I entered at the Jones East Trailhead, which has plenty of parking and also has restrooms at the…read moreentrance to the trailhead. Walking the trailhead was relatively simple and relaxing. I did encounter a few other people (they were either walking like myself or on a bicycle). The path itself is somewhat narrow, but it was enough for us to pass each other with no real inconvenience. Little Big Econ State Forest is a pretty cool place to check out. Walking the path, it was easy to forget that you were just outside of a major United States city in the twenty-first century. I seek out these spots where I can walk through the trees and forget the troubles of living in a modern city in today's modern world. Little Big Econ State Forest is a cool place to seek out if you are looking for a respite from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.

This state forest is about a 25 minute drive from downtown Orlando. We highly recommend it. They…read moreoffer maps at the start of the trail. So lush and peaceful. The stream along side most of the trail is beautiful. There are many benches along the path that offer a nice view of the scenery with shade. We took our pups and hiked for about 2 miles. The hikes range from 3 - 10 miles. I saw they do offer camping as well. Make sure to pack some water. It was nice to see many tamiles and couples enjoying the outdoors. We loved the variety of scenery and that it has lots of natural shade throughout the hike.

A great park and boat ramp in the Geneva area. They do have restroom facilities and they're usually…read moremaintained well. There is a pavilion if you wish to use it and a covered bench near the water. Parking is somewhat of a miss here as there's only a few spaces clearly marked although you can get creative with where you park between trees and such. There are a few low-lying areas so beware if it is a wetter day than usual.

Boating camping and…read moremanatees Henry Mullet park is a 151 acre park located right on the St John's River and the 600 acre Mullet Lake. With all that water around it's a great place to fish or launch a boat but they also have a small campground surrounded by beautiful and mature trees. For shorter trips they have a nice pavilion for picnics and some clean bathrooms with hot and cold running water. Quite a luxury. There is room for a nice walk but it's not really a park for hiking. The attraction here is all the water with great fishing and lots of huge aquatic birds. There is no fee to get in and like many Floridian parks it's open 24 hours a day. The park includes a large flood plain and it can get really muddy in the wet season and occasionally the water gets high enough to close the boat ramp and campground. A small price to pay for being so close to all this water.

I've paddled the Emerald Cut a few times now. Initially I didn't like the idea of paying to launch…read moremy own paddleboard. However, it's only $10 now that I have my own life jacket (saving me additional cost of $5 to use one of theirs, as required). Well worth the low cost for some soul-enriching, communing with nature. I have never made a reservation. I normally arrive around 10:30, most recently on a Friday. Parked for free on Baptist Camp Rd. Just a bit of a walk from there with my inflated paddleboard, but I don't mind the extra exercise. You can unload your stuff closer, if preferable. There are port-a-potties available. You can count on there being a line in the check-in office. Various recreation supplies are available there for purchase. The process moves reasonably enough. A reservation will guarantee your entrance, however, and possibly aide quicker personal info collection. I always plan to do the Emerald Cut in roughly 3 hours round-trip, allowing myself several stops to enjoy the surroundings. You do run into (quite literally at times) novice paddlers along the way, which can be a bit tricky, yet not a real nuisance for me. In general, there's friendliness along the waterway. Slighty rowdy, party vibes in some spots, but also opportunities for solace and zen in various nooks. Encountering wildlife, fragrant elderberry, and other captivating flora along this stretch is always gratifying. It's a popular recreation destination for good reason.

Many tourists don't realize Florida is home to stunning crystal-clear spring rivers--perfect for…read moreswimming, kayaking, and tubing aka "hidden gems". My Hubby and I love kayaking, so we booked an excursion months in advance for Rock Springs through TripAdvisor. Our Tour Operator was Get Up And Go Kayaking located at Kings Landing in Apopka, FL. I LOVE saying Apopka ;) The good news: Apopka is a quick 1 hour drive from Orlando. Make sure you don't miss the turn to King's Landing, because the entrance is located on a narrow dirt road. You must drive past Kelly Park (which fills up fast). There is a Park Ranger located here who will guide you to King's Landing. As you get closer and if you see a parking spot, grab it! Check in is located in the Cabin like office where you will have to sign a waiver. If you do not want to take a clear bottom, guided Kayak tour, you can either rent or BYO Kayak versus taking a semi private, clear, guided kayak tour. NOTE: ONLY use their Sunscreen/lotion which is provided at no cost. It protects the wildlife and the Springs. We wanted the full experience as we have previously enjoyed renting clear Kayaks. Our guide for the morning was: Megan, who was fantastic! Full of energy, information and helpful tidbits about the Springs and its human and wildlife inhabitants. Our group was small and capped at 10. We paddled through both narrow and open stretches, and stopped to swim in the warm, crystal-clear water. One highlight was a banyan tree with an 8-foot natural "jump hole"--such a cool experience! It was a serene, memorable day, and fun fact: this is the very spring featured in the Visit Orlando commercials! Yeah, definitely take a day away from crowded Orlando to relax and enjoy Mother Nature! You will Thank Me ;)

