Want to jumpstart your plans for the new year? Let’s help you out.
Blame it on the holiday hustle and bustle but you guys were a little shy with your responses when we asked you to share your ideas for a 2022 bucket list of great Orlando to-do’s. But have no fear, your Pulptown director over here has you covered with ideas for the best things to do around town, activities to enjoy in the great outdoors, and where to eat and drink.
So without further ado, here are our top tips for making the most of Orlando in the new year:
🏞 Visit more state parks. There are 175 of them in Florida, 12 of which are a hop, skip, and a jump from Orlando. Make haste and get outside.
🎭 Immerse yourself in Orlando’s arts and culture scene. Buy season tickets to Opera Orlando, become a supporting member of Timucua Arts Foundation, or financially get behind The Enzian.
🚗 Be a tourist for a day and take advantage of our theme parks and attractions — not just Disney and Universal — like Wild Florida’s drive-thru safari in nearby Kenansville in Osceola County.
🚲 Go on more bike rides. Get to know the neighborhood with a bike crawl from one local destination to another.
🎟 Spend a night at the museum. No really, there are more than a dozen in Central Florida. Everyone should visit the Orange County Regional History Center at least once, meander through the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum, and be captivated at the Orlando Museum of Art.
🛍 Always shop local Orlando is home to so many small businesses, many that have been around for years and several that opened during the pandemic. Your Main Street Districts are a great place to start, but even they don’t cover the half of it.
☕️ Drink more coffee. Or boba tea. Or matcha. Take your pick — the list of caffeination stations around Orlando is long. And Qreate Coffee, don’t think we didn’t see your hint about opening a second location. Just let us know when.
🐶 Adopt, don’t shop. With so many great pet rescues in our community, there’s no need to ever search for your perfect companion anywhere else. Give Liberation Cat House, Orange County Animal Services, Orlando Cat Cafe, Pet Rescue by Judy, and Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando a follow if you haven’t already.
🦢 Have yourself a real Orlando day. This is a throwback to an answer we got in 2019, but it still rings true: “Go to a farmers market, visit a local brewery, ride a swan.” We assume Cliff Shepard meant to ride a swan boat — riding a swan lands you in jail. 😝
🍷 Break bread with your neighbors. Check out community gatherings like The Dinner Party Project in 2022 or visit one of the new food halls that have opened in the area like Gatlin Hall Brewing, The Hall on the Yard, Milkhouse, or The Marketplace at Avalon Park.
🍸 Cheers to hip gathering places. Have a drink at The Neighbors, toast to tomorrow at Golden Hour Wine, or toss back a brew at Deadwords Brewing.
🤝 Get to know local leaders. Get in the rooms with local representatives, don’t ever miss your chance to get to the polls, and educate yourself on Orlando’s existing challenges — from learning about local groups addressing our struggling housing market to getting to know the people fighting for world-class bicycling structure.
⚽️ Become a real sports fanatic. Support Orlando in every sense of the word, on and off the field. You can be a champion for big important issues while rooting for the many home sports teams along the way.
May all of your 2022 wishes — and much more — come true.
What about you? Is there something on your to-do list in the year ahead that you want to share? Head here to tell us all about it. Here’s to a great 2022, Orlando!