In this post, I’ll be sharing the top 10 things to do at Icon Park Orlando and nearby!  Icon Park is a fun place with some of the best restaurants and bars in the area, as well as home to Sea Life Orlando and the famous Ferris wheel, The Wheel.  They also have ticket packages for you to save on attractions.

√ Check Out How To Bundle And Save On Icon Park Attractions!

Table of Contents

Where Is Icon Park?

What Is Icon Park?

1. The Wheel

2. Orlando Starflyer

3. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

4.  Madame Tussauds

5. Sea Life Orlando

6. 7-D Dark Ride Adventure

7. Check Out The Restaurants!

8. In The Game (Arcade)

9. Pirates Cove Adventure Golf

10. Escape Game Orlando

When thinking of Orlando, Florida, the first thing that usually comes to a person’s mind is Disney World or one of the other big theme parks, but there are a lot of other fun places in Orlando to check out and one of them is Icon Park!

I really love Orlando.  Not only is there sunny, Florida weather and tons of stuff to do here, but Orlando is also in a great central location. 

With that being said, it’s an hour away from the Atlantic Coast and less than 2 hours away from the Gulf beaches. 

Icon Park is like an outdoor shopping mall area with its restaurants and bars (over 40!), and shops.

There’s also live music and entertainment here.

Although probably best known for the Ferris wheel, this Orlando area is growing and they are adding new things to do.

Like the Slingshot and Droptower that just opened at the end of 2021.

The park and nearby area are kid-friendly with lots of things for them to do, including Santa’s Workshop and Arcade City.

This place has some awesome attractions and there are many fun things to do nearby.  And parking is free.

Not surprisingly, I’ve been here several times during my last few trips to the Orlando area!  Here is my list of the top 10 things to do at Icon Park Orlando.

1. The Wheel At Icon Park

Formerly named the Orlando Eye, The Wheel at Icon Park is pretty awesome.

With a height of 400 feet, you get some amazing views of the Orlando area on this giant Ferris wheel.

On The Wheel, you can see a few of Florida’s lakes, as well as Disney World, Universal, and the downtown Orlando area.

At night, the area is lit up really well and you’re able to see the fireworks from Disney if you go at the right time.

There is a bar right before you get on the ride so you can get drinks and bring them up with you if you want.

And you may want to take a couple of drinks with you if you’re afraid of heights!

It can be a little intimidating going up that high but the capsules that you ride in are very stable and not jerky at all.

The Wheel itself moves less than a mile an hour and lasts about 20 minutes.

There’s even air conditioning and they have screens to read about the different area attractions while you’re inside.

The Wheel at Icon Park is the tallest Ferris Wheel on the East Coast of the US and there’s a viewing distance of 57 miles.

2. Orlando Starflyer

Next is the Orlando Starflyer, a large swing attraction.  I did not go on this ride since going around in circles on a giant swing really isn’t my thing.

However, this ride is one of the most popular things to do at Icon Park Orlando, so it had to be included on this top 10 list.

If you don’t get dizzy on rides and you’re not afraid of heights, then this is your ride!

They claim that the Starflyer is the tallest swing ride in the world and at the top is 450 feet in the air.

This giant swing at Icon Park Orlando looks really cool at night from the top of the Ferris wheel.

Kids over 44″ tall can ride.

3. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not isn’t technically part of Icon Park but it’s just a short walk away, and definitely worth going to when you’re in the area.

I came here late Friday morning/early afternoon, so it wasn’t very busy and there was plenty of room for social distancing.

This Odditorium is full of old, unusual artifacts and bizarre attractions that are logic-defying.

From two-headed animals and record-breaking individuals such as the world’s tallest man, the museum has a lot to see and do.

There are many interactive exhibits here, too.

It took me about an hour to get through, but you can definitely spend a couple of hours in here if you stop and read all of the information at the displays.

Hours are 10 am-10 pm Monday-Thursday and open until midnight Friday-Sunday.

5. Sea Life Orlando

Right in the same complex as Madame Tussauds wax museum is the Sea Life Orlando Aquarium.

