There are museums and of course miles and miles of sand. From Flagler Beach to the North of Daytona to Cape Canaveral National Seashore, there is plenty of waterfronts to explore and make a nice getaway for those who have breaks in their theme park travel plans.
On the West Coast, Tampa Bay brings you to the big city where downtown festivals and local rescue aquariums await. Just to the south you can visit the Mote Aquarium or stop in at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and give a visit to Winter, the dolphin made famous by the movie Dolphins Tale.