Want to explore things to do in Orlando and Orange County in one day? Here are some suggestions:
* The beach is a great way to start the day, but what if you don’t feel like driving to the coast? Try Dinky Dock park in Winter Park. Nestled east of Rollins College, the 1 1/2-acre park has a cordoned swimming area and a pier with a covered pavilion. Watch the kayakers, Jet Skiers and paddle boarders from a bench under the cypress trees while eating a grab-and-go brunch. The dog-friendly park, once the site of a station on the old Dinky-line railway, even has a mini-library if you feel like doing a little reading.
* An urban garden makes a statement to visitors at East End Market in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District: Fresh ingredients here. The market, which opened in late 2013, is all about local, wholesome food. Try a kale, blueberry, banana, almond-milk and chia smