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My Orlando Neighborhood Guide

Lindsey Thompson

Are you a recent Orlando transplant? In 2020 we saw an influx of people move in (and move out). Whether you moved here because it was a lifelong dream to live near Disney (sorry, no Disney content here for you) or you had to move here due to circumstance, and you are counting the days until you can leave again, this guide will prove helpful.

Does Orlando suck? Well, that is relative. Would I rather live be Philadelphia? Yes. Am I happy I am here and not Las Vegas? Absolutely.

Orlando is what you make of it, and as someone who has lived here long enough to appreciate how the city has grown, I'm also painfully aware of the work that still needs to be done (like a downtown you can enjoy if you are over the age of 25).

So here is a helpful guide for newcomers that is by no means inclusive to every single thing our sprawling urban landscape has to discover, but it's a great start.

College Park

I lived in College Park for about 8 years. I loved the older bungalow houses, some on brick-paved streets. However, the main drag of Edgewater has always struggled to have more than pizza joints and nail salons. That being said, there are still some great local businesses there that deserve support, and while I wouldn’t say you could spend an entire day exploring Edgewater Drive, there are some gems there for sure.

My picks for Top Eats

The Best Coffee in the Neighborhood

Local Businesses to Support

Where to meet People

Kid Friendly

  • Dartmouth Park

  • Matthews Park

  • The Soda Fountain

Murals

  • Chris Uphues Heart Mural on the side of Infusion Tea

  • Orlando Mural on the side of David’s Cycle

Local place to buy Plants

Audubon Park/Baldwin Park

Audubon Park is a cozy residential neighborhood with a vibrant main street that gets national press and accolades. It also has a variety of popular businesses that pull other Orlandoans to the main drag of Corrine Drive with great options for dining and shopping. Locals are beginning to know it as a neighborhood plentiful in baked goods, but it's renowned for being home to Orlando's only indoor market, East End Market.

My picks for Top Eats

The Best Coffee in the Neighborhood

  • Lineage at the East End

Places to hang or work

Local Businesses to Support

Where to meet People

  • Monday night Farmers Market

  • Redlight Redlight Beer Parlor pop-ups and events

  • Mellow Market put on by Owl’s Attic

  • This Main Street District puts on some of the best events in the whole city, so follow their social pages to stay in the know.

Murals

Find the murals hidden behind the main strip of shops where Redlight Redlight is.

Non-Touristy Things to Do

Local place to buy Plants

MILLS 50

The Mills 50 area has certainly transformed over the past decade, and now is considered one of the “hip” neighborhoods lined with bars, popular local eateries, and it’s home to what locals refer to as Little Vietnam. The hipster spots haven’t completely taken over here, and thankfully some diversity can still be found here. Honestly, this neighborhood has much to offer in terms of food, so you will definitely want to spend some time here finding your favorite eateries.

My picks for Top Eats

Where to get Boba Tea/Coffee

Local Shops to Support

Where to meet people

Where to get some Culture

Murals

  • City Beautiful Mural 220 Weber Street on the side of the JA Edwards of America building

  • Strawberry Mural Lamp Shade Fair 1336 Mills Avenue

  • Freddy Mercury Tribute Mural 842 N Mills Ave.

  • Diversity Heart Mosaic Lamp Shade Fair 1336 Mills Avenue

  • Sam Flax Murals 1800 E. Colonial Drive

  • Dolla $hort AM7 Mural Side of Will’s Pub on Mills Avenue

  • Andrew Spear Mural Shine Ave + East Colonial

  • ChiKin mural 813 N. Mills Ave

  • Moge Tee Mural 636 Mills Ave

  • Patience is Power mural Side of Pho 88 on Mills

DOWNTOWN ORLANDO

Public leaders have been trying to transform our Downtown into a live, work, and play destination that encompasses everything a major city needs to fulfill the needs of its residents. Strides have been made, but more progress is desired. Truthfully, depending on your age and love of nightlife you may find yourself either loving or hating downtown. It's heavy with bars and clubs, little to no retail, and a revolving door of restaurants. However, if you look hard enough you can find pieces of culture, less loud and boozy activities, and some beautiful parks to enjoy all year long.

Places I will enter downtown to visit:

Places for a sweet treat

Coffee I like (the main reason I enter Downtown)

Things to Do

Get some culture

Places to Meet People that aren’t the Club

Ivanhoe Village

Blink and you might drive right through it, but this small strip of community isn't lacking in things to explore.  It's becoming a destination for brew lovers and a hub for local makers. It sits right in the middle of three residential areas (Downtown, Mills/50, and College Park) so it's really a cozy corridor that is supported by the locals living in those areas, who want to hang out and play at local bars, restaurants, and a few shops. One day, The Yard at Ivanhoe might even open!

My Picks for Top Eats

Bar Hopping

Local Businesses to Support

Where to Meet People

  • The Main Street district puts on events all year long including Wine Walks which can be a great place to find makers, businesses, and meet people.

Murals

  • Flamingo Mural at GB’s Bottle Shop on Virginia

  • View of Orlando the back of Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co.

  • Rose Mural on the side of Santiago Bodega

  • Earl Funk mural at Virginia and Orange on the side of the East Tattoo building.

