13. Super sandwich
Don't let the unassuming location in a downtown strip mall fool you: Pom Moongauklang, owner of Pom Pom's Teahouse and Sandwicheria, has taken the pressed sandwich to a new level. Favorites include the Fu Man Chu (Asian pulled pork with goat cheese, watercress, onion, and ginger-cranberry chutney) and a delectable curried chicken salad. 67 N. Bumby Ave., 407/894-0865, myspace.com/pompomsteahouse, curried chicken sandwich $7.

14. Gently down the spring
At Wekiwa Springs State Park, 20 minutes north of downtown, you can rent a canoe at the Wekiva Marina, paddle the beginner-friendly route to the springs, and then jump in for a swim. Along the river, keep your eyes peeled for turtles, egrets, and gators. (Don't worry, the latter avoid the springs.) Get an early start to avoid weekend crowds. 1014 Miami Springs Rd., Longwood, 407/862-1500, wekiva-marina.com, full-day rental $20, state park admission $1.

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15. A store with spine
It's easy to spend hours scanning the shelves at UrbanThink!, the downtown independent bookseller known for its selection of Florida-themed titles. These include everything from coffee-table books on regional architecture to fiction by Zora Neale Hurston, who was raised in nearby Eatonville. 625 E. Central Blvd., 407/650-8004, urbanthinkorlando.com.

16. Splish splash
The new park by SeaWorld, Aquatica, has the requisite lazy rivers and gut-churning waterslides, but what's unique are the attractions built around animal habitats: The Dolphin Plunge propels riders down a 300-foot tube slide right through a lagoon where Commerson's dolphins swim. 5800 Water Play Way, 800/327-2424, aquaticabyseaworld.com, $39, $33 for kids 3—9.

17. Nosh around the clock
The food at the 24-hour B-Line Diner, located inside the Peabody Orlando hotel, is as '50s-style as the decor, which means you'll find burgers and shakes, as well as the signature chicken pot pie and big-enough-for-two wedges of tasty Key lime pie. 9801 International Dr., 407/352-4000, peabodyorlando.com, pot pie $13.

18. Light fantastic
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art showcases a comprehensive collection of 19th-century designer Louis Comfort Tiffany's work. Most resplendent is a chapel he designed for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Until the museum finished reassembling it in 1999, the room hadn't been seen by the public in its entirety for more than 100 years. 445 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407/645-5311, morsemuseum.org, $3, kids under 12 free.

19. Good evening, Vietnam
Well-known for its flavorful tamarind-cured beef salad, Lac Viet Bistro is a standout in Little Saigon. The servers will guide you through the many traditional specialties, but you can't go wrong with the Com Bo Luc Lac ($8), a tender, wok-seared steak with garlic, pepper, and butter. 2021 E. Colonial Dr., 407/228-4000.

20. Do look back
A trove of artifacts relating to Florida—including an annotated manuscript of The Dharma Bums, which Jack Kerouac wrote in Orlando—is on display at the Orange County Regional History Center, in the heart of downtown. It's housed in a pristinely refurbished 1927 courthouse. 65 E. Central Blvd., 407/836-8500, thehistorycenter.org, $10, $4 for kids 3—12.

21. Havana good time
"I have one client who has been driving in from St. Augustine every single Saturday for 11 years," says Bob Castro, owner of Cuban Sandwiches to Go! "He buys 10 sandwiches and then takes them back to his family." No wonder: Fresh Cuban bread is layered with thin-sliced ham, moist roast pork, imported Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard, and then it's pressed—with butter—to finger-licking perfection. Enjoy yours while sitting on the unpretentious patio. 1605 Lee Rd., 407/578-8888, $4.

22. Just call us socialites
The Social, located downtown, is one of the top spots for live music in Orlando. A brick-walled space with a well-tended bar, it has a low stage that makes you feel as if you're hanging out with the band. Sorry, kids: Concerts at the Social are mostly 18 and over. 54 N. Orange Ave., 407/246-1419, thesocial.org, cover varies.

23. Eat your heart out
The ambience is next to nonexistent, but that's not why people jam into Johnson's Diner. The fried catfish and succulent meat loaf have kept this family-run soul-food institution hopping for a quarter century. (Celeb patrons include Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley.) Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served—but on most nights, Johnson's closes by 7 p.m. 595 W. Church St., 407/841-0717, johnsonsdiner.com, catfish with three sides and corn bread $8.

24. The state lobby
If you don't have time to get to other parts of Florida on your trip, no worries. At Gaylord Palms Resort, guest rooms surround a giant atrium containing replicas of Key West, St. Augustine, and the Everglades (complete with steam and live gators). It sounds theme-parky, but the grown-up amenities—a sushi bar, a steakhouse, and an outpost of the Canyon Ranch SpaClub—keep the place buzzing with couples and business travelers. 6000 W. Osceola Pkwy., Kissimmee, 407/586-0000, gaylordpalms.com, from $159.

25. Take five
Every visitor to Orlando has a favorite ride. Our top five are the Hulk (at Universal's Islands of Adventure); the Kraken (SeaWorld); Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast (Universal Studios); Soarin', a majestic simulated flight over California (Epcot); and the campy Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which hurls you around to tunes such as "Dude Looks Like a Lady" (Disney's Hollywood Studios).