Crew Cuts

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Matt Cathcart, an AirTran Airways Crew Member, takes us on a tour of Orlando.

BY KATHERINE JOHNSON

While Walt Disney World Resort remains the biggest draw in town, there are many other things to see and do in Orlando. AirTran Airways systems operations control duty manager Matt Cathcart shares his favorites.

By Land and By Sea

Even though Orlando is landlocked, the Atlantic Ocean is only an hour away. Cathcart, who loves to fish and scuba dive, says the best thing about the city is “its proximity to the ocean. We always go fishing out of Port Canaveral (www.portcanaveral.org).” The port is also a great place to kick back with a frosty, tropical drink from Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar (www.visitgrills.com; 321-868-2226) and watch the ships set sail.

Local Secrets

Get a taste of where the locals go, like downtown’s Lake Eola Park (407-246-2827). It’s also a great spot to rent a swan-shaped paddleboat or enjoy a concert at the newly renovated Walt Disney Amphitheater. After working up an appetite, cruise over to the nearby Thornton Park neighborhood and grab a hot-pressed sandwich at Dexter’s (www.dexwine.com; 407-648-0620) or dine in style at trendy HUE (www.huerestaurant.com; 407-849-1800).

City Sights

Plant lovers should take a leisurely stroll around the 50-acre Harry P. Leu Gardens (www.leugardens.org). Orlando is also home to world-class museums like the Orlando Museum of Art (www.omart.org), and in nearby Winter Park, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (www.morsemuseum.org), which boasts the most comprehensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany artwork, jewelry and glass. To relax, Cathcart takes a Scenic Boat Tour (www.scenicboattours.com), a 50-year Winter Park tradition. This leisurely one-hour ride sails past million-dollar homes, breathtaking gardens and the Rollins College campus. “You just hop on the pontoon boat and go for a ride,” Cathcart says.

Global Dining

After sightseeing and shopping, there is a smorgasbord of dining destinations. Cathcart loves to dine at Bahama Breeze (www.bahamabreeze.com; 407-938-9010), with its grilled seafood and tropical concoctions. Another one of his favorites is Chef Emeril Lagasse’s signature restaurant, Emeril’s Orlando (www..emerils.com; 407-224-2424) on Universal CityWalk, where visitors wait hours to sample some Creole cooking. If you want to rub elbows with stars, check out The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort (www..loewshotels.com; 407-503-2430). The menu features dishes hand-picked by rock stars, and you might even catch a glimpse of a celebrity whipping up dinner next to the chefs.