With more than a dozen theme parks in and around Orlando, one has to try a little harder to find the less manufactured parts of the city. But, life does exist beyond Universal Studios and Disney World. On a recent tag-along trip to the Florida city, I made it my quest to find a genuine neighbourhood.
Is There a Non-Disney Orlando?
I tagged along with Steve to the massive Agile 2017 conference (it’s a software development thing) in Orlando this past August, which means we stayed on the outskirts in an equally massive conference centre/hotel. Although it had four (four!) swimming pools, after working remotely in a hotel room for a couple of days I was dying to get out and about. On an evening when Steve was tied up with conference commitments I set out to explore.
We’ve been to Orlando before. We’ve gone to Disney. It was fun, but we’re not huge theme park fans. I wanted to see the “real” Orlando. I did some research and came upon the area I wanted to visit—Thornton Park.
It turned out to be the perfect spot, but when I went to hotel reception to confirm my choice, the woman at the desk said she wasn’t familiar with the area. I told her I wanted to see an Orlando neighbourhood where I could maybe poke my head in a few shops to escape the heat, see some sights, and have a nice dinner. She tried to send me to The Loop, which is a large open-air shopping mall. Not at all what I was seeking.
I felt more confident with my choice when I got into the car of my Lyft driver. I asked him what he thought of Thornton Park. He knew where it was (good thing because he needed to drive me there) and said it was a nice area to hang out. Excellent.
Welcome to Thornton Park
The website for the Thornton Park District bills the neighbourhood as “The Downtown for Grownups.” What attracted me to the area was its mix of a hip, urban neighbourhood just a few blocks away from a natural area (Lake Eola Park). It was a bit sleepy the Wednesday early evening I visited, but it definitely had the vibe of a vibrant neighbourhood. On a humid August day with a temperature of 35C (95F), I thought it must be livelier later at night and when you can walk more than a block without needing a shower.
I had my Lyft driver drop me off at the Graffiti Junktion restaurant and gallery. It seemed a good place to start my tour as the colourful burger bar/art gallery appears to anchor the area.
I would say there are far more restaurants and bars than shops, but it’s a nice stroll to the Thornton Park Fountain – a small-sized replica of one found in Paris.
A few short blocks away is the lovely Lake Eola Park. I was pretty much a sweat ball by the time I started my way along the path around the lake, so I was very appreciative of the shady spots.
The fountain in the centre of the lake is the iconic TV shot that broadcasters routinely use to represent Orlando during sporting events.
What fascinated me about the park was two things: one was the fact that people were running around the path in the afternoon skin-melting sun (I guess people are equally surprised to know I run outside in -35C temps at home in Winnipeg), two, there are a tonne of interesting and super friendly birds about. Beyond ducks and swans, my bird identification skills are crap, so I have no idea what kinds of birds beyond those I met during my walk.
I ended my visit to Thornton Park with dinner at The Stubborn Mule. The menu offered craft cocktails, a nice selection of wines and, upscale casual food. I felt completely comfortable dining solo at a high table near the window. I was fortunate to catch the tail end of the 4-6 p.m. $6 cocktails happy hour. My meal was top-notch. I chose the Smoked Boar BBQ sandwich featuring Brussels sprouts slaw. The Gouda Grits I got as the side was decadently delectable.
In my experience, it’s always worth venturing beyond the downtown or suburban hotel that I often find myself in on a tag-along trip. In this case, I got to meet some interesting birds, had a stellar meal, and caught a glimpse of the city beyond the rollercoasters and waterslides for which Orlando is best known.
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Glad to hear you found our little gem of Thornton Park! I hate how people visit and only think of Orlando as the tacky tshirt shops and theme park areas. We have beautiful oak tree lined brick streets in lovely historic neighborhoods, amazing restaurants and bars. Please come back soon! Check out Dexter’s, SoCo, Sgat Sushi, Muddy Waters, Eola Wine, and for some nightlife, Stardust Lounge and Frosty’s Christmastime Lounge!
Thanks for the recommendations, Allston. I’m looking forward to checking those spots out when next I return.
Thornton Park sounds like a delightful place to spend time. I love the bird sculpture in the water. I’ve only been to Orlando once. That was decades ago when my step-daughters were young and the focus of the visit was all about the theme parks. It would be nice to see the other Orlando.
What’s very cool about the lake is that many of the birds have no fear and get pretty close. It’s neat to have so much wildlife in the heart of a big city.