3. Orlando’s Escape Games

Image: The Escape Game

Escape games might be the most addicting attraction in all of Orlando. We’ve written about the city’s outstanding escape room experiences before, and we are positively hooked. For those unfamiliar, an escape room is like a living video game. Similar to old point-and-click adventure games, participants are given one hour to escape a locked room using props and complex puzzles hidden throughout the space. For those skeptical, don’t worry—there’s always a way to get out in an emergency. All of Orlando’s escape rooms surround rich themes and stories. In one, you might be searching for an old prospector’s lost gold. In another, you’re the last hope to solve an unsolvable murder. For those with a taste for the macabre, you might find yourself escaping a serial killer’s dungeon or a zombie horde. The possibilities are endless, and Orlando has an escape game for everyone. Your success or failure depends entirely on your wits and ability to work with teammates, whether friends or strangers.

Our favorite location so far is The Escape Game Orlando where guests can take a mission to Mars, foil a terrorist plot, or perform a miraculous prison escape. At Lockbusters, participants can hunt for pirate gold, escape a crashed chopper, or survive a haunted house. Escapology offers an impressive variety of adventures including a submarine escape, an Orient Express style train murder, and a South American cartel escape. Sherlock Holmes fans will love The Great Escape Room Orlando while action movie fans will revel in the mummy’s tomb and White House crisis adventures at America’s Escape Game. Other games to try include Mindquest, The Escape Effect, The Escape Company, and Breakout. If you’ve never tried this insanely fun activity, don’t miss out!

4. Shopping, Shopping, Shopping

Image: Inazakira, Flickr (license)

It’s not particularly shocking that Orlando is a shopaholic’s paradise. Theme park visitors will likely be familiar with Disney Springs and Universal’s CityWalk, but many Orlando visitors are unaware of the wide range of shopping experiences available throughout the city.

For traditional shopping amped up to gargantuan proportions, look no further than the Mall at Millenia. With over 150 stores in the mall proper and plenty more within walking distance, visitors who appreciate luxury and high-end fashion will find shopping for days. Families looking for something more down to earth will love Florida Mall, home to Carlo’s Bakery, the Crayola Experience, and a whopping 270 stores!

Looking to score a deal on your next trip? Orlando is home to something around a half dozen outlet malls with stores of every variety and tons of dining opportunities (including some awesome food trucks!). Disney fans can also visit the city’s character outlet stores to get unique deals on theme park merchandise.