Lake Conway - Orlando, FL

This area was once home to the Timucua people, who were largely wiped out by infectious diseases when Europeans came to settle here. In more recent decades, it enjoyed increased popularity as the theme parks expanded and required more places for their employees to live.

Bunker Florida, home of the Corporal Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum, exists to provide information and education. The collection of artifacts, mementos, equipment and static displays help the general public understand the role the military played in Vietnam, from the conditions that prevailed during that war to the impact that this and other wars had on the average military member and our society as a whole.

The annual Global Peace Film Festival works to connect artistic, political, social and personal expression with catalysts for action and change. The program has been carefully designed to facilitate open dialogue between filmmakers, residents and area leaders.

Numerous restaurants grace the roadways along State Road 527, the main road through this area. While some of them represent the usual fast food chains, many unique alternatives can be found here.

Dixie Belles Cafe, a locally owned family-style restaurant serves up a home-cooked blend of classic American favorites and traditional Mexican dishes. Regular customers enjoy the cozy atmosphere and great service — Dixie Belles treats customers like family. Patrons can dine indoors or outside in this kid- and pet-friendly eatery.

If you're looking for a craft beer bar and sandwich shop, try Gnarly Barley. With 16 rotating drafts, a rotating cask engine and a huge list of bottled domestic and imported beers, the beer here actually rivals the food for diversity of flavor. Campy specials four days a week and a weekday happy hour keep locals and tourists coming back.

While the nights may prove quiet in the neighborhood, exciting nightlife from the theme parks to local nightclubs and bars surrounds you here. Club 39 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel hosts frequent events, with live music at happy hour, and dancing with live bands and DJ’s at night. Two full-service bars keep the drinks flowing, and seating options indoors and out allow guests to dine intimately or join the party.

The Church Street bars in downtown Orlando, including Chillers, Big Belly and Latitudes, coordinate schedules to provide phenomenal drink specials and entertainment options. Chillers calls itself a frozen daiquiri party bar, while Big Belly’s history gives a nod to the speakeasy prohibition era. Latitudes provides a tropical rooftop oasis with all of downtown in view while you drink. All three combine to throw nightly parties featuring live entertainment and loads of fun.

Residents of Pine Castle and Belle Isle generally either drive or carpool to get around. Public transit and Uber do not serve the area, although rides can be arranged with a cab company over the phone or computer. On the plus side, the parking in this region costs nothing, and State Road 527 connects to other state roads to get to Interstate 4, the Orlando area's main highway. Pine Castle and Belle Isle have been well equipped with sidewalks and bike lanes, presenting a pleasant location for jogging, walking and cycling.

Although there no off-leash dog parks in this area, leashed pets are welcome at Cypress Grove Park, the home of the annual Jazz in the Park concert. Located on Lake Jessamine, the park contains basketball and sand volleyball courts, a cricket pitch, a multipurpose field, picnic areas with grills and a children's playground. This park also has a beautifully renovated 1925 estate house that can be rented for special events, from weddings and receptions to meetings and parties.

Another terrific activity-based recreational facility, the Ft. Gatlin Recreation Complex has a swimming pool that remains open to the public year-round. The park also has basketball courts, a tennis center, a children's playground and recreational programs, though visitors must pay an entrance fee here. Annual events at the complex include a daddy-daughter dance for Valentine's Day.

It can cost up to 20 percent less to live here than it does in Orlando or Kissimmee, but with no public transportation you’ll have to maintain a car. Gasoline sits around 5 percent below the national average, and the average rental cost of $575 for a one-bedroom apartment comes across as pretty reasonable, considering that prices in the city can be up to double that. A beer here runs about $5 to $7 per bottle, although you can score a draft for as little as $2.

Orlando presents the majority of shopping choices for this area, and the Florida Mall to the southwest has numerous chain stores. One of the more interesting local boutiques, Vulcal, specializes in Indian fashions, including sarees, lehenga choli, bridal wear, salwar kameez, chanya cholis and punjabis.

For pampering your furry family members, The Purple Pooch Bakery Boutique Groomer aims to please. Open seven days a week, the bakery makes tasty gourmet dog treats, and you can have your dog groomed by their in-house professionals or use their self-service grooming facilities.

While Save-a-Lot may be the closest grocery store, Publix and Winn-Dixie both have stores nearby, and Freshfields Farm provides the best source for farm-fresh foods.