The Orlando Real

By Kismet Kohn

Downtown Orlando is filled with many different date night ideas, including outdoor activities, nighttime entertainment, restaurants, and bars. You could squeeze everything into one day or keep these ideas in the back of your pocket for the weeknights or weekends ahead.

Activities

Downtown Orlando, though smaller than most cities, offers many team-building and romantic activities perfect for a date night! The Great Escape Room is located right off of S Magnolia Ave, where you and your partner can team up to solve a mystery and make your way out of the room using clues. If you enjoy the arts, check out some of the art galleries downtown. This includes the CityArts Factory and Snap! Orlando, where you can take your time and admire…

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By Holley Long

Fun and excitement are just a few things Disney provides in abundance, and now there’s even more to enjoy. New this year is the Disney Springs Kids Club, and we have all the details about this experience that’s perfect for the whole family.  

What is it?

The Disney Springs Kids Club, which opened on January 28 of this year, is a fun, interactive outdoor dance party that will get everyone up and moving. Dancing is on the agenda, of course, but kids and adults alike also have the chance to play games and participate in activities (like hula hooping). 

Each week has a different act, to include:

  • Wassalou Drum Circle: Play bongos, shake maracas, or clap to the beat of this Afropop band.

  • Flight Crew: A dance party…

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By Yasmene Warren

In search of hot Caribbean flavors with a touch of Florida? Well, this place promises “a taste of vacation,” and it’s called The Wellborn.

All About The Wellborn

The Wellborn is a restaurant and patio bar located in Downtown Orlando on North Lucerne Circle.

In addition to being a popular place to grab a bite to eat, The Wellborn is also a hotel! For those looking to stay near the Lake Cherokee Historic District, consider booking your stay with Sonder Hotel.

Even if you’re not looking for a place to lay your head, The Wellborn has much space in its well-hidden courtyard for you to kick it with friends and family and have a drink. The restaurant and bar is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.,…

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By Jessica LaVigne

Home in the Orchard Valley community in Winter Garden sells after 20 days on the market at $590,000.

The Home

Built in 2018, this home is located in the Orchard Park community in Winter Garden. The spacious layout includes 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, large kitchen with plenty of cabinetry, and a substantial lanai with stone-laid extension and fire pit for entertaining. An added bonus to this home are the paid-off solar panels, which will save the owner heavily on utility costs. If you have kids or just enjoy taking in the Florida sun, there’s also a soccer and baseball field, clubhouse with pool, and park directly across the street from the home. 

Sold

This home was originally listed for $599,000, but…

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By Yasmene Warren

Winter Park has yet another tasty spot to grab some grub from, and it’s got a real “homey” vibe to it — and we’re not just talking about it being a converted garage — it’s The Porch!

What is The Porch?

We know what a porch is, but The Porch is a sports bar that has been converted from a garage into a hot bar and restaurant. It’s located in Winter Park on North Orange Avenue near Hannibal Square.

You can do as the restaurant’s website says and “Eat! Drink! Stay Awhile” between 11:00 AM and 2:00 AM on select days. On select nights, they also have special events alongside a happy hour that lasts for a majority of the day! 

Food and Drinks

You’ll definitely want to come hungry when you’re visiting The…

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By Jessica LaVigne

We’ve covered a lot of different areas around Central Florida, but some have been asking - what’s the difference between East and West Orlando? Let’s dive in!

What’s Considered East and West?

The heart of Orlando is located downtown, with the West and East on each side of this. East Orlando is located from 417 all the way up to where it meets 408. This includes Oviedo, Winter Springs, Alafaya, and Waterford Lakes, with some also considering Winter Park to be part of this area. West Orlando includes areas such as Dr Phillips, Bay Hill, Windermere, Winter Garden, Horizon West, and (what we would also consider on the West side) Clermont.

Things To Do

East Orlando

If you live over on the East side of Orlando, you…

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By Kismet Kohn

If you’re looking for a fun weekend activity or want to plan a team-building exercise, Escapology is the perfect place to put those thinking skills to the test! 

Escape Rooms

Escapology offers about nine different escape rooms to choose from, each containing a different level of difficulty and theme. The themes Escapology offers currently are Narco, Scooby-Doo, Murder on the Orient Express, Star Trek, 7 Deadly Sins, Lost City, Mansion Murder, Under Pressure, and Antidote. Every couple of months the Escape Room themes will change on a rotating schedule so you can go back if you’ve solved all of the escape rooms they offered!

Events

The escape rooms can hold up to around ten people, making them the perfect size…

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By Holley Long

Are you ready for Summer yet? After closing for Orlando’s “cold” season, water parks are reopening across the city, including one with an interesting twist. 

Island H2O 

Island H2O opened for its 2023 season on March 10. The water park offers a unique time for guests with its social media theme and interactive features. With the H2O Water Park app, you can check out wait times, earn points to use for discounts, and choose the music that streams across the park. 

Island H2O encourages guests to post about their day at the water park, making it easy by having some attractions capture videos during the experience. By syncing a park-provided wristband to the app, you can tap in at each attraction and later view your photos and…

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By Yasmene Warren

The sun is coming back out, and that means the need to feed on something cold and sweet is stronger than ever. Luckily, there are loads of places to get ice cream at in Orlando. However, this one stands out a little more than the others; it’s Sampaguita Ice Cream.

What is Sampaguita Ice Cream?

Sampaguita is an ice cream parlor in Orlando located on East Colonial Drive just outside of downtown. This place makes Filipino-inspired ice creams and explores “the richness of Filipino culture, family traditions, and self-identity.”

Sampaguita has been soft opening with limited hours since January and is currently open Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11…

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By Holley Long

Horizon West home sells after less than a week on the market at $820,000.

The Home

Built in 2016, this 4,000+ square foot single family home is located in the Summerlake Community, offering 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. The open floor plan combines the kitchen and family room, with a cozy breakfast nook overlooking the fenced backyard and trees. Upstairs is a spacious loft, as well as the owner’s suite, complete with a bathroom with a separate tub and shower and a large walk-in closet. 

The home also offers a nicely shaded front porch with a view of the neighborhood pond, and a two-car garage that includes an electric car charger. 

Sold

This home sold for $820,000 after only 4 days on the market! Since…

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