Inexpensive and smothered in nature, these scenic campgrounds are the best for RV and tent campers within an hour’s drive of Disney World.
Orlando/Central Florida
Local color: Lake Placid Caladium Festival, July 23 to 25, 2021, is about a vivid plant
This small town festival celebrates a uniquely Lake Placid product: caladiums, a colorful plant grown commercially almost nowhere else. There’ll be music, food, a car show, arts and crafts plus bus tours of the caladium fields.
Top hiking trails near Orlando: Little Big Econ State Forest
Some of the best hiking near Orlando can be found at the Little Big Econ State Forest, where bluffs along a scenic river add interest. The forest is 5,000 acres preserved in a suburban area in the middle of the triangle formed by Orlando, Cocoa and Daytona Beach.
Discover Lake Wales Ridge State Forest for hiking, exploring, camping
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is for explorers – folks who like to find places that aren’t in the guidebooks. Here you can hike for miles in the woods, hear only nature and have a chance to spot wildlife, including bear, bald eagles and endangered scrub jays.
Deseret Ranches: Tour a surprising Florida cattle ranch
Even many Floridians don’t know that cattle ranching in Florida is big business. This interesting free tour near Orlando offers a peek into one of the biggest cattle ranches in the nation, and it’s owned by a church.
Dora Canal: It’s short but so sweet, so paddle slowly
The Dora Canal could be the prettiest one mile you’ll paddle in Florida. The waterway connects Lake Dora and Lake Eustis in Tavares, just west of Mount Dora.
Florida Strawberry Festival: March 4-14, 2021
Reba, Neil McCoy, Patti LaBelle, Josh Turner, Lynyrd Skynyrd headline 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival
Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest: Easy scenic paddling; lots of wildlife
The clear waters flowing out of Alexander Springs are the start of a great paddling trail inside Ocala National Forest. It’s an easy stream to paddle with lots of wildlife, especially birds and fish.
Kayaking Arbuckle Creek: Unexpected beauty at a bombing range
Arbuckle Creek is a gorgeous river through an ancient cypress forest. It feels remote and wild but is convenient to Orlando and South Florida. It’s a gem, full of wildlife and magnificent scenery.
