In the heart of Florida — a state named for flowers and sunshine — Orlando’s natural beauty serves as the perfect counterbalance to the area’s signature theme park fun. Ecotours, natural springs, birding, nature trails, fishing, kayaking, airboat rides and lots of thrills are some of the many options for exploring the great outdoors in Orlando. Whether peacefully paddling through spring-fed lakes or hang-gliding 2,000 feet above orange groves, you can dive into a variety of lush ecosystems, all within driving distance of the tourism districts.
From venues and businesses, golf resorts, and LEED-certified lodging, to restaurants, activities and theme park conservation efforts, Orlando prides itself on being environmentally responsible. See how the local government agencies, businesses and residents are working together to make the Theme Park Capital of the World the most sustainable and resilient community in the Southeast of the United States.
As migration patterns send scores of wildlife south in colder weather, Orlando’s moderate climate becomes a popular haven for birds and those who love to watch them. Photographers and birders find their paradise here among areas like Lake Apopka, a magnet for nesting and migrating birds lured by the lake’s acres of undeveloped shoreline.
In fact, more than 360 different species of birds — including bald eagles, great blue herons, snowy egrets and anhingas — have been identified in the Lake Apopka North Shore area, more than any inland site in Florida. Accordingly, true bird lovers and wildlife fans won’t want to miss the North Shore Birding Festival, which is held each winter and offers free birding and nature tours. The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is another good resource for wildlife viewing sites, with 17 highlighted in the Orlando area alone.
A favourite of birders and photographers is the Gatorland Bird Rookery, where more than 20 different species of nesting, foraging and roosting birds thrive. From early March through May, photographers and birding enthusiasts can enter the park at 7 a.m. on select days for some of the best possible access to wildlife via Gatorland‘s Photographers Pass.
Tranquil and enchanting, Orlando’s many opportunities for kayaking and canoeing are not to be missed. Visitors can opt to stay at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes or the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes for guided canoe or kayak tours of Shingle Creek, known as the Headwaters of the Florida Everglades. Several other Orlando-area resorts offer kayaking excursions, too.
You can also enjoy kayaking on numerous waterways and natural springs throughout the Orlando area with an assist from innovative standalone operators such as Adventures in Florida, Epic Paddle Adventures, and Get Up and Go Kayaking.
Crystal-clear waters make for perfect scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and fishing — not to mention manatee encounters — and visitors can find all four at several pristine natural springs less than an hour’s drive from Orlando.
In Apopka, about 40 minutes from our main tourism districts, Wekiwa Springs State Park (pronounced “Wekiva”) offers just about everything nature lovers could want, from trails and canoe rentals to untouched wild vistas and family-friendly play areas. Camping is also available here. Closer to Orlando’s core, Kelly Park features a free-flowing natural spring and a clear, swift creek, Rock Springs.
Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, approximately an hour from our tourism districts, is famous for its annual influx of manatees. Blue Spring is especially popular in the colder months but offers beauty and adventure year-round.
A little more than an hour from our tourism districts, De Leon Springs State Park combines all the beauty of natural Florida springs with a historic and delicious addition. The popular Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House operates in a 100-year-old replica of the original 1830s sugar mill and is famous for the option to cook your own pancakes at the table.
For hiking, bicycling and other outdoor activities, Orlando’s many nature parks and preserves offer a treasure trove of wildlife for you to explore. Fans of a good bike ride will love the West Orange Trail, featuring 20.8 paved miles with restroom, picnic and playground facilities, stretching from Winter Garden to Apopka in the north. Didn’t bring a bicycle with you? No problem: You can rent one from West Orange Trail Bikes & Blades Co., who will even deliver to your hotel for a nominal fee.
Many other ecotourism activities can be enjoyed while in the Winter Garden area. About 20 minutes south, the Tibet-Butler Preserve features 438 acres of pristine wilderness that include many bodies of water in the Butler Chain of Lakes, officially recognized by the state as Outstanding Florida Waters. Open 363 days per year, excluding only Christmas and Christmas Eve, the Tibet-Butler Preserve also boasts four miles of trails and seven ecosystems with hiking, walking, youth programs, wildlife sightings and many other reasons to visit.
Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area is another local nature preserve worth visiting. Named for a spectacular, 200-year-old live oak tree that survived after being split down the middle, Split Oak features a mixture of trails and unpaved roads through diverse wildlife habitats, including the 5.3-mile North/South Trail. It’s about 35 minutes east of Orlando’s tourism districts.
Orlando’s natural flora and fauna offer a relaxing escape for some guests, but some crave a wilder ride. For them, Revolution Adventures invites guests to take the wheel of an all-terrain Hummer, Jeep, dune buggy or high-speed rally car for a few hours of pulse-pounding, off-road fun.
For up-high excitement, Gatorland’s Screamin’ Gator Zip Line will carry you over gators along 1,200 feet of high-flying adventure, at heights reaching 56 feet and speeds of nearly 30 mph. Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park and Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Seminole Aerial Adventures also offer zip-lining opportunities for all ages. You can even go up — way up — at Wallaby Ranch Hang Gliding Flight Park.
A classic Florida experience, airboat rides offer dazzling views and an up-close look at native fauna as you glide across tranquil wetlands at up to 50 mph. Try Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures for a VIP swamp excursion, Wild Florida for airboat rides and an amazing wildlife park that’s included in the ticket price, or go deep into Florida’s natural bounty with Spirit of the Swamp Airboat Rides for small and private tours.
With so many miles of pristine waterways in Orlando, anglers of all ages can look forward to casting lines while they’re here. Some of the best is available at Walt Disney World ® Fishing, where guided catch-and-release outings invite you to experience bass fishing at its finest, all year round. Several of our resorts also offer fishing opportunities, including Rosen Shingle Creek, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando and JW Marriott Orlando in Grande Lakes, and others.
The Florida Green Lodging Certification Program is a voluntary, non-regulatory effort from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that recognizes environmentally conscientious lodging in the state. More than 60 Orlando hotels have received green certification. The DEP recognizes 18 Orlando hotels in the top two tiers of the program.
Other green hotel initiatives in Orlando include:
– Eighteen hotel brands in Orlando donate unused soap to Clean the World. The non-profit distributes recycled soap products to homeless shelters and impoverished countries.
– Grande Lakes Orlando (including JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes) is recognized as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.” The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses helps courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitats and protect national resources.
– Hilton Orlando restaurants David’s Club Bar & Grill and Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops have been recognized as Ocean Friendly Restaurants by the Orange County Environmental Protection Division, with both committing to restrict the use of plastic foam, plastic bags and straws.
– Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista, both located in the Disney Springs® Resort Area Complex, have recycling bins in guest rooms; opt-in policies for towel replacements; and only change bedding every three days, unless a guest specifically asks.
– Rosen Hotels & Resorts converts its used cooking oil into biodiesel that goes to power their maintenance vehicles and golf course equipment. Their properties include Rosen Shingle Creek, Rosen Centre Hotel, Rosen Plaza Hotel, Rosen Inn International, Rosen Inn Closest to Universal, Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando, and Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista.
– Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Hilton Grand Vacations have all pledged to remove plastic, single-use straws from their facilities.
– Rosen Shingle Creek and Hilton Orlando are founding members of Green Destination Orlando. The two properties are a catalyst for the program’s implementation because of their green practices.
– Walt Disney World Resort hotels replaced individually packaged soaps and shampoos with refillable dispensers to reduce plastic waste.
– Marriott hotels have removed small plastic toiletry bottles.
– IHG hotels replaced all miniature toiletries with bulk-sized amenities.
– Loews Hotels properties practice several green programs including food donations, eco-friendly linen washing policies, back-of-house recycling, and eco-friendly energy tech such as low-flow showerheads and fluorescent lightbulbs.
American Kitchen Bar & Grill follows a farm-to-table concept. Sourcing local and sustainable products whenever possible. Just like America, the restaurant’s menus are a melting pot of multiple influences and techniques. American Kitchen, Bar & Grill takes an artisan approach to numerous items on our menu which gives the restaurant the opportunity to share a unique spin on New American Fusion Cuisine.