Lake Proctor Wilderness Area is a nice little patch of wilderness to escape to and temporarily hide…read morefrom the hustle and grind of modern-day life. I came here on an early Saturday morning and pretty much did not see another human being during my time here, but I did enjoy some much needed serenity and peace. I would definitely describe myself as a city type person, but there is something to be said in escaping the asphalt, concrete and steel world we created and finding refuge in the world as it was created. This was a much needed respite and I am grateful for ny time spent here. The world is a beautiful and awe-inspiring place and sometimes the greatest miracles of nature are often in the most simple settings. Overall, I will give this oasis of nature five stars as my rating.

First, the address in this page is incorrect. So if you plan to go google it. If you are coming…read morefrom Oviedo turn right on 46 not left. There was only one other car there when we arrived mid day. So it was nice that the park wasn't crowded. The trails are well marked and the Pineneedles added additional cushioning to the walk. We only did the orange and blue trail which in total was about 2 1/2 miles. There was a bit of road noise at the beginning or it was the wind going through all the trees couldn't decide. It's a pleasant walk with several views of ponds and lakes of the orange and blue trail. Sadly we didn't even hear one bird. Between the red trail and the orange and blue looks like they are excavating for a new road. It's a pleasant walk in the woods but nothing unique. Maybe will try the red trail sometime and see if we can find more captivating scenery. Any walk in the woods is better than none

Oviedo Aqua Center Over the river and through the STREET,…read moreViews of this place worthy of a SEAT. I was most impressed by the WALLS? Etching each inch down the HALLS... Deciding if this place is 4 US, Oviedo Aquatic Center is very BUS... Activating the lungs, helping 2 CLIMB, Quietly gouging patrons of nickels and DIMES. United with others, connected to Mrs. MARTINI, An event gal who helped Ez become a TORTELLINI... Check out the photo Ez took of the man in the MIRROR, Etching Each Inch means seeing CLEARER, Never pushing away, but drawing NEARER, The events in Oviedo are second to NONE, Etch Each Inch, corner lot when DONE. Resting in a sleep lab tonight, looking out at tomorrow's SUN I slept from 9-1:45 and now write this at 2:15. Heading back to bed.

Attended swim meet for my gkids. Meet was run very well even tho there were multiple team…read morecompeting. There's no shade so bring your shade. Nice pool area when you're going just to swim.

Sweetwater has a great VIBE, With a quaint feel for my…read moreTRIBE. Etching each inch of this PLACE, Every tree makes this a shaded SPACE. The net playground is a fam FAVE, Walking trail is MOSTLY PAVED... And the wooden decking is CLEAN, Taking you through the forested SCENE, Etching each inch through the WETLANDS, Right now it's closed for working HANDS... Putting back the broken TRACKS, A place where nature reigns & lil' DISTRACTS. Ready for tennis, come to this MARK... Kids playground makes this one of our top 5... OVIEDO PARK

Sweetwater Park is located on a sidestreet (East Magnolia) just off of Central, which is a main…read moreroad through Oviedo. It is basically Alafaya Trail and the name changes as you ride into Oviedo. Sweetwater Park is not a huge park, but it does have a few pavilions, a basketball court, a few tennis courts and a nice wooden walkway that leads you through a nice little oasis of trees and nature. It would have been nice had the wooden walkway just made a loop, however, this wooden walkway just led me to a sidestreet. Not a big deal, I just turned around and walked the way that I came. Despite its small size, Sweetwater Park is a pleasant place to spend a bit of time. I enjoyed my time walking around here on an early Saturday morning. A bit of a pro tip, this park is not far from a Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream location and it woukd be a great place to stop after working up a sweat shooting some hoops or getting in a few games of tennis. Hey, even if you walk that wooden walkway it might be a good enough reason to treat yourself to some Ice cream.

This is a Seminole County owned, three acre park that makes clever use of that often wasted space…read moreat the base of a bridge. In this case that space is around George C. Means Memorial Bridge that crosses the St. John's River. The park was named in honor of Cameron Wright, a former member of the of the Sanford City Commission where he served for many years. He was also instrumental in the development of the park. The park was previously named Westside Park before the name was changed by the city. Cameron Wright Park has a covered picnic pavilion with tables, fishing dock, and boat launch onto the St. John's River which connects to both Lake Jessup and Lake Monroe. This is a boaters and fisherman's paradise. Just watch out for the alligators.

