Orlando · USA
Things to Do in Orlando: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Orlando, ranked by real traveller reviews: Walt Disney World and Universal, the Kennedy Space Center, an Everglades airboat ride, swimming with manatees at Crystal River, clear-kayak springs, a dinner show, and day trips to Clearwater Beach and St. Augustine. Compare 800+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
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Sunset tours in Orlando
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Orlando
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Orlando by interest
Whatever brings you to Orlando — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
What to see
Top attractions in Orlando
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Walt Disney World
Four magic parks.
80+ ticketsView tours
Universal Orlando
Thrills & movies.
60 ticketsView tours
SeaWorld
Marine park.
40 ticketsView tours
Kennedy Space Center
NASA history.
40 toursView tours
Everglades Airboat
Gators & marsh.
100 toursView tours
Medieval Times
Jousting dinner.
40 showsView tours
ICON Park
Wheel & aquarium.
90 ticketsView tours
Silver Springs
Clear kayaks.
80 toursView tours
3 days
Orlando in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Disney park
- 2Day 2: Universal
- 3Day 3: Space Center
- 4Evening shows
With kids
Orlando with kids
- 1Magic Kingdom
- 2LEGOLAND or SeaWorld
- 3Airboat & gators
- 4Dinner show
Beyond parks
Orlando beyond the parks
- 1Kennedy Space Center
- 2Everglades airboat
- 3Manatee kayak
- 4Beach day trip
1 hr awayKennedy Space Center
Space Shuttle Atlantis, the Saturn V and the launch-pad bus tour at Cape Canaveral; small-group tours with pickup or admission only.
from $69View trips
45 min awayEverglades Airboat
Skim the headwaters of the Everglades at Wild Florida or Boggy Creek: alligators, herons and a gator park afterwards.
from $28View trips
1.5 hrs awayCrystal River Manatees
The only place in the US to swim with wild manatees; small-boat snorkel tours from November to March, viewing cruises year-round.
from $45View trips
2 hrs awayClearwater Beach
White Gulf sand, Pier 60 at sunset and dolphin-spotting boat trips; day tours from Orlando include the drive and beach time.
from $88View trips
2 hrs awaySt. Augustine
The oldest city in the US: the Castillo de San Marcos fort, St. George Street, the trolley tour and evening ghost walks.
from $79View trips
1.5 hrs awaySilver Springs & Rock Springs
Clear-bottom kayaks over Florida’s crystal springs, with turtles, wild monkeys and manatees below; bioluminescent night paddles in summer.
from $45View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Orlando visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late January–February and September–early November bring pleasant weather, lower crowds and shorter park queues.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot, humid and busy with families, with daily afternoon thunderstorms — start parks early and plan indoor breaks.
Spring & autumn
Warm, drier and more comfortable, with spring break and holiday peaks aside; great for parks and the outdoors.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Mild and pleasant, very busy over Christmas and New Year, but quieter and cooler in late January.
Avoid the crowds
Mid-week visits and the weeks after holidays mean shorter lines at the theme parks.
Holiday peaks
Spring break, summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the busiest and priciest — book well ahead.
One day
One park or the Kennedy Space Center.
Three days
Disney, Universal and the Space Center.
A week
Multiple parks plus wild Florida and beaches.
Park fans
Four to five days for Disney and Universal alone.
Nature & space
Add days for airboats, springs and the Space Center.
With kids
Mix big parks with gentler attractions and breaks.
Car hire
Renting a car is the easiest way to get around sprawling Orlando and reach the parks, Space Center and beaches.
Tours & transfers
Many experiences include hotel pickup, and shuttles link the airport, parks and the Kennedy Space Center.
Ride apps
Uber and Lyft work well across Orlando, handy for park and International Drive trips without a car.
I-Drive & parks
International Drive and each theme park are walkable internally, with park transport between Disney areas.
Getting there
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is well connected, around 25–35 minutes from the main resort areas.
Allow drive time
The Space Center and beaches are about an hour away, so plan full days for those trips.
US dollars
Florida uses the US dollar; cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere, so you need little cash.
Pre-book park tickets
Buy dated theme-park tickets in advance and reserve park entry where required to guarantee your day.
Beat the heat
Start parks early, carry water, wear sunscreen and plan indoor breaks during summer afternoons.
