Consider this an Orlandoan’s guide to New Year’s resolutions. | Photo via @citybeautiful
According to WalletHub, Orlando ranks No. 6 on its list of best cities for keeping New Year’s resolutions. Challenge accepted.
Still thinking about goals for the year, even if formal resolutions aren’t your thing? We’re taking a look at some of the most common ones and offering a few local tips to help stay on track.
Spend less money
Plans don’t have to come with a price tag — Orlando has many no-cost activities around town. When it’s time to eat, there are plenty of local restaurants where $15 goes a long way.
Strengthen friendships
Spending more time with friends usually starts with putting something on the calendar. That could mean meeting up for brunch or coffee, taking your pups to a pet-friendly spot, or trying a new restaurant together.
Raine’s Pizzeria, the new concept from chef Omar Perez of Gnarly Barley, will enter its soft opening phase tomorrow, Jan. 8. Stop by the Curry Ford Road restaurant from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday-Sunday for New York-style pies, craft beer, and natural wines.
Eat
Time to shake up your dinner plans — Shake Shack’s newest O-Town location is now open on East Colonial Drive. Mark your calendar: Its post-opening fundraiser on Thursday, Jan. 15 will donate $1 from every sandwich sold to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. (Bungalower)
Outdoors
The number of swans that have died at Lake Eola Park has risen to 19, with officials confirming all tested positive for avian flu. Residents are advised to avoid contact with the birds and, if they’ve visited the park and suspect possible contamination, to remove their shoes before entering their homes. (FOX 35)
Coming Soon
A new Trader Joe’s could soon be on its way to east Orange County. According to recent permit filings, the storefront would be located in the former home of Party City in the Waterford Oaks shopping center. A construction timeline and opening date have not yet been announced. (NEWS 6)
PANDA FEST — a three-day celebration of Asian food and culture — will make its first-ever Central Florida stop this year in O-Town. Tickets to the party at Festival Park, which runs Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 1, go on sale tomorrow, Jan. 8.
Wellness
Interested in a THC or CBD journey in 2026? Women-owned and operated brand TribeTokes is offering 15% off with code DRYJAN15, plus a free CBD/CBG tincture when you spend $40. Try pineapple THC gummies or mini THCA prerolls for some California sober fun during dry January.†*
Biz
Kickstart the new year by expanding your business’s reach. Our business promo portal puts your message in front of our thousands of highly engaged local subscribers in as little as two days. Plus, first-time customers save 15% with code NEW15 at checkout. Get started.
Health
Did you find yourself straining to hear during holiday gatherings? Make 2026 a year of better hearing with Horizon IX. This revolutionary hearing aid delivers natural sound so real, experts are calling it a miracle. Dual processors separate speech from noise for effortless clarity so you won’t miss a single word. Start your 45-day no-risk trial.*
Live music, musical-themed dining, shopping, hotels, and condos are headed to a long-vacant, 76-acre site near Walt Disney World.
Ovation Orlando, a $1 billion entertainment district planned by South Florida–based Accesso, will rise where the abandoned Orlando Sun Resort once stood come 2027. The company finalized a $70 million purchase of the property in late December, with demolition expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Are you resolving to drink more water this year? Set yourself up for success with a sleek, insulated water bottle that keeps liquids chilled for up to 24 hours. Bonus: It’s dishwasher safe.
Tomorrow is Elvis Presley’s birthday — and as a born-and-raised Memphian, I can’t not share this. In honor of the King, the Orlando Auto Museum will unveil an exhibit featuring his guitar-shaped 1970 Cadillac, newly refurbished after arriving in O-Town this past September.
