Opportunities in Orlando

Most likely, reader, once you saw the title of today’s blog, you probably thought of the land of Mickey Mouse, or thrilling adventures of Universal. Well, while Orlando, Florida is famous for its amuseument parks, entertainment, and adventure, I would like to introduce you to another side of Orlando. This take on the city looks at its wild creatures lurking in the lakes, creative cuisines, and a brief focus on local artisans. In truth, this blog post is not to dissuade you from visiting the parks, as even I have been there many a time. Yet, I would like you to know the opportunities for adventure and exploration that Orlando has to offer the next time you venture to this part of the United States.

If you have read my previous blog posts, then you probably know that first, I want to remark on the food. When I think of the American South, I tend think of juicy barbeque, smokey grilled meats, iced sweet tea, and delcious mac ’n cheese. Of course, you can find this in Orlando as the city is in the South, however, the city is also a food hub for international and fusion cuisines. My favourite fusion restaurant to visit is The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar for its burgushi, and sushi and burger bento boxes. As an aside, this is located within Universal’s CityWalk, though it is not within their park complex (ergo, no ticket required). Another option for equally delicious food would be going to DOMU. I enjoy going with family when I am in the mood for wings with a Japanese twist and some horchata. Honestly, there are so many places you eat at in Orlando for classic favourites or new menu items, I suggest watching Feed Phil and exploring by car during your next visit.

Besides food, though quite important, is exploring the Orlando area. This includes nature walks, hikes, and canoeing in state parks. As an important note: yes, there are alligators in Florida, as well as other dangerous animals that live in the forests, swamps, and everglades. Yet, there are also ways to safely explore the natural environments (though, please be aware of your surrounds).

If you enjoy being in the thick of nature, or in dire need of a swim in the Florida heat, I recommend Wekiwa Springs State Park. While I was there, Ramón and I walked around the crystal blue springs swimming area, meandered past canoes, and tredded through the forest. We decided to skip the water that day, as I did not know before hand how many people actually swam in the springs. I was quite surprised when we saw the springs area overflowing with people jumping in and swimming around! We went on our merry way exploring the trails to the east and west of the springs, but could not go too deep into the forest due to the recent rains. Unfortunately, I lost a shoe to thick, black mud that I thought was more dried out than it really was. On our walk back to the car, we did encounter some snakes, include a rattlesnake that quietly slid in front of us on the walking path. We dared not to move or make a sound as I was not ready to fight a snake that day (or any day). In the end, I came to realise that I cannot avoid the reptiles of Florida; the land belongs to the animals first. Nevertheless, there are ways to appreciate nature, including swimming in the fenced off portion of the springs or rowing along in a canoe to see what animal swims by.
Florida always seem to find a way to maintain a balance between human interactions and natural environments.

If the aforementioned adventure is a bit scary, but you would still like to learn more about Florida wildlife, I recommend Gatorland. This may sound silly; a land dedicated to ALLIGATORS! The scary, scaley “Swamp Puppies”. However, it was actually pretty educational, safe, and an interesting experience! Of course, every hour or so, there is an opportunity to watch trainers interact with alligators either through jumping contests or some other activity. Though, I was entranced by seeing all the animals in the area; enormously large turtles, capybaras, flamingos, numerous types of small alligators, and even seeing up close the difference between alligators and crocodiles. Once looking at their scales, toenails, and tails, I felt as if I could be transported into Jurassic Park. This is not surprising as alligators and other crocodilians were discovered to have lived on this earth over 83.5 million years ago, and the modern day crocodile has not changed for at least 8 million years! Thus, I am basically travelling back in time when watching an alligator or crocodile move through Florida lands! To make me less afraid of these animals, trainers also educated us on how to act when met with an alligator in the wild (or on the street) and make it out alive. Whether you live in Florida or not, this space is a great environment for learning about some of the Americas’ native species, and how to coexist with them.

Now, if neither of these are your cup of tea, but you would like to say you have met an alligator, I suggest going to play mini golf at the Congo River Golf. Why would I suggest you to play mini golf in a place that looks like a jungle with a crash landed plane? Well, there are actually small alligators that live in ponds by the mini golf areas that you can hold (with its mouth taped shut) or feed and learn more about said alligators. These gators in particular are being raised in these mini sanctuaries to be later brought into an alligator sanctuary nearby as for some reason, it is difficult for this group of animals to survive in the wild. Alligators were once endagered in Florida, so I am not surprised that some residents of the state want to take extra care in their state’s animal. After a few rounds of golf, feel free to learn a bit more about alligators if this interests you.

As a total 180, besides gators, more gators, and trying to avoid being alligator food, I also enjoy the art scene in the Orlando area. Creativity is brewing not only in the parks, but from the local artisans in the area crafting pieces from leather, wood, paint, fabric, or even silverware. I love wandering around places like The Mercantile Antiques & Uniques and Trader Maes Furniture and Decor Market to see what local artists are inspired by. Once you have explored both the creativity of the amuseument parks, and the natural beauty of the area, you start to see that the inspiration is boundless in this part of Florida.

At least one to two times a year, I find myself back in the Orlando area. I have my favourite and familiar places that I tend to go to with family, yet, I am always ready to try something new. Whether it be swimming in Lucky’s Lake and trying not to become a part of the foodchain, exploring a new neighbourhood, or checking out a different restaurant, I enjoy seeing what Orlando has to offer. I hope that you can explore a wide range of what the city has to offer when you yourself are down in Orlando. Thank you, and until next time!

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If you enjoyed this blog, feel free to let me know your favorite part on my Instagram page or my Buy Me a Coffee page on my latest post. Also, feel free to let me know if I should write more about Florida! Perhaps Miami?