Explore Orlando and Central Florida by area
Areas worth building an Orlando trip around, from the parks corridor and the Space Coast to the springs of the interior and the Gulf Coast.
Must-visit areas
The areas every first-time visitor should build a trip around — the parks corridor around Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, and the Space Coast around the Kennedy Space Center.
Orlando, Florida: the corridor explained
How Orlando's tourist corridor actually works: International Drive, Lake Buena Vista, downtown, and Winter Park, and why picking a base matters.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine from Orlando: distance, the old town layout, where to park, and when to go for the Nights of Lights.
St. Petersburg & the Gulf beaches
St. Petersburg from Orlando: bay-side museums, barrier-island beaches, dolphin cruises and the bridges that connect them, about 2 hours west.
Tampa
Tampa travel guide: Riverwalk, Ybor City, Busch Gardens and the cruise port, plus honest advice on distance to the actual beaches.
More to explore
Areas for a second trip or a longer first one — the springs and manatees of the interior, the Gulf Coast around Tampa and Sarasota, and St. Augustine as a day trip.
Clearwater & Tarpon Springs
Clearwater Beach, Dunedin, Caladesi Island and Tarpon Springs: how the Gulf Coast towns west of Tampa fit together, and how to plan a day from Orlando.
Crystal River & the Nature Coast
Crystal River is where you can legally swim with wild manatees. What Kings Bay offers, when the manatees actually show up, and how to plan the trip.
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, an hour from Orlando: a hard-sand shore where cars still drive, the Speedway, Ormond Beach, and Ponce Inlet's lighthouse to the south.
Kissimmee
Kissimmee is Orlando's southern neighbor: a 20-mile hotel strip on US 192, a working lake town, and the closest gate into Walt Disney World.
Sarasota & Siesta Key
Sarasota and Siesta Key from Orlando: quartz sand, the Ringling estate, and three barrier islands, 2h15-2h30 by car.
Space Coast: Kennedy Space Center, Titusville and Cocoa Beach
The Atlantic coast an hour east of Orlando: Kennedy Space Center, rocket launches, Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral, explained region by region.
Off the beaten path
Bradenton & Anna Maria Island
Bradenton's Riverwalk meets Anna Maria Island's slow barrier-island beaches, 2-2.25 hours from Orlando. What to do, when to go, and how to park.
Clermont & Lake County
Rolling hills, chains of lakes and small towns 30-40 minutes west of Orlando: Clermont, Mount Dora and Tavares, for a half-day or full-day escape.
Ocala and Florida's spring country
Ocala from Orlando: horse country, Silver Springs, and the springs of the Ocala National Forest, roughly 1h20 to 1h30 by car.
Sanford & the St. Johns River
Sanford's brick-lined riverfront and the St. Johns River, 35-45 minutes from Orlando by car or SunRail, with springs, manatees, and river cruises.
Winter Haven & Polk County
Winter Haven and Polk County: LEGOLAND Florida, the Chain of Lakes, Bok Tower Gardens, and how to plan a day trip from Orlando without wasting a park day.
Good to know about destinations around Orlando
Base yourself in Orlando and this hub explains where to look next, covering the parks corridor itself plus the two coasts arranged on either side of the peninsula, connected almost entirely by rental car. Central Florida covers Orlando's park corridor along Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and International Drive, Kissimmee and the US 192, Clermont and Lake County, Winter Haven and Polk County with LEGOLAND Florida and Bok Tower Gardens, Sanford and the spring-fed St. Johns River corridor around Blue Spring, Wekiwa Springs and De Leon Springs, and Ocala with the Ocala National Forest and Silver Springs.
Atlantic Coast groups the Space Coast around the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Cape Canaveral, Titusville, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island and the Canaveral National Seashore, plus Daytona Beach and its speedway, and St. Augustine, the oldest European-founded city in the country. Gulf Coast covers Tampa and Ybor City, St. Petersburg and the Dali Museum, Clearwater and Tarpon Springs with their barrier-island beaches, Sarasota and Siesta Key, Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, and Crystal River and the Nature Coast with its manatees. The Everglades, the Florida Keys and Miami sit too far south for a day trip from Orlando, so this hub leaves them out of scope.
Each destination page below sets out realistic driving distances from Orlando and whether the trip suits a morning, a full day or an overnight.
Frequently asked questions about destinations around Orlando
How far are the Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast from Orlando?
Both sit roughly an hour to an hour and a half away by road, close enough for a single day trip from the parks corridor. The Atlantic Coast centers on the Space Coast and St. Augustine, while the Gulf Coast reaches Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota.
What's the difference between Central Florida and the coasts here?
Central Florida covers Orlando's park corridor itself, plus Kissimmee, Clermont, Winter Haven, Sanford and Ocala nearby. The Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast sit on opposite sides of the peninsula, each roughly an hour or more away and best treated as a separate day.
Which coast suits a day trip better, Atlantic or Gulf?
The Atlantic Coast suits travelers drawn to the Kennedy Space Center and beach towns like Cocoa Beach and Daytona, all about an hour east. The Gulf Coast suits those wanting Tampa's attractions or the barrier-island beaches around Clearwater and St. Petersburg, roughly ninety minutes west.
Can I combine several of these destinations in one day?
It's possible within a single region, such as pairing Winter Haven with Clermont, but crossing between Central Florida and a coast in one day leaves little time on the ground. Most visitors pick one destination and one region per outing rather than chaining several together.
Are the Everglades or Miami covered by this hub?
No, they sit well beyond a comfortable day trip from Orlando and fall outside this hub's scope. The destinations covered here are grouped into Central Florida, the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf Coast, all reachable and back within a single day.
Theme park tickets and passes on GetYourGuide
Verified deep-linked GetYourGuide tours. Book through these links and we earn a small commission at no cost to you.
GetYourGuide does not provide a product photo for this activity — the image shows the meeting point, photographed by us.
