How to Spend a 24-Hour Staycation in Orlando, Florida

Early Bird Baked Goods at Buttermilk Bakery

It’s a personal preference of mine to indulge in baked goods mostly at Buttermilk Bakery, a small family-owned bakery in Winter Park. From sweet to savory, as long as you get there early, you will have your pick of the best options. Some of my favorites are the Khachapouri Egg Croissant Tart, Ham & Gruyère Croissant, a pop tart in any seasonal flavor they have, and their chocolate and banana muffin. There is only seating outside, so you can brave the weather on that day, or take them to go.

Alternative to Buttermilk if you want a fuller breakfast - Papi’s Burritos in the East End Market, or if you are North of Orlando, grab pastries at J’Adore Bakery in Altamonte Springs.

Grabbing a coffee at Haan in the Mills 50 District

Coffee is plentiful in the City Beautiful, but for exceptional coffee by local roasters you can trust, well, that narrows it down a bit. Haan is my current go-to for both coffee and matcha, depending on the mood that day is a little different. Their SJ Iced Latte and Seoul Iced Coffee are staples you can always get, but make sure to check out their seasonal menu. The only caveat to this spot is that, depending on when you go, there will likely be nowhere to sit. However, if you go early enough, you can snag a spot.

Alternative to Haan - Stemma or Deeply Coffee in Downtown

Stroll antiques and exclaim, “My mom had these” over at Orange Tree Antiques.

Strolling through an antique mall used to be looking at old furniture and fine china, but now (depending on the mall) it can be filled with booths of your childhood and happy nostalgia. That can also mean the prices of your childhood treasures may cause your eyes to widen and a clenched fist to the sky that you discarded said item, but those emotions are all a part of the magic. Booths are now owned by your peers, not necessarily just your elders, so t-shirts, records, toys, and more await you at Orange Tree, what I believe to be our best antique mall, uniquely set in the city and not way out in the suburbs.

Alternative to Antique Mall Strolls - Head over to the Orange County Regional History Center (it’s cooler than it sounds), the Morse Museum or some fun at the new claw machine shop in Mills 50, Kawaii Neko.

Slurp noodles in close proximity to strangers at Zaru

Can’t afford a trip to Japan to dine at a Udon noodle shop? Pretend over at Zaru where you can indulge in a hearty lunch of Sanuki-style udon noodles and other Japanese comfort food. After you’ve selected your base bowl, you can choose add-ons (I opted for an Onsen Egg, shrimp, and sweet potato tempura). To truly feast, you can also share Zensai or appetizers like Gyoza or Yaki Nasu (grilled eggplant). If you can handle another coffee for the day, I’d highly recommend the Japanese Viet Iced Coffee with roasted espresso and sesame foam.

Lunch alternative - Jam Hot Chicken for our best Hot Chicken experience (but know you will be eating outside), Mama Napoli for some extraordinary sandwiches, or The Monroe for something Southern inspired.

Shop Hop around a few different Main Street Districts

Please understand me when I say that for the size of Orlando, our local shop scene is undefeated. The Main Street Districts have so many locally owned shops that are often overlooked, as everyone focuses on the food scene. Shops like Miscellaneous Market, Yay! Tiny Shop, Good Crowd, House on Lang, Gold Dust, Lafayette & Rushford, HellCats, Owls Attic, Lady Luck, and Cami Monet can fill an entire afternoon and then some if you map them out and visit them all. That doesn’t even touch our record store or bookstore options from Park Ave CDs and New Romantics to Authentic Books, Remix Records, and Uncle Tony’s Donut Shoppe. Not only do these shops need our support, but even if you can’t purchase too many items, they are still wonderful to visit, peruse, and get to know their selections for when it is time to do some damage to your wallet.

Alternative to small shops - Visit some green spaces like Mead Gardens, book a seat on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Ride, or visit the Orlando Art Museum.

