Free things to do in Orlando: the best ones are outside, not in the shops

Free wildlife and nature

The best free thing in the Orlando area is seeing wild Florida, and two places do it well.

• Orlando Wetlands Park, about 40 minutes east, is a large marsh with flat walking berms. Alligators and wading birds are almost guaranteed, especially on cool mornings.
• The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, northwest of the city, is an 11-mile, one-way gravel road you drive slowly in your own car. It is open to cars on Fridays, weekends and federal holidays, and birders love it.
• Mead Botanical Garden in Winter Park is a free, wooded garden with boardwalks and a creek, and it rarely feels busy.
• Kraft Azalea Garden in Winter Park is a small lakeside garden under huge cypress trees, best in late winter when the azaleas bloom.

For all of these, go early. Heat and afternoon storms shut down outdoor plans for much of the year.

Free in the city

Lake Eola Park in downtown is the classic free hour: a paved loop just under a mile around the lake, swans, skyline views and a lit fountain after dark. On Sundays, a farmers market fills the east side.

Winter Park is the other easy free afternoon. Walk Park Avenue, sit under the oaks in Central Park, browse the shops and look at the old homes on the side streets. Several museums around the region have free or reduced evenings at certain times of year, so check their sites before you go.

Downtown Orlando also has a free circulator bus that loops through the center, which saves parking fees if you are hopping between Lake Eola, Church Street and the arena area.

Free near the theme parks

Disney Springs costs nothing to enter, and parking in its garages is free. You can walk the waterfront, watch street performers and look at the shops for an evening without spending a dollar, if you have the willpower. The guide to a free evening at Disney Springs covers how to do it well.

Disney's resort hotels can also be visited, and walking the lakeside paths between some of them is pleasant at sunset. Universal CityWalk is free to enter too, though parking there usually costs money except at certain evening hours, so check current rules.

A free day plan

1. Leave early for Orlando Wetlands Park and walk a loop before 10 a.m.
2. Drive back toward the city and pack a picnic lunch for Mead Botanical Garden.
3. Spend the afternoon on Park Avenue and in Central Park in Winter Park.
4. Head to Lake Eola for sunset and the fountain lights.
5. Finish with a stroll through Thornton Park or downtown.

The only real cost is gas and parking, and the day shows you more of the region than most visitors ever see.

Free events and seasonal extras

Orlando has plenty of free events through the year. Farmers markets run most weekends, and some evenings in Winter Park and downtown have outdoor concerts or movie screenings. In early July, the city's fireworks at Lake Eola are free and draw a huge crowd. In December, Winter Park lights up Park Avenue, and several towns hold free holiday events.

Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral can often be seen from the Orlando area on clear days or nights, especially from high spots or open lakes. Check the launch schedule if you are in town. It costs nothing and is easy to fit around other plans.

Mistakes to avoid

• Assuming free means no planning. Wildlife areas have limited hours, and some open only on certain days.
• Going midday in summer. Free outdoor spots have little shade. Mornings and evenings are the only comfortable times.
• Forgetting the hidden costs. Downtown parking and tolls on the highways add up, so carry a toll pass or plan your route.
• Treating shopping as entertainment. The outlets and mall are free to enter, but they are rarely the best use of a free day.

For a full picture of what a trip costs and where to save, read the Orlando trip budget guide.