Free things to do in Orlando this spring

The City of Orlando has come up with a fun list of free things for families to do in Orlando this spring. With comfortable temperatures and plenty of sunshine, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of some of Orlando’s best events and activities. Here is what the City of Orlando recommends to do for free around town this spring:

Go for a Scenic Walk
Are you looking for some new scenery for your family walks? Head down to Harbor Park in Baldwin Park for its scenic path around Lake Baldwin. This 2.56-mile circle path is perfect for active families. Harbor Park includes large grassy areas for sun bathing and gazebos overlooking the water.

Explore a Botanical Oasis
Leu Gardens is located just minutes away from Downtown Orlando. The 50-acre gardens offer visitors not only a way to view plants, but also an understanding of how they grow. Leu Gardens offers free admission on May 2 and June 6. As an added bonus there is also free admission on Mother’s Day for Mom and Father’s Day for Dads.

Interact with Art
The 6th Annual Kidsfest in the Audubon Park Garden District is April 23. Kidsfest is a fun-filled day of creative and interactive activities for kids of all ages with an array of workshops and hands-on activities where kids can make art, create music, cook and craft.

Picnic in the Park
Demetree Park offers the prefect location for lunch with a view. The 24.6-acre park includes three lakes linked by a system of pathways and boardwalks. The walkways weave around the lakes as well as wooded areas. Stroll through the park until you find the perfect place to stop and enjoy a bite to eat.

Go Fish at Lake Underhill
Grab a fishing pole and spend the day sitting on the edge of the dock at Lake Underhill Park. Lake Underhill is one of the best places in Orlando to catch largemouth bass. Quick tip: during spring the best place to land a bass is near the bank, in about five to eight feet of water, with soft plastic bait.

Lunch at Loch Haven
Located north of Downtown is Loch Haven Cultural Park, home to everything arts. The park is surrounded by museums and performing arts centers. In the middle of all of this are acres of tranquil greenery, the perfect place to settle down for a picnic. The large lawn is perfect to run around and play or just lay on a blanket in the grass.

Springtime Swim
The weather is starting to warm up now that spring is here; out with the sweatshirts and in with the bathing suits. The City of Orlando’s four year-round pools are ready to be jumped into. Swing by the College Park Pool, Dover Shores Pool, James R. Smith Pool or Wadeview Pool for a fun way to cool off now that temperatures are getting into the 80s.

Art on the Streets
When it comes to Orlando, art is everywhere, even on traffic signal boxes. Visit Mills 50 Main Street District to check out all the hand-painted boxes. The majority of the boxes are located down Mills Avenue and East Colonial Drive, so take a look at the map and find them all.

Take a Trip to Greenwood Urban Wetlands
Located near Downtown is a park that will make you think you left Florida. Greenwood Urban Wetlands is a gorgeous 19-acre park filled with tall Cypress trees. The trees line the edge of the water and have a bit of a mysterious look. The park has a paved trail that goes around the lake. Greenwood is pet friendly.

Get Your Art On at Mennello
The Mennello Museum of American Art offers a Free Family Day on the second Sunday of every month. The whole family receives free admission from 12 to 4:30 p.m. Get there at noon and have time to walk around and see the exhibits. Then from noon to 2:30 p.m. there is a make-and-take activity the whole family can enjoy, along with mini tours happening throughout the day at the museum.

Movie Nights
Bring the whole family for a fun night under the stars at Lake Eola Park for Movieola. Come early to snag a spot on the East Lawn with some chairs, blankets and snacks. This spring Movieola is bringing you ‘Inside Out’ on April 29 and ‘Goosebumps’ on May 27. Movieola will continue into the summer with ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Jurassic World’ and ‘Minions.’

Have Some Friendly Competition
Get all your friends together for a pickup game of volleyball. Orlando Festival Park has four beach volleyball courts ready for some action. Make it more fun by setting up a whole tournament. Make sure to get an early start to your game as courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Go Mountain Biking… in Orlando
Lake Druid Park, which opened in the fall, is perfect for a little bit of mountain biking. The park has three different tracks to pick from: the pump track, single-track trail and junior pump track for the kids. The park also has plenty of green space, and a fenced dog run.

Dance on the Drive
Dance your way through College Park at the College Park Partnership’s annual block party, Dancing on the Drive, on April 30. With vendors, food trucks and a DJ spinning hits from the 1960s through today, you and a few hundred of your closest friends can take part in this fun outdoor party for all ages. The event does have a $5 donation to attend.

Look to the Sky
Have a kid who loves planes? Check out Joe Kittinger Park located on the edge of Orlando Executive Airport. This park is a great place to bring a blanket and watch the planes take off. Go during the weekends to see a little more action. Joe Kittinger Park is also home to a refurbished F-4 Phantom Aircraft.

Bike the Cady Way Trail
Spring is perfect for spending time outside and a bike ride on the Cady Way Trail. Opened in 1994, the Cady Way Trail has a trailhead behind the Orlando Fashion Square Mall and continues 6.5 miles through Baldwin Park, Winter Park and Orange County to the Seminole County line. The trail alternates between a single width pathway and two paths separated by a median, providing plenty of space for pedestrians, skaters and bicyclists.

Walk Through History
Our spring weather is perfect for taking a stroll to learn about Downtown Orlando’s history. Grab your phone to view or print out the Downtown Orlando Historic Walking Tour Map and you are ready to go. The tour includes buildings dating all the way back to the late 1800s. The tour is a great way to see an array of building styles and sizes, reflecting the evolution of architecture and construction in Downtown.

See Swan Lake
There are many kinds of swans at Lake Eola Park. You may spot a trumpet swan, a royal mute or maybe a whooper swan. Head down to the lake with this handy guide detailing the different types of swans and see if you can tell what kind of swan each is. The beautiful creatures walk freely around the park, just make sure to not feed them any bread or popcorn!