Orlando has a reputation as the theme park capital of America, and it earns it — but there's more going on in Central Florida than rollercoasters. Travel blog Hand Luggage Only has pulled together its picks for the city, and the list mixes the obvious heavyweights with some genuinely low-key stops.

Start with the parks, obviously. Walt Disney World bundles four parks into one resort: Magic Kingdom with Cinderella Castle, Animal Kingdom with its safaris and Avatar land, Epcot's world showcase, and Hollywood Studios, home to Star Wars and the Tower of Terror. Universal counters with Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and its new Epic Universe, which is currently the hottest ticket in town — book ahead or risk missing out. One tip worth stealing: restaurant reservations at Disney fill up fast, so lock them in before you fly, not after.

When the Florida heat gets too much, the water parks are the move. Disney runs Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, while Universal's Volcano Bay gets the nod as a must for slides and wave pools. Want the parks' atmosphere without the queues? Both resorts have free-to-wander entertainment districts — Disney Springs and Universal CityWalk — packed with shops, bars and restaurants. Disney Springs is where you'll find Cirque du Soleil's Drawn to Life show and the seafood at Paddlefish; CityWalk has Toothsome's Chocolate Emporium, famous for enormous cakes and absurdly good milkshakes.

Skip the mega-resorts entirely and ICON Park delivers a gentler evening: ride the Orlando Eye, browse Madame Tussauds and the Museum of Illusions, then eat. Downtown Orlando deserves a look too — Lake Eola Park has a swan boat rental (five people per boat, tickets at the dock) and the Walt Disney Amphitheater puts on local plays and films.

Nature is closer than you'd think. Lake Louisa State Park, northeast of Disney, has driving and walking loops around Dixie and Bear Lakes, with tortoises sunning themselves on the banks. Wekiwa Springs State Park is the pick for kayaking — guided tours with hotel pickup from Orlando exist, but spaces fill at peak times, so reserve early.

Finally, the surrounding towns. Winter Garden, about 12 miles from downtown, has a walkable Plant Street with cafes, the Central Florida Railroad Museum and the French-leaning Rosallie cafe for a serious brisket breakfast. Kissimmee, where many visitors actually sleep, is worth a food stop: takeout-only Pastelitos Chips for empanadas, or El Tapatio for margaritas and a live mariachi band most evenings.

Who's this for? Families with a week to fill, obviously — but also anyone who assumed Orlando was only worth 48 hours. The mix of state parks, small towns and evening districts means you can stretch a park trip into a proper Florida holiday. The full rundown of all eleven stops is over at Hand Luggage Only.