Orlando, like St. Augustine, is known for its tourism. Millions of people visit Central Florida each year, primarily for the warm weather and theme parks. Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando are the two main attractions that draw in the most tourists each year.

That being said, Disney and Universal aren't the only places to visit in Central Florida. In fact, there are plenty of attractions all along the Interstate 4 that are worthy of visiting. However, many of these places are often overlooked, since they are not as popular as the big-name theme parks. But just because they are overlooked doesn't mean that they aren't worthy of a visit. Here's a look at some of the smaller tourist destinations in the Orlando area.

Central Florida Zoo

The City of Sanford tends to have a negative reputation, especially among the locals. With the Trayvon Martin incident in 2012 and multiple street corners that aren't safe at night, it would be understandable why people wouldn't want to visit the city. However, Sanford is home to the Central Florida Zoo, which houses about 200 different species. This would be a perfect stop for animal lovers. Aside from animal exhibits, there is also a botanical gardens (as noted in the title), a zip line course and even a small water park.

Lake Eola Park

Located near the heart of Downtown Orlando, Lake Eola is a 23 acre lake with a beautiful fountain in the middle. Surrounding the lake is an expansive park that includes a sidewalk that stretches out to almost a full mile. There is plenty to do at the park itself, including weekly markets every Sunday and riding a swan boat on the actual lake itself. Plus, as seen in the picture above, sunsets can be beautiful to watch, especially with the Orlando city skyline in the background.

International Drive

International Drive, located in the southern part of Orlando, stretches 11 miles and contains a cluster pf attractions. Spending just a day or two on International Drive (or I-Drive as the locals call it) would not be enough time to enjoy everything it has to offer. It has everything from shopping to entertainment and it even includes plenty of places to eat. One of the newer attractions in the area is the Orlando Eye, a massive Ferris wheel that towers over I-Drive.

Old Town

Located a little farther down Interstate four, Old Town is in Kissimmee, Florida. For the longest time, Old Town was sort of like a mini amusement park, for they had a plethora of rides and even a Ferris wheel. Those rides were removed in 2014, but even without the rides, Old Town still has a lot to offer. They have a variety of shops and stores, an arcade and even a magic hall.

Florida Mall

The Florida Mall isn't just your average everyday mall. Located on Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando, the Simon-owned mall has well over 200 stores and an expansive food court. Aside from just the retail stores and restaurant, the mall is also home to the M&M World as well as the Crayola Experience.

Daytona Beach Boardwalk

Moving up past the north-eastern end of Interstate four is Daytona Beach, which is home to the Daytona Beach Boardwalk. Seated right along the eastern shores of Florida, the boardwalk itself stretches 1000 feet out into the ocean. Attractions at the boardwalk include go-karts, a massive arcade and a newly built roller coaster. And, in the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Boardwalk puts on a beautiful fireworks display at night.

Cranes Roost Park

Most parts of this park can be seen by passing drivers on Interstate four as the highway takes them through Altamonte Springs. The park has a looping sidewalk around a beautiful lake where many people like to toss bread crumbs to the native ducks and fish. The park also has a stage used for concerts hosted by local radio stations and the thing the park is most famous for is the Fourth of July fireworks display they put on: Red, Hot & Boom. Across the street from Cranes Roost is the Altamonte Mall, a decent sized shopping mall right next to an AMC Theaters.

Kennedy Space Center

Cape Canaveral is called the space coast for a reason: it is home to the Kennedy Space Center. Even though they don't launch the infamous space shuttles anymore, there are still reasons to visit the Kennedy Space Center. Included in the Visitor Complex, they have multiple fascinating exhibits related to the space program as well as tours that take visitors around the whole complex. VIP tickets get visitors into even more exciting activities, including a half day of space training.

Holy Land Experience

For those of faith, this place is a must visit. Seated right off the exit of Interstate four, the Holy Land Experience is an amusement park that is dedicated to the Christian religion. Attractions within the Holy Land experience include recreations of the Garden of Eden, Noah's ark and a Jerusalem Street market.

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Many people visit this park to go swimming in the springs or go canoeing down the Wekiwa River. Those are just two of the many things to do at Wekiwa. Along with camping grounds and areas for fishing, Wekiwa has gorgeous scenery surrounding their trials, which are used for hiking and horseback riding. But if you just wanna sit and enjoy the view, they also have areas where you can sit and enjoy a nice picnic out in the sun.

Gatorland

Finishing out the underrated attractions in Central Florida is Gatorland. Like the Florida Mall, Gatorland is seated on Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. Gatorland has many entertaining shows featuring the Florida native reptiles that the state is famous for. Other potential activities at Gatorland include a small water park, zip lining, and even participate in Adventure hour, an opportunity to get up close and personal with the alligators.