Hotel at a Glance: Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel

This Renaissance is a cut above your typical airport hotel experience: It has a luxurious restaurant and wine bar onsite. Rooms are extra spacious with plush bedding, and room service is available 24 hours a day (extra fee). When you need to relax, kick back with a drink at the resort-style outdoor pool and soak in the Florida sunshine. All this with the added convenience of a free shuttle to the airport, which is just a few minutes away.

• Best place to take in the sunshine: Inside one of the large poolside cabanas in the outdoor pool area; the whirlpool isn’t too shabby, either
• Free airport shuttle to Orlando International Airport
• Stylish onsite dining: Lunch is an event at Fresco Moderne Brasserie, one of two onsite restaurants. Guests praise its crab cakes, salads, and eclectic choices. Have a glass of wine and casual fare at Malabar.
• Distance from the airport: 1 mile

Orlando, Florida: World-Famous Theme Parks and Cultural Surprises

Located in the center of Florida, Orlando may be forever associated with the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks—the world’s most-visited entertainment resort. Spanning roughly 30,000 acres, it encompasses four theme parks, two water parks, five golf courses, and the Downtown Disney® Marketplace. There’s no shortage of things to do here: begin your day by boarding a rocket-shaped three-seater that climbs to 180 feet before entering a deep black tunnel and racing past stars, satellites, and constellations. Walk across the park to sample Moroccan cuisine for lunch, or ride a dune buggy through a haunted mansion. Before heading back to the hotel, take in the nightly fireworks, laser, and water show. One of the most popular family destinations in the world, sunny Orlando is also home to Universal Orlando—which includes The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—SeaWorld, and Gatorland.

Those hoping to shake up the typical theme-park-dominated itinerary can head into downtown Orlando’s vibrant arts district. The neighborhood boasts venues such as CityArts Factory, a multifaceted patchwork of gallery spaces, and SAK Comedy Lab, which hosts family-friendly improv shows five nights a week.

About a 10-minute drive north, you’ll find eight cultural institutions at Loch Haven Park, including the Orlando Museum of Art, which houses work by Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert Rauschenberg, Ansel Adams, and Andy Warhol. The park is also home to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orlando Science Center, where you can a rover across a simulation of Mars or race on a 70-foot pinewood derby track.

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