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The Draw
• America's Fantasy Land is an emerging business powerhouse, and now offers something for everyone, not just the kids
• One-hundred-and-sixty golf courses and two PGA tournaments a year
• Forty-four million visitors a year can't be wrong
The Scene
The original mass-market destination is spreading its wings. Orlando is now taking after Las Vegas and actively catering to an upscale international demographic. Yes, the Mouse still rules supreme in this Florida town, but you'll find no dearth of exclusive dining and hotel options, including the much-praised Westin Grand Bohemian. And if you're traveling with kids, most of the theme parks offer VIP packages that include front-of-the-line access, behind-the-scenes tours and reserved seating at selected shows. In those crowd-crazed venues, your money would be well spent.
To Be Seen
• The Theme Parks. Pick your poison: Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center and more. Be sure to inquire about exclusive passes. If you're in the market for old-school Floridian kitsch, though, we recommend Gatorland.
• Downtown. Home to most of the nicer hotels and restaurants, downtown Orlando is far less trafficked than the resort areas. At night it hums with chic nightclubs.
• Winter Park. This well-heeled tree-lined community just north of the city features plenty of lazy charm. Park Avenue is South Florida's own Rodeo Drive.
For The VIP
• The Magic Kingdom in style. The penthouse suite at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge features sweeping views of a 30-acre savanna brimming with African wildlife.
• Private airboat cruises. When the crowds become too much, skip town on a propeller-powered swamp skimmer. Just up the St. Johns River, you'll find eagles, alligators and the occasional wild boar.
• Fore. The Arnold Palmer Golf Academy gives private lessons at the renowned Bay Hill Club. And if you're visiting from November through March, you may spot the man himself.
Overrated
International Drive. A traffic-choked thoroughfare lined with hundreds of hotel complexes, shopping malls and convention centers. Did we mention the hordes of pedestrians? In Orlando, you have to pick your logistical battles, and this is one to avoid.
Underrated
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of Art. The world's largest collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany glass is housed in the quiet confines of the Morse. Stroll around the neighborhood for a glimpse of the Southern gentry.
Don't Miss
Norman's at the Ritz-Carlton. You won't find this food in Miami. Celebrity chef Norman Van Aken's marble palace of New World Cuisine is frequently called the best restaurant in South Florida.
When To Go
If you're traveling without children, avoid school holidays. If you're looking to circumvent crowds, the best times to visit are usually in late May and early June, and between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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