The Vanguard

The Write-Up

The full story

Inside the historic Firestone Tire Building on Orange Avenue, The Vanguard is a big room with chest-felt sound, lasers across the ceiling, and a dance floor that packs tight on popular nights. Guests call the energy electric, and the VIP floor up top is the escape valve when the floor turns into a sweaty free for all. EDM nights and touring bands fill the calendar.

District Story

The story of Downtown

A fort, a courthouse plat and a citrus boom built it. A name nobody can prove still runs it.

Read the Downtown story →

Similar Feel

More places with this feel

Matched by vibe, not by neighborhood: the places across Greater Orlando closest in spirit to The Vanguard.

The Social

Nightlife & music · Downtown · $$

A small brick-walled room on North Orange Avenue where indie bands play close enough to lock eyes with.

54 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

The Beacham & The Social

Nightlife & music · Downtown · $$$

On Orange Avenue, this century-old vaudeville theater still runs on live music, balcony sightlines and LED walls, historic and electric.

46 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Yaz Orlando

Nightlife & music · Downtown · $$

On North Orange Avenue, dinner and lounge come first, then the room deepens into a club as the night goes on, low-lit and moody.

114 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Aero Rooftop Bar & Lounge

Nightlife & music · Downtown · $$

A small rooftop with big energy: open-air dancing above North Orange Avenue, skyline behind the DJ, lasers over the crowd.

60 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Ohm Nightclub

Nightlife & music · Downtown · $$$

Downtown's big-room club, formerly Tier, packs two floors, with skyboxes over the floor and bottle service for groups.

20 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801

Aura Night Club

Nightlife & music · Downtown · $$

About the floor here: an LED-lit room in the Beacham complex on North Orange, hopping between EDM, hip-hop and reggaeton.

49 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Keep Going

More in Downtown Orlando

Other places in Downtown Orlando, Local Picks first, then the closest to The Vanguard.

Fixtion Restaurant & Bar Local Pick

American · American Restaurant · $$

On Orange Avenue, comfort food and huge comfy booths early, club energy after dark, shape-shifting through the day.

15 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Wall Street Plaza Local Pick

Nightlife & music · Entertainment District · $$

One downtown block holds the whole crawl: eight bars and patios that, on a big night, turn into a single street party.

25 Wall St, Orlando, FL 32801

Elixir Kitchen and Bar Local Pick

Bars & lounges · Bar · $$

A rustic-hip gastropub in one of downtown's original buildings, and very much the neighborhood's spot.

9 W Washington St, Orlando, FL 32801

Leiah

Fine dining & steak · Fine Dining · $$$

Small and candlelit on Magnolia Avenue, where guests say the service makes them feel like the only diners there.

Leiah, 409 N Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Jiang's Kitchen

Chinese · Chinese · $$

A new downtown spot on East Robinson Street where soup dumplings are folded by hand in view of the dining room.

27 E Robinson St, Orlando, FL 32801

Downtown Food Tour

Attractions · Food Tour · $$$

A walking food tour through the real Orlando, the downtown locals eat in, with history and art folded into the route by your guide.

A La Cart - City, 274 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801