Things to Do in Orlando: A Local's Guide to Summer 2026

VU Window Treatments
2 days ago
5 min read

Looking for things to do in Orlando this summer? We got you.

New rides, free outdoor movies, glow nights at the water parks, ice cream trails, sunset sails, kayak tours through glowing water. There is more going on this summer than any one family, couple, or group of friends could get through in three months.

So we put together a list.

Kids, couples, solo days, nights out with friends. Local picks, the big stuff, and a few things you'd never find unless someone who lives here pointed at it.

Pick what looks good and go.

Read This First: The Heat Plan

A few rules that make Central Florida summers livable:

Be outside before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. That's it. That's the rule.
Watch the radar. Storms usually start between 2 and 4 p.m. and clear within an hour.
Pack a microfiber towel, sunscreen, and a refillable water bottle. Every time you leave the house.
Have an indoor backup plan. A museum, a movie, a coffee shop with good AC.

With the Kids

Theme parks are the obvious answer, and we'll get there. But the best summer days with kids in Orlando usually involve water that isn't chlorinated.

Wekiwa Springs State Park is 30 minutes from downtown and stays a constant 72 degrees year-round. Get there before 9 a.m. on weekends or they hit capacity and close the gates. Bring tubes, a cooler, and water shoes.

Kelly Park and Rock Springs in Apopka is the other essential. The lazy river run down the spring is the main event. Same advice on timing.

For when it's pouring, the Orlando Science Center is the move. The dinosaur hall and KidsTown are toddler-tested. Older kids will spend two hours on the engineering and observatory floors.

A few more worth knowing:

Gatorland is the un-fancy alternative to the big parks. The zipline over the gators is genuinely thrilling, and the splash pad is free with admission.
Crayola Experience at the Florida Mall is the rainy-day backup when the Science Center is too far.
LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven works best for kids ages 4 to 10. The water park is included in your admission this summer.
Orange County Library summer reading programs are free, run all summer, and kids actually earn small prizes for reading. Adults earn quiet time.

Water Parks Compared

Park	Best For	Notes
Aquatica	Mix of tame and intense	AquaGlow nights run on select Saturdays. Lights, music, slides after dark.
Volcano Bay	Older kids and thrill-seekers	Best slides in the city. Goes hard.
Typhoon Lagoon	Younger kids, wave-pool fans	Disney touch and theming. Slower pace.
Island H2O	Locals, value	Glow Foam Party nights are a kid-and-adult crossover.
LEGOLAND Water Park	Kids under 10	Included with main park ticket.

Date Nights and Couples

Orlando is full of date night options that don't involve a $200 dinner.

For something quiet, the Morse Museum in Winter Park has the world's most complete Tiffany glass collection. It's small, takes about an hour, and the chapel room is genuinely jaw-dropping. After, walk Park Avenue, get a glass of wine somewhere, and end with ice cream at Kilwins.

For something a little weirder, drive to the Space Coast and book a bioluminescent kayak tour on Merritt Island. Microscopic organisms light up the water as you paddle. The best nights are around the new moon between June and October. You can also see the Milky Way clearly from out there.

A few more, depending on what kind of night you're after:

A sunset sail. Sailing Orlando runs small-group sailings on Lake Fairview. Bring your own drinks.
Movieola at Lake Eola. Free outdoor movies on the lawn most Fridays through the summer. Pack a blanket and snacks.
Cirque du Soleil "Drawn to Life" at Disney Springs. Disney and Cirque collaboration. Pricey, legitimately incredible.
The Hourglass District for a dinner crawl. Start at Foxtail Coffee, end at Pizza Bruno. It's all walkable.
Stardust Drive-In in Lake Wales. A real, working drive-in with two screens. Cheap, charming, easy.

Going Solo

The quieter, more interesting version of Orlando is the one most people skip. A solo summer day here can be genuinely lovely.

Leu Gardens has free admission Mondays from July 7 through August 4 this year. Go at 8 a.m., bring a book, sit by the bamboo grove.
Mennello Museum of American Art is the right size for a solo visit. Forty minutes is enough. The lakeside lawn is good for reading after.
Mead Botanical Garden in Winter Park. Free, shaded, full of birds. Bring binoculars if you're into that.
East End Market in Audubon Park. Grab a ramen from Domu or a coffee from Lineage. Eat at the picnic tables outside.
West Orange Trail. 22 paved miles from Apopka to Killarney, mostly shaded. Rent a bike at Bikes & Blades in Winter Garden and ride to Plant Street Market for lunch.

For when you want to be around people without talking to anyone, Foxtail Coffee has good Wi-Fi and strong AC at most locations.

Adults and Friend Groups

This is where Orlando gets surprisingly good. There's a real food and bar scene if you know where to look.

For drinks, in order of how much effort it requires:

Wally's Mills Avenue Liquors. Oldest bar in Orlando. Cash only. Strong pours. No frills.
Hanson's Shoe Repair. Speakeasy above Stubborn Mule downtown. Reservation required. Strong cocktails.
The Milk District food crawl. Start at Pom Pom's Teahouse, move to Bites & Bubbles, end at Sportstown Billiards if you want to keep going.
Ivanhoe Park Brewing or Crooked Can at Plant Street Market. Pick one for an afternoon.

For a real night out:

Dr. Phillips Center. Touring Broadway shows, comedy, and concerts. There's always something on.
Hard Rock Live at Universal. Mid-size acts pass through constantly.
Orlando City SC match. Even if you don't follow soccer, Inter&Co Stadium is one of the loudest venues in the league. Cheap tickets if you go on a weeknight.

For the dinner-show crowd:

Mango's Tropical Cafe on I-Drive. Brazilian-style dinner show.
Pirate's Dinner Adventure. Cheesy and fun if you lean into it.
Sleuths Mystery Dinners. Best with a group of four or more.

Big Summer Events at a Glance

Event	When	Where	Cost	Best For
Electric Ocean	Through late August	SeaWorld Orlando	Park admission	Families, couples
AquaGlow	Select Saturday nights	Aquatica	Park admission	Older kids, adults
Island H2O Glow Foam Party	Select Fridays, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.	Island H2O	Separate ticket	All ages
LEGO Festival	All summer	LEGOLAND Florida	Park admission	Kids 4 to 10
Movieola at Lake Eola	Most Fridays	Lake Eola	Free	All ages
Leu Gardens Free Mondays	July 7 to August 4	Audubon Park	Free	Solo, couples
Thrill to Chill Ice Cream Trail	Summer-long, self-guided	Citywide	Pay per stop	Everyone
Howl-O-Scream tickets on sale	For September dates	SeaWorld Orlando	Separate ticket	Adults, book early

Worth a Day Trip

Three places close enough to do in a single day:

Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. Carillon concerts at 1 and 3 p.m. The gardens are 50 acres designed by the firm behind Central Park.
Kennedy Space Center is about 50 minutes east. Plan a full day. If there's a launch scheduled, time your visit around it.
Cocoa Beach. Closest real ocean to Orlando is about an hour. The pier is touristy. Drive ten minutes south for quieter sand.

One More Thing

We're VU Window Treatments, and we install custom shades, shutters, and blinds in homes from Winter Park to Lake Nona to Kissimmee. We live here too, which is why we know that summer in Central Florida is a balance between getting outside and keeping the house from cooking while you're gone. If the afternoon sun has been turning your living room into a sauna, give us a call. We'll come measure for free.