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
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 shortdrive 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
selction 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
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
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 guesed
that it would become a magnet for three world-class theme parks,
three compelling waterparks ... 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 surpised 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 resdients Josiah Eaton and Lewis Lawrence,
Zora Neale Hurston, Tiger Woods, and Shaquille O'Neal ... More
RESEARCH CREDITS:
Kalin Thomas
Lenny Dorsey
Thomas Dorsey
Sheila Umolu
BLACK CULTURAL TRAVEL MADE EASY