Orlando, at the heart of Orange County in Florida, is a family friendly city which makes the perfect holiday destination. With theme parks all over the area, fabulous sub-tropical climate and a host of shopping malls, golf courses, museums and galleries, it's unlikely that you'll see everything you want to in a single visit. And with a huge range of self-catered accommodation, it's the perfect destination to look at booking holiday rental properties. Tourism is Orlando's lifeblood, so rental villas and condos are both excellent value and high-spec.

Universal Orlando Resort, Sea World Orlando and Disney World are among the world's most popular tourist attractions, and all three are in or around Orlando. It's been claimed that there are more theme parks and attractions in the Orlando area than anywhere else in the world, in fact. And once you've explored the theme parks, the opportunities for shopping are incredible - the Florida Mall just outside the Orlando city limits has more than 250 shops for a start! Once you've tired of the commercial side of your holiday, there are also some wonderful places to visit in Orlando itself, such as the World of Orchids, an indoor rain forest dedicated to the cultivation of these rare and beautiful flowers. Budding astronomers will also enjoy the Orlando Science Centre, with its massive refracting telescope. Not only this, but you'll find it hard to walk for more than ten minutes without tripping over a golf course.

Orlando is an intensive area for tourism, but even tourists need a break, and many holidaymakers find it easier to relax in holiday rental properties than in resort hotels heaving with other guests. Villas in Orlando and Orange County can represent great value for money, with prices starting well under £600 a week even at peak times, with a combination of air conditioning, swimming pools and broadband offered as standard. The villas are great for kids, providing plenty of recreational options to keep them amused in the evenings, while also having enough space to allow them to let off steam in a safe environment. And after a day spent meeting Mickey Mouse or spotting alligators at Forever Florida, they will probably have a lot of steam to let off!