There are 9 exhibits and a 360-degree ocean tunnel, and you can watch feedings here, too.

Sea Life has jellyfish, coastal rockpool, and ocean exhibits.   Here, they have sharks, turtles, octopuses, stingrays, and other sea creatures.

This is a great place to take the kids or even check out for yourself!

6. 7-D Dark Ride Adventure

Next to Sea Life and Madame Tussauds is the 7-D Dark Ride Adventure.

This place is a lot of fun and they have several different 7-D Ride interactive experiences that you can do.

We did the Zombies experience where you strap in and shoot the zombies with a laser gun.

While here, you compete with the other players for points and bragging rights.  Overall, the adventure is about 10 minutes long.

We did the 7-D ride both days we were at the park and there were virtually no waits to get on the ride.

Icon Park Orlando Tickets- $12 dollars for a single ride.

With that said, take a look at the trailer for the Zombie ride!

7. Check Out The Restaurants!

Icon Park in Orlando has some fun restaurants to dine at.  The park itself has over 40 restaurants and there are a lot of places nearby, too.

There are large chains like Buffalo Wild Wings, Carraba’s Italian Grill, Outback Steakhouse, Cold Stone Creamery, and Ben and Jerry’s.

Or if you’re looking for some Mexican food, they have Uncle Julio’s restaurant.

Tin Roof and Ole Red Orlando are both well-known restaurants in Icon Park, popular for their food and bar, fun atmosphere, and the best live music in the area.  Tin Roof also features comedians and dueling piano shows. 

I ate lunch at Tin Roof during one of my visits to Icon Park.  They have good food and you can either eat inside or on their outdoor patio.  

I’ve also dined at King’s Restaurant right next to the park.  The place is nice with a retro vibe to it.  It’s a restaurant with 2 bars and a bowling alley. 

We went on a Saturday night and it was a 2-hour wait for bowling, so we didn’t do that.

You may just want to plan ahead if you want to go bowling.

The day before, I had drinks and some tasty jerk chicken appetizers at Cafe Tu Tu Tango.

This restaurant is just a little ways away from Icon Park, within walking distance.

It’s been around for 30 years and is known for its art, live music, and tapas-style dishes.

Definitely a restaurant worth going to if you’re in the area.

8. In The Game (Arcade)

Another family-fun option at Icon Park, located inside the Wheelhouse, next to Madame Tussauds.

In The Game has the latest arcade games with prizes, a Mirror Maze, and virtual reality experiences!

They have different play cards you can buy.  Starting at $25 and all the way up to $200 on arcade credits.

9. Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf

Pirates Cove mini-golf park is just a short walk away from Icon Park.

This Pirate-themed attraction has 2- 18 hole mini golf courses around waterfalls and caves.  

Play either Blackbeard’s Challenge or Captain’s Course and see who gets the lowest score!

10. Escape Game Orlando

Escape Game Orlando is not in Icon Park but is close by.

They have several hour-long escape rooms.  You can also book a remote game and do a virtual escape room.

From Prison Break to Heist escape rooms, Escape Game has different themes to choose from and different levels of difficulty, ranging from 6 to 9 out of 10.

You can book an escape room for 2-8 players.  The cost here is $39.99 a person.

Is Icon Park Orlando Free?

√ Icon Park is free to walk around and has a large parking lot and parking ramp that are both free to use. 

What Is Inside Icon Park?  

√ Icon Park is filled with rides such as the The Wheel (Orlando Eye), Starflyer, and other attractions and restaurants/bars listed above.  It also has shops such as Wheel House Gift Shop, Icon Park Gifts, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Calenoi Sunglasses, and Sugar Factory. 

My son and I taking a picture in front of the Starflyer swing at Icon Park

In summary, there are lots of things to do at Icon Park and the nearby area.

With the great places to shop, some of the best restaurants in Orlando, and attractions that provide big thrills, Icon Park is a fun place to spend the day at!

What did you think of this list of the top 10 things to do at Icon Park Orlando?

Looking to stay in Orlando? Go here for recommended hotels nearby!

And for more places to visit in Florida, go here!