Orange County Regional History Center

Location : Downtown Orlando

A great place to begin your exploration of the world that exists beyond Disney's property is this wonderful museum.

As you might imagine, Disney's critical role in the area's history (a museum staffer jokingly refers to the periods, "B.D." and "A.D.," before and after Disney) gets some prominent attention. But, the History Center also has some dynamic, interactive exhibits that showcase the heritage of the native Paleo-Indians, the pioneer "Crackers" that settled in Central Florida, the Europeans that introduced citrus trees and sparked a thriving industry, the Space Program, and other important people and events along Orange County's evolving timeline.

The tour kicks off with a multimedia presentation held on a "back porch," complete with rocking chairs.The museum, housed in an old, lovely converted courthouse building, is engaging and offers a unique perspective of the real world that coexists among the theme parks' fantasy worlds.

Just up the street from the History Center is Lake Eola Park (407-246-2827).

The urban park offers a delightful 1-mile walk around its 23-acre man-made lake.

Flower gardens, fountains, and swans help set the park's lovely tone.

An amphitheater at one end of the lake features free performances.