Happy Hour at Sunroom (or like 10 other bars)

Throw a rock on Mills 50 and you will hit a bar, so Sunroom doesn’t have to be the move, but if it’s a move you make, it’s a good one. As the sun sets, the whole bar is cloaked in sunlight, making it a dreamy mid-century modern tiki bar vibe with some seriously strong craft cocktails. Bonus, Happy Hour is from open til 8 PM! If a bar crawl is something you’ve been wanting to do, you’re in the perfect place to hit up some of the city’s most popular watering holes. You can walk next door to The Guesthouse, across the street to Alfie’s HiFi, down the street to Lil Indies or Death in the Afternoon, and the list goes on.

Dinner at ___________!

You have a splurge meal on your staycation, so where do you go? That’s a loaded question because I don’t know you, and I don’t know what you like. So instead of deciding on one spot that might not be your thing, I’ll make a few recommendations.

The Strand - First, you’ll need a reservation, so if you don’t want to plan ahead or sit at the bar, move along. If you are still reading, The Strand is a farm-to-table style restaurant with a small, focused menu. Thanks to the opening of their sister bar next door (d.b.a), you can now add a cocktail to your dinner if you wish, but they also have a beer and wine menu. They always have seasonal specials, which I think is where they really shine, but the standard menu, for as simple as it may look, has always delivered a comfort meal in a cozy upscale diner-style environment.

Coro - If you are an adventurous eater who loves interesting small plates that are full of ingredients (some of which you might need to Google, this place will wow you. It’s very creative, and for real open-minded foodies, it’s one of the most refreshingly innovative spots we have. Chefs, even the owner, serve the tables and describe each dish in detail. You’ll nod your head, wondering what that long list of ingredients they just rattled off was, but you’ll learn to trust their small but mighty kitchen staff right after the first bite. If that doesn’t sound like you, I don’t recommend it (but I still recommend it).

Kaya - Kaya holds the state’s only Green Michelin star, but don’t let that culinary nod make you think it’s upscale and too expensive to enjoy. There are layers to how you can enjoy a night at Kaya whether you indulge in the whole experience of the Sama Sama Set Menu, or you opt for a more casual experience and order off their A la Carte menu at the bar inside or the Bayani Bar, you can enjoy arguably one of the best restaurants in the city on your staycation.

Sparrow - If drinks and small plates in a dark and romantic environment that is more alluring to you, check out Sparrow. This is more than a wine bar with a small bar menu with heavy flavor hitters like the Short Rib Ragu, Caesar Carpaccio, Sole Meuniere, and a Mushroom Pate. Not a wine drinker? That’s ok, they have a cocktail menu that will satisfy, and I would suggest the Tomato Gimlet. As the night goes on, the disco ball will start swirling as the room darkens, while a great playlist flows at the perfect tone so you can still hear your dining companion. We don’t have a lot of spaces that feel sultry and comfortable at the same time, but Sparrow gives us just that. Reservations are highly suggested.

Late Night Shenangians that aren’t Bar Hopping

Now, I would be headed back home after dinner, but if you are a night owl who wants to keep the party going, there are a few places you can add as a last stop, although some may require advanced planning.

Jazz Tastings - In Maitland, hidden in a small strip center, you can listen to live music Tuesdays - Saturdays. There is a $12 entertainment fee on Fridays & Saturdays from 6 pm-9:30 pm. After 9:30 pm, there is no cover charge! There is also no cover charge on Tuesday-Thursday. Catch a Jam Session or a local artist and enjoy one of the few venues dedicated to live music in town.

Judson’s Live - As a part of the Dr. Phillips Center downtown, this smaller entertainment venue offers live acts, some local, some traveling, in a classy and upscale setting. Tickets need to be purchased ahead of time, and some 7 pm showtimes will require an early or late dinner. Depending on the schedule, there are later shows.

The Enzian - Enzian is Central Florida’s only full-time independent cinema. It makes for a great date night on its own, but if you can find a later showing that coincides with your staycation, it’s a wonderful end to a day exploring and supporting all things local.