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Orlando to The Ringling road trip: best stops

The drive from Orlando to The Ringling takes about 2 hr 2 min (southwest of Orlando), by real roads from ZIP 32801. Along the way we found 60 stops within a short detour: 14 coffee shops, 4 bakeries, 8 ice cream and treats and 21 places to eat.

The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Orlando) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.

Plan this trip All day trips from Orlando

Where you are going: The Ringling 2 hr 2 min from Orlando

The Ringling

Photo: This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but…, CC BY-SA 3.0

Museum

The Ringling

Circus museum, a grand Venetian-style mansion, an art museum and bayfront gardens on one big campus.

  • Full day
  • Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's
  • ?; Ca' d'Zan tour costs extra
  • Confirm fees and hours before you go

Heads-up: Hours about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Free Monday entry to the art museum and grounds may have ended.

Official site

Map of the stops between Orlando and The Ringling

Open the interactive map

First third Middle third Last third The Ringling

First stretch 11 stops

  1. Havana's Cafe Cuban restaurant · Orlando
    About 16 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  2. Joffrey's Handcrafted Smoothies Coffee shop · Lake Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  3. Gideon‘s Bakehouse Bakery · Lake Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-We 10:00-22:00; Th-Sa 10:00-23:00 Website
  4. Ghiradelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop Ice cream · Lake Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:30 Website
  5. Goofy's Candy Company Candy shop · Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  6. Aerophile Attraction · Buena Vista
    About 17 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  7. Bay Slides Attraction · Buena Vista
    About 18 min into the drive · detour about 5 min
  8. Celebration Brewing Company Restaurant · Celebration
    About 22 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 11:30-20:45; Fr,Sa 11:30-21:45 Website
  9. Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Attraction · Kissimmee
    About 24 min into the drive · detour about 5 min Website
  10. 4 Corners Tavern Restaurant · ChampionsGate
    About 26 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  11. Fortuna Bakery & Cafe - Davenport Bakery · Davenport
    About 29 min into the drive · detour about 3 min

Middle of the drive 13 stops

  1. Starbucks Coffee shop · Lakeland
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  2. Ford's Garage American restaurant · Lakeland
    About 48 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Welcome to Polk County Citrus Center Historic site · Youmans
    About 54 min into the drive · detour about 5 min
  4. Toufayan Bakeries Bakery · Youmans
    About 57 min into the drive · detour about 8 min
  5. Sakura King Restaurant · Plant City
    About 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  6. Dinosaur World Museum · Plant City
    About 1 hr 2 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 09:00-17:00 Website
  7. The Patio Coffee shop · Dover
    About 1 hr 4 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  8. Winn-Dixie Bakery Bakery · Seffner
    About 1 hr 7 min into the drive · detour about 13 min
  9. Blind Tiger Coffee shop · Brandon
    About 1 hr 15 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00 Website
  10. Yogurtology Ice cream · Brandon
    About 1 hr 15 min into the drive · detour about 6 min
  11. iFly Tampa Attraction · Tampa
    About 1 hr 15 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  12. Baskin-Robbins Ice cream · Gibsonton
    About 1 hr 20 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 05:00-22:00 Website
  13. Features Gastropub Restaurant · Gibsonton
    About 1 hr 20 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Th 11:00-23:59; Fr 11:00-23:59; Sa 00:00-02:00, 11:00-23:59; Su 00:00-02:00, 11:00-23:59

Last stretch 4 stops

  1. The Local Brew Company Coffee shop · Ruskin
    About 1 hr 28 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-We 09:00-16:00; Th-Sa 09:00-20:00 Website
  2. Hershey's Ice Cream Ice cream · Fullers Earth
    About 1 hr 43 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Popi's Plce on the Ranch Coffee shop · Eastgate
    About 1 hr 49 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  4. Menchie's Ice cream · Eastgate
    About 1 hr 49 min into the drive · detour about 3 min

Questions about the drive from Orlando to The Ringling

How long is the drive from Orlando to The Ringling?

About 2 hr 2 min by road, heading southwest from the middle of ZIP 32801. Traffic and weather change that.

What are the best stops on the way from Orlando to The Ringling?

Good ones to start with: Havana's Cafe (Orlando), Joffrey's Handcrafted Smoothies (Lake Buena Vista), Gideon‘s Bakehouse (Lake Buena Vista), Ghiradelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop (Lake Buena Vista) and Goofy's Candy Company (Buena Vista). The page lists 28 in all, in driving order.

Where can I get coffee or a bakery stop between Orlando and The Ringling?

Joffrey's Handcrafted Smoothies in Lake Buena Vista, Gideon‘s Bakehouse in Lake Buena Vista, Fortuna Bakery & Cafe - Davenport in Davenport and Starbucks in Lakeland. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.

Where can I eat on the way to The Ringling?

Havana's Cafe in Orlando, Celebration Brewing Company in Celebration, 4 Corners Tavern in ChampionsGate and Ford's Garage in Lakeland.

Are there viewpoints or quick sights on the way?

Aerophile in Buena Vista, Bay Slides in Buena Vista, Orlando Tree Trek Adventure in Kissimmee and Welcome to Polk County Citrus Center in Youmans.

More about Orlando and The Ringling

Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.

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