Orlando’s Instagram fans are ready for a perfect summer. Join the fun with open-air theme parks, water parks, ecotourism, amazing food and drinks, and much more (Discovery Cove® pictured).

Updated March 16, 2023

Summertime brings summer vacations, which means a trip to Orlando for many travelers — including our followers on Instagram. We asked them what they were most looking forward to doing in Orlando this summer … and as you can imagine, they pretty much can’t wait to do everything (they are Orlando fans, after all). To help you plan some unforgettable adventures of your own, we’ve narrowed their choices to the top 10 favorites presented here.

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Grab a cold beverage and slather on the sunscreen as we count down our fans’ tips for having the best summer ever in Orlando.

Additional reporting by Michelle DeMasi and Moyar Jackson.

10. Golf

Fore! Warm weather is no deterrent for dedicated golfers, and they are eager to hit the links at Orlando’s premier golf courses this summer. You can also get your game on at memorable mini-golf attractions, or even pair golfing with a side of air conditioning at climate-controlled attractions such as Topgolf Orlando in the International Drive Entertainment District, Drive Shack in Lake Nona, and Tiger Woods’ all-new PopStroke in east Orlando.

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9. Shopping

When our Instagram followers are on the hunt for air conditioning and great buys, they head to Orlando’s premier shopping malls, including The Mall at Millenia and The Florida Mall®. There is plenty of sensational shopping — and cold temps — beyond the malls, too, from value-priced designer outlets to bespoke boutiques in quaint neighborhoods, all within a 15-mile radius of our main tourism districts.

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8. Natural Springs

Thanks to year-round temperate weather, natural springs in the Orlando area are always popular, but our Instagram fans particularly enjoy diving in during the summer months. Top options include Blue Spring State Park, De Leon Springs State Park, Rock Springs Run State Preserve at Kelly Park, and Wekiwa Springs State Park, which are all an hour or less from Orlando’s core. Or, take a guided kayak or paddleboat tour from local operators such as Adventures in Florida, Epic Paddle Adventures, and Get Up and Go Kayaking.

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7. Indoor Attractions

Family fun can heat up fast in Orlando, but our Instagram followers will keep the excitement going when they’re ready to cool down by visiting one of our indoor attractions. The International Drive Entertainment District is a bit of a one-stop shop for air-conditioned fun that’s close to the theme parks, including choices at ICON Park®, Dezerland Park and Pointe Orlando. But no matter where your Orlando journeys take you, you won’t have to search hard to find incredible indoor activities near you — including acclaimed art galleries and museums.

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6. Lazy Rivers

Endless water + blue skies + maximum relaxation + fun? That adds up to a perfect day spent drifting away on Orlando’s best lazy rivers as far as our Instagram fans are concerned. Whether you’re visiting our standalone water parks (more on them coming up) or staying at one of our over-the-top resorts, you can wash away any summertime blues in our lovely lazy rivers.

Discover: Orlando’s Lazy Rivers

5. Ice-Cold Treats & MICHELIN Eats

Our Instagram followers have a solid plan for beating the heat this summer: Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bars, Frozen Butterbeer™ and other ice-cold gourmet treats at our theme parks and all over town, including cones, sundaes, milkshakes, floats, frozen yogurt and more. With that being said, we advise against too many cold snacks — otherwise, you might be too full to experience all 46 of our MICHELIN Guide restaurants.

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4. Water Parks

Orlando is known as the Theme Park Capital of the World — but our Instagram fans know that we’re also a champion when it comes to water parks, and they are eager to dive in. Make a splash at Universal’s Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando Resort, Aquatica® Orlando at SeaWorld® Orlando, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park at Walt Disney World® Resort, Discovery Cove®, LEGOLAND® Water Park at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort (available as an add-on to LEGOLAND® Florida Theme Park admission), or Island H2O Live!, plus onsite water parks at select resorts.

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3. Outdoor Fun From Sunrise to Sunset

Showing their poetic side, our Instagram base is looking forward to catching gorgeous sunrises and sunsets while they’re in town this summer — and enjoying outdoor adventures in between. In addition to the ecotourism activities already covered in this blog, top choices include zip lining, (including the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line at Gatorland, pictured) airboat tours, nature trails, horseback riding, fishing, and even birding, all of which can be enjoyed in Orlando.

Discover: Orlando Ecotourism

2. Theme Parks

Theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort and LEGOLAND Florida Resort are always a blast, and our Instagram followers can’t wait to visit them this summer. The parks also have new reasons to visit, including TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom® Park, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, the brand-new Pirate River Quest at LEGOLAND Florida Theme Park, and Universal’s Great Movie Escape at Universal CityWalk. And that’s on top of special events like the EPCOT® International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World, plus SeaWorld’s Craft Beer Festival.

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1. Everything!

Not satisfied with limiting themselves to this already expansive list, our Instagram followers won’t settle for anything less than everything. By which they mean special events, uplifting arts and culture (including Fringe ArtSpace in downtown Orlando), concerts, FC Series soccer matches, exploring unique neighborhoods, pure relaxation at soothing spas, and much more. Like we said: Everything.

There you have it, Visit Orlando Instagram followers’ top 10 things to do in Orlando this summer. Have some tips of your own? Share them with the world on your favorite social media channels with the hashtag, #LoveOrlando.

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