WELCOME TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA
Visitors came to the nearby Kennedy Space Center since the 1950s to watch rocket ships take off over the Atlantic coast. Then fate played a hand through the vision of Walt Disney who wanted his next theme park to be an order of magnitude larger than Disneyland in Anaheim, California ... More
BLACK GENESIS
The African American presence in this region began when the Spanish controlled Central and North Florida from the 18th through early 19th century. Many people of African descent coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Seminole Indians and Spaniard soldiers ... More
CULTURAL SITES
First time visitors are surprised to learn that Black culture has been on the scene for decades. Begin with Well’s Built Museum of African American History, then make a short drive to Eatonville, home of Zora Neale Hurston ... More
RESTAURANTS and NIGHTCLUBS
Orlando has attracted a number of folks from the Caribbean nad it shows in the selection of local restaurants coupled with Soul Food eateries ... More
SHOPS and GALLERIES
There's only a handful of soulful shops around, so make the most by reviewing these ... More
EATONVILLE and ZORA NEALE HURSTON
As a writer, folklorist, and anthropologist, Zora Neal Hurston is known as the most significant interpreter of Southern African American culture. She was born in Notasulga, Alabama in 1891, but her family moved to Eatonville ... More
THEME PARKS
When Walt Disney surveyed this area in the 1960s, who could have guessed that it would become a magnet for three world-class theme parks, three compelling water parks ... More
FAMILY ATTRACTIONS
With mega-theme park attractions for neighbors, it easy to overlook other family attractions that command a visit as well. Consider Kennedy Space Center, Discovery Cove Orlando, SkyVenture ... More
GENERAL ATTRACTIONS
After 30 years of rocket growth, the city's adult-oriented attractions are finally starting to catch up. There's Orlando Museum of Art, Morse Museum of American Art Orange County Regional History Center, Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, Universal CityWalk, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island ... More
ART and HISTORY MUSEUMS
New residents and visitors are surprised to learn that the premier family vacation destination is also a serious player in art and history circles ... More
PLACES OF WORSHIP
The metro area has surprising number of historic and popular churches. See for yourself ... More
TRIVIA and FAMOUS RESIDENTS
Only Las Vegas has a faster population growth rate in the last 25 years. Orlando counts among its famous residents Josiah Eaton and Lewis Lawrence, Zora Neale Hurston, Tiger Woods and Shaquille O'Neal ... More
BLACK CULTURAL TRAVEL MADE EASY