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HILTON GARDEN INN WINTER PARK



SHERATON ORLANDO NORTH HOTEL



THE ALFOND INN AT ROLLINS COLLEGE



PARK PLAZA HOTEL



HOMEWOOD SUITES MAITLAND



COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT ORLANDO DOWNTOWN



Air BNBs are very prevalent in Orlando and we love to stay at them! Our only caveat is do NOT get an air BNB close to the theme parks and avoid south Orlando. The traffic is unpredictable and stressful, and you won't be centrally located for the wedding.  We would recommend air BNBs in winter park, Altamonte springs, Maitland or any surround areas.

Air BNB

Travel

Enjoy hiking through wekiwa Springs state park, or visit wekiwa island for a beach, canoe/kayak/paddle board rentals, and a bar with food truck.

Wekiwa Springs

Downtown is a vibrant area with nightlife, food, drink, and tons to do.

Downtown Orlando boasts numerous restaurants you’ll want to experience. For example, Artisan’s Table focuses on seasonally inspired food and beverages, while Ember — which has downtown’s largest outdoor terrace — specializes in Mediterranean fare.

For something wild, check out the weekly drag shows at Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille. Sports fanatics can catch all the action at Harry Buffalo, while Lion’s Pride near downtown’s Orlando City Stadium is the place to be for soccer fans.

Other dining points of interest in the immediate downtown area include The Stubborn Mule and The Boheme, the latter of which is inside the gorgeous, art-filled Grand Bohemian Hotel. Downtown even has something for motorheads courtesy of regular car shows at Ace Cafe Orlando, the only U.S. outpost of the famous London original.

Love a good block party? Then you’ll love downtown Orlando’s Wall St. Plaza. Comprised of seven themed bars connected by a central, open-air courtyard, this nightlife hub keeps the party going every night of the week. It really shines on alcohol-fueled holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Fat Tuesday and others. Downtown Orlando has multiple speakeasies, too. They include The Courtesy, Hanson’s Shoe Repair, Mathers Social Gathering, The Treehouse and The Woods. Other downtown Orlando nightlife options frequented by locals include independent bar, barbeque bar, Stardust Lounge, The Social and SAVOY Orlando, the latter of which is geared toward LGBTQ revelers. And if you love a good smoke, belly up to the bar at downtown’s Corona Cigar Company and Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge, which is within easy walking distance of Church Street Station and Wall St. Plaza.

Part of downtown’s landscape since 2014, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is the crown jewel of Orlando’s arts scene. At this venue’s three indoor theaters and outdoor plaza, you can catch Broadway shows, performances by the Orlando Ballet, top musicians and comedians, cultural festivals, and much more.

Art-lovers will also want to visit the aforementioned Grand Bohemian Hotel’s eclectic art collection and CityArts Factory, which offers free admission and hosts multiple art galleries. Nearby, you can explore 12,000 years of Central Florida history at the Orange County Regional History Center and Heritage Square Park, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate that formerly served as Orange County’s courthouse.

Need a laugh? SAK Comedy Lab has you covered with live improv featuring lots of opportunities for audience participation. And for pure entertainment, test your wits at The Great Escape Room, downtown’s only escape-style attraction.

Various live events take part at Lake Eola Park, too, including the biannual Fiesta in the Park art shows, cultural festivals and more. This centrally located, beautiful park is also the site of Orlando Farmers Market every Sunday, and it’s a great place to relax no matter when you visit.

Speaking of relaxation, hop aboard one the park’s rentable, swan-shaped paddleboats for a self-guided tour of Lake Eola. To hear many locals tell it, you haven’t really experienced Orlando until you’ve taken one of these beauties for a spin!

Lake eola is another picturesque walk with shopping, bars, our famous swans and swan boats, and the Sunday farmer's market.

Downtown Orlando

The city of Winter Park is a picturesque suburb north of Orlando known for its a different look at life in Central Florida. Brick streets, historic neighborhoods, and a mini-version of Manhattan’s Central Park paint one sublime picture of the Florida suburb. On the flip side, there’s a refined hipster vibe, with the area’s hottest restaurants, shopping, and a liberal arts college campus smack in the center of town.

Stylish Park Avenue is the epicenter, with Rollins College on the north end. Just a few blocks west is hip, historic Hannibal Square, with more restaurants, shops, and galleries. There’s a sense of history, and many of the original homes and bungalows still stand, built back when wealthy industrialists came in search of sunshine in the late 1800s. They left a legacy of arts and culture, like the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, now home to the most comprehensive collection of Tiffany glass.

