ROAM IF YOU WANT TO Experience the wild, natural side of Orlando
T
he first thing you’ll hear from friends after you move to Florida: “You must go to the beach every day!” Well … Orlando is land-locked, though you can hit the ocean with roughly an hour’s drive, if you need that saltwater fix. But you never have to venture far from your door if it’s just some nature you need: paddling through the water, hiking through palmetto scrub, biking, fishing or getting dirty with your dogs; all are easy to find in Orlando.
Barnett Park 4801 W. Colonial Drive, orangecountyfl.net The crown jewel of Orange County’s parks department can be overlooked because it can’t be seen from Colonial Drive. But it boasts a BMX track, a fitness center, a dog park, softball fields and more, making it an essential location for any outdoors enthusiast.
Blue Jacket Park 2501 General Rees Ave., orlando.gov Blue Jacket Park was once the Orlando Naval Training Center, the home of service personnel known as “Blue Jackets.” Today, its 75 acres have been designated a historic site that’s popular for hosting baseball, soccer and softball games, and events like weddings.
Blue Spring State Park 2100 W. French Ave., Orange City, floridastateparks.org Blue Spring is notable both for the gorgeous spring run and the chance to have close encounters with manatees. The park is a designated manatee refuge (they’re drawn to the temperate 70-degree waters) during the winter.
Harry P. Leu Gardens
Mead Botanical Garden
1920 N. Forest Ave., leugardens.org These historic gardens nestled in Audubon Park boast a spectacular collection of native and exotic flora, including a rose garden, a butterfly garden and the largest documented camellia collection in Eastern North America.
Lake Eola Park 512 E. Washington St., orlando.gov The center of downtown Orlando life, Lake Eola Park hosts farmers markets, cultural fairs, foot races, white swans, black swans and more, along with a .9-mile walkway that orbits the signature fountain in the middle of the lake.
Lake Killarney 115 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park Catch a glimpse of a crane swooping down on a fish, a lazy alligator or a racing shell full of crew members from nearby Rollins College.
Little Big Econ State Forest C.R. 419 at Econlockhatchee River Bridge, Oviedo The Little Big Econ River is as rich in biodiversity as it is in history. The area has seen much human activity (cattle ranches, a portion of the old Florida East Coast Railway). Now it’s available as a wildlife refuge.
300 S. Denning Drive, Winter Park, meadgarden.org A garden oasis with bike paths and a picnic area bursting with natural fauna and wildlife. Take a hike near forested wetlands, and if you’re quiet enough, hear the hawks and wading birds.
Orlando Urban Trail orlando.gov The nearly 3-mile-long trail near downtown Orlando is a hidden pocket of peace and scenic quiet cutting through the heart of metro Orlando.
Rock Springs Run at Kelly Park 400 E. Kelly Park Road, Apopka, 407-254-1902, ocfl.net The locals like to keep a secret of this bubbly spring where you can hang out in the water, rent floats and tube down the spring run. Like Wekiwa, this place fills up quickly during the summer, so plan accordingly.
Wekiwa Springs State Park 1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka, floridastateparks.org You can canoe or kayak here (rentals are available), but this park also has 13 miles of pristine, wooded hiking, biking and horseback-riding trails. This park is very popular, particularly in summer. When the parking lot fills, the park entrance closes. Get there early.
Paddling on Rock Springs Run.
Cady Way Trail 821 Herndon Ave., orangecountyfl.net This 7.2-mile paved path, popular with bicyclists and stroller-pushing moms alike, connects Orlando and Winter Park and the Cross Seminole Trail in Seminole County.
Central Park 251 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, cityofwinterpark.org You’re smack-dab in the middle of Winter Park’s downtown shopping district and you want to experience a little nature, so you cross the street and are immediately surrounded by fountains, landscaped plants and the oak tree canopies of Central Park.
Dickson Azalea Park 100 Rosearden Drive, orlando.gov Along with neighboring Langford Park, Dickson Azalea provides a shady oasis just outside of downtown. Bridges, pavilions and walkways crawl around and over the stream that trickles through the leafy park.
Greenwood Urban Wetlands 1411 Greenwood St., orlando.gov Surrounded by beautiful cypress trees, Greenwood Urban Wetlands’ 19 acres is a sight to behold all year round. The wetlands adjoin Greenwood Cemetery, a can’t-miss piece of old Orlando.
PHOTO BY GUY BRYANT
orlandoweekly.com
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JULY 13-19, 2022 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY
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