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Guide with drive times from the house

12 Free Things to Do in Orlando Besides the Theme Parks

Orlando is much more than its theme parks, and some of its best outings cost nothing. We gathered 12 free places, each one confirmed with its official source, with the drive time from our house in Clermont and a Google Maps link.

Updated October 2026

At a glance: 12 free places in and around Orlando

PlaceWhat is freeDrive from the house
Disney SpringsAdmission and parking31 min
Universal CityWalkAdmission; parking after 6 p.m.39 min
CelebrationWalking the town center and the lake26 min
Old Town KissimmeeAdmission, car cruises and parking29 min
Lakeridge Winery & VineyardsGuided tour and tasting39 min
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive11-mile scenic drive43 min
Lake Eola ParkPark and Sunday market47 min
Mead Botanical GardenAdmission53 min
Harry P. Leu GardensIts free days (first Monday of the month)54 min
Park Avenue and the Winter Park Farmers' MarketSaturday market and stroll56 min
Morse Museum of American ArtFridays 4 to 8 p.m. (November to April)57 min
Kraft Azalea GardenPublic garden60 min

Drive times from the house per Google Maps, with usual weekday traffic.

Free things to do at Disney World and Universal

The spring and footbridge at The Landing, Disney Springs31 min

Disney Springs

20.5 miles

Disney's shopping, dining and entertainment district is free to walk: live music, street performers and stores such as World of Disney and the LEGO Store. It is the easiest way to soak up Disney on a day without park tickets.

What is free
Admission and standard self-parking in every garage and surface lot are free, according to Disney.
Good to know
Shopping, food and some experiences cost money. The garages open at 9 a.m. Since June 28, 2026, Disney buses and boats from Disney Springs to the resort hotels require a hotel stay or a reservation, so they no longer work as a free ride to the resorts.
View on Google Maps: Disney SpringsOfficial site: Disney Springs
Universal CityWalk entrance plaza with the Universal Orlando Resort sign39 min

Universal CityWalk

26.5 miles

Universal's entertainment district, between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, is free to walk: live music, restaurants, shops and the lagoon promenade, with the parks' atmosphere all around.

What is free
There is no admission charge, and standard self-parking is free after 6 p.m., according to Universal.
Good to know
Before 6 p.m. standard self-parking costs $35, and the free parking does not apply on Halloween Horror Nights event nights (October 2026 prices).
View on Google Maps: Universal CityWalkOfficial site: Universal CityWalk

Free things to do in Kissimmee and Celebration

Storefronts on Market Street in Celebration, Florida26 min

Celebration

16.5 miles

The town Disney planned in the 1990s: tidy streets, shops and restaurants on Market Street and a lakeside promenade, perfect for a sunset walk.

What is free
Walking the town center and the lakeside park costs nothing.
Good to know
Shops and restaurants keep their own hours.
View on Google Maps: CelebrationOfficial site: Celebration
Pink classic Cadillac and the Old Town Ferris wheel in Kissimmee29 min

Old Town Kissimmee

12.5 miles

A retro entertainment district on US-192 where classic cars parade down the brick street every Saturday night, with a muscle car cruise on Fridays and a bike show on Wednesdays.

What is free
Admission, watching the car shows and cruises, and parking in the lots behind the buildings are free, according to Old Town.
Good to know
Rides, games and food cost money, and the large overflow lot off Florida Plaza Blvd charges $11 plus tax. Saturdays: classic car show from 1 p.m. and cruise at 8:30 p.m. Fridays: muscle cars from 3 p.m. and cruise at 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays: bike show from 6 to 10 p.m.
View on Google Maps: Old Town KissimmeeOfficial site: Old Town Kissimmee

Free nature and winery tours near Clermont

Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards building with its tower and lawn39 min

Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards

20.5 miles

Clermont's winery, set among rolling hills of muscadine vineyards, runs guided tours of its winemaking that end with a tasting.

What is free
The winery advertises its tours and tastings as complimentary, seven days a week.
Good to know
VIP tours cost extra and the tasting is for adults 21 and over. Tours Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
View on Google Maps: Lakeridge Winery & VineyardsOfficial site: Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards
Little blue heron and gallinules at the Lust Road gate of Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive43 min

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

33 miles

An 11-mile, one-way drive through the restored marshes on Lake Apopka's north shore. From your car you can spot alligators and birds such as herons and ibis.

