It might be hard to associate Orlando city with anything other than the major theme parks and wonderful tourist attraction places, but the city has so much more to offer. From parks and botanical gardens to historic monuments and even breathtaking lakes and rivers.
Orlando city offers you a unique opportunity to scream at the top of your lungs while descending down a roller coaster in the morning, and then to whisper as you lay in a park in the evening with a butterfly fluttering around you. You can also row in a waterpark river one day, then jump in a real river the next day. Each offering two very different and very exciting emotions. And this city is generous enough to offer you all of what you can ask for.
Non-theme park related activities
One must-do activity is taking a Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour down the Winter Park river. The guides will enrich your knowledge of the history behind the dense forests and tunnels the boat will go through, deepening your appreciation of all aspects of the city.
Wekiva State Stream Park is a magnificent park that provides an atmosphere completely different from that of Orlando’s busy city. The stream is a great place for summer swimming because it is cool and breezy all year long. Kayaks and canoes are additionally available for daytime rental. With the serene nature of the area and the various shades of green all around, swimming in the river seems almost dreamlike.
FREE activities
The Mead Botanical Garden is a public park with lovely trails that wind through the lush vegetation and depict beautiful views. Despite being in the city itself, and not far from it, the garden offers a unique sense of tranquility.
Old Town Kissimmee village is a movie-esque town that resembles older Californian towns. The entertainment offered at the village includes some paid and some free ones. Some free activities include the classic car show and the Shingle Creek regional park.
A historically significant park, Lake Eola Park, has been maintained and improved for many years. While strolling along the lake, you may come across a number of striking sculptures created by various artists, like the Cedar of Lebanon and the Take Flights masterpieces. Just gazing at the various art monuments scattered around the untroubled lake and within the park itself can be considered a past-time activity. And just wait till after sundown to watch these monuments come to life with all the lights, glowing in the night sky.
The Disney Wilderness Preserve is a 12,000-acre natural reserve that allows visitors to enjoy all the scenes and wildlife for free. The Disney Wilderness Preserve contains many trails through its wild lands that you can hike through.
And now you know that the theme park city of the world has much more to offer than theme parks.
