The year-round sun and warmth of Florida makes it an ideal destination no matter what time of year you need a break. No matter the time of year, or how far in advance you’re planning, pack your bags for an exciting vacation full of fun and sun, and plenty of activities that are just right for everyone – and available at a moment’s notice.
Set your sights on Orlando and the surrounding area, with its many exciting entertainment offerings and you’ll build an Orlando vacation to keep everyone – no matter their age – happy and busy throughout your stay and memories to last a lifetime!
Cost of Getting Here
Enjoying an Orlando vacation is easy once you’re here. A big problem you may encounter is the cost of travel, especially by air. Many airlines charge higher prices the closer you book to your travel date. The extra money means you won’t have as much to put toward accommodations, dining, shopping, and experiences while you’re here.
Save a little cash when you book direct with Tropical Escape Vacation Homes. You won’t have to worry about extra booking and convenience fees that come with using a vacation website. You book directly with us for the unit you need and want, no matter when you need a vacation.
Accommodations for Your Orlando Vacation
When you decide to book a trip last minute, one of the major headaches is accommodations. Hotels – especially in the Orlando area – book up fast and have limited availability if you need one right away. You may be stuck in a less desirable location in the hotel – like the top floor, near busy areas like the elevator or ice machine, or encounter higher prices due to booking so close to your arrival date. Skip the headaches and book direct with Tropical Escape Vacation Homes. We’ll have the type or size of rental you’re looking for, no matter when you need a break.
Shopping
Make sure to hit the many shops and boutiques around Orlando to find everything you’re looking for – from a souvenir for yourself to remember the trip to the perfect gift for a loved one who couldn’t make the trip. Stop in at Disney Springs for plenty of Disney-themed souvenirs, jewelry, and art. ICON Park on International Drive not only contains the famed “Orlando Eye” Ferris wheel, but plenty of shopping options like The Sugar Factory, Wheelhouse Gift Shop, and more.
Dining
There are a number of cafes, bars, and restaurants throughout Orlando, serving up a variety of dining options for every meal of the day. From the exotic flavors of the Caribbean or South America, Italian, Mexican, and bar or pub fare, you’ll find a taste to satisfy any appetite. There are also malls and other everyday shopping opportunities throughout Orlando.
Sightseeing
Orlando has a long and storied history, and you can see it all throughout the town. The Publix Pole Sign is a neon pole sign dating back to the 1960s and depicts the market chain’s original signage. The Old Orlando Railroad Depot was once a hub of industry, and its brick building still stands today – and is part of both the National and Orlando register of historic places. For bookworms, stop by Jack Kerouac’s home, where he wrote his most successful novel – On the Road.
Golf
For the golfers of the group, they’ll want to check out the premier courses found throughout Orlando. Many of the courses were designed by golf greats like Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, and others, and offer challenges courses in other locales around the country can’t. If your clubs didn’t make the last-minute packing list, ask about rentals when booking your tee times with the pro shop of each course.
Wineries
Another great way to relax and unwind is with a good glass of wine. The adults of the group can relax with an experience just for them, even last minute. There are number of wineries and vineyards throughout the Orlando area where they can find a new favorite blend. Select locales offer tastings, tours, and other private events where just you and your group can relax and unwind. You can even take home your favorites to pair with a home-cooked meal at your rental.
Spa Day
Your last-minute vacation was likely about the need for a bit of relaxation and stress relief. Spoil yourself with bit of pampering while you’re here. There are a number of spas in the Orlando area. Start with a massage, then pamper the rest of your body however you like.
You can choose a massage only, or add-on extras like aromatherapy, hot stones, deep tissue massage, and more. Pay some attention to your hands and feet with a foot massage and reflexology, hand or foot treatment like a scrub, mask, essential oils, and other relaxing treatments. Beautify every inch with a facial or back facial that targets your skin’s unique needs.
Manatee and Airboat Adventure
Enjoy a day trip that can be planned as quickly as you planned the rest of your Orlando retreat. There are a number of companies that offer day trips to the Florida Everglades. Most trips last a full 12 hours, and select trips offer a number of departure points to make it convenient for you.
VIP Insider Disney Tours
There are four Disney parks to choose from in Orlando. You can spend an entire trip soaking up all the Disney fun and excitement you can dream of and still need to come back to do it all, and that’s just what you can see as a traditional guest.
