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Families, Parks and Recreation
Families, Parks and Recreation
Top 5 Lists
The best
kept secrets of the City of Orlando include some of the
most beautiful parks, fun facilities, and engaging
programs that Families, Parks and Recreation has to
offer. Click
to jump down to a Top 5 List:
Top 5
Parks Programs You Should
Know About
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Trees In The Parkway
is available to individual homeowners for free.
Trees are planted in the Parkway (right-of-way)
along the City street. The City determines most
appropriate tree for location, and the owner must
agree to water, feed and care for the tree until
established.
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Trees To Good Homes
program is dedicated to greening the property of
homeowners within the City of Orlando. The City will
work with neighborhood groups to help select the
right tree for the right spot by giving an
opportunity to purchase trees at wholesale price to
plant on private property. The minimum order per
delivery is 15 trees.
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Green-Up Orlando aims to
increase the City's available tree canopy and to
improve the appearance of our community through
volunteer efforts and contributions.
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Rent a Park for a
birthday, family re-union, wedding or a special
event.
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The 10,000 Trees
Initiative was created to replace trees lost in
the 2004 hurricanes by the year 2010. Individuals
and organizations can support the planting of a
30-gallon street tree with a $100 tax-deductible
contribution, and volunteers can help by planting
trees.
Top 5
Recreation Programs
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FPR offers very
affordable rates on
after-school
and summer camp
programs which offer a
diverse array of activities, such as homework time,
computer lab, arts and crafts, nutrition and
fitness, sports, fun free time, community service
projects and field trips (an additional expense).
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Adult and youth
athletics programs
include baseball, basketball, softball, flag
football, volleyball, cheerleading, tackle football
and track for leagues, as well as tennis,
racquetball, & swimming. The City also
features its
historic Dubsdread Golf Course which has been in
operation since 1923 and is minutes from downtown.
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The
Aquatics Department
manages the City's 11 pools and offers Junior
Lifeguarding, Synchronized Swimming, Recreational
Swim Team, Water Aerobics, Adult Fitness, and Club
Swim Team.
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The
Pottery Studio programs include Adult Clay, the Visiting Clay
Artist Workshop Series, a "Pit Fire" Workshop, and a
Kids’ Summer Clay Camp.
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The
Orlando Tennis Center
is the City of
Orlando's premier tennis facility, offering adult
tennis clinics (18 and up), league play, private
lessons, tournaments, USRSA Racquet Stringers and
youth tennis programs (6 and up).
Top 5
Best Wedding Locations
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Leu Gardens sprawling botanical gardens features
numerous indoor and outdoor locations to suit both
wedding ceremonies and receptions.
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Lake Eola Park contains a variety of picturesque
locations that have long been popular for wedding
ceremonies.
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The beautiful gazebo
at the
Mayor Carl T. Langford Park Neighborhood Center
rests under the shade of tree canopy.
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Blue Jacket Park at Lake Baldwin offers the
perfect backdrop to a wedding ceremony or reception
with its lush, open grassy areas, and scenic bridge
and fountain.
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Loch Haven Park Neighborhood Center,
Engelwood Neighborhood Center, and
Rosemont Community Center all feature large
rooms that serve perfectly as reception halls.
Top 5
Best Family
Reunion Locations
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George Barker Park provides a variety of
recreational opportunities for neighboring residents
as well as attracting people interested in boating,
fishing or taking advantage of the playground and
pavilion amenities.
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Clear Lake Park includes natural trails, a board
walk, fishing dock, shaded picnic tables,
playground, and fitness stations that entice
families and group with active lifestyles to enjoy
for park gatherings.
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Wadeview Park is set among pines, cypress and
oak trees, making it perfect for picnics and family
gatherings.
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Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake has something
for everyone to enjoy. Cabins and bunk houses are
available for rent. Large pavilions for huge group
picnics are available for rent and small sun
shelters for family gatherings are available on a
first come, first serve basis. People can hike on
one of the nature trails, fish in the well stocked
lake, use the swimming pool on those hot summer
days, or enjoy the children's farm.
