There is so much to do while you're visiting Orlando, why not add a dash of weird to your road trip adventure? Don't worry, there are plenty of wonderfully offbeat things to do in the City Beautiful. Look no further!
Ever wanted to experience what it’s like to jump out of a plane, but were too chicken to actually do it? Orlando is also home to iFLY, a human body flight simulator. In other words, it’s an indoor skydiving tunnel where you suit up and get to experience the rush without worrying about the hitting the ground. If you’re looking to live out your superhero dreams, experience what it’s like to be a bird, or just get an adrenaline rush, this might be right up your alley.
Artegon Marketplace isn't your average flee-market, it's a revamped mall filled with independent sellers ready to make your treasure hunting dreams come true! They don't call themselves the "Anti-Mall" for nothing. Looking for a Moroccan rug? You're in luck! They've got everything from comic book shops to tattoo parlors, so you can hit two birds with one stone. Best of all, the lobby has an insane 30-foot high zip-line and climbing fence, perfect for any kids who need to blow off some steam. Make sure to swing by the Skyzone trampoline park while you're at it, and then grab some food at one of the venders. It's the perfect answer to the shopping tourist traps, and you won't leave empty handed.
Having fun doesn’t have to be a sin! This may be the Holy Grail of bizarre US theme parks. At this living Biblical theme park, you can visit the Jerusalem Street Market, the Cavalry’s Garden Tomb, the Wilderness Tabernacle, or the Smile of a Child Adventure Land. This amusement park is so weird it'll have you saying "amen!"
If you’re looking for a place to grab some grub, Hamburger Mary’s is a genuine classic-kitsch bar and grill. Known for their “half-pound burgers and a hefty side of sass”, Hamburger Mary’s is the perfect place to split a hubcap-sized burger with your offbeat travel pal, before hitting the road and heading off on your next adventure.
If its always been your dream to live out a real life "Die Hard" moment, you're in luck because Hard Knocks - Beyond Laser Tag is the nation's first indoor combat simulation arenas open for entertainment, law enforcement training and corporate team building. They have over 30,000 square-feet of urban-themed combat area and Florida's largest, most advanced Gaming Lounge. So you can book the bad guys, and play the slots afterwards.
If you're headed to Orlando to hit the bars, look no further than the Parliment House, a budget friendly hotel/nightclub. You won't even need to leave the hotel!
You and your hungry companions are special guests of Princess Anita, however as the show (and meals) progress, you’ll find you’ve been taken hostage by a hoard of… you guessed it, treacherous singing pirates, led by the infamous Sebastian the Black. Not only is the cast and crew some of the best in the business, the food is delicious and will leave even the most hungry pirate busting at the leather waistcoat. Don’t worry, Pirates Dinner Adventure is 100% kid friendly.
You can’t think about weird without Ripely’s Believe It or Not popping into your head, and the Orlando Odditorium is about as weird as it gets! Visitors are invited to explore the amazingly crooked building and take an hour-long tour where they'll see some of the strangest things imaginable. Want to see a Rolls Royce made out of a million matchsticks? They’ve got one! How about a piece of the Berlin Wall, or a cannibal dinosaur, or even a copy of the Mona Lisa made entirely out of toast? They’ve got those too. No offbeat trip to Orlando is complete without spending a day eyeballing all of Ripley’s awesome weird stuff!
Central Florida Racing Complex is not you neighborhood race track! Made up of autocross, drifting, and drag racing, the 1/8 mile surface is where the pros come to show off their insane driving skills. Every single race is guaranteed to get your adrenaline going, thanks to the famously fierce driver competition. Expect lots of crashes!
You can’t go to Florida and not have a run-in with a gator. Don’t worry, Gatorland is a completely safe, family friendly, 110-acre alligator park perfect for an afternoon adventure. Guests are invited to visit the petting zoo, see a Gator Wrestling’ Show, take a ride on the Gatorland Express train to the splash park, or have an up-close experience at the Encounters Show. It’s the perfect (and safest) place to peep some gators up close!
If you really wished you could have gone to Dublin this year, don't worry because Raglan Road Irish Pub is pretty much the next best thing... and it's smack dab in the middle or Orlando. So grab a pint of Guinness and some delicious traditional Irish grub, and fuel up for more offbeat adventures! Slainte!
Video games and booze? What more could you ask for? Player 1 Video Game Bar will not only get your drunk, it will also keep you and your friends entertained.
WonderWorks, bills itself as “an amusement park for the mind”. The upside-down buildings, modeled after some kind of bizarro White House, feature movie theaters with full-motion sets, a huge indoor rope course, and over 100 interactive exhibits for both kids and adults.
ICEBAR Orlando is exactly what it sounds like: 50 tons of freezing cold ice carved into a teeth chattering 27 degree bar that looks more like a winter wonderland than a restaurant. Icebar is the world’s largest permanent ice bar, and one of the top “extreme barhopping” locations in the entire country. Don’t worry, it’s not a BYOJ (bring your own jacket) kind of place. Once you arrive at Icebar a hostess supplies you with a warm thermal coat and gloves to keep you nice and toasty while you sip cocktails. They even have benches, seats, and tables made entirely out of ice. The bar? Even that is carved entirely from one massive block of frozen ice. Hey, at least you know your drink will never get warm
The Harry P. Leu Gardens were created by Mr. and Mrs. Leu who spent their lives traveling around the world and bringing back some of the coolest keep sakes ever. The couple bought 40 acres of land and began planting a massive (and beautiful) garden filled with all the exotic flora they collected from their travels across the world. After their deaths in the early 60s, the gardens and land were given to the City of Orlando, and became a public garden, museum, and art gallery, where guests and both new and experienced horticulturists could come and learn. Today the garden contains over 2,000 plants, broken up into groupings including, magnolias, roses, palms, lilies, bromeliads, and the list goes on.
On Sunday night at Spacebar you can actually bring your own vinyls and spin some tunes. Known as having one of the best atmospheres in the city, Spacebar also has one of the best selections of beer you'll find anywhere in Orlando.
It's everything you want in fast food. Hot Dog Heaven sticks to the greasy staples, with a selection of burgers, hot dogs, and fries. They even have authentic Chicago style dogs, so if you've got a craving for some Chi-Town grub you know where to go.
If you're looking for a 24 hour bar, than look no further. The Blind Tiger is one the oldest bars in Orlando, and that's because of its reputation as also being the best bar in town.
Turn your trip to Orlando into an offbeat adventure, and you'll you're guaranteed to have a memorable vacation, there's no doubt about that.
chris.hudepohl
On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow.