DK Travel : Orlando : Downtown Orlando

Most folks assume orlando is just about Walt Disney and amusement parks, with the odd cowboy and conservative Christian thrown in for good measure. But that’s not the case. Long a state capital for the banking and citrus industries, Orlando’s Downtown also contains several of the city’s leading museums, as well as its best-known park, a lovely green oasis that surrounds Lake Eola, which boasts dramatic skyline vistas. By day Downtown is a relaxed southern enclave, but by night it transforms into a throbbing club scene – despite the decline of the famous entertainment, dining, and shopping zone, Church Street Station. Orange Avenue is the main street and most evenings, herds of party people, both gay and straight, migrate from club to club in search of cheap drinks and hot DJs – and there are plenty of both.

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A Day Downtown

Morning

Begin with a big healthy breakfast at JP’s Everyday Gourmet (63 E. Pine St) before visiting the Orange County Regional History Center, a homespun place that reveals the pre-Disney history of the region. For lunch, wander over to Café Annie . This authentic café has Greek and Lebanese food, including mixed platters. This kind of food usually has lots of vegetarian options.

Afternoon

After lunch, jump in the car or grab a cab to Loch Haven Park, where the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) , the Orlando Science Center , and the Mennello Museum of American Folk Art reside within easy walking distance of each other. The Science Center, with its four floors of interactive fun, is the best bet for kids. Art lovers can easily hit the Mennello and the OMA in the same afternoon but if time is short, the OMA deserves priority. Make a dinner stop in the Vietnamese district where Vinh’s Restaurant (1231 E. Colonial Dr) serves up a top-notch bowl of comforting pho , a traditional, and delicious noodle soup.

Evening

The downtown club scene starts late, so kick off with an early cocktail at The Bösendorfer Lounge . Fans of live music should head to The Social , where shows start around 10pm. Diehard clubbers should try The Club at Firestone , where the DJs play well into the early hours.
Café Annie

Head here for authentic Greek and Lebanese food, especially Zorba’s platter, the chicken and beef kebabs, couscous and falafel
Cairo

Everything from house to retro-progressive is played at this multi-floored, Egyptian-themed club. There’s also a rooftop reggae lounge.
Church Street

A two-block strip of bars, restaurants, and clubs that draws party people wanting to steer clear of the trendiness of other downtown clubs.
Church Street

The stretch of Church Street that lies between Orange Avenue and I-4 is thick with enough specialty shops, restaurants, and bars to keep visitors engaged for hours. The anchor is Church Street Station, although the closure of several of its restaurants and shows has lessened the appeal of the complex. Despite this slowdown, the bar strip on the eastern side of Church Street near Orange Avenue remains very popular, especially with its three-level complex that has different bars on each floor. On weekend evenings, the street is blocked to traffic, which makes it easy to zigzag between watering holes such as the Ybor Martini Bar and Mulvaney’s, although hipper bars are found around the corner on Orange Avenue.
Colonial Lanes

For more than 50 years, the venerable Colonial Lanes has offered patrons the sociable and quintessential blue-collar pastime of bowling. This 32-lane facility is a friendly and noisy place to knock over a few pins, so rent some shoes, pick out a ball, and let the computer keep score – but bear in mind that league bowling takes over the place between 6pm and 9pm every night, so avoid those times, unless you’re happy to watch. After the game, the place to go is the Colonial Lanes Bar & Restaurant, parts of which resemble a giant sunken living room (with bartenders standing on a lower floor than customers). Drinks are cheap, and the concept of rounding off prices never caught on here, so don’t be surprised if your tab is a quirky $4.38.
Cowboys Orlando

A gigantic country music hot spot with four huge bars and nightly dance contests.
Deli Planet

Nothing beats this weird little sandwich shop, with its outer-space theme and awesome sandwiches, such as the Battlestar Garlica. Eat in or take away.
Dexter’s of Thornton Park

A favorite after-work spot, Dexter’s offers exotic sandwiches, hearty salads, and entrees such as seared tuna and steak.
Harry P. Leu Gardens

Well-tended pathways weave through this elegant 50-acre (20-ha) park. Earthy scents waft from an herb garden, while another contains plants that attract butterflies. Depending on the season, visitors might catch roses in bloom (in Florida’s largest rose garden) or the grace of camellias. Guides conduct tours of the early 20th-century Leu House.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one, a glass of house wine, and all unavoidable extra charges including tax.
- under $20
- $20–$30
- $30–$45
- $45–$60
- over $60