Vacation your way. Florida all day.Kissimmee Travel Guide
Kissimmee is where most park visitors sleep and almost none of them look around. That is a mistake — it has the lakes, the marshes, the airboats and some of the best value eating in Central Florida.
Where Kissimmee sits
South of Orlando and immediately east of the Disney property, which is why it became the accommodation belt for the parks. Highway 192 runs through the middle of it and most of the tourist infrastructure sits along that corridor. The gated resort communities sit off it in both directions.
Old Town and the strip
Old Town is a walkable strip of shops, rides and bars that runs classic car shows on weekend evenings. It is unpolished and considerably cheaper than a park evening, and children tend to like it more than parents expect.
The lakes and the wildlife
This is the real Kissimmee. The chain of lakes and the marshes south and east of town are genuine Florida wetland — alligators, wading birds, and airboat operators who will take you out at speed. Early morning and late afternoon are the times to go.
Eating well for less
The 192 corridor has the highest concentration of family dining in Central Florida, which means competition, which means value. Away from the strip, the local Latin and Caribbean restaurants are where the food actually is.
Day trips
Disney and Universal are the obvious ones. Beyond them, the Space Coast is about an hour and a quarter east, Legoland is half an hour south, and Bok Tower Gardens is a genuinely lovely and almost entirely overlooked hour south.
Where to stay in Kissimmee
Our Kissimmee homes sleep up to 16, come with private pools, and include the option of a fixed-price driver meeting you at the airport. Booking direct means no platform service fee.