Free and Cheap Things to Do in Orlando With Kids This Summer (A Local’s List for 2026)
Let me be honest with you. I’ve lived in Waterford Lakes since 2001. I’ve raised a family here. And every summer, I watch people spend a small fortune on theme parks when half of the best days we’ve ever had as a family cost us almost nothing. This list is for the locals. The ones […]
10 Hole-in-the-Wall Orlando Restaurants That Are Worth Every Bite
My neighbor asked me last week where my favorite restaurants in Orlando are – the real ones, not the obvious ones. I gave him about six names before I realized I should probably just write this down! Twenty-five years in this city means I’ve eaten at a lot of places. These are the ten I […]
Orlando Just Launched a FREE Ice Cream Trail (And You Have Until July 31 to Do It All)
Someone in Orlando had the best idea of the summer and I’m genuinely grateful they went through with it! Florida Dairy Farmers and Visit Orlando just launched the first-ever Thrill to Chill: Orlando Ice Cream Trail, a free, self-guided experience that sends you across the city collecting scoops at 20+ local ice cream shops from now […]
10 Things Nobody Tells You About Living in Orlando Before You Move
Every week, I get some version of the same question. “Ray, what’s it really like living in Orlando?” Honestly, I love that question because Orlando isn’t just theme parks and palm trees. It’s a real city with real neighborhoods, real traffic, real weather, and a rhythm all its own. After helping thousands of families relocate […]
Florida Is About to Vote on the Biggest Property Tax Change in State History
Something significant is happening in Florida real estate, and it doesn’t involve interest rates, inventory, or days on market. On June 2, 2026, the Florida Legislature passed HJR 1-F, a joint resolution placing a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot. If approved by at least 60% of Florida voters this November, it would […]
What’s Coming to East Orlando in 2026: New Stores, Restaurants, Roads & Real Estate
I’ve lived in East Orlando, specifically Waterford Lakes, since 2001. That’s 25 years of watching this part of the city grow and change. 2026 is shaping up to be one of the more active years East Orlando has seen in a while. New stores and restaurants are coming to Waterford Lakes Town Center. A major […]
Florida Just Passed 87 New Laws: Here’s What Orlando Homeowners and Residents Need to Know Before July 1.
July 1st is four weeks away. And in Florida, July 1st is when new legislative session laws flip on, all at once. This year there are 87 of them. Most of those 87 laws won’t affect your daily life. But a handful are genuinely meaningful for anyone who owns a home, lives in an HOA […]
Hurricane Season 2026 Starts Today
Today is June 1st. That means Atlantic hurricane season is officially open, and it runs all the way through November 30, 2026. Here’s the good news first: NOAA is forecasting a below-normal season this year. That’s genuinely reassuring. But here’s the part I always tell people: below-normal doesn’t mean zero, and the best time to […]
Should You Buy or Sell in Orlando Right Now?
Every month, the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association releases fresh data on what the market is actually doing. I go through it so you don’t have to, and then I tell you what it means in plain English. April 2026 is in. Here’s the full picture: The short version? Orlando’s market is steady. Prices are up […]
Things To Do This Memorial Day Weekend in Central Florida
Memorial Day weekend is here, a three-day stretch from Saturday May 23 through Monday May 25, with Memorial Day itself falling on Monday this year. Before we get into the events, we want to take a moment. Memorial Day is a time to pause and remember the men and women who gave their lives in […]
