If you travel for work, why not extend your trip for leisure?

Business + Leisure = Bleisure.

Last year we had 72 million people travel through our Orlando airport, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Many of those travelers were experiencing a happy case of bleisure. Here are some ideas for you in how to spend the leisure part of your bleisure if you are fortunate enough to travel to Orlando, Florida.

Winter Park

If you like to shop, then visit Park Avenue in Winter Park. The main street has over 100 boutiques. The oak trees will offer you plenty of shade as you meander your way to a quaint café for a bite to eat or sip of espresso. Throughout the year there are events that are sure to please you and your family. One of my family favorite events is the WUCF PBS Kids “Be My Neighbor Day” celebrating Mr. Fred Rogers who attended college in this area.

Vero Beach

Many people who come to Orlando think of theme parks, but just a short drive from the hustle and bustle of the attractions is the Atlantic Ocean. Vero Beach is a great place to unwind after corporate travel. Vero Beach is a welcoming community with sandy beaches, palm trees, and a variety of bird species. If you come at the right time of the year, you might be able to catch a glimpse of loggerhead sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach. Nature tours are a great way to learn more about this unique ecosystem during your bleisure trip.

Space Coast

While you are at Vero Beach, head north up the road and experience the Space Coast of Florida. The Kennedy Space Center offers many things to see and do. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, cruise ships, beaches, NASA, and rocket launches… oh my. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin are actively dominating the Space Coast scene.

U-pick Fruit Farm

The subtropical climate in central Florida is a paradise for fruit lovers. Discover citrus groves and pick your own fruit. Find a hydroponic garden and you might not even get dirty when you pick your own fresh fruit. “A Patch of Blue” is an urban hydroponic community farm near Winter Park that grows blueberries to pick during April and May, and strawberries from January to May.

Downtown Public Library

Since the 1960s, the Orlando Public Library has been located in downtown Orlando. The design of this building was called, "composition in monolithic concrete” by the architect John M. Johansen. The Orlando Public Library is the headquarters for the entire award winning Orange County Library System (OCLS). There are many branch library locations throughout the county. OCLS received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service which is the highest honor possible in America. When you visit this big urban library enjoy exploring all the floors. It wouldn’t be Orlando without a gift shop for you to take home a memorable souvenir before you leave.

Bleisure is on the rise (Jain, 2018; Easen, 2017; Habtemariam, 2018; Lichy & McLeay, 2018). Wander your way around “City Beautiful” and make some great bleisure memories to last a lifetime. Treat yourself to extra time and play!!!

Sources:

Easen, N. (2017). Playing away. Buying Business Travel, 85, 28-31.
Habtemariam, D. (2018). More than two-thirds of business travelers embrace bleisure. Business Travel News, 35(5), 6.
Jain, A. (2018). Business, leisure or 'bleisure'?. Hotel Management, 233(6), 26-26.
Lichy, J., & McLeay, F. (2018). Bleisure: Motivations and typologies. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 35(4), 517-530.