The best parks in Orlando to relax and enjoy nature

Orlando’s Lake Nona neighborhood is known for its abundance of public arts, including the Lake Nona Sculpture Garden. The garden is a whopping 50,000 square feet filled with one of the world’s largest private art collections. As you walk through the park, you’ll find plenty of paths lined with flowers and unique plants, but the show's real star is the sculptures. On display, you’ll see Charging Bull by Arturo di Modica, Leda and the Swan by Fernando Botero, and The Don by Philip Jackson.

A few minutes from downtown Orlando, a stunning garden oasis is ready to be explored. The Leu Gardens is 50 acres of uninterrupted botanical bliss. Each of the gardens at the site is designed to help visitors be inspired for their own home garden and to learn something about plants. Throughout the year, Leu Gardens hosts a variety of events, including a movie night in the garden and live concerts. Those looking for a more in-depth look at the gardens can book a tour of the gardens and of the historic home on the site.

The waters at Blue Springs State Park are always a refreshing 72 degrees, which is ideal for floating along during warm Florida afternoons. Do you know who else finds it ideal? The large number of manatees that float alongside guests in the spring runs! (Though guests are discouraged from touching or getting too close to the gentle giants.) After your float, you can hike along the spring run path or take a separate four-and-a-half mile trip to see ospreys, eagles, and more birds of prey.

Another Florida natural spring worth jumping into, De Leon Springs, boasts crystal clear waters that are always a temperate 72 degrees. The park has a unique history: The spring was once used to turn a sugar cane mill, grist mill, and flour mill during the Civil War. You can choose to float down the spring run, or you can take a heritage boat tour around the park and a nearby wildlife refuge to learn about the location's history and see some of the animals that call the springs home.

Kelly Park features a natural spring that’s always a cool 68 degrees, which honestly feels great in the middle of a Florida summer. You can rent tubes to float down the springs with or you can bring your own, but they have to be less than five feet across. The ride down the spring takes about 25 minutes, but you can ride as many times as you wish. Just be sure to arrive early—the park will close when it reaches capacity, which is typically only an hour after opening on warm days.

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Cypress Grove Park is a beautiful park where a stunning 1925 estate house stands as the centerpiece on the grounds. After taking a few pictures for Instagram in front of the house, find a spot near the shores of Lake Jessamine for a picnic. The park regularly holds community concerts, youth sporting events, and more, so there’s always something to see or do when you visit.

This unique “park” is actually a 22-mile-long bike trail called the West Orange Trail. At the northern end is Apopka, then the trail winds through Winter Garden (stop for a drink at Crooked Can Brewing Company) before continuing the last 5 miles west. You don’t have to own a bike to trek the trail - it’s also good for walking, running, skating, and even horseback riding. Along the trail, you’ll come across cute towns and little spots to stop and take a break before heading back out again.

Wekiwa Springs is known for its glittering emerald waters that feed into the Wekiwa River. The park is more than just floating along in the springs. Here, you can canoe and kayak down the waterways or set up a spot for an overnight camping adventure among the lush trees and river banks. Birders from around the state also flock to Wekiwa Springs for the vast number of colorful birds that call Central Florida home. Hiking is also plentiful at the park, with three different trails taking visitors around to see some of the sights and sounds of nature.

Located in the heart of downtown Orlando, this walkable park has a large pond in the middle that’s often filled with cute but somewhat aggressive swans. (And we're talking about the real animals here, not the rentable swan boats—though, those are cute, too.) Lake Eola is also home to the Walt Disney Amphitheater, where groups of musicians and local acts perform throughout the year.

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The City of Orlando has welcomed people to Blue Jacket Park since 2000. The 75-acre public space was once the Orlando Naval Training Center, where personnel were known as “Blue Jackets.” Now the park is a hot spot for local 5Ks and sporting events. When you go, be sure to stop by the Navy History Wall, where 10 panels tell the story of the Navy in Orlando.

Bill Frederick Park takes up 183 acres of land along the shore of Turkey Lake, one of Florida's top five fishing lakes. Nature enthusiasts head there to see various wildlife and try their luck at catching a big one. The shady sidewalks and grassy areas make this a fantastic spot for a picnic with friends or just a day set aside to enjoy the great outdoors.