What is free
It is free, like all St. Johns River Water Management District lands.
Good to know
It opens only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays, with entry from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; every vehicle must be out by 5 p.m. It starts at Lust Road and ends at Jones Avenue, so plan 1 to 3 hours. It can close after storms, so check the district notices before you go.
View on Google Maps: Lake Apopka Wildlife DriveOfficial site: Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

Free parks, gardens and museums in Orlando and Winter Park

Lake Eola with its fountain and the downtown Orlando skyline47 min

Lake Eola Park

35.5 miles

Downtown Orlando's signature park: a loop of about a mile around the lake, the swans, the fountain and the skyline. On Sundays the Orlando Farmers Market sets up on the lakeshore.

What is free
The park is free, and so is browsing the Sunday market (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Good to know
Downtown parking (meters and garages) is paid, and so are the swan boats. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
View on Google Maps: Lake Eola ParkOfficial site: Lake Eola Park
Shady path at Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando54 min

Harry P. Leu Gardens

38.5 miles

Orlando's large botanical garden on Lake Rowena, with camellias, a rose garden, palms, bamboo and shady lakeside paths.

What is free
Admission is free on the free days the garden publishes, which this season fall on the first Monday of the month: November 2 and December 7, 2026, and January 4, 2027. Children under 4 are always free.
Good to know
Other days it costs $15 per adult and $10 per child aged 4 to 17. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (until 4 p.m. from November 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027), closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
View on Google Maps: Harry P. Leu GardensOfficial site: Harry P. Leu Gardens
Shops on Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park56 min

Park Avenue and the Winter Park Farmers' Market

40.5 miles

Downtown Winter Park centers on Park Avenue, with boutiques, cafés and Central Park. On Saturday mornings the farmers' market fills the park with produce, plants, baked goods and local food.

What is free
Entering and browsing the market is free, and so is walking Park Avenue.
Good to know
The market runs every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a few times a year it moves to Seven Oaks Park during big events. Downtown parking fills up early on Saturdays.
View on Google Maps: Park Avenue and the Winter Park Farmers' MarketOfficial site: Park Avenue and the Winter Park Farmers' Market
Entrance of the Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park57 min

Morse Museum of American Art

40.5 miles

This Winter Park museum holds, in its own words, the most comprehensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany's work, including the chapel interior he designed for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

What is free
Admission is free for everyone on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., November through April, and always free for children under 12.
Good to know
Other days it costs $8 per adult, and it is closed on Mondays. Nearby, the Rollins Museum of Art is free every day it is open.
View on Google Maps: Morse Museum of American ArtOfficial site: Morse Museum of American Art
Cypress trees draped in Spanish moss at Kraft Azalea Garden, Winter Park60 min

Kraft Azalea Garden

42.5 miles

A Winter Park garden on the shore of Lake Maitland, with giant cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, a classical exedra facing the lake and azaleas that bloom in late winter.

What is free
It is a free public garden run by the City of Winter Park.
Good to know
Open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. Street parking is very limited, and the exedra is popular for weddings and photo shoots at sunset.
View on Google Maps: Kraft Azalea GardenOfficial site: Kraft Azalea Garden

Looking for the theme parks?

Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld and the Clermont activities, with their drive times from the house, are on our nearby attractions page.

See nearby attractions

Free things to do in Orlando: frequently asked questions

Yes. Admission to Disney Springs and standard self-parking in its garages and lots are free, according to Disney. You only pay for shopping, food and some experiences. It is about a 31-minute drive from the house.

No. CityWalk has no admission charge, and standard self-parking is free after 6 p.m., except on Halloween Horror Nights event nights. Before 6 p.m. it costs $35 (October 2026 price).

The Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park is free for everyone on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., November through April, and always free for children under 12. Nearby, the Rollins Museum of Art is free every day it is open.

Celebration, about 26 minutes away, and Old Town Kissimmee, about 29, where classic cars parade on Saturday nights. Lakeridge Winery in Clermont is about 39 minutes away.

Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays, with entry from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; every vehicle must be out by 5 p.m. It is free and can close after storms, so check the St. Johns River Water Management District notices before you go.

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