As the undisputed “Theme Park Capital of the World”, Orlando has a wealth of accommodation options. For your best value, skip high-priced, cramped hotel rooms and opt for a spacious vacation rental home. Instead of returning to a mundane room after a long, fun day at the parks, a vacation rental is an oasis with amenities that often encompass everything from game rooms and swimming pools to huge master suite bedrooms and large screen televisions. Better still, the fully equipped kitchens allow you to prepare a leisurely, healthy dinner and avoid pricey, budget-busting restaurant fare.

Orlando’s magnificent theme parks make it one of the most visited destinations on the planet. Smile and enjoy Walt Disney World, a complex of four major theme parks, two water parks, shopping and entertainment areas, three golf courses and much more. Discover Universal Orlando, which recently debuted its newest attraction, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Immerse yourself in Sea World Orlando, where you’ll enjoy the thrill rides, shows and the wonders of marine life. After traipsing through the parks all day, you’ll relish heading home to your vacation rental to relax and recharge in your amenity-rich surroundings.

For families that want more room to spread out, there is a bevy of gorgeous 3-, 4-, 5- and even 6-bedroom vacation homes with private swimming pools in residential communities like Kissimmee (the nearest town to Walt Disney World), Windermere and Ocoee. What kid wouldn’t enjoy returning to his own room following a day of frolicking with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Shamu? If you’re looking for something a bit smaller, consider renting a condo, which provides you with hotel-style amenities, like swimming pools and workout facilities, as well as kitchens that allow you to prepare low cost meals.

If you have a car and an extra day or more to roam beyond the theme park environs, you might want to experience the other side of Central Florida. Frolic on the wide, sandy beaches of Daytona Beach, which are only a 45-minute drive eastward. Stroll Winter Park, a New England-style village dominated by huge oak trees and upscale, boutique shopping only three miles north of downtown Orlando. Experience nature in Seminole County, 30 minutes north of the theme park corridor, where numerous outdoor activities such as canoeing, rafting and boat cruising on the St. Johns River are the draw.