For the most exceptional view of Winter Park, get out on the water—a chain of six lakes all are connected by narrow, man-made canals where water-skiers, kayakers, and paddle boarders share the water year-round with pontoons and sailboats. It’s a remarkable snapshot of a suburb of stately trees, abundant parks, and spectacular homes.

Don't miss Park Ave shopping, food, wine, the Saturday farmer's market, and spending some time exploring the neighborhoods.

Explore Winter Park

Winter Garden, just west of Orlando and its theme parks, is known for its old Florida style and charm, and a great place to visit in Central Florida.  

The historic downtown, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, is a favorite destination, with shops and restaurants situated along the award-winning West Orange Trail, part of the 250-mile Coast to Coast (C2C) Connector Trail across Central Florida. If you’re a cycling enthusiast, this is the place for you.

Winter Garden is the cultural capital of West Orange County, with live performances at the Garden Theatre, live music throughout the downtown on the weekends and visual art at the SoBo Art Gallery. Saturdays are bustling with the award-winning Winter Garden Farmers Market, offering a large selection of vendors from locally grown produce and baked goods, to homemade soaps and fresh flowers, and live entertainment each week.

Winter Garden

One of Orlando’s oldest neighborhoods, and located directly north of the adjacent downtown area, Mills 50 is a Main Street America-accredited program. The district’s name is derived from its primary, intersecting thoroughfares: Mills Avenue and State Road 50, aka Colonial Drive.

The tree-lined district is known for its assortment of brightly colored, professionally illustrated murals that pay homage to various aspects of Orlando living. Mills 50 also hosts a culturally diverse lineup of restaurants, nightspots (including live music venues), retailers and service providers, plus a one-of-a-kind city park that’s packed with museums, galleries and theaters. You can easily spend a day exploring everything this area has to offer!

You won’t lack for great places to eat when you visit Mills 50 — particularly if you’re into Eastern cuisine. Covering a range of flavors, standouts include Hawkers Asian Street Fare, Mamak Asian Street Food, Poke Hana, Pop Thai, Shin Jung Korean Restaurant and Yamasan Sushi & Grill. (Want to drink like you’re in Asia? Head to Tori Tori)

Mills 50 also has the original Black Bean Deli, which has been serving traditional Cuban dishes for nearly 20 years. Or, opt for Spanish tapas at Santiago’s Bodega or contemporary Mexican cuisine at Black Rooster Taqueria. Can’t decide between Asian and Hispanic/Latin menus? Mix and match at popular fusion restaurants such as Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa and Tako Cheena!

You can dig into gourmet takes on traditional American dishes, too, starting with acclaimed dining at The Strand Food & Drink and Bites & Bubbles, the latter of which is also influenced by French cuisine. Other choices along these lines include from-scratch bowls at Too Much Sauce, pub fare and a massive beer selection at The Brass Tap, and slices as big as your head at Lazy Moon Pizza.

However, Mills 50’s dining choices absolutely pale in comparison to its nightlife. One of the most esteemed venues is Will’s Pub, which is a great place to see live bands — as is its sister club, Lil Indies. But the fact is, you can’t throw a stone without hitting a memorable place to grab a drink in this district. It even makes its own alcohol, thanks to Ten10 Brewing Co. and Quantum Leap Winery!

Prefer coffee and tea to alcoholic libations? Check out Dandelion Community Cafe and Lineage Coffee Roasting, among other locations.

At the far north end of the Mills 50 district, the 45-acre Loch Haven Cultural Park features some of the best reasons for arts aficionados to visit Orlando. They include Orlando Museum of Art, The Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando Repertory Theatre (aka Orlando Rep), Orlando Shakespeare Theater (aka Orlando Shakes), Orlando Fire Museum and the headquarters of Orlando Ballet, which performs exclusively at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando.

The collection also includes Orlando Science Center, which is one of Orlando’s many STEM-focused attractions geared toward kids and their families. Last but not least, the park hosts the annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, aka Orlando Fringe, which showcases a plethora of theatrical offerings and is the longest-running event of its type in the United States.

For more ideas check out these articles:
https://orlandodatenightguide.com/2017/08/mills-50-50/
https://photos.orlandoweekly.com/27-essential-mills-50-restaurants-shouldve-tried-now/?slide=1&anh-hong-ig-audfutur3
https://www.unation.com/stuff-to-do/best-things-to-do-in-mills50/

Mills 50 District

Things to Do

Danielle & Andrew