Orlando, FL, is among the top ten cities people moved to in 2019. Outside of being home to seven of the world’s top theme parks, lakefront bungalows, and famous nightlife, there are plenty of reasons for you to consider making O-Town your home in 2020, here are a few quick tips for moving to Orlando.
1. How to know which Orlando you’re in.
Orlando is many things to many people. For instance, Downtown Orlando is the county seat of Orange County and the hotbed for a lot of economic activity, local nightlife, and other sports and entertainment at Amway Center, including the Orlando Magic, as well as the Dr. Philips Center for the Performing Arts. Another lively but more suburban area to checkout is Winter Park, once a have for creative types, it now has year-round festivals and events such as the Sidewalk Art Festival, bringing in more than a quarter-million guests each spring. Check out more neighborhoods here.
2. How to avoid tourists
Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Epcot, Legoland, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These are just a few of the huge tourist attractions within Orlando. Now, many cities can have a begrudging appreciation to downright annoyance of major tourist pulls, but Orlandoans have a sense of pride for what they have. That being said, the city sees about 68 million travelers each year, and bring an unsurprising amount of traffic.
A few tips to avoid the deluge of visitors include:
- Pay attention to open and close times of local theme parks—including high seasonal times such as summer and winter breaks.
- Explore public transportation options such as the LYNX bus system and Sunrail, a diesel-electric train for commuters.
- Consider bike- or car-share options when downtown.
This being said, there are some perks to living close to these theme parks. For one, it helps the state be a no-income-tax state as well as offers locals discounts, such as a three-park annual pass to Universal Studios for $18 a month
3. Must-try restaurants in Orlando
A great tip for moving into any city is knowing which restaurants are the ones you must try out. Skip the chain restaurants and try these locally recommended favorites in Orlando:
- Hungry Pants has earned a coveted five-star rating on yelp for its salads, burgers, and wraps as well as vegan-friendly offerings. Locals recommend Cauliflower Tots, BBSP wontons, and Most Delicious Potatoes.
- Too Much Sauce gives its customers a fresh, healthy option of American dining. You can select from a huge menu of food bowls, including pre-made and personalized. You can choose from seafood, Tex Mex, and more too!
- Grilled Cheezus is another five-star receiver, with its huge variety of grilled cheese sandwiches such as The Mother Clucker: pulled chicken, blue cheese, American cheese, as well as buffalo sauce and ranch sandwiched between two slices of Texas Toast.
4. How to embrace the climate of Orlando
To be blunt, about a third of your year will be spent in the 90s or above. Orlando climate is hot. Most of these days fall between May to September, but it can even take place as early as April and as late as October. The good news is, winter will feel fantastic (if not cold once you dip below 70.) Common ways to keep cool include using ceiling fans and AC as well as drink plenty of water. Locals also love public places too cool down such as the Laureate Park Aquatic Center, College Park Pool, or Wirz Park.
5. Maximize your space in Orlando
Greater Orlando has more than 2.5 million residents, and like said earlier, there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. When populations rise, space can be hard to come by. Thankfully, there’s Orlando self storage. By using a storage unit in Orlando, you can get the most space out of your new home or apartment without the high cost of renting or moving to a larger home.
Click here to learn more about how Orlando self storage can help you.
