{"id":245015,"date":"2026-04-24T17:10:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T17:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/245015\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T17:10:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T17:10:20","slug":"why-orlando-is-the-best-american-city-to-visit-solo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/245015\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Orlando Is the Best American City to Visit Solo"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story is part of The Journey Awards 2026, covering the best in hotels, airlines, destinations and travel products. Find the full awards here.<\/a><\/p>\n

More so than most cities in the U.S., Orlando feels like a place of stereotypes and preconceived notions \u2014 most of which are incorrect. That\u2019s because when so many people think of the central Florida metropolis, what they\u2019re actually thinking of is the theme parks that flank it, and the kids, families and honeymooners that swarm them. Universal Studios is on the southeastern edge of the city, while Disney World is a good 25 minutes away at best, not even technically in Orlando. As much as it once pained me to admit, as an unabashed Disney Adult<\/a> myself, there\u2019s so much more to Orlando than Disney. In fact, as I\u2019ve found over the years, it\u2019s actually the best city to visit solo.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, Disney is a surprisingly wonderful place to visit solo, too. As an annual passholder, most of my visits to the parks have been alone, shamelessly posing for photos with characters and getting sloshed on Manhattans at The Hollywood Brown Derby<\/a>. But Orlando is a bustling, diverse and inclusive city in its own right. Featuring Michelin-starred restaurants<\/a> and world-class museums, distinctive neighborhoods and one of the largest Pride festivals in the Southeast, it\u2019s got the amenities of a much bigger city, and all the solo-friendly comforts that come with them. I know, because I almost moved there alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When I was going through a divorce in 2022, I thought I wanted to start over somewhere fresh \u2014 somewhere happier, unmarred by trauma. The obvious choice for me was Orlando, where I had spent months living in my RV, and where some of my best friends reside. I wound up staying in Oklahoma City when I met my correct husband, but between my friends and my Disney pass, I always had excuses to keep returning to Orlando. Each return, usually solo, made me feel more at home. The City Beautiful, as it\u2019s aptly called, is so much more than the stereotypes that shroud it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Sunset over Orlando at Lake Eola.<\/p>\n

Smithlandia Media via Getty<\/p>\n

The Heart of Orlando<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve done my fair share of solo travel<\/a>, from big cities to smaller towns, and I\u2019ve found that destinations that are particularly friendly to people traveling alone are those that bustle without too much hustle, that feel widely welcoming to all walks of life and that teem with multifaceted cultures. They\u2019re places filled with restaurants that offer single barstools, enthralling art museums<\/a> and endless events where you can easily get swept up in the crowd.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Orlando ticks all those boxes. It\u2019s a city that feels comfortable to exist in, and navigate, whether it\u2019s your first trip or your fifteenth. And unlike Disney itself, it\u2019s truly got something for everyone, with its array of high-caliber restaurants<\/a>, chic wine bars<\/a>, lush parks, cobblestone streets, worldly boutiques and action-packed nightlife. Plus, being such a global tourist destination, thanks in part to the nearby parks, direct flights are ample (and usually fairly affordable). The city also boasts an abundance of hotels across an array of budgets, like the Conrad Orlando at Evermore<\/a>, with its Mexican rooftop restaurant<\/a> and idyllic beach<\/a>, and the luxe Grand Bohemian Orlando<\/a>, a downtown property with a rooftop pool, jazz brunch and jacuzzi suites.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Outdoor<\/p>\n

The Wellborn\u2019s courtyard is built around a restored historic home and garden, giving the courtyard a layered, indoor-outdoor feel.<\/p>\n

