Orlando Vacations

Go for an adrenaline rush on a roller coaster. Peer into the mouth of an alligator. Play a round on a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Or relax with an aromatherapy massage. This theme-park paradise is also home to museums, scenic trails and a thriving nighttime scene.

Let Orbitz help you plan your Orlando vacation with insider tips, hotel recommendations and pointers on great travel discounts. Start with our most popular picks, or choose a theme that fits your interests, budget and needs.

Orlando is busy year-round, so plan your getaway well in advance. Tourist season peaks from late May to Labor Day, when the youngsters are on summer vacation. Families also flock to Orlando in the weeks before and after Christmas and Easter, but with a little preparation (sunscreen, bottled water) you can brave the long lines and heavy traffic.

If you can take the kids out of school, consider less popular times, such as right after Labor Day through the week before Thanksgiving, or post-Thanksgiving until mid-December. Keep an eye out for large conventions -- they can affect rates any time of year.

Weather-wise, Florida means sunshine, but don't be alarmed by a mid-afternoon drizzle. Summer's a scorcher, and humidity drives the heat index well into the 100s.

This kid-friendly thriller is the closest you can get to skydiving without, well, skydiving. Get that free-fall-feeling in the huge indoor simulator, where there's plenty of padding to catch you.

This American gastropub has won the affection of locals. Bring your appetite: the plates are stacked with delish eats such as shrimp and grits, steak frites (with truffle fries!) and house-made pasta.

Feel like a real cowboy in the deep Florida wilderness at this overnight horseback safari. A bona fide cow hunter teaches amateurs the art of rounding up cattle.

Airplane-o-philes will get their kicks here. Climb aboard a real B-17 Flying Fortress, or take a guided tour to see more than 40 rare and vintage aircraft.

Want to see alligators stalk their prey in the wild? At night? Then get your thrills here, where visitors glide through lagoons aboard a 17-seater airboat.