Best tours of Orlando

Orlando is a cosmopolitan city where technology, nature and magical worlds combine in such a way that you will always want to return to this South Florida metropolis. There are many things to see and do in Orlando, and tours for all tastes, in which fantasy will never cease to be present.

From a tram tour to visit the city's emblematic sites, museums with unusual themes that awaken the imagination, and even helicopter flights, there are many tours you can take, to take away the best experiences of this unique city.

A must if you visit the city, is to take a tour of Orlando to see its most representative attractions. In addition, with a guided tour you can learn a lot about the culture and history of this city that has so much to offer besides its theme parks. The tour includes the must-see sites during your 3-day stay in Orlando.

These tours are organised for small groups and are usually done by bus and boat, as the tours are both by land and water. They last approximately 7-8 hours, so start early in the morning. Some also include a transfer from your hotel or a nearby meeting point. These tours are suitable for the whole family, including children, all year round.

Some of the sites included in this tour are Lake Eola Park, a park with a 1.5 km artificial lake where you can take a boat ride and admire the sculptures of the See Art Tour; Winter Park, where you can cruise along canals and lakes surrounded by trees; or Park Avenue, a place full of shops and restaurants where you can sample the best of Orlando's cuisine. Some tours also include a visit to the city' s great outlets.

Interesting details

• Price: about 60 € per person.
• Duration: about 7-8 hours in total.
• Means of transport: bus and boat.
• Advantages of this option: it is a comfortable way to see the most representative sites of Orlando.
• Disadvantages of this option: meals and drinks are not usually included.

Flying in a helicopter is one of those unique experiences that allows you to see the places you visit from a different perspective. And in this city full of magical little worlds such as its theme parks, wetlands, forests and swamps, taking a helicopter ride over Orlando is an unforgettable experience.

Helicopter flights usually last between 8 and 60 minutes, depending on the route you decide to take. Both children and adults can take part, and even babies, who can travel free of charge on their mother's or father's lap. The number of people per flight is up to 4 participants. It's an experience not to be missed, whether you're in Orlando for one or 5 days.

The most popular helicopter tours are the 8-10 minute Old Town tour, which flies over Fun Spot Kissimmee and the Disney complex, among others; and the Downtown Orlando tour, which flies over downtown Orlando and the theme parks SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Orlando Eye, Disney World, Old Town Kissimmee and Gatorland.

You can also take this tour at a discounted rate if you purchase one of the Orlando Tourist Cards and take advantage of all the benefits. Please note that this tour does not include transfer to the take-off area, which is usually from Kissimmee, which can be reached by train in about 20 minutes from Orlando Station.

Details of interest

• Price: from €65 for adults and children. Children under 3 years old travel free.
• Duration: approximately 8 to 60 minutes depending on the route.
• Means of transport: helicopter for 4 people.
• Advantages of this option: it is a unique way of getting to know Orlando and its parks from the air.
• Disadvantages of this option: it does not usually include the transfer to Kissimmee.

If you prefer to explore Orlando at your own pace, you can take a sightseeing tram tour, which makes stops at the city's main attractions. You can hire it for the duration of your stay, from 1 to 7 days in Orlando, and for up to 14 days. You can hop on and off for as many days as you want, just like a Hop On - Hop Off bus.

These cheerful tourist trams run on two different routes, red and green, which you can even combine at no extra cost. Both routes take you conveniently to Orlando's main theme parks, such as SeaWorld, IconPark and Aquatica, as well as the city's main outlets.

Taking these trams is one of the cheapest ways to get around Orlando, and they even offer promotional prices if you hire them for a longer number of days. They run from 10.30am until approximately 10pm, with a frequency of one every half hour.

Details of interest

• Price: from €8 per day per person, being about €10 for a 3-day pass. Children under 3 years old travel free.
• Duration: from approximately 10.30am to 10pm.
• Means of transport: tourist tram.
• Advantages of this option: you can travel around the city comfortably at your own pace. It is a wheelchair-friendly means of transport.
• Disadvantages of this option: you may have to wait for a while at each stop after visiting each attraction.

Orlando is a cosmopolitan city where you can sample gourmet dishes from around the world, but it also has its own southern cuisine, and has been heavily influenced by Latin American cuisine, especially from the Caribbean. Local seafood, fish and tropical fruits live side by side with the most popular hot dogs, fried chicken and macaroni and cheese.

These food tours take you to the city's best restaurants to sample local dishes, and many include a full lunch or dinner, plus tastings. Not only will you sample local dishes, but also traditional drinks and desserts such as key lime pie. The duration of these tours is about 3 hours.

As for the means of transport, these tours are usually done on foot and in small groups of people. Some companies may require a minimum age requirement, especially those offering pub crawls. Another excellent option is to go and see some of the best shows in Orlando, as many of them include a dinner with typical dishes of the region.

