Distance: 2 miles (3km)
Time: Four to five hours
Start: Heritage Square
End: Thornton Park
Points to note: You may want to time your visit to take in the Sunday Farmers’ Market at Lake Eola.
Theme parks are so dominant in Central Florida that a large number of visitors think Disney Springs – which is part of Walt Disney World Resort and was for many years named Downtown Disney – and Downtown Orlando are one and the same. Make sure to specify to taxi drivers that you want Downtown Orlando, the city, and you won’t be disappointed.
This route takes in the most exciting part of the city’s commercial center, which is about 15 miles (24km) north of both the international airport and theme parks off I-4. The section known as the Downtown Arts District encompasses various museums and galleries; in addition, the route visits Lake Eola Park and the trendy Thornton Park neighborhood.
You can reach Downtown Orlando by Lynx bus (www.golynx.com), car, or SunRail (www.sunrail.com), the area’s light commuter rail. Service spans from DeBary in the north to Sand Lake Road to the south, with extensions further south to Osceola County in the works. SunRail operates mostly during commuting hours, with additional service during special events. Once you’re Downtown, take the free Lymmo buses (www.golynx.com) from place to place; they run in four loops around the city’s heart.
Glittering Orlando cityscape
iStock
Sporting venues
The Orlando City Stadium (www.orlandocitysc.com/stadium) opened in 2017 as the newest addition to Downtown Orlando’s sporting landscape. It is home to the Orlando City Soccer and Orlando Pride soccer teams, has a capacity of 25,500, and its pitch is sunken 8ft (2.5 meters) below ground level to enhance viewing. The Amway Center arena (www.amwaycenter.com), opened in 2010, is another popular venue hosting sports events and concerts.
Orange County Regional History
The route begins at Heritage Square, a bright modern plaza in the heart of Downtown. Street parking is limited, but garages nearby are reasonably priced.
Bordering the north side of the square, you’ll find the Orange County Regional History Center 1 [map] (65 E Central Boulevard; tel: 407-836-8500; www.thehistorycenter.org; Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm). Constructed in 1927, this Greek Revival building served as the county courthouse until 1999. Now an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum houses four floors of interesting exhibits on the history of Orange County.
Sculpture outside the History Center
Julie Fletcher/Visit Florida
Starting on the fourth floor, you’ll find displays on Florida’s native people, the Seminoles, and the rural pioneers known as ‘Crackers’. Note their recipes for baked possum and squirrel soup. Another room devoted to the citrus industry has some great kitschy memorabilia. The third floor takes an entertaining look at the Tin Can Tourists of the 1920s, and a more sobering view of how the coming of Walt Disney World changed Orlando from an agrarian, citrus-based economy to the tourist mecca it is today.
Across the hall, Courtroom B has been restored to its original state. The first case in the United States in which a conviction was obtained using DNA evidence was tried in this room. Mass murderer Ted Bundy was also tried in the annex, and his name is scratched into the surface of the defense table. On the second floor a glass case holds the original manuscript for Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums, written on a rented manual typewriter while he was living in his mother’s back porch apartment in Orlando in 1958.
The Dr. Phillips Center
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From Heritage Square, walk south along Magnolia Avenue. The core of the Downtown Arts District (www.orlandoslice.com) lies along several blocks between here and Orange Avenue. Many of the old storefronts have been brightly painted and renovated to house shops and galleries. The third Thursday of every month is a great time to visit, as Third Thursdays (www.3rdthu.com) are when about a dozen art galleries host an evening Gallery Walk from 6–9pm. Food and drink is often served, and new shows tend to open on this day.
At the corner with Pine Street, the Rogers building is the oldest commercial building in Orlando. It now houses the Gallery at Avalon Island 2 [map] (39 S Magnolia Avenue; tel: 407-803-6670; Tue–Sat noon–6pm) and other arts organizations. The gallery features local and international contemporary artists, with new shows opening every month.
Bold exhibit at the Grand Bohemian Gallery
The Kessler Collection
Continue down Magnolia Avenue, stopping at Le Gourmet Break, see 1, if you’re in need of a snack, until you cross South Street to reach the state-of-the-art Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts 3 [map] (445 S Magnolia Avenue; tel: 407-839-0119; www.drphillipscenter.org), a spectacular performance space and performing arts school. Exiting the venue, turn left on South Street, and walk to Orange Avenue and the Orlando City Hall Terrace Gallery 4 [map] (400 S Orange Avenue; tel: 407-246-4279; www.cityoforlando.net/arts; Thu–Sat 11am–6pm). It displays the work of Florida artists and hosts traveling exhibitions throughout the year.
Cross the street and walk north along Orange Avenue to reach the entrance to the Grand Bohemian Gallery 5 [map] (325 S Orange Avenue; tel: 407-581-4801; www.grandbohemiangallery.com; Mon 9.30am–5.30pm, Tue–Sat 9.30am–10pm, Sun 10am–3pm), located inside the Grand Bohemian Hotel. This small but superb gallery represents an eclectic range of artists, and is usually full of moneyed clients looking for their next investment.
