59 Things to Do In Orlando for Adults

Think of an Orlando vacation and you probably think of families and kids enjoying the theme parks. But Orlando, Florida has so much to offer adults traveling without kids, whether you’re on a girlfriend’s getaway, millennial travelers, a honeymooning couple or empty nesters. Here’s a great guide of how to enjoy Orlando for Adults.

Table of Contents

Grown-Ups Guide Only: Things to Do in Orlando For Adults

Be a Big Kid at the Theme Parks

VIP tours are a great way to feel like a kid again, while experiencing and learning fun factoids about the parks at your own pace. Private VIP tours of Walt Disney World parks include door-to-door service from resorts, VIP viewing areas for nighttime spectaculars and a customizable itinerary. Universal Orlando Resort also offers VIP guided tours to give guests exclusive backstage access and instant access to the most popular rides, including all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions.
Made popular by Disney’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Disney character-inspired makeovers are not just for the little ones anymore. Disney’s new Character Couture packages for adults offer sophisticated hairstyles, as well as detailed makeup and nail designs inspired by Disney characters including Cinderella, Minnie Mouse, Ursula and more.
Another grown-up way to explore the parks is to visit during one of the many annual food events, including SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival in the spring. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is held in the fall.

Be Adventurous!

Zip above waters where alligators live on an exciting airboat tour. You’ll love the wind in your face as you sit on top of a fast moving boat that glides over swampy vegetation. Your drive will be on the lookout for alligators and other wildlife for photo opportunities.
Take a helicopter ride over Orlando! You’ll see the city in a whole new way! And imagine the photo opportunities! Plus, if you time it right, a helicopter ride over Orlando at night can include fireworks from the theme parks! Talk about romantic!
If you haven’t taken a hot air balloon ride, you have no idea how peaceful it is! Enjoy this unique adventure while catching the sunrise over Orlando. Then enjoy a champagne toast afterwards.
Rent an ATV to explore the Ocala National Forest. Your guided three hour tour will bring you through Florida wilderness, where you will bounce over rugged terrain and maybe see a bear! Or choose an adventure on private land at Clermont’s Revolution Off Road.

Relax at the Resort Pool

From Orlando hotels with lazy rivers to secluded grottos to private cabanas, an afternoon at one of Orlando’s resort pools is a great way for adults to take in the year-round warmth. Many resorts, including Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate feature adult-only pools for extra tranquility.
Some of the more notable adult-only pools include Hilton Orlando’s “Quiet Resort Pool,” complete with private whirlpool and cabanas. “The Oasis” at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, has underwater audio and a jacuzzi for ultimate relaxation.

Enjoy a Night on the Town

Visitors don’t even need to leave the theme parks and tourist hot spots for nightlife. Universal CityWalk, Pointe Orlando, Mango’s Tropical Café and Disney Springs are all walkable hubs for after-sunset fun. Raglan Road in Disney Springs offers an authentic Irish pub experience with nightly live music, an extensive beer and food menu, and Irish dancers in a lively pub atmosphere.
Dinner shows are popular in Orlando. While Medieval Times can be more geared towards families, Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Show can be more fun for adults. Plus, unlimited beer and wine makes it a great option for an adult date night, too.
A plethora of lively nightlife options await travelers in the City Beautiful, from the swanky Bösendorfer Lounge inside the Grand Bohemian to the epicenter of dancing and nightlife found along Wall Street and Orange Avenue downtown.
For some old fashioned cocktails, The Courtesy serves craft cocktails and hosts a monthly cocktail class for aspiring mixologists. Downtown’s stylish Mathers Social Gathering welcomes patrons to relax and mingle in its 1800s atmosphere and enjoy house made cocktails and lite bites. Local speakeasy Hanson’s Shoe Repair provides a fun twist on a night out, requiring a password for entry.
The Polynesian Fire Luau (not the luau at Disney World, that’s way different) is a combination of dinner and cultural dancing. You’ll enjoy the air-conditioned theater in which it takes place!