As for the schedule, these tours usually take place a little before noon or at dusk, and can be done every day of the year. It is always highly recommended to get to know the city's gastronomy, especially from December onwards in Orlando, when winter begins and the weather is more favourable for tasting warm dishes.

Interesting details

• Price: around 50 € per person with tastings.
• Duration: approximately 3-4 hours.
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will taste the typical dishes of the area in the best restaurants.
• Disadvantages of this option: there may be an age limit. Some do not include tastings.

Visiting a chocolate factory is always a good idea, especially for lovers of this special sweet. At the Chocolate Kingdom Factory you can take this guided tour to learn all about its production, from the cocoa bean to the chocolate bar or chocolate bonbon, in an atmosphere full of fantasy.

It is one of the best activities to do with children in Orlando, as the tour takes place in an environment full of elements that awaken the imagination such as old chocolate making machines, a chocolate river, and a Willy Wonka-style Chocolate Museum.

The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is conducted by a professional guide, every day between 11am and 4pm approximately. It includes tastings throughout the tour, and you can even create your own chocolate bar for a small extra charge.

This factory belongs to a family of chocolatiers who emigrated from Germany to Argentina, where they established the successful Chocolate Bariloche factory, and then opened their Schakolad factory in Orlando in 1999. They have travelled to factories and cocoa plantations all over the world to be able to present this interesting tour in the Chocolate Kingdom Factory.

Interesting details

• Price: about 20 € per person including tastings.
• Duration: approximately 45 minutes.
• Means of transport: transfer not included.
• Advantages of this option: you will learn how chocolate is made from cocoa beans, while tasting the tastiest chocolates.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must make your own way to the factory.

Although it's not really a tour, Universal Orlando Resort is so big that you can go on different movie-related tours at both Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure. If you are a fan of Harry Potter, The Simpsons or Jurassic Park, you can't miss it.

Universal Orlando Resort offers you the opportunity to relive your favourite films in an interactive way, recreating their most memorable scenes. You can spend the whole day enjoying the attractions, or even two days, depending on your interest. There are also special attractions for young children, such as the Caro-Seuss-el.

For example, you'll see a dragon casting fire on the castles of Hogwarts or travel in its underground express, you can even interact with your favourite characters from Transformers, Minions or SpongeBob SquarePants. Meanwhile, at Universal's Islands of Adventure, you can relive the most exciting moments of Jurassic Park on a roller coaster that travels at full speed.

Keep in mind that you cannot enter these parks with food or drinks, but inside there is a wide variety of dining options to choose from. Universal Orlando Resort is undoubtedly one of the best theme parks in Orlando, where you will enjoy incredible scenery and thrilling adventures.

Interesting details

• Price: from 197 €.
• Duration: at least 3 hours per park approximately, depending on your interest.
• Means of transport: transfer not included.
• Advantages of this option: you will experience thrilling adventures on the sets of your favourite films.
• Disadvantages of this option: you cannot bring food or drinks into the park.

The city of Orlando also has its fair share of interesting museums to visit in addition to its amazing theme parks. Many of these museums are related to movies and celebrities, but there are also museums of art, culture and history.

Some of them are the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, which houses works of art from antiquity to the 21st century; or the Orlando Museum of History, which covers some 12,000 years of history of the Florida region.

But the most outstanding museums in Orlando are those with more unusual themes such as Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium, where you can see strange objects, collections, arts and artefacts in a building that looks like it's sinking. Another interesting museum is Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, where you can see life-size recreations of rooms and artefacts from the ship, and talk to characters in period costume.

Another of the city's most popular museums is Madame Tussauds Orlando, where you'll see wax figures depicting celebrities and movie characters in amazing detail. Nearby is the Museum of Illusions, where you can marvel at more than 50 optical illusions that test your senses. Without a doubt, visiting these museums is one of the most fun things to do in Orlando.

Interesting details

• Price: about €30 per person per museum. Some have free admission.
• Duration: approximately 1 to 2 hours per museum.
• Means of transport: no transfer included.
• Advantages of this option: you will get to know the extravagant museums, and others where you will learn about the art, culture and history of Orlando and Florida.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must get to the theme parks on your own.

Taking a guided tour has many advantages, as it gives you the chance to get to know the main attractions of a city in a more comfortable way and in less time. They are highly recommended if you are only spending a day in a big city like Orlando, where distances are long and there is usually a lot of traffic.

For the same reason, it is also the best way to get to know the surrounding tourist attractions, that is, the excursions that take place from Orlando.

If you hire a tour, you will not waste time in transfers or in finding out what are the best things to do in Orlando, since the companies that offer these excursions have years of experience offering this service to travellers from all over the world. By having all the details of the tour covered, all you have to do is enjoy yourself.

Another important advantage of taking a guided tour is that they provide you with complete information about the sites you visit, thanks to the fact that they are conducted by expert guides. If you have arrived at a city or tourist attraction, and you haven't had time to find out much about its history, culture or significance, taking a guided tour will allow you to get to know it more deeply, and in a much more practical and comfortable way.