Disney fans looking to turn up the Disney fun on a last-minute break can head behind the scenes with a VIP insider tour of a favorite park. The private tour takes guests to places behind-the-scenes: those usually unseen or off-limits to park-goers during a traditional visit to the park. Park admission is not included in the price of the tour.
Your Rental
Aside from being a place to sleep and re-energize during your last-minute Orlando vacation, your rental is a source of fun, too. Select homes may be stocked with books, board games, magazines, toys for the kids, and more. Most rentals come equipped with at least one TV so you can keep up on the latest installment of your favorite TV show or watch a movie. Our rentals also include free Wi-Fi so you can post pictures and video of your Orlando activities and keep in touch with loved ones who couldn’t make the spur-of-the-moment vacation.
Theme Parks
While some plan visits to the Orlando theme parks months and even years in advance, your spur-of-the-moment trip can still include a visit. Orlando’s many theme parks are the perfect place to spend a day or a whole trip. The many activities, attractions, rides, and more that the Disney parks, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and LEGOLAND, will keep everyone busy whether you’re there for a day, a week, or longer. Make sure to pack plenty of sunscreen and other sun protection, stay hydrated, and have enough to eat for a comfortable day at your chosen park.
Chocolate Kingdom Factory Tour
Chocolate lovers of any age will want to add this sweet stop to the top of their must-see list during an Orlando vacation, even if you didn’t plan in advance. Chocolate Kingdom’s Factory Adventure Tour is an interactive tour that takes you through the chocolate-making process from the cocoa bean all the way to the creamy, delicious chocolate treats you love.
Your Personal Chocolate Tour Guide teams up with a “handsome prince” and the prince’s dragon sidekick for an adventure through the chocolate wonderland. You’ll go through a Cacao Tree Greenhouse, a unique Chocolate Museum, the Mystical River of Chocolate, and finally the Micro Batch Bean-to-the-Bar Factory that utilizes old-world machinery in the creation of delicious chocolate desserts. The 45-minute tour includes samples along the way, and for an additional fee you can customize your own chocolate bar at the end of the tour.
Crayola Experience
Experience every color of the Crayola rainbow! The attraction is a two-story, 70,000-square-foot experience featuring 26 hands-on activities that will inspire budding arts of any age. Catch a live manufacturing show and see the crayon-making process, make digital art on an interactive wall, create unique keepsakes or your own coloring page as you or your favorite character as the star, and even create, name, and wrap your own Crayola crayon to take home.
Madame Tussauds Orlando
Located on International Drive along with many other must-see attractions for you to include on your last-minute trip, the museum features life size and life-like wax models. Get up close with many of the U.S.’s top actors, sports stars, pop icons, political and historical figures, and many others. Each category or group of stars and celebrities has its own room, and the figures are organized and placed for great opportunities for silly photos and selfies.
If you want to see yourself carved in wax, it will take three to four months for the professional team of artists and sculptors to perfect your image using over 200 different body measurements to capture everything that’s unique about you.
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
Experience the weird and the fascinating during your last-minute trip. Head to the museum full of artifacts and displays that will definitely have you and your loved ones saying, “I don’t believe it!” Wander through the collection of oddities including a shrunken human head, odd fossilized creatures, and other pieces from world traveler Robert Ripley’s crazy collection. Another “unbelievable” exhibit is centered around Mr. Ripley himself: At the height of his career, he averaged 3,000 letters a day for over 20 years. That’s more mail than any other individual in history to that point.
The Escape Game Orlando
Gather your group and work together to solve a series of clues and puzzles to break out of a themed room in 60 minutes or less. There are different themes to choose from, each with varying degrees of difficulty and recommended number of people and age range to solve. Choose the topic or difficulty that’s right for you and your group. Book on the website in advance, or even the day of your outing.
Last-Minute Accommodations That Don’t Feel Last Minute
From a cozy two-bedroom condo for a smaller family all the way up to a sprawling ten-bedroom single-family home for a last-minute getaway with all your loved ones, Tropical Escape Vacation Homes has a vacation rental that’s perfect for your vacation needs and style. Our vacation rental homes feature fully equipped kitchens, packed with everything you’ll need to prepare and serve a delicious a home-cooked meal, anytime. Stretch out with some popcorn and your favorite show or movie in an open living space, or retreat to a private bedroom for some relaxation at the end of the day.
