Orlando

'Floribbean' cuisine incorporates flavours and styles from the neighbouring Caribbean islands, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, and even the American Deep South. Seafood is a staple, so visitors should sample signature dishes such as muscles in rum and butter sauce, fried gator bites, and roasted red snapper.

Travellers can head down International Drive to choose from some of the trendiest restaurants in town, or spend some time in Downtown Disney or Universal's CityWalk, where more traditional cuisine is provided. With so many options, diners will be spoilt for choice when it comes to eating in Orlando.

There's no shortage of shopping opportunities for travellers in Orlando and, with a choice of luxury department stores, upscale boutiques, antique shops and farmers markets, shoppers will have a hard time deciding where to begin. Many hotels offer free shuttle services to major shopping destinations.

Travellers can start off at one of the largest single-storey malls in the United States, the Florida Mall, which features more than 250 stores including Macy's, Sears, JCPenney, and Nordstrom as well as an outdoor shopping plaza where shoppers can enjoy all those sunny days. The Waterford Lakes Town Center is an open-air mall featuring large chain stores, small shops and restaurants. And The Mall at Millenia boasts designer names such as Betsey Johnson, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton.

Antique junkies need look no further than Orlando's Antique Row on Orange Avenue, where a wide variety of collectables can be found. Of course the main souvenirs in Orlando are anything Disney or NASA-related, so visitors should pick up caps and t-shirts from the gift shops before they leave.

Sightseeing

Famed for one of the US's most popular attractions, Walt Disney World, Orlando boasts many other noteworthy points of interest besides the iconic Magic Kingdom. Travellers should head a little further into this Floridian city to discover Universal Studios, its two theme parks, entertainment complex, and film sets.

Florida's second most popular attraction is the Kennedy Space Centre at the nearby Cape Canaveral. Visitors can walk through a giant model of the new International Space Station, view authentic rockets, and marvel at all the original artefacts from the moon landing.

The Orlando Museum of Art is a must for fans of fine arts, while adrenalin junkies should make a pilgrimage to the NASCAR Daytona Speedway. For something a little stranger, visitors should look no further than Ripley's Believe It or Not, where exhibits of weird and wonderful things, amassed over a period of 40 years by explorer Robert Ripley, can be viewed.

Travellers planning on extensive sightseeing should consider buying a Go Orlando Card, which grants free entrance to various attractions as well as providing a full-colour guide book.

Kids Attractions

Being the home of Mickey Mouse, it goes without saying that Orlando is one of the most popular holiday destinations for families travelling with kids. With plenty of sunshine and attractions as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Orlando is a children's playground and very often tops the list of places kids would most like to visit.

Universal Studios is great for older kids, too, as there are plenty of thrilling blockbuster-themed rides to enjoy, as well as games and other interactive activities. Children will also love a visit to Gatorland, which is a theme park and wildlife preserve that's nicknamed 'the Alligator Capital of the World', where thousands of crocodiles and alligators can be viewed from a boardwalk suspended above the marshy swamps below.

The family can enjoy a historic and educational tour of the Kennedy Space Centre; spend the day hiking and picnicking in the Turkey Lake Park; check out what's happening round Lake Eola, or simply let the kids run around in the nearby playground while parents take a breather.

With all these options and more, kids will have a fabulous time on holiday in Orlando, but parents should note that during the spring and summer months, the main tourist attractions and theme parks are heaving with visitors and a better time to visit Orlando may be during the slightly cooler months of autumn or winter.

Attractions

Walt Disney World

Orlando's most familiar landmark is undoubtedly the turreted Cinderella Castle that stands in the centre of the original Disney Florida theme park, the Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World opened in 1971 and has been making dreams come true ever since. Today it's just one of four Disney parks that cover more than 28,000 acres of Orange and Osceola counties in central Florida, with accompanying resorts, shopping complexes, hotels, and waterparks. Apart from the Magic Kingdom, Disney World now includes the Epcot centre, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. It also contains two water parks; Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. The Magic Kingdom is where the most famous Disney attractions are located. Little girls can visit the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to receive princess makeovers, while boys can become ferocious swashbucklers at the Pirates League. Rides at the Magic Kingdom include classic favourites such as Space Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, and It's a Small World. Disney's Hollywood Studios gives visitors a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the workings of the glitz and glamour of the movie industry, while Animal Kingdom wildlife park is home to more than 1,700 animals from 250 species.

