You may very well be a little worn out after spending a long day at one of the large attractions and just don’t have the energy to put in another full day during your Orlando vacation. Do not despair; there are plenty of things to do in the Orlando area that do not take an entire day. The following experiences are all within a twenty minute drive and are excellent ways to spend a half-day during your Orlando vacation. Since many of these experiences are not as well-known as some of the major attractions, I have provided map links so that they may be found more easily. If you would like to know more about any of them, click on the name and you will be directed to their web site, which open in a separate window.

• Discovery Cove - Swim with dolphins, glide with eels and snorkel along coral reefs at this Sea World sister park.
  
   
• Wet ‘N Wild - Water slides, raft rides, kneeboard skiing, a lazy river and a wave pool are all at this water park that has everything.
  
   
• Blizzard Beach - Disney’s Ski Mountain Resort-themed water park featuring water rides and slides.
  
   
• Typhoon Lagoon - Disney’s water park featuring an uphill water coaster, a giant wave pool, water slides and a snorkeling area - all in a tropical island setting with sandy beaches and hammocks strung between palm trees.
  
   
• The Holy Land Experience - Enter ancient Jerusalem at this Bible-themed park.
  
   
• GatorLand - Crocodiles, gator wrestling, snake and reptile shows as well as high leaping alligators are the features at this gator farm.
  
   
• DisneyQuest - Five floors of interactive video games and virtual reality rides at Downtown Disney.
  
   
• WonderWorks - More than 100 exhibits including simulators, virtual reality games and rides as well as laser tag can be found here.
  
   
• Orlando Ghost Tours - Tour haunted buildings in downtown Orlando, exploring the facts and fiction of the paranormal. This is a nighttime only experience.
   

Wait, there’s more! . . . Within an hour’s drive of the Orlando area, are the following experiences. Again, these are perfect places to spend a half-day during your Orlando vacation:

• Silver Springs - Famous for their glass-bottom boat tours, this park offers a unique way of viewing Florida’s underwater world. Additionally, there are jeep safaris, wildlife shows and exhibits as well as rides for the little ones.
  
   
• Daytona USA - A park for race car enthusiasts featuring a museum, interactive exhibits, simulators, an IMAX theater and Speedway tours.
  
   
• Blue Springs State Park - A relaxing change of pace known as the gathering place for manatees, this Florida State Park also features a natural spring, a fishing pier, picnic areas and canoe rides.
  
   
• Haunted St. Augustine - As the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine is a wonderful place to visit that is filled with quaint, old-world charm. Some go there for the unique antiques and specialty boutiques. Others for the fabulous beach. It’s history is what draws others ... a history filled with stories of Ponce De Leon and the fountain of youth ... a history filled with tales of pirates and an impressive Spanish fort ... a history filled with ghosts! Cited by many as the country’s “most-haunted city,” St. Augustine, FL offers several eerie tours into the world of the supernatural. Two of the best are Ghost Tours of St. Augustine and Haunted St. Augustine - Paranormal Investigative Tours.
  
   
• Rivership Romance - Enjoy entertainment, dining, cocktails and the natural scenery of Florida on the St. John’s river in air conditioned comfort or out on the deck of this vintage vessel.
  
   
• Sterling Casino Lines - Entertainment, food, cocktails and gaming on the Atlantic Ocean, leaving from Port Canaveral.
  
   
• Sun Cruz Casinos - Entertainment, food, cocktails and gaming on the Atlantic Ocean, leaving from Port Canaveral and Ponce Inlet, near Daytona.
  
   
• Central Florida Zoo - A wide variety of mammals, reptiles and birds are on display here as well as interesting demonstrations and “behind the scenes” encounters.