September 07, 2020

Things to Know about Orlando, Florida

All over the world, Orlando, Florida is known for its dining, entertainment, and activities that tourists and vacationers enjoy. The options are limitless and fit all range of tastes and styles.

However, before you get to the next plane to Florida, make sure you know these things about Orlando, Florida.

Photo by Brian Erickson of Unsplash
Unpredictable Weather

Orlando has a subtropical climate. The rainy season often occurs from May to October. If you visit during the summer, you can expect afternoon rains.

The average temperature is 72F. However, the mild, dry winters can quickly give way to wet and cold weather.

So, when you visit Orlando, it’s best to prepare for a wide range of scenarios. Pay attention to weather updates and warnings for wind, lightning, and rain.

Golf Courses for Pro Golfers 

If you love playing golf or simply watching the pros go at it, Orlando offers nearly 200 golf courses and academies.

These golf courses host world-famous tournaments like the Arnold Palmer International. What’s better is that the city claims more pro golfers as residents than anywhere in the world.

Various Transportation Options 

When in Orlando, you have access to a wide range of transportation options.

Around the metro area, hotels and resorts provide complimentary shuttles to popular venues and other locations around the city.

Public transport options include bus lines and the SunRail train network. Or you can try StressFreeCarRental.com to find great deals on rental cars.

A City of the World 

Orlando is an international city; a cultural melting pot where various cultures and histories intersect.

So don’t be shocked when you hear different languages and see various currencies being passed around.

Of course, the US dollar is the primary tender and English is the common language. If you have these two, you’ll be fine.

Dominant Ecotourism 

Orlando is blessed with natural landscapes, such as lakes, cypress swamps, marshlands, and pinewoods.

If you love the natural world and you’re an environment enthusiast, Orlando offers many opportunities to go on nature trips.

Major Theme Parks 

Orlando is the “Theme Park Capital of the World” for great reasons.

Tourists and vacationers can enjoy the Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld Orlando -- all in the same city.

What’s more, all these attractions are very close to each other, just around 20 miles southwest of the downtown area. So you can go theme park-hopping all you want.

Two Major Airports 

Orlando sports not one but two major airports, which are the:

● Orlando International Airport (MCO)
● Sanford Orlando International Airport (SFB)

MCO is located southeast of the city center, while the SFB is to the north.

Further, Orlando also serves as a major Florida crossroad you can reach in several ways. These include Interstate 4 and the Florida Turnpike.

Water Parks All Year 

Orlando is also home to world-class water parks that are open all year. If there are no extreme cold or weather conditions, you can expect them to remain open forever.

Get Ready for Orlando, Florida 

Keeping these things in mind will help you prepare for a wonderful Orlando visit. Plan and prepare your trip so you can have a fun, memorable adventure once you set foot in Orlando.

Pan-Seared Steak Recipe

I’m a meat lover so diet is not really for me. Steak is one of my favorite food so if I’m having a craving for it, I really visit any restaurant that serves steak. Eating steak in a restaurant is so steep so I consider it a treat for myself. Here are some of the restaurants where I tried and tasted steak. Pepper Lunch is my go-to restaurant since they have a lot of branches.

Read: The Farm Organics here and here
Marciano’s
Hill Station
Melo’s The Home of Certified Angus Beef
Hogs and Cattle Steakhouse
Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna
Pepper Lunch here, herehere, and here
Texas Roadhouse
Yurakuen 

Since it is expensive to eat steak in the restaurant, it is much better to cook this at home. Even though cooking steak at home is a hit or miss, it is always part of my menu. Sometimes I cook this in the oven but most of the time I just pan-grill it in the stove or electric grill.

One of the secrets of cooking steak is to buy quality meat, yes, it is true. I tried beef from the wet market, hindi ko type kahit sabi nila sirloin daw yun. Hehehe! I usually buy my steak cut at the grocery especially the steak at Landers from New Zealand. I recently discovered the Saikoro Steak so it is now part of my favorites but I can only order this online.


I love cooking steak because I can prepare this in less than 30 minutes and you only need a few ingredients. Just season with salt and pepper, sometimes I add garlic powder. I used to like a “well done” steak but now I learned to appreciate the "medium well" steak.

If I have extra time, I will cook gravy sauce but God knows how many times I’ve tried to make a gravy sauce from scratch but sometimes I failed so I seldom prepare the sauce. There are instances when everything went perfect and my son loves my gravy, he even wants to drink it because he thought it’s a soup. There were also times where I just buy some ready-made or instant mix gravy sauce.

Pan-Seared Steak Recipe 

Steak Cut Meat
Butter
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic powder

1. Heat your pan to medium heat.
2. Season both sides of your meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
3. Add butter.
4. Place the steak in the pan and cook it 3-5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your meat and your preferred doneness
5. Remove and set aside for 5 minutes
6. Slice and serve your steak

Read: Oven Baked Steak + Potatoes 
Oven-Baked Steak + Gravy Sauce 
Steak Bites 

"Becoming a vegetarian is a big missed steak"
Photo by Justus Menke of Unsplash