Universal Studios Florida

It takes at least two days to fully appreciate the many delights on offer at the ever-popular Universal Orlando entertainment complex. Travellers who visit will find three theme parks, and they're all absolutely unmissable.

Universal Studios is the original, and was designed in consultation with legendary filmmaker, Stephen Spielberg. This movie-themed park has thrilling, innovative rides, production studios, and film sets, where visitors can go behind the scenes and see the tricks used to create movie magic.

Islands of Adventure has eight uniquely themed zones that are each dedicated to a hit film franchise. These include Seuss Island, The Lost Continent, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, Skull Island: Reign of Kong, and Marvel Superhero Island.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter runs between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and remains true to the magical world created by J.K. Rowling. The third theme park, Volcano Bay, is centred around Krakatau, which is a 200-foot-tall (60m), hyper-realistic volcano that houses four different water slides.

Believe It or Not Orlando

Housed in an odd-looking building that's tipped to one side and apparently sinking into the ground, Ripley's Believe It or Not Orlando contains a remarkable collection of weird and wonderful exhibits, amassed over a period of 40 years by explorer Robert Ripley. Examples of the exhibits are shrunken heads and a scale model of a Rolls Royce made entirely of matchsticks. Visitors can measure themselves up against the world's tallest man and learn about all sorts of odd and surprising records. Ripley's 'Believe it or Not' collection is world-renowned and has been documented in television series and best-selling books.

Kennedy Space Center

The John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, 46 miles (74km) southeast of Orlando on Florida's east coast, is one place in the state where fact is just as entertaining as fiction. Visitors to the centre follow the story of NASA's exploration of space through interactive exhibits, movies, and tours. Guests can tour a full-size replica of the space shuttle 'Explorer', walk through a giant model of the International Space Station module, and view films about Mars and the Pathfinder exploration. They can also explore historic authentic rockets, such as the craft piloted by pioneer astronaut John Glenn, and marvel at the Apollo-Saturn Centre, which houses all the artefacts from the historic moon landing. The Space Center requires several hours to fully appreciate. On the same site is the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, established on the land NASA did not require for its space operations. The 220-square-mile (570 sq km) refuge contains more endangered species than any other wildlife refuge in the US, including the southern bald eagle and Atlantic loggerhead turtle. Visitors should not skip the US Astronaut Hall of Fame as they leave the area.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

This magical theme park runs between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and allows visitors to enter their favourite scenes from the films, including the Hogwarts Express, Hogsmead village, Zonko's Joke Shop, and Diagon Alley. It also has thrilling rides such as the Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge. Children can visit Ollivander's to find their perfect wand, or sample chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans at Honeyduke's sweet shop. The attraction is wildly popular and fun for the whole family, but visitors should bear in mind that queues can be exceptionally long at peak times. Harry Potter fanatics give the park rave reviews, but even those who are unfamiliar with the wizarding world will be enchanted by the park.

Gatorland

Florida is famous for its alligator population, and Gatorland in Orlando is a good place to experience these interesting animals. The park is home to thousands of alligators and crocodiles, and has a breeding marsh with boardwalk and observation tower, reptile shows, an aviary, petting zoo, swamp walk, and educational programs. A huge thrill is provided by the Gator Zip Line, which allows brave visitors to the park to zoom about high above the enclosures. Gatorland has several restaurants and even offers a gluten-free menu. Visitors can enjoy the whole park at a leisurely pace in about four hours, but a family can easily spend a longer time enjoying the various attractions.