It’s a beautiful time to get outside and enjoy Central Florida’s public art with a walking tour. However, you don’t have to commit to a led tour to get an amazing experience. There are lots of options for DIY and self-led walking tours around Central Florida that you can personalize to your needs—that’s something sure to delight locals and vacationers alike.
Here is a roundup of our favorite ways to create your own free walking tour with resources to make it an enlightening and exciting experience.
Swan mural by Evoca1 in Downtown Orlando at Washington Street and Hyer Avenue | Image credit: Elaine Retty
Downtown Orlando Historic District Architectural Walking Tour
A free, guided tour every first Friday of the month (October-May) exploring the history and architecture of downtown Orlando. Tours feature architectural and historic information about some of downtown Orlando’s oldest and most historic buildings and start at 9:30 a.m. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours. RSVP requested.
United Arts Tours
Choose your own cultural adventure with one of United Arts Central Florida’s self-paced tours. Available as a PDF download, you can get a detailed itinerary to tour Downtown Orlando, Mills 50 district, or Winter Park. These guides are available for free and take you through some beautiful public arts spaces with suggested stops for shopping and food along the way.
The site also offers links to paid guided tours that are each $55 and are 2.5 to 3 hours long. Some offer behind-the-scenes looks at local theaters and museums or tastings at local restaurants.
Historic Winter Park Self-Guided Walking Tour
The Winter Park History Museum offers a chance to explore Winter Park’s historic districts and sites with a detailed and informative walking tour brochure (also available to download as a PDF). The main tour has twenty stops and four additional sites on the north end of Park Avenue.
Florida Stories Walking Tour App
A free app from Florida Humanities that provides guided tours of 36 Florida cities and towns. The tour of DeLand, for example, takes you on 12 stops starting at the West Volusia Historical Society and taking you to spots such as the Opera House, Athens Theater, and the Historic Courthouse.
SEE ART Self-Guided Walking Tour
Photo courtesy of SEE ART
SEE ART Orlando is a collection of nine contemporary public art sculptures inspired by the energy of downtown Orlando. With Lake Eola as the central hub, SEE ART can help you navigate to each sculpture and learn more about each one’s individual history, creator, and inspiration.
Downtown Orlando Courthouse Art Galleries
The Orlando Courthouse makes a great addition to any walking tour in the area. Downtown Orlando offers two galleries of rotating public art on display inside City Hall. Both galleries are free and open to the public.
- The Terrace Gallery features national and international artists and collections along with renowned Florida artists.
- The Mayor’s 3rd Floor Gallery is specifically dedicated to Central Florida artists featuring ongoing exhibits throughout the year with each artist or collection on display for approximately three months.
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