Plan Your Orlando Vacation

Parks aside, what else does an Orlando vacation have to offer as a recreation destination? The answer-fortunately for us-is plenty.

There was a time, indeed, before the rise of the theme park, and Orlando has long been in the thick of the action. Originally inhabited by Paleo Indians, the region saw the introduction of cattle in the 16th century by Spanish settlers. Cattle ranches prospered and, with the expansion of railroad access, Orlando became a fast-growing destination. In the 1800s, the agricultural industry, particularly citrus, thrived, and the tourist trade found firm footing. By the 1920s, the beautiful scenery and agreeable weather was a secret to no one as the area became the focus of a huge land boom. By the 1950s, the military had tuned in to the area as well, and in the 1960s, of course, Disney made its indelible mark on the future of Orlando. The rest, as they say, is history.

And that brings us to our first downtown destination of interest - The History Center. Located on Central Boulevard downtown, The History Center is a five-story time capsule, containing a treasure trove of Central Florida's distant, and not-so-distant, past. The building itself is a piece of history, built in 1927 as the Orange County Courthouse, an impressive 67,000 square-foot structure that was restored in 2000 to become a focal point of the downtown.

Inside, exhibits cover everything from early Native American life to European settlement to the rise of the cattle and citrus industries to the real estate boom of the 1920s to Walt Disney World, and beyond.

The History Center is open daily Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults and $3.50 for kids ages 3 to12, $6.50 for students and seniors (60+). Admission is free for Historical Society members and kids under three. Group rates are available. For more information, call the center at 407-836-8589 or visit www.thehistorycenter.org.

As long as we're talking about history, why not take a real stroll through the past, with the Historic Downtown Orlando Walking Tour? Created by Orlando Remembered, a group that works in conjunction with the Historical Society of Central Florida, the walk begins at the History Center, and takes you to ten other properties, including the Orlando City Hall, the Orlando Public Library, the First Presbyterian Church and the Citrus Club, complete with displays commemorating just exactly what makes that location a special piece of Orlando's past. After the conclusion of the walking tour, history buffs might want to continue the tour on wheels, to properties twelve and thirteen, the Orange County Courthouse and the Bank of America Tower, easily reached by boarding the free Lymmo bus northbound. Walking Tour guide pamphlets are available in the lobby of The History Center.

Of course, rich as it is, Orlando has more to offer than its own history. If you're looking for a glimpse into the world beyond central Florida, put the Orlando Museum of Art on your itinerary. Located at 2416 North Mills Ave., Orlando, the OMA boasts permanent collections of American Art (including works by artists such as John Singer Sargent, Georgia O'Keefe, Ansel Adams and Dennis Oppenheim), Art of the Ancient Americas (containing artifacts from more than 30 different cultural groups) and African Art (featuring artifacts from several different regions of the African continent). The museum hosts a variety of traveling exhibits, as well, to round out the offerings.

Established in the 1920s, as a small art center led by an informal group of artists, the OMA has since grown by leaps and bounds, thanks to community support and leadership. Accredited by the American Association of Museums since 1971, the OMA was designated as a major cultural institution by the State of Florida in 1985, and has been cited by "Newsweek" as a top art museum in the south.

What's more, it's a veritable bargain, with admission prices of $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (55+), college students with ID and groups of 10 or more, $5 for students ages 6 to18 and free for kids ages five and younger, as well as OMA members. Additionally, residents of Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties receive free admission on Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. (closed Mondays and major holidays). For more information, call 407- 896-4231 or visit www.omart.org.

History, art, what more could you want? How about a little science? You'll find that in abundance at the Orlando Science Center, an educational, hands-on experience for all ages.

Incorporated in 1955 as the anthropology-centered Central Florida Museum in Orlando Loch Haven Park, the facility found a new identity in the 1970s as a "hands-on" science and technology center. The museum has evolved and expanded over the years, settling into its current 207,000-square-foot home in 1997, which includes exhibit halls such as Mastering Magnetism, BodyZone, Touch The Sky (presented by Lockheed-Martin), NatureWorks, Weird Science, KidsTown, DinoDigs and more. In addition, visitors can experience giant screen films and planetarium shows in the Dr. Phillips Cinedome, Darden Adventure Theatre live action science shows and observatory tours. Food is available onsite at the OSC café.

Admission (unlimited ticket) is $14.95 for adults, $9.95 for kids ages 3 to11, $13.95 for seniors (55+) and students with ID. Kids ages 2 two and under are free. The Orlando Science Center is located at 777 East Princeton St., Orlando. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The center is closed on Mondays, except for major school holidays.

For more information, call 1-888-OSC-4FUN, or visit www.osc.org.

Article provided by Homesteader