Orlando

Orlando

Orlando, Florida is home to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and a plethora of other theme parks, as well as great sports, entertainment, and unique shopping experiences. Many people view owning a place in Orlando a sure bet that friends and family, not to mention grandchildren, will want to visit! Residents quickly discover, however, that central Florida homes offer more than just proximity to Disney. Orlando offers some of the best lifestyle choices you can find anywhere in the country, with everything from lakefront homes to golf communities. Regardless of your preference, central Florida is your ticket to a great retirement or relocation destination in the Southeast.

Orlando is home to two professional sports teams – the NBA’s Orlando Magic and the AFL’s Orlando Predators both play home games at the Amway Center. Two Major League Baseball teams hold their spring training camps in the Orlando region: Champion Stadium at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista hosts the Atlanta Braves during spring training; and the Houston Astros play at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.

College sporting events take place at the University of Central Florida, where athletic programs include basketball, football, and baseball. On New Year’s Day, Orlando’s Florida Citrus Bowl is the site of the Capital One Bowl, which features a match-up of two top college teams. For golfers, there are a wide variety of private and semi-private golf courses in the Orlando area.

Orlando has an almost endless number of venues for dance, theater, music, and entertainment, including the Amway Arena and Bob Carr Performing Arts Center. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and Orlando Ballet both hold their performances at the 2,500-seat Carr Performing Arts Center. The orchestra performs a series of both classical and pop concerts throughout the year. The ballet season consists of four productions annually, including The Nutcracker. A series of concerts featuring symphonies and musicians from around the world are part of the Festival of Orchestras, also held at the Carr Performing Arts Center, and performances by the Orlando Shakespeare Theater at the Loch Haven Cultural Park include six productions, along with two children’s theater productions.

The City of Orlando is also filled with visual arts venues, with the Terrace Gallery and Mayor’s Gallery being the most popular. National and international artists are featured in the exhibitions at Terrace Gallery, while the Mayor’s Gallery is dedicated to regional artists. Paintings, tapestries, sculptures and photographs are part of the permanent collection of the Public Art Department. The Mennello Museum of American Art features traveling exhibitions of folk art.