Multi-day savings
Multi-day and multi-park tickets cut the per-day cost compared with single-day entries.
Plan around launches
Check the Cape Canaveral launch schedule if you’d love to catch a rocket launch.
Comfortable shoes
Theme-park days mean lots of walking — wear broken-in, comfortable shoes.
Theme park tickets
Dated tickets and park reservations fill up — book ahead.
Kennedy Space Center
Popular VIP and launch-timed tours sell out — reserve early.
Dinner shows
Top shows book up at peak times — reserve ahead.
Airboat tours
Popular rides fill up in season — book early.
Manatee kayak tours
Small-group spring tours have limited places — reserve ahead.
Holiday periods
Spring break, summer and Christmas are very busy — plan ahead.
Theme park ticket
Around $100–160 for a single-day Disney or Universal ticket.
Kennedy Space Center
About $70–120 for admission, more with transport or VIP.
Airboat tour
Roughly $30–60 for an Everglades airboat ride with gator park.
Dinner show
Around $55–90 for a dinner show with meal included.
Kayak tour
About $45–80 for a clear-kayak or manatee springs tour.
How to save
Buy multi-day park tickets and combo passes to lower the daily cost.
When to visit
Orlando through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Dec–Feb
- Best for
- Mild, holiday magic.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Xmas peak; late Jan quiet.
Spring (Mar–May)
Mar–May
- Best for
- Warm, dry.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Spring break busy.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- Long days, water parks.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot; afternoon storms.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Sep–Nov
- Best for
- Quieter, pleasant.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great value.
People also ask
Orlando travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Orlando?
Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, the Kennedy Space Center, an Everglades airboat ride, swimming with manatees at Crystal River, a clear-kayak springs tour, Clearwater Beach, St. Augustine, a dinner show and ICON Park on International Drive. The non-park days are what travellers rate highest.
How many days do you need in Orlando?
A week for families doing the parks: four park days plus the Kennedy Space Center, an airboat or manatee morning and a beach day. Three days is enough if you skip the theme parks. Book park tickets and the Space Center for your first days and keep the beach for the end.
What can you do in Orlando for free?
Disney Springs and Universal CityWalk, the Magic Kingdom monorail and ferry loop, the Boardwalk and resort lobbies, Lake Eola Park and its swan boats, the Leu Gardens on the first Monday of the month, Wekiwa Springs (small car fee), Old Town Kissimmee’s Saturday car cruise, and rocket launches watched from Cocoa Beach.
What are the best day trips from Orlando?
Kennedy Space Center (1 hour, from $69), Everglades airboats (45 minutes, from $28), Crystal River manatees (90 minutes, from $45), Clearwater Beach (2 hours, from $88), St. Augustine (2 hours, from $79) and Cocoa Beach (1 hour). All run as guided tours with hotel pickup.
What is there to do in Orlando at night?
The park fireworks (Magic Kingdom and EPCOT nightly), Disney Springs and CityWalk, dinner shows such as Medieval Times and Pirates Dinner Adventure, ICON Park’s 400-foot wheel, bioluminescent kayaking on the Indian River Lagoon in summer, night airboat rides for gator-spotting, and the Wekiva Island tiki bar.
What can you do in Orlando in winter?
Winter is the best season: 20–25°C days, the shortest park queues in late January and February, manatee season at Crystal River (they crowd the warm springs from November to March), the EPCOT Festival of the Arts, and the holiday lights at the parks through early January. Christmas week itself is the busiest of the year.
What are the best things to do in Orlando with kids?
Magic Kingdom for the under-8s, Universal’s Wizarding World for older children, the Kennedy Space Center (the Atlantis exhibit and astronaut training simulator), an airboat ride with a gator park, LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven, clear-kayak tours on calm springs, the SEA LIFE Aquarium at ICON Park and a dinner show with jousting knights.
When is the best time to visit Orlando?
Late January to February and September to early November: mild weather, lower hotel rates and the shortest park queues. Summer is hot, humid and stormy every afternoon; spring break (March) and Christmas week are the most crowded times of the year.
Is Orlando worth visiting?
Yes — even for people who dislike theme parks. The Kennedy Space Center, wild manatees, gators from an airboat, crystal springs and two coasts within two hours make it one of the most varied bases in the US. For families it is simply the best theme-park destination in the world.
864 Orlando experiencesfrom $20 · free cancellation
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