Great Ideas for Day Trips from Orlando

Whether you live in Orlando or you've only visited, you already know there's a lot to see and do in Orlando. In fact I've lived in Orlando for many years and I'm still discovering things about this fantastic city all of the time. And just beyond Orlando, within just a short distance there's even more to discover. Here are a few of my favorite day trips from Orlando.

Kennedy Space Center
Just 45 minutes east of Orlando is Kennedy Space Center. The main attraction is the 2-3 hour bus tour of the Kennedy Space Center facilities and launch pads. This amazing look into an actual working space port is something that you'll remember for a long time to come.

The tour makes three stops where you can disembark to explore the Apollo program and Man's first steps on the moon, a Space Shuttle observation tower, and an International Space Station exhibit. There's even a chance to touch a real moon rock! And along the way, the tour passes historic sites and launch pads and, interestingly enough, a lot of wildlife. Because the Kennedy Space Center is a protected area, alligators, bald eagles, manatees, and other wildlife thrive here.

And once back at the visitors complex there are other attractions such as a shuttle launch simulator, IMAX films, and even the chance to meet a real astronaut and ask him or her questions.

Tampa
About an hour west of Orlando is Tampa. And while Tampa is a large city with a many of its own fascinating sites to explore, there are a few that are my favorites.

If I'm visiting Tampa on a Sunday, I always make my first stop the Wat Mongkolratanaram Temple just outside of Tampa. While the temple is a beautiful, sun-kissed golden building, it's not the real reason that I come on Sundays. I come for the food. In fact I come for some of the best Thai food that I've ever had at the Sunday food market. (I wrote an article on the Sunday food market and you can read it here.)

Other things that make for a great day out in Tampa include visiting Hyde Park, a quaint shopping district just outside of downtown. Hyde Park is surrounded by charming homes and features restaurants, shops, and a movie theater.

And when I want to explore the sea life of Florida, I head to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa's Channelside district. There, you can come face to face with a wide array of sea life native to Florida including fish, rays, and even sharks!

St. Augustine
The town of St. Augustine is the oldest city in the US and is an easy hour and a half drive from Orlando. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, is home to the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest fort in the US with construction started in 1672.

In addition to the spectacular Castillo de San Marcos, the town is home to many historic sites including the oldest wooden schoolhouse and a charming main street filled with shops and cafes. And if you want some modern, if not strange fun on your day out to St. Augustine, be sure to stop in to the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum were you can see, among other things, a drum kit featuring two human skulls fused together and covered with human skin.