Orlando Hot Spots Make for Cool Evenings
Even if you've been in meetings all day, there's still plenty in Orlando to experience after the sun goes down. From ultra-hip bars and high-energy dance clubs to laid-back pubs and multi-venue entertainment complexes, Orlando offers several distinct areas to live it up once the sun goes down.
International Drive
By day, International Drive is a bustling street with convention attendees heading to and from the Orange County Convention Center as well as not-to-be-missed attractions, shopping and restaurants. By night, the bright lights of I-Drive shine for an evening of vast entertainment options. Pointe Orlando, a large shopping and entertainment complex down the street from the convention center, is a one-stop shop for nighttime entertainment. Begin the evening at one of the many restaurants, including The Capital Grille, Tommy Bahama Tropical Cafe & Emporium or Maggiano's Little Italy. Follow that with a wine tasting at The Grape or a night of live music at BB King's Blues Club opening in late-2007.
Stop in The Cricketers Arms, a relaxed pub featuring British fare with 17 beers on tap and nightly entertainment. GLO Lounge Orlando offers a glowing ambiance along with its tasty cocktails and billiard tables. Howl at the Moon Orlando promises a howlin' good time, as patrons sing their favorite oldies and rock 'n roll hits along with the club's dueling piano players. The newly opened Destiny Nightclub is Orlando's largest nightclub and hosts top-name DJs to keep the dance floor filled. Looking for laughs? Try Dottie's Orlando Comedy Theater where the nightly shows feature three headlining comics.
Several other hot spots dot International Drive. Backstage at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, dubbed Orlando's "original" dance club, features live bands and DJs playing hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today. The Lucky Leprechaun Irish Pub offers a friendly atmosphere with imported brew and cider specialties and televised Celtic football games. Bahama Breeze is a restaurant and bar with a large outdoor area that serves up an endless menu of tropical drinks and appetizers along with the sounds of steel drums.
Downtown Orlando
Beyond the Orange County Convention Center and the theme parks lies the city of Orlando. With an abundance of nightclubs, restaurants and bars, downtown Orlando comes alive at night with the sounds of an urban metropolis. Orange Avenue, Church Street, Magnolia Street, Central Boulevard and Pine Street offer a host of nightlife options. On Church Street, the main attraction is a tri-level complex featuring different bars on each floor. On the ground floor, Chillers, which takes its name from the specialty frozen drinks with funky names it serves, features a DJ spinning the latest in Top 40 music. On the mid-level, Big Belly Brewery provides a laid-back atmosphere with big barrels of peanuts as bar food. Latitudes, a rooftop bar that often features live reggae music, boasts a great view of the Orlando skyline. Club Paris is a newer hot spot on Church Street, which Paris Hilton helped design. Nearby, Ybor Martini Bar offers a full menu of specialty martinis and a stylish atmosphere, while the sleek and sophisticated lounge at Kres Chophouse offers big city atmosphere and top-notch cocktails.
Wall Street Plaza on Orange Avenue features a multitude of bars, each with a different flavor. Wall Street Cantina offers outdoor seating for a relaxing place to have a cocktail, listen to music and people-watch. Dance it up in the attached One-Eyed Jacks, featuring an oversized bar and a stage for brave music lovers to step up and dance. Just next door, the Loaded Hog provides an intimate setting with small two-person booths. Across the plaza, The Globe is a relaxed coffee shop serving unique appetizers and authentic sushi. From The Globe, guests hear the music from neighboring Slingapours and Tuk Tuk, two attached nightclubs that alternate between nights with live music and a DJ spinning the latest in hip hop, house and techno. Be sure to visit Waitiki Retro Tiki Lounge, offering island-style beverages and live music and Monkey Bar, a sleek martini bar with outdoor lounge chairs and a bird's eye view of Wall Street Plaza.
Also on Orange Avenue, The Social invites guests to enjoy nightly live music by local bands. Sky60, a rooftop bar on Orange Avenue, has a California cool style that lets visitors relax in small cabana-style booths and offers a
great view of the Orlando skyline. Room 3 Nine, a new staple on busy Orange Avenue, is the place to "see and be seen" when looking for hip, casual fun in a relaxed, corner bar atmosphere. And, when is a nightclub not a nightclub? When the club is Eye Spy - a hideout for international espionage types - on Orange Avenue. Would-be patrons need to be on the lookout for the International Import/Export sign that marks the entrance to this spy-themed bar. The area's newest ultralounge, Rhythm & Flow Ultra Lounge, showcases the Flow Lounge downstairs and the VIP Rhythm Club upstairs with cutting-edge blends of house, progressive and trance music. Prefer a more rustic environment? Check out The Lodge on Orange Avenue. It is reminiscent of a ski resort lodge and features live music every Monday.
Other clubs to check out include The Blue Room on Pine Street, a young urbanite spot with a unique setting, featuring an array of local artists' works on display and some of the hottest DJs spinning for the dance floor.
Visitors seeking comic relief enjoy the humorous offerings of the Improv Comedy Club & Restaurant, located on Church Street, where headlining comedians share the stage with up-and-coming talent. Nearby, the SAK Comedy Lab has proven itself as a training ground for new comedians and has graduated many famous alumni, including Wayne Brady.
Walt Disney World®
Long after the theme parks have closed for the evening, the nightlife options at Walt Disney World are still going strong. At night, guests can club hop at Downtown Disney®, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex with a big city feel in the heart of Walt Disney World. Downtown Disney Pleasure Island offers seven clubs for the price of one, with entertainment ranging from rock 'n' roll to hip hop. Enjoy a sophisticated dinner or take in some live blues at Downtown Disney West Side. Sample the wood-fired pizza at Wolfgang Puck Café or get some Latin flavor at Bongos Cuban Café. For those with music in mind, enjoy an evening in the bayou at House of Blues, which hosts big-name rock stars and rising local bands.
Disney's Boardwalk is a waterfront village with the charm and excitement of the 1930s Mid-Atlantic Coast. Atlantic Dance Club guests sway to the hottest Top 40 dance tunes, while a stop at Jellyrolls unveils guests singing along to the comedic dueling pianos. Stroll around the Boardwalk, play one of the carnival games or have your fortune told.
Universal Orlando® Resort
Universal Orlando Resort's theme parks provide thrills by day, but when night falls the thrills get even bigger at Universal CityWalk, an entertainment complex that offers a wide variety of dancing and dining options. CityWalk is home to the world's largest Hard Rock Café and Hard Rock Live Orlando, showcasing some of the biggest musical acts in the business as well as up-and-coming local bands. Other venues offering live music include Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, a relaxed restaurant and bar paying tribute to everybody's favorite parrothead with specialty margaritas and nightly Jimmy Buffett music. CityJazz's nightly live music includes funk, R&B, soul and rock 'n' roll in a setting displaying musical antiques and personal belongings of jazz legends. Bob Marley - A Tribute to Freedom transports guests to a re-creation of Marley's home in Jamaica with its live reggae performances in an open-air gazebo and authentic Caribbean cuisine. Celebrate Mardi Gras year round at Pat O'Brien's, an exact replica of the famed bar in New Orleans that serves up its famous Hurricanes. Dancers can lose themselves in the groove with the thumping beats, light shows and sophisticated themed rooms. At Latin Quarter, guests are exposed to authentic food and entertainment from all 21 Latin American nations. Next door to Hard Rock Live, NBA City offers an upstairs bar with excellent fare and oversized leather couches to relax after a day in the parks or have a cocktail before a concert. The Red Coconut Club is a two-story upscale cocktail lounge with a hip feel, offering signature martinis and an extensive wine list.