DK Travel : Orlando : Kissimmee

What used to be a cow town has in the past few decades evolved into an inexpensive hotel enclave for Disney World tourists. But there’s more to Kissimmee than cheap places to sleep. Though U.S. 192 (also called the Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway) is dense with strip malls and hotels – and looks like a grim vision of tourist hell – downtown Kissimmee (centered on Broadway and Emmet streets) was built in the early 1890s and boasts attractive low-slung buildings, which house several antique and gift shops. The land surrounding U.S. 192 is relatively undeveloped, providing Kissimmee visitors with easy access to Florida’s rich, natural beauty. A terrific variety of outdoor pursuits is available to the visitor who is willing to spend time away from the theme parks.

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A Day in Kissimmee

Morning

There are countless breakfast buffets in the area, all offering mounds of food, from fresh fruit to omelets. Find the one closest to you and start the day there. As mornings tend to be cooler and a bit less insect-ridden than afternoons, follow your meal with a self-guided tour of swamp life at Airboat Rentals You Drive . Head as far away as possible from the the road, cut the engine, and enjoy the silence. Most of Florida used to be like this. For lunch, head to Kissimmee’s historic Downtown and pop in to Azteca’s (809 N. Main St), a tiny and original TexMex restaurant. Be careful ordering anything “very hot”; the cook takes this as a personal challenge and will likely spice the dish so your head explodes.

Afternoon

From Downtown, it’s a short drive north to Gator-land. The massive gators prowling the front lakes are the big attraction. But smart guests will take the Swamp Walk, check out the crocodile pens, and survey the alligator breeding marsh from the observation tower. There are four live animal shows but if time is tight, Gator Jump-A-Roo and Gator Wrestling are the essentials.

Evening

For dinner, the slightly camp Pacino’s Italian Ristorante is popular for its home-style Italian favorites and delicious pizza. Afterwards, take another short drive to Old Town where kids can play on the rides while adults watch from a bench enjoying an ice cream.
Airboat Rentals You Drive

After instruction, take off in a small airboat to commune with nature deep in a cypress swamp.
Aquatic Wonders Boat Tours

Choose from themed tours, including gator-watching, lake ecology, and Native American constellation tales, aboard this six-passenger pontoon boat.
Azteca’s Mexican

Authentic Mexican and TexMex is served in an extravagantly decorated room.
Black Angus Restaurant

Melt-in-your-mouth steaks are the focus of this award-winning, family eatery, but ribs and fried chicken are also popular. There’s a great breakfast buffet, too.
Boggy Creek Airboat Rides

These 18-passenger flat-bottomed skiffs powered by giant fans make regular daylight and special one-hour night tours.
Celebration

When Walt Disney conceived of Epcot (see Epcot®), he imagined it as a residential community happily engaged in road-testing futuristic technologies. After his death, that dream went out the window only to resurface years later here. However, instead of looking to the future, Celebration salutes the past in a cliché of small town USA (think The Truman Show ). The houses are pretty, the downtown has some good restaurants and a cinema, and everything is upscale. This is not an attraction, but it is quite a sight.
Central Florida Guide Service

A professional guide service that takes clients fishing in some of the best big bass waters in Florida.
Charley’s Steak House

Charley’s uses an Indian cooking method, yielding steaks that are charred outside, juicy inside.
East Lake Fish Camp

This lakeside facility provides everything from fishing poles to boats, bait, and bunks. Large mouth bass are the stars, with game fish also hitting the lines.

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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