WINTER PARK(ISH)

Winter Park spans quite a bit of territory. The areas that a new local may want to get acquainted with include the upscale neighborhood surrounding Park Avenue and then the pieces that branch out from there on Fairbanks and Orange Avenue. For me personally I don’t have much reason to venture to Park Avenue. The real local gems are found in the outlying areas. No matter which area you explore you will find something that will keep you within your recently-moved-so-I'm-strapped for-cash-budget, or let you indulge in a treat yourself night out. 

My Pick for Top Eats

Local Businesses to Support

Get some Culture

Non-Touristy Things To Do

Kid Friendly

Murals

  • Peacock Mural 919 N Orange Ave. Winter Park

  • Bob Ross Mural 610 W. Fairbanks Ave.

  • The Sewing Studio Andy Warhol type mural 9605 U.S. 17-92, Maitland, FL

  • Monarch Initiative Murals 3150 University Boulevard in Winter Park | 520 South Magnolia Avenue

UCF/East Side

East Orlando is largely cookie-cutter suburbia at its finest, but it's also home to the largest University by enrollment in Florida. Sixty thousand plus students are fighting for parking, and keeping businesses thriving both in purchase power and labor. This side of Orlando is chain heavy, but you can still find some great local businesses to support. 

Top Local Eats

Things To Do

Milk District

The Milk District is an up and coming neighborhood, with lots of young entrepreneurs behind the helm.  Just East of downtown you'll find some very popular eateries and local shops hidden behind sprawling big box shopping centers.

My Pick for Top Eats

Places to Hang, Work, or Meet People

Things To Do

  • Catch a live show at the Plaza Live

  • Shop at Etoile Boutique for local vintage

  • Visit the rotating street art at Pho Hoa

  • Play at Orlando Skate Park

Pine Hills - West Orlando

You’ll want to check out Lotte Market at John Young and W. Colonial. Not only is this a great Asian supermarket, but it has a great food court. You’ll also want to visit Westside Crossings. Known as Orlando’s Chinatown, this strip center has a lot of food spots to try that don’t disappoint.

Top Eats

Boba


Winter Garden

There are two Winter Gardens. The historic downtown filled with small town charm. And the newer Winter Garden that houses newer homes where orange groves used to be, and the Winter Garden Village. The downtown strip (my childhood playground) is concentrated along Plant Street where you will find local mom and pop shops, restaurants, and even an art gallery. It’s newest claim to fame has been the Plant Street Market, but old Winter Garden has lots of authentic hispanic restaurants you shouldn’t miss.

Eats + Coffee

Local Shops to Check Out:

Things to Do:

  • Explore Plant Street Market (live music on the weekends)

  • Rent a bike and explore the West Orange Trail

  • Visit the popular Farmers Market on Saturday mornings

  • Take in a live show at the Garden Theatre

  • Tour the Winter Garden History Heritage Museum

Kid-Friendly

  • Take your kids to the Splash Pad

  • Winter Garden Railroad Museum

  • Kids Summer Movies at the Garden Theatre

Sanford

Not all living has to be done near Orlando's core. About 30 minutes North of the city you'll find Sanford, a still relatively affordable area with a downtown that continues to go through the process of revitalization. You may feel somewhat disconnected to the goings-on in Orlando, but if you live and work in this area you can certainly avoid Interstate 4 more than others and perhaps be a little less stressed out from a painful commute.

Top Picks for Eats

Local Bars

Things to do

  • Downtown Sanford hugs large Lake Monroe and has an enjoyable riverwalk

  • Take a Limo Cycle tour through downtown

  • Check your calendar to attend the next Sanford Indie

  • See a show at the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center

  • Grab a fresh dozen donuts at Donuts To Go or Donuts Galore

Local shops to check out

Where to meet People

Kid Friendly

Downtown Kissimmee

You might sleep on venturing to Kissimmee, it has more than you may realize. I still have more exploring I need to do, as I suspect there are many hidden gems in the way of diverse cuisines here, but here is what I can share so far.

Top Eats

Best spot for Coffee

Murals

  • Coy Mural - Pleasant Street across from Parking Garage

  • Tiger Mural - E. Darling Street + Broadway

  • Owl and Horses Mural - Broadway right before Ruby Avenue

  • Roses Mural Broadway + Monument Ave and Broadway

Celebration Restaurants

I’m probably the wrong person to ask where go to have a fancy meal, because I just don’t indulge in high tickets dinners here very often, I save that for foodie vacations I’m usually quite disappointed and I rarely have the desire to go to a upscale resort/hotel restaurant. That’s just me, but here are the suggestions I can offer on a nice dinner that maybe isn’t half your months rent, but is still somewhere that feels special.

Pop-Ups to Keep your Eyes On

Day Trips

This list should act as a guide of ways to enjoy the city you live in. That being said it should not be ignored that Orlando has real problems like any city. Traffic, poor infrastructure, homelessness, gentrification, and affordable rent issues for residents just to name a few.

Still, we keep exploring and finding new places to enjoy and businesses to support. For more resources search this site.

All photos are property of LemonHearted Creative.

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