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Airport Lakes Park visitors can watch the
airplanes land and also enjoy the outdoors by hiking
on the nature trail and boardwalk, fishing,
picnicking, and playing on the playground.
Top 5
Best
Activities for Senior Citizens at the
L. Claudia Allen Senior Center and
Mayor William Beardall Senior Center
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Play games to have
fun and keep your mind sharp as you flex your
skills. Take part in playing horseshoe,
shuffleboard, scrabble, Rummy Kube, pinochle, pokeno,
bingo, bridge, bid whist, and Mah Jongg at the
City’s Senior Centers.
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Dance at the
Mayor William Beardall Senior Center. Ballroom,
swing, Jazz, Latin, and line dancing are offered.
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Exercise. The City
Community Centers, including the
L. Claudia Allen Senior Center and the Mayor
William Beardall Senior Center, offer a wide variety
of fun exercise classes ranging from yoga, aerobics,
Tai Chi, kick aerobics, Zumba, to Sit & Be Fit. The
City's Aquatics Department also offers
adult fitness and water aerobics classes in the
pools at
College Park Community Center,
Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center, and
Dover Shores Community Center.
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Take up a hobby by
joining in one of the many hobby groups at the
City’s Senior Centers. Activities include sewing,
quilting, clogging, painting, ceramics, crochet,
knitting, and creative writing.
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Learn a language by
participating in Spanish lessons or joining the
French Club at the
Mayor William Beardall Senior Center.
Top 5 Places to Fish in
Orlando
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Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is well
stocked lake for fishing to tempt all anglers from
novice to experienced.
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Clear Lake Park and
George Barker Park sit on opposite coasts of
Clear Lake. The fishing dock with lights ideal for
night at Clear Lake Park and the boat ramp at George
Barker Park make this a prime fishing location.
Fish near the pylon along John Young Parkway while
enjoying the sights of the beautiful homes along the
lake.
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Two lakes reside
within
Demetree Park, and fisherman can walk around the
entirety of the lakes. The park also features a
large shaded pavilion with tables and grills near
the fishing areas.
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Lake Underhill Park is a wonderful location for
both boaters and fisherman due to the boat ramp
providing access to the lake. An additional fishing
location adjacent to Lake Underhill Park within
walking distance is
Colonel Joe Kittinger Park.
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Lake Ivanhoe Park and Gaston Edwards Park are
both located at Lake Ivanhoe.
Gaston Edwards Park offers a boat launching
location. Several shaded areas, a well stocked lake,
and the ability to fish from the side of the
embankment are all features that entice fisherman to
come to this location.
Top 5
Best Indoor Facilities
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Rosemont Community Center and Pool is a 15,500 square
feet facility containing a multipurpose meeting space with an
adjacent food service area, state of the art fitness
center with men's and women's locker rooms, computer
lab, arts and crafts room, game room, teen room, and
open green spaces for outside activities.
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Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center and Pool
offers something for everyone: an amphitheater that
is perfect for the community performances; a state
of the art computer lab; a game room with activities
such as ping-pong, bumper pool, swimming pool,
chess, checkers and card games.
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Dover Shores Community Center and Pool boasts a
beautiful 9,000 square foot multi-use gymnasium, a
fitness center equipped with state-of-the-art Cybex
and cardiovascular equipment, and a 3,000 square
foot, dividable Grand Room for parties, receptions
and meetings. One of the many outdoor amenities is a
20,000 square foot Golf Training Complex which
includes a sand trap, rough, 9-hole putting green,
and 6 driving cages.
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The
College Park Community Center and Pool features
state-of-the-art workout and cardio equipment in the
fitness center, a computer lab, teen room,
multipurpose room and a warming kitchen close to the
multipurpose room as well as park amenities
including a baseball field, swimming pool, open
green space, and playground.
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Northwest Community Center and Pool is ideal for
people living an active lifestyle with its gymnasium
and fitness center. The complex also houses the
Orange County Hal Marston Community Center and the
Orange County Northwest Health Clinic. It is the
only center in the Recreation Division that from its
conception has been a total collaborative effort
between the City of Orlando and Orange County
government.