Share a communal table or intimate booth with friends and family and take your taste buds down “Gin Lane” with American Kitchen’s revival on classic cocktails with a modern twist. View the restaurant’s living garden where they harvest all the greens and herbs used to create signature dishes.
By providing locally sourced food, we reconnect people with their food sources while sustaining local, all natural farms. By providing information, we empower people to make better choices for their health and life. Check out The Farmacy at the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market.
Dining at the deep blu Seafood Grille at Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek brings you back to the days of exploration as diners will feel that they are in the Captain’s Quarters of a 16th-century Spanish galleon. The culinary team, under the direction of Chef John Sadio, prides itself on serving fresh seafood from environmentally sustainable and local fisheries in the region. This seafood restaurant in Orlando also serves a variety of land dishes including steaks, chops and salads. And from the Sushi Bar, traditional sushi rolls such as Kamikaze, California and Rainbow rolls are made fresh daily.
City Works is an ‘eatery and pour house’ style restaurant, with a focus on classic American food with brilliant twists, an impressive selection of drinks, and an upbeat, energetic atmosphere. The ‘pour house’ offers 100 draft handles, as well as 8 wines on draft, which offer the benefits of freshness, consistency, and zero waste.
City Works enjoys sharing a love of sports and music, and show an array of events on 17 flatscreen HDTVs with state-of-the-art audio, including one enormous video wall.
Read more about Orlando’s commitment to sustainability here.
Price includes; 4 nights hotel stay, return flights, EV/ hybrid car hire, ATOL protection, and a free 5% donation to charity!
Price includes; 7 nights hotel stay, return flights, EV/ hybrid car hire, ATOL protection, and a free 5% donation to charity!
Arrive at Orlando International Airport (MCO) Orlando International Airport.
Check in to your cabin at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort (rent RV for campsites as well) or another Florida Green Lodging Certified hotel.
Dinner and shopping: Disney Springs
Explore the Outdoors.
Start the morning at the Disney Wilderness Preserve. Enjoy a hike and/or bird watching.
Head over to Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures for lunch, an airboat tour, and other onsite activities including a butterfly garden and Native American Village replica.
Dinner at the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.
Explore Disney’s Animal Kingdom today with dinner t Sanaa, overlooking the Savanna
Start your morning at the Wallaby Ranch or Revolution Adventures, for some high-octane, active fun.
Lunch and shopping at the Wharf located in Sunset Walk
After lunch head over to Showcase of Citrus for some shopping and light family activities
Dinner at Fort Wilderness Resort, grill dinner at your cabin or campsite or stop into one of their many restaurants and enjoy the pool or other onsite activities.
Check out of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
Head over to Winter Park and start the day with a Winter Park Scenic boat tour. Have lunch at Ethos Vegan Kitchen.
After lunch visit area museums and shopping (head out by 4 pm to avoid traffic, our picks are Orlando Vintage Clothing and Costumes, Morse Museum ($6 adults/children under 12 free), and Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens ($12 adults/$7 children).
-Check into a Loews hotel (EV Charging onsite), or another Florida Green Lodging Certified hotel, and spend the evening relaxing at the pool. Dine at one of the on-site restaurants.
Visit the Orlando Science Center, a great place to learn about science and nature.
Take a walk through the Harry P. Leu Gardens, a beautiful botanical garden with a variety of plants and flowers.
Have dinner at City Works Eatery & Pour House
Early this morning, head out to explore the natural Springs at Kelly Park Rock Springs (during the summer and on weekends, the park hits capacity early)
Pack a lunch or pre-order subs from Publix. Rent paddle boards, kayaks or tubes, and have dinner at Café Tu Tu Tango.
-After dinner walk over to Icon Park to shop and enjoy family activities.
Transfer back to the airport to head home.
Find out more about Orlando here, and get in touch with our expert travel agents to plan your perfect break in Orlando today!
Remember, every time you book a holiday with us, you can donate 5% of the price to the charity of your choice for free!
Fundraising Futures Community Interest Company, Contingent Works, Broadway Buildings,
Elmfield Road, Bromley, Kent,
BR1 1LW. England
Putting our profit to work supporting the work of charitable causes
For the latest travel advice, including security, local laws and passports, visit the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.
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