Staying in the Sunshine State

Florida is filled with great beaches, fun sights, and exciting events, so deciding what to do while you're there can be difficult!

I traveled to Orlando for two conventions that were taking place one week apart on two different weekends. For the week in between cons, we traveled around central Florida, visiting family members and scoping out the best beaches.

We started in Orlando, ready for our first convention that was taking place at the enormous Orange County Convention Center. This particular convention center is the second largest in the country at 7 million square feet!

It was good that the venue was so large because the con drew in thousands of guests and vendors. It was unlike any convention we had ever attended! If you have the opportunity to check out MegaCon Orlando or another event at the OCCC, I definitely recommend it! While we were there, I had the opportunity to meet Jennifer Morrison, my favorite actress. Conventions are a great way to interact with your favorite celebrities, and unlike a lot of cons, MegaCon gives you a decent amount of time to converse with them! Near the OCCC is a wonderful complex called Pointe Orlando that has great places to eat, shop, and relax! They have both affordable and luxury restaurants including Johnny Rockets, B.B. King's Blues Club, Ben & Jerry's, and the Capital Grille. The Pointe was a bit crowded, but keep in mind that we were there on a weekend...at night. And I'm sure the massive amount of people attending the convention didn't help. Needless to say, traffic was bumper-to-bumper. If you have a nearby hotel, I'd recommend walking; the streets can get circuitous and you'll end up starving and stuck in traffic for a while (I speak from experience). After a long day at the convention, we were absolutely starving and opted for quick service at Johnny Rockets. Although a bit frantic and busy at times, it's always a fun place to eat and the burgers are delicious, especially for a fast food-esque restaurant.

With the first convention in Orlando checked off our list, we headed to meet family in Seminole, which meant a nice trip over the Tampa Bay and through St. Petersburg.

Even though we were in Florida during Tropical Storm Alberto, the water (while choppy) was still gorgeous. However, the sand in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County was very rocky which made difficult to walk on the beach or wade in the ocean without it being painful for your feet. If you're heading to a beach in that general area, I would recommend water shoes or sandals to wear in the water. If you're not interested in buying a pair of shoes specifically for the water, I brought a pair of Toms flat sandals and they held up pretty well.

After Seminole, we headed back to Orlando for a fun day at Disney Springs! We were unfamiliar with this branch of Disney, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover the official hotel for our second convention was directly across from it. If you're unfamiliar with Disney Springs, it is an entirely free, Disney-themed shopping complex located in Orlando near the Walt Disney World resorts.

Free is an incredibly rare word in Orlando, but parking and admission to Disney Springs are entirely free of charge. The complex is filled with great Disney-related shops as well as regular retailers such as Kate Spade, Pandora, and Lilly Pulitzer. They also have one of the largest Disney stores in the world, called World of Disney. It's extremely crowded, but it has something for every Disney character imaginable. 

Something to keep in mind is that Disney Springs is an outdoor complex, and while Florida might be known as "the sunshine state," it does rain there frequently in the summertime. While there are stores and covers you can duck under, I would recommend going on a sunny day. Otherwise, be sure to bring your own poncho or umbrella, since the prices for those items within the park are exorbitant.

The next day, we headed over to Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach which had much softer sand that was easier to walk on barefoot. While they're a bit of a drive from Orlando (and probably not an Uber-friendly trek), the stunning and improved beaches were well-worth the trip! Where Cocoa Beach is a definite tourist spot, Satellite Beach is much quieter and a bit more deserted. If you're looking for a quiet, more relaxing spot, I definitely recommend Satellite Beach. The day after we got back from Satellite Beach, we headed to Disney World. Obviously, the theme parks in Orlando are an absolute must! While I'm not the type of person who enjoys going on rides, I do enjoy soaking up the enchantment of the Magic Kingdom, exploring its different "worlds," and checking out the souvenir shops. Just being in the park is an absolutely magical experience!

It's Disney, so of course the food in the parks was priced very high. Part of me thinks that dining with Disney is part of the "experience"....but the other part of me would rather have another pair of mouse ears than inauthentic Mexican food. We ended up paying $6 each for regular sized corn-dogs, plus the cost of a small drink. I would definitely recommend packing water and any snacks you can if you're trying to save money for souvenirs. Either way, Orlando is especially hot in the summertime, and you're going to need water. However, if you're interested in a full meal for a relatively reasonable price, the Pecos Bill Cafe seemed to offer fairly good portion sizes for the price of the meal. 

The last day of our trip was entirely occupied by the convention, which can be exhausting, but is always so much fun! Creation Entertainment always puts on an exciting con, packed with fun activities like karaoke and concerts with the celebrities on top of the typical events like Q&A panels. No matter what city we're in, we like to grab food at drinks at the hotel bar following the convention, and we loved the appetizers and drinks at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista.

Not only was the food fantastic, it was a great atmosphere and perfect for people watching. We saw two of the convention guests pass by just while we were sitting there and having our meal. Hotel bars are always a great place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing, especially in the hot Florida sun. 

Have you tried any of these fun sights or activities? Is there anything else that's a must-see for central Florida or Orlando? Comment below!