Orlando, Florida

Orlando is one of the most-visited cities in the world primarily due to tourism, major events, and convention traffic. It is the third-most visited city in the U.S. after New York City and Miami, with over 2.9 million visitors as of 2022. Orlando International Airport is the 13th-busiest airport in the United States and the 29th-busiest in the world.

The two largest and most internationally renowned tourist attractions in the Orlando area are the Walt Disney World Resort, opened by the Walt Disney Company in 1971 and located about 21 miles (34 km) southwest of downtown Orlando in Bay Lake, and the Universal Orlando Resort, opened in 1990 as a major expansion of Universal Studios Florida and the only theme park inside Orlando city limits. With the exception of the theme parks, most major cultural sites like the Orlando Museum of Art and Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and world-renowned nightlife, bars and clubs are located in Downtown Orlando. Other attractions like Orlando Eye at ICON Park are located along International Drive.

Orlando Dowtown (Courtesy: https://www.visitorlando.com)

The city is also one of the busiest American cities for conferences and conventions; Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in the United States. Like other major cities in the Sun Belt, Orlando grew rapidly from the 1960s into the first decade of the 21st century. Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida, which became the largest university campus in the United States in terms of enrollment as of 2015.[needs update] In 2010, Orlando was listed as a "Gamma+" level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Orlando Eye at ICON Park ©  (Courtesy: https://www.visitorlando.com)

Walt Disney World, Orlando

The Walt Disney World Resort (also known as Walt Disney World or Disney World) is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km2), of which half has been developed.[4] Walt Disney World contains numerous recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay, including four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, conference centers, a competitive sports complex and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Additionally, there are 19 Disney-owned resort hotels and one camping resort on the property, and many other non-Disney-operated resorts on and near the property.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

& Cape Canaveral, Florida

Atlantic Space Shuffle on Display in Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Florida (Courtesy: KSC)

Space Shuttle Atlantic - STS-135: Countdown to Launch (Credit: NASA)

        The final flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis launched from
        the Kennedy Space Center on July 8, 2011 at 11:29:03.9 EDT with launch
        commentator George Diller saying, "All three engines up and burning, two, one, zero and liftoff!
        
        Play original audio commentary below:

Apollo 11 Mission Commentary U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)(Credit: NASA)

 Buzz Aldrin. Armstrong was the first person to walk on the
 moon.man, one giant leap for mankind.” on  July 20, 1969

        Play original audio commentary below:

AHFE Conference ©