Local Motion 2026-2027: An Insider's Guide to Life in West Orange County

It’s funny — the things that make a place feel like home. Often, it’s not the perfect kitchen or hardwood floors. In fact, it might not be anything about your actual house at all.

In preparing to present our 2026-27 edition of Local Motion: An Insider’s Guide to Living in West Orange County, I asked our staffers to share some of their favorites about living in our wonderful community.

And not a single one mentioned their home. 

Several mentioned their favorite dessert places — Twistee Treat and DG Doughnuts in Ocoee; Scoops in downtown Winter Garden; and Nola’s Ice Cream in Dr. Phillips. (Apparently, we like ice cream.)

We also love our local community events — the Winter Garden Christmas Parade, Ocoee’s Music Fest and Christmas at Hamlin, among many others.

But truthfully, what we love the most are the people and our community spirit. There are dozens upon dozens of nonprofits working to improve the lives of others. You can feel that pulse when you meet Matthew’s Hope Ministries’ Scott Billue, West Orange Habitat for Humanity’s Marilyn Hattaway, 8 Waves’ Sara Meyer and our resident Swiss Army knife of community support, Austin Arthur.

That, dear reader, is what makes this community so wonderful.

So as you pour over these pages, you’ll find a ton of history, useful information, date-night recommendations and more. But to really know West Orange and Southwest Orange, you need to get out and meet the people who also call it home.

This year, we challenge you to do just that. 

To stay connected, make sure to grab copies of our newspapers; bookmark OrangeObserver.com; and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.