A place to go…read moresomeplace else Cameron Wight Park is a small area located almost under the bridge on Rt 46. It's easy to zoom right by it if you aren't looking in the right spot. Certainly not a large area and definitely not a park for hiking, this is a place to get to the water. It has a few picnic tables but I doubt it anyone comes here for a picnic. This is a place to launch a boat to go fishing, paddling or just to go somewhere that isn't here. From the park you can launch right into the St Johns River and if you go south you can get into gator infested Lake Jessup, north into Lake Monroe and east into Lake Thornhill. Or you can just get lost in the multitude of small streams and canals. The launch area is very well maintained and can take power boats as well as canoes and yaks. Unfortunately like most of the water in this part of Florida this part of the St John's can have harmful bacteria and amoeba that will do very nasty things to your body if it gets inside of you so swimming is definitely discouraged. Beside large gators seem to enjoy hanging out in this part of the river. The small park has a large parking area that makes parking boat trailers convenient but like most boat launch areas burglaries are common so locking your vehicle is mandatory. Certainly not a park to hang out in or hike but a great place that gives access to a lot of water in all directions.

Barr Street Trailhead is honestly not that far off I'll be hustle and bustle of the Orlando,…read moreFlorida area. However, once you get upon these paths, it is easy to forget that civilization even exists. There is a decent amount of parking, however, I can see this filling up real fast. Even when I showed up here at about 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, people were here and when I was leaving, it definitely got much busier. The paths themselves are pretty incredible periods they're well laid out and definitely give you the sense of getting back to nature periods as I said earlier comma it is easy to forget that you are right outside of civilization and it is easy to feel at one with nature out here. The trails are clearly indicated with strips of paint on the trees. They also have signs throughout the area on where you can call if you have an emergency. I would definitely recommend to come and check this place out. I will give it five stars.

This trail entrance in Oviedo opens up to a trail full of scenery and wildlife. We went in the…read moremorning to avoid the higher heat in the afternoon. With all of the rain, we were surprised it wasn't muddy and you could walk most of the trail without issues. The description says it's a loop but the maps and markings aren't real clear on what the loop is. We wasted some time trying to figure out where to go, and the lizard wasn't very helpful. Once we decided, we were able to hike and look at the beautiful scenery. There were lots of places to view the river and anything that may be swimming in it. When we got to the bridge, we were disappointed you could not cross it and continue the loop. It may have been possible to jump over the part of the flooded area, but the opposite side of the bridge looked like it wasn't worth it. So instead of a loop, we just had to turn around and walk back. The walk was chaotic in the sense that you have to pay attention to the ground as there are lots of roots you can trip over. Add the low hanging branches that need pushed out of the way, and you have the makings of a potential injury. Stay alert and pay attention to where you are with the marked rescue areas. We may return when you can do the entire hike as a loop. It was a good 5.5 mile walk to the bridge and back, so keep that in mind if you're planning on going. That's about the length of the Las Vegas strip, but with a completely different scenery!

A very nice park in Oviedo. Parking can sometimes be difficult, especially during the evening and…read moreweekends, but it is free. Better free parking can be found in the strip malls. The park is very beautiful with lots of fountains, including a large one on the lake. There are various restaurants, apartment complex, and shopping areas around the park. You can also rent a swan boat and buy food for the fishes. The kids can play in the playground while enjoying ice cream at Bruster's. The great restaurants within walking distance includes Tabla, Jinya, TJs, and Marlow's. It's just a wonderful park for a nice walk, eating out, playing, or shopping. Overall: A

What a cool area! They really built this up with lots of restaurants, shops, activities, a dog…read morepark, apartments and an event center. And there seemed to be plenty of free parking, with street parking, a few areas scattered around the lake, and a parking lot just north of the Event Center. Now that I know this is here, I plan on coming back to check out more events, the Food Factory food hall, and a return trip to the Crazy Cork wine bar. Very cool and you wouldn't guess it was here when you drive by on Mitchell Hammock (which I've done many many times).

This playground has a lot of great features. It is fenced in. It has nice artificial turf…read more(excellent for crawling babies). It has a fair amount of shade and a lot of picnic tables. It has two regular swings and two baby swings. It has a "little kid" and a "big kid" playground. It has bathrooms on site. The cons are that it can be difficult to keep an eye on all your children if one wants to be on the big playground and one on the little. Worse than that is that the big kid playground is a little TOO big. It has a lot of openings a child could fall out of that are quite high. Thankfully the third story doesn't have an opening, but I have seen older kids climb up the outside of the large enclosed slides all the way to the top. It was extremely scary! There are warnings for bees but I am yet to see any.

This is an updated review from me. I used to bring my nieces and nephews to Friendship Park, now…read moreI'm bringing my own kids. The park has toddler swings as well as regular swings, making it great for children of all ages. Since my last review, everything has been repainted and cleaned, and the improvements are noticeable. There are restrooms on-site and plenty of shaded areas. The entire playground is fenced in. It does get pretty busy during the day time on the weekends, as many birthdays occur here. Also, the church across the street uses the parking area on Sundays so parking can be limited during that time.