Top 5 Playgrounds
(Details on our featured playgrounds coming soon!)
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Large pavilions, picnic tables, bbq grills, two
fishing piers, plentiful parking and beautiful views
of Clear Lake make George
Barker Park a favorite destination for family
reunions and gatherings. The new playground offers a
climbing wall, spinners, slides, shade roofs and
plenty of room to run around.
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The
Lake Eola Park playground is the busiest
playground in town with innovative play equipment,
rubber surfacing, lighting, and dynamic shade sails.
This playground supplies dynamic motion elements and
challenges for all ages and abilities. Mature Oak
trees and lots of seating make it a perfect place
for play and relaxation.
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Clear Lake Park has fun and unusual playground
equipment. It is in a quiet, wooded oasis
complete with picnic shelters, a playground and
fishing pier. Plenty of parking and shade make the
park ideal for families.
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Dartmouth Park has a fenced playground in this
small, friendly park located in the midst of the
busy College Park neighborhood. Tall trees shade a
picnic area and a shelter and picnic tables make the
park even more kid-friendly.
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Wadeview Park has everything needed for family
fun. Located just south of downtown Orlando,
Wadeview has a large fenced and shaded playground,
restroom facilities, five picnic pavilions and room
to run. The Wadeview Community Center is next door
and offers even more amenities for families
Top 5
Teen Programs
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To see all of the City's programs for teenagers,
go to our Teen Programs
page.
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Teens who like skateboarding or inline skating will
be able to enjoy the
Orlando Skate Park thanks to its
quality, challenging,
controlled environment to cultivate their sport.
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Basketball fans can put their skills to the test on
the courts at one of the City's
Midnight Basketball events on Friday nights.
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Younger teens looking for constructive activities
after school can take advantage of the
Middle Teen Program
or After-School
All-Stars.
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Teens looking to express themselves through art can
learn a new medium by taking up sculpting at the City's Pottery
Studio.
Top 5 Oldest Trees
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The City of Orlando's
Significant Tree Map features
a tour of some of the City's parks containing the
oldest and most impressive trees Orlando has to
offer.
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The trees at
Big Tree Park are estimated to be between 350 to
400 years old. Live Oaks can live for centuries.
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The "Mayor" tree in
Orlando Loch Haven Park is approximately 225
years old. After suffering a limb break in 1998, it
managed to stay attached while continuing to grow, a
testament to what Live Oaks can survive.
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Constitution Green's large Live Oak is estimated
to be between 125 to 175 years old. The recumbent
branches (those that touch the ground) are only on
one side, and this is because the other side
experienced crown adaptation. This occurred because
there was a different tree on the other side,
forcing the branches to grow in other directions.
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Approximately 80 to 100 years old, the Pine trees at
Dickson Azalea Park are particularly tall
because they need to be taller than the Oak trees
alongside the ravine in which they grow. they grow
in a ravine
Top 5 Amenities for
Individuals with Disabilities
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The Demetree Miracle Field at Trotters Park
broke ground in 2003 and was
completed in May 2004. The first of its
kind in the state of Florida, this baseball field
was constructed with a flat rubber surface to make
it accessible for wheelchairs and walkers for both
children and adults. The field is the result
of the partnership between the City of Orlando and
the Central Florida Miracle League, Inc.
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Exceptional Recreation
offers recreation programs for children and adults
with disabilities at
Loch Haven Neighborhood Center through a
partnership between the City of Orlando’s Recreation
Division and United Cerebral Palsy of Central
Florida.
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Special Olympics Florida utilizes the
Orlando Downtown Recreation Complex for
basketball and volleyball practices.
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Freedom Ride and the City of Orlando partnered to
provide therapeutic horseback riding at
Trotters Park to children and adults with a
variety of disabilities.
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The vast majority of the City's parks and recreation
sites are
accessible for people with disabilities.
Interested in more
information like this?
Click here for the
Families, Parks and Recreation Department's Best Kept
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