Florida Villas – An Alternative Guide

If you are staying in one of the Florida villas in the Orlando region but want to find alternatives to the theme parks, check out our guide below.

Leave Disney World and find something else to do? It sounds crazy! You’ve been dreaming of it all year, so why would you want to leave the place where dreams come true? But by the third day of trailing round theme parks and having your stomach flipped a zillion times, chances are you’ll be ready for a break. One of the bonuses of staying in one of the Florida villas in the Disney area rather than in the resort itself is that you can have the best of both worlds.

Mouse-free guide

So, what exactly is there to do in Florida if you’re not loosing your lunch on a roller coaster? Check out our mouse-free guide to alternatives things to do if you’re renting a villa in the area - where there isn’t a squeak to be heard.

Staying in Florida villas near Disney

If you want to dodge the crowds and even save a few bucks, there are some fantastic places to visit if you’re staying in one of the Florida villas in the Disney or Orlando area.

Central Florida Zoo

If cartoon animals don’t do it for you, check out the real ones at Central Florida Zoo. With endangered species including clouded leopards, there are dozens and dozens of species from howler monkeys to rare king vultures.

Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

If you are staying in a themed resort, Disney hotel or renting your own Florida villa in the area you might feel starved for art. Not to worry, check out the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. With 21 paintings by the master artist, jewellery designed by Tiffany and Faberge and Art Nouveau furnishings you will soon find the cultured you underneath the tourist tack. And it’s only $3 for adults and $1 for children to get in – although it might be tough convincing the kids it’s more fun than Mickey Mouse.

Cornell Fine Arts Museum

Still hungry for culture? Not ready to head back to the comforts of your Florida villa yet? Well you can find 6,000 works on display from European painting to decorative art at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum which hosts Florida’s most distinguished art collection.

Eatonville and the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts

Before you flop by the pool at your hotel or in your luxury private Florida villa, you can find an important piece of American history at the Zora Neale Hurston Museum. American’s oldest black municipality, Eatonville, is located just north of Orlando and it is the birthplace of Zora Neale Hurston, the African American author. The best time to visit is during the city’s annual festival in January honouring her and her work.

If none of the above will entice you from the theme parks, there are more attractions in the area you could try, including:

  • Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey
  • Kissimmee Sports Arena & Rodeo
  • Lake Eola Park
  • Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards

Florida is the top destination for attractions, sights and scenes. Florida Villas Direct offer first class accommodation in and around Disney and The Gulf Coast, where white sands and emerald waters await you. All our Florida villas are privately-owned and looked after by local management companies. Standard features include air con, master bedroom en-suite, cable TV and fully equipped kitchens with washer dryers. Let our experience and knowledge of Florida assist you in booking your holiday home. Call us on 44 (0)1798 345900.

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