When looking at booking your universal studios holiday you may want to find our more of the close neighborhoods that surround it and whether these areas maybe better suited for booking your hotels rather than onsite at universal. One of these neighborhoods is international drive. In this post we discuss just how far is universal studios from international drive and whether it’s a good fit to consider booking your hotel base in this location.
When you are planning a trip to Universal Studio Orlando from the UK, you more than likely will want to gather as much information that you can in order to ensure that you have a wonderful vacation. You will no doubt have a ton of questions and one of them might be “How far is Universal from International Drive?” This is a good question because International Drive is the main strip and literally the epic center of the city of Orlando, so of course you’re going to want to know all about it.
So How Far Is International Drive Away From Universal?
The quick and easy answer about how far it is from Universal to International Drive is nine miles. Now you can get there by rental car, Uber, bus, tram, train, and if you are at the Orlando International Airport and are staying at one of Universal’s resorts you can take their bus service for free.
Something you should know however, that International Drive is far more than just a road to get to Universal Studios, it’s the hub of Orlando and it is well worth exploring and finding out more about this busy and vibrant roadway.
The International Drive Resort Area
The International Dr., helps to provide visitors to the area with nothing but some really world class entertainment, dining, attractions, and shopping experiences. The places found on this drive are fun for all ages and for all members of the family. There are truly awesome theme parks and many other fun and interesting things.
Visitors quickly discover that International Drive is a perfect destination for them whether it’s for business or for vacation fun. Their attractions include of course the wonders and magic of both Disney World and Universal. It’s a great place for thrill seekers or those looking for a nice relaxing day in the water at their various water parks.
If the theme parks aren’t what you’re looking for, you’ll find plenty of shopping and a vast variety of other entertainment activities. Their famed outlets are the perfect places to indulging in treating yourself and your family to something very special. There are 160 different stores and more restaurants than you can imagine to find whatever kind of food you might be in the mood for.
International Drive also has a great nightlife for visitors who want to let loose a little bit or just enjoy some great music. They offer a great selection of nightclubs and bars that make visiting International Drive a very unique experience.
International Drive Attractions
The attractions found on International Drive offers visitors from far and near experiences to remember. The many different attractions on this drive helps to make this area a very dynamic destination for everyone. Here are just a few of the attractions you’ll find on International Drive:
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Aquatica – SeaWorld’s water park
- Discovery Cove
- Universal’s Volcano Bay water park
- Universal’s Islands of Adventure
- Universal Studios Florida
- Coco Key Water Resort another water park with 14 water slides
- WonderWorks
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
- Air Force Fun Helicopters Tours
- iFLY Orlando an indoor skydiving experience
- Fun Spot America an old fashioned amusement park
- Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
- I-DRIVE NASCAR Indoor Kart Racing
- The Chocolate Museum & Cafe
- Congo River Golf Universal
- Lost Caverns Adventure Golf
- Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf
- Topgolf Orlando
- Madame Tussauds Orlando
- SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium
Dining On International Drive
Whatever you and your family might be craving to eat, you are going to find it on International Drive. You’ll find cuisines that range from Mexican food to American to Asian food and so much more. Here are some of the tasty places you will be able to choose from:
- Chuy’s Uncle Julio’s serves authentic Mexican food
- Adobe Gilia’s also offers authentic Mexican foods
- Tapa Toro Tapas Bar & Paella Pit offers great food from Spain
- Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar offers classic and contemporary Cuban food
- Tabla Indian Chinese & Thai
- CoCo Thai Cuisine
- Benihana
- Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
- Boston Lobster Feast
- Oceanaire Seafood Room
- Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
- Capital Grille offers dry aged steaks, pork chops and fresh seafood
- Fogo de Chao Churrascaria offers authentic Brazilian steakhouse
- Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
- Charley’s Steakhouse
- Giordano’s offers great pizza including their signature stuffed pizza
- Flippers Pizzeria
- Mellow Mushroom
- Uno Pizzeria & Grill
- Maggiano’s Little Italy
- Oreganatta Italian Buffet
- Shake Shack a great modern burger joint
- BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Tony Roma’s which offers their famous ribs
Diner Shows
If you are looking for a little entertainment with your food, here’s a few of the places that offer dinner shows:
- Mango’s Tropical Cafe
- WonderWorks Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show
- Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows
- Improv Comedy Theater & Restaurant
- Orlando Forum
- Pirates Dinner Adventure
- Titanic Dinner Event
- Teatro Martini Dinner Comedy Show
Nightlife On International Drive
International Drive is quite famous for it’s nightlife attractions with so much variety to choose from, there is always something there for everyone to have fun and enjoy. Here are just a few nightlife attractions to check out:
- The Pub offers a combination of American flair and British hospitality
- Lucky Leprechaun is an Irish Pub that offers great beer, pool tables, Irish food and live music
- ICEBAR this is the worlds biggest ice bar and has over 70 tons of ice that’s all carved by hand
- Kings Bowl is a modern late evening venue that features bowling
- Howl at the Moon is a very lively party bar
- Blue Martini is famous for 42 different varieties of martinis
As you can see, International Drive is truly far more than just a street that you drive down to get to your major destination. It’s an area that offers a lot of fun and exciting things to do. So make sure that you include it as part of your vacation plans.

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