The Wellborn<\/p>\n

Get to Know the Neighborhoods<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a surplus of ride-share options and public transit<\/a>, making it easy to get around and find your favorite haunts throughout Orlando\u2019s varied neighborhoods. Downtown, I like to walk around Lake Eola, and grab a coffee at Deeply Cafe<\/a>, or a cocktail in the tree-lined courtyard at The Wellborn<\/a>, just a few blocks south. In nearby Ivanhoe Village, visit Washburn Imports<\/a>, a wonderland of Asian antiques, furniture and artwork, much of which is scoured by my well-traveled friend, Paul. The shop also features an on-site bar, The Imperial<\/a>, so you can drunk-purchase a sea turtle carving from Bali or a bookcase from Java.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Mills 50, just north of downtown, you\u2019ll find a wider world of flavor than anything at EPCOT, from bagels and bialys at Deli Desires<\/a>, and izakaya fare at Tori Tori<\/a>, to toasted-rice cold brew and croissant waffles at Korean-inspired Haan Coffee<\/a>. There\u2019s also Kaya<\/a>, a lauded Filipino restaurant from Chef Lordfer Lalicon, globally inspired Pig Floyd\u2019s Urban BBQ<\/a>, and a smattering of pho shops.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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In the Milk District, a near-east enclave so named for the historic T.G. Lee Dairy plant, I skip milk in favor of patio beers at Sideward Brewing Co.<\/a>, rum cocktails at Otto\u2019s High Dive<\/a> and banana-bread lattes at Easy Luck Coffee & Bodega<\/a>. Oh, and don\u2019t sleep on the roast-beef sandwiches at Beefy King<\/a>, an institution that looks like an old-school Arby\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Audubon Park, I love exploring the esoteric beer list at Redlight Redlight Brewpub<\/a>, singing karaoke at Stardust Video & Coffee<\/a> (Fleetwood Mac, if you\u2019re curious) and shopping for \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Me to Smile\u201d T-shirts at family-owned Hellcats USA<\/a>. In nearby Baldwin Park, a twee neighborhood right out of The Truman Show (in a non-creepy way), Golden Hour<\/a> is the bottle shop and wine bar of my dreams, and I love to sit and linger by Lake Baldwin in Harbor Park.<\/p>\n

Just north of the city, the pastoral community of Winter Park touts some of the best restaurants in the area, including Italian-inspired Prato<\/a> for pretzel-crusted calamari and blistered pizzas strewn with spinach crema, and The Ravenous Pig<\/a>, a convivial gastropub that won\u2019t bat an eye if you forget to take your Peter Pan hat off after rushing to dinner straight from Disney World. Speaking of Disney, Scenic Boat Tour<\/a> is like a real-life Jungle Cruise, offering narrated pontoon rides through Winter Park\u2019s labyrinthine canals.<\/p>\n

\"Restaurant<\/p>\n

The Ravenous Pig is a James Beard Award\u2013recognized spot known for helping shape Orlando\u2019s dining scene.<\/p>\n

The Ravenous Pig<\/p>\n

A City That Will Surprise and Embrace You<\/p>\n

For me, one of the things that makes Orlando feel particularly solo-friendly is its omnipresent sense of inclusivity and Pride. Come October, it\u2019s loud and proud at the city\u2019s massive Come Out With Pride<\/a> festival, which draws more than 230,000 people to Lake Eola, after which revelers descend on the city\u2019s numerous gay bars and clubs, like Savoy Orlando<\/a> and Southern Nights<\/a>. Less clamorous than clubs in cities like Miami or San Francisco, they\u2019re spaces that are as friendly as they are fun.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The most infamous gay club, Pulse, has been demolished to make way for a permanent memorial honoring the victims and survivors of one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in American history. Meanwhile, even as the governor erases rainbow crosswalks, Orlando resists. When they painted over the crosswalk outside of Pulse, LGBTQ-owned brunch spot Se7en Bites<\/a> revealed \u201cParking Spaces for Pride,\u201d transforming 49 of its parking spaces into rainbow-themed murals \u2014 one for each of the victims of the Pulse shooting in 2016.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of city Orlando is. It\u2019s a place that\u2019ll surprise you and embrace you. It\u2019ll wow you with its food and wine, and chuckle warmly when you forget to change out of your Disney \u2018fit. It\u2019s a city that shows its Pride and protects its people, even outsiders like me. Now, after countless solo trips to this most underrated city, I\u2019ve come to feel right at home.<\/p>\n

\t\t\tMeet your guide<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Matt<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tMatt Kirouac<\/p>\n

A transplant to Oklahoma City after two and a half years of RV living, Matt Kirouac is an award-winning travel, culture and food writer with a passion for uncovering hidden gems, exploring national parks and sharing authentic LGBTQ+ stories.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tMore from Matt Kirouac \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMore Like This<\/p>\n

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