More artworks are displayed in the hotel lobby and bar, with yet more on every floor. Take the elevator to the fifth floor, which is a small art museum in itself. In one corridor is a collection of paintings by Marcel Marceau called ‘The Third Eye,’ some featuring his character Bip. Not many people know the famous mime artist was also an accomplished painter.
Another corridor is lined with the original paintings by Larry Moore for the playbills for the Orlando Opera. Moore is known for his vivid Florida landscapes. In the Center Gallery are paintings by Dean Cornwell (1892–1960). Called the ‘dean of American illustrators,’ his work appeared in popular magazines like the Saturday Evening Post and Harpers Bazaar. He also illustrated the works of such authors as Ernest Hemingway and W. Somerset Maugham. Call 407-581-4801 to schedule an art tour.
Back on Orange Avenue, walk north past City Plaza, newly developed with a cinema and some trendy if non-spectacular restaurants. You’re better off detouring to Artisan Table, see 2 (22 W. Pine St., www.artisanstableorlando.com). On the corner of Pine and Orange is the vibrant CityArts Factory 6 [map] (29 S Orange Avenue; tel: 407-648-7060; www.cityartsfactory.com; Tue–Sat 11am–6pm), set in the former Phillips Theatre built in the 1920s. With several galleries in one place and free admission, it serves as a hub for the Downtown Arts District, promoting bohemian as well as upscale artists. The building also has a classroom and studio space. Upstairs there is a large area for hosting performances and events, with an adjacent lounge.
Lake Eola’s farmers’ market
Scott Keeler/Visit Florida
Church Street
Backtrack on Orange Avenue and turn right on Church Street, which leads into Church Street Station 7 [map], a two-block historic district around the old train depot. Most of the buildings date from the 1880s to early 1900s, or have had period architectural features incorporated into their renovation. This was once the big nightlife place in Orlando, but it suffered a decline in the 1990s and a series of new owners have failed to transform it to its former glory.
Outdoor tables are set along the cobbled pavements beneath gleaming wrought-iron galleries. Several high-ceilinged buildings are now home to atmospheric high-concept restaurants such as Ceviche. Peek into the window of the Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House, which was once a country-western bar and now opens only for private parties. Many other restaurants and bars are located in the surrounding streets.
The section of Church Street just north of the historical bit, called Church Street Marketplace, is equally packed with restaurants and bars. The Mad Cow Theatre 8 [map] puts on good productions here, The Rusty Spoon, for more information, click here, serves some of the city’s best farm-to-table meals, and the area’s clubs attract swarms of party animals on weekend nights.
Lake Eola in the sunshine
Julie Fletcher/Visit Florida
Lake Eola and Thornton Park
Return to Magnolia and take it left, and then make a right on Central Boulevard. This runs along the south side of Lake Eola 9 [map], the site of many city festivals and fireworks displays – this is where the city celebrates 4th July. The 43-acre (17-hectare) park is a recreational haven for Downtown residents, with a playground, outdoor café, and 0.9-mile (1.4km) path around the lake for strolling and jogging. You can also cruise the water in swan-shaped paddleboats.
The fascinating Wells’ Built Museum of African American History
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An amphitheater on the west side of the lake is used for concerts and special events, and a variety of shops encourage browsing along Central Boulevard. On Sundays, a farmers’ market takes place by the lake’s southeast corner at Central and Eola Drive. In February, the Downtown Food and Wine Festival brings out the culinary curious, and in November the Fall Fiesta in the Park displays a variety of for-sale arts and crafts.
Beyond is the old Orlando neighborhood of Thornton Park ) [map], where new residential lofts and renovated cottages have joined the Craftsman-style bungalows and other historic homes. The 1923 Eö Inn (www.eoinn.com) overlooks Lake Eola and is now a boutique hotel. A string of trendy restaurants, bars, and shops line the main crossroads of Central Boulevard and Summerlin Avenue, making this a chic spot in the city for drinking and dining.
Al-fresco dining in Thornton Park
Scott Keeler/Visit Florida
Side trip
If you have time, consider also visiting the Wells’ Built Museum of African American History (511 W South Street; tel: 407-245-7535; www.wellsbuiltmuseumofafricanamericanhistoryandculture.org; Mon–Fri 9am–4pm, Sat 10am–2pm). On the west side of I-4, this obscure museum contains memorabilia, photographs and exhibits on the black musicians and artists who entertained in Downtown Orlando during the days of segregation. This 1920s hotel housed such notable performers as Ella Fitzgerald and baseball legend Jackie Robinson, and is one of the few lodging stops on the famed Chitlin Circuit still in existence.
Food and drink
1 Le Gourmet Break
150 S Magnolia Avenue; tel: 407-371-9476; www.le-gourmet-break.com; $
Simple counter-service café serving authentic French specialties like crepes and quiches.
2 Artisan Table
22 W Church Street; tel: 407-730-7499; www.artisanstableorlando.com; $$
Contemporary American fare with global influences served all day in a modern dining room.