Chickasaw - Orlando, FL Area Guide

Native Americans dwelled in the Orlando area before European settlers arrived in the early 1800s. Orlando incorporated in 1875, and the area's farming focus switched from cattle in its early days to citrus in the early 1900s. Its population grew tremendously during the first half of that century. Orlando then served as a hub for the Air Force during World War II. After that, the area went downhill, but it bounced back through community efforts in the 1970s and 1980s.

Orlando houses many museums, including the Orlando Museum of Art and the Orange County Regional History Center. This city also has a Downtown Arts District with galleries, performing arts and events. You can catch countless annual events in the downtown, including the Orlando Cabaret Festival, the Festival of Trees and the Downtown Food and Wine Fest.

Residents find dining in the Rio Pinar Plaza and other shopping centers along Lake Underhill Road and Goldenrod Road. Your options include chain fast food restaurants as well as independent establishments. The immediate area also features a wide array of ethnic restaurants, including Italian, Chinese, Greek and Mexican cuisine.

At Don Julio Mexican Grill, enjoy unique treats from the menu, such as lump crab and corn guacamole. Go for a combo if you want to try a variety of flavors. You can also spend your nights here, ordering margarita pitchers or choosing your favorite drink from the full bar.

Have a casual meal at the Rio Pinar Country Club's restaurant, Champions Grille. It opens to the public for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, although you need to be a member to enjoy dinner and drinks here. Try some battered zucchini fries dipped in horseradish sauce or coconut shrimp covered in a sweet chili sauce along with your choice of soup, sandwich or salad from the menu.

Try First Choice Chinese Restaurant for sweet-and-sour chicken, pepper steak, wonton soup and other New York-style Chinese favorites. Locals recommend the General Tso's chicken, the moo shu pork and the crab rangoon. Reasonable prices here combined with generous portion sizes attract budget-minded diners.

You can grab a casual drink at some of the local restaurants, but for a real nightlife, you need to go to downtown Orlando. That area brings you in touch with a bunch of happening places that sit within blocks of each other near Lake Eola. You have endless bars to choose from, including Ember, Hooch, and Tap and Grind. For dance clubs, try Latitudes, Vixen and Independent Bar. Head to Rising Star Karaoke Bar to belt out some tunes. Northeast from that downtown nightlife hotspot, many locals frequent Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour for its exhaustive list of craft beers.

You can walk some parts of this neighborhood, which includes sidewalks for safety, but residents need a car for most of their activities. You can also catch a bus from one of the stops along Lake Underhill Road. Cabs don't roam these streets looking for riders, but Uber and cab companies do service the neighborhood if you call for a pickup.

You'll find parking for business patrons, but no public parking lots. This neighborhood sits close to the intersection of major highways State Road 408 and the Central Florida GreeneWay. You won't find biking lanes in this neighborhood although residential areas provide safe spaces for a recreational ride.

This neighborhood has numerous free community parks within its proximity. Quite close to home residents have Capehart Park, which provides sports fields and courts, hiking trails and a playground for children. Also, you'll find numerous sports facilities and a playground at nearby South Econ Recreation Center and Community Park. Some of the local Orange County parks put on annual events, such as the Wheelchair Basketball Tournament held at West Orange Recreation Center and Silver Star Recreation Center.

Residents pay an average of $827 for a one-bedroom residence in this neighborhood and have a lower cost of living than the Orlando average. Expect to pay $2 to $3 for a beer at your neighborhood bar, $2 to take the bus to the city center and 5 percent less on gas than the national average.

When in the mood for shopping or if you need to pick up a few essentials, you'll find stores located along Lake Underhill Road and Chickasaw Trail. Shopping centers contain some chain stores such as Walgreens and Pet Supermarket, numerous dollar stores to help you save and some specialty stores.

Aaron's sells appliances, furniture and electronics at reduced prices, helping you fill your new home with these essentials. For the exterior, purchase all the plants you need for decorative landscaping at Lake Underhill Nursery. For a standard mall, residents go to the Orlando Fashion Square Mall or choose The Mall at Millenia when they seek more upscale and designer fashions.

Residents have numerous options for taking care of their grocery shopping. The Rio Pinar Plaza next door includes a Publix Supermarket, and across the street sits a Walmart Neighborhood Market. Residents also have smaller grocery store choices, including the Adam Halal Meats and Grocery, which sells meat and Middle Eastern groceries, Save-a-Lot and Sun Light Produce. If you have an interest in farmers markets, try out Clemons Produce, which sells fresh produce and Amish options, or Freshfields Farm, which has local produce and fresh ice cream.