Take a Beer or Winery Tour (Or Shopping Tour)

Orlando Brewing, one of Orlando’s first breweries established in 2006, uses only organic ingredients which has made it the first brewery to be declared “Fresh from Florida.” Crooked Can Brewing Company, located inside Plant Street Market in Historical Downtown Winter Garden, holds Sunday tours lead by knowledgeable tour guides who delve into the history of their beer and the liquor barrel aging process.
Those who enjoy mingling over a beer or two – or more – can take a ride with Hop On! Central Florida Brew Tours to try some of Orlando’s best beer spots.
Wine lovers will find their happy place at The Imperial and Eola Wine Company, two of Orlando’s wine bars, as well as Florida’s only sustainable winery, Quantum Leap, with a tasting room and free tours upon request.
Discover all of the many sides of America’s number one tourist destination with an Orlando city tour. This excursion with transportation included will bring you antique shopping downtown, visit Lake Eola, and take a scenic and relaxing boat ride through the canals of Winter Park, which feels just a little bit like Venice.

Dine Like a Local

Upscale eateries including local favorites Prato and The Ravenous Pig in Winter Park, and new French-style restaurant DoveCote Brasserie are among the reasons Orlando was named a top foodie city in the United States by Wallethub.com in 2018.
The city is also home to some of the nation’s best chefs, including chef Kathleen Blake of The Rusty Spoon, a local Orlando chef who receive a 2017 nomination for “Best Chef: South” from the James Beard Foundation.
Soco, in picturesque Thornton Park, serves up contemporary top-notch Southern brunch and bottomless mimosas.
Food tours, running weekly in Winter Park and Celebration, and neighborhood markets allow for a progressive dining experience

Experience Orlando’s Romantic Side

Disney area restaurants Capa, located on the top floor of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, and California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort offer high-end dining with spectacular views of the nightly theme park fireworks. Another Disney dining highlight, Victoria & Albert’s, is the only five-star restaurant in Orlando featuring a seasonal menu with ingredients from around the globe.
VIP chef’s table dining experiences, including Luma on Park and Chef’s Table at the Edgewater, offer diners the opportunity to converse directly with the chef, expanding their palates and food knowledge.
More specialty dining experiences are available at local dessert havens Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant and Farris & Foster’s Chocolate Factory, which hosts a weekly date night where couples make a pound of handmade chocolate to take home.
Another unique adventure can be found at ICON Park, where guests can savor a glass of champagne during a picturesque, private ride on The Wheel, a 400-foot observation wheel. Follow it by a night of live music at Tin Roof or live Flamenco dancers at Tapa Toro tapas bar and restaurant.

Attend a Sporting Event

Orlando is also a hub for sports fans to cheer on their favorite teams while attending sporting events. The Amway Center is a fixture for sporting events downtown, serving as home base for Orlando Magic basketball games and Orlando Solar Bears hockey games.
The new Orlando City Stadium, which opened in 2017, hosts Orlando City Soccer and Orlando Pride games.
As the new home of American tennis, fans can check out the S. Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus, featuring a 65-acre (26-hectare) complex, the largest tennis facility in the world.

Catch a Performance

The Enzian Theater shows indie films and cult classics and hosts the annual Florida Film Festival every spring.
Fans of theater will also enjoy the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, featuring well-known musicals, including “Fiddler on the Roof,” as well as musical performances by top artists like Carol Burnett, The Beach Boys and Tony Bennett.
The Amway Center in downtown Orlando hosts a variety of award-winning artists – both classic and new – with a 2019 lineup featuring Billy Joel, Marc Anthony, Elton John, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes and more.
For something a little more grass-roots, visitors can catch a performance from Indie bands and artists at The Social or The Plaza Live in downtown Orlando.
The Blue Man Group show at Universal Orlando Resort is a mixture of comedy, music and high-energy fun. Have to say we got a headache after watching a 15-minute preview performance of theirs, but maybe you’ll enjoy the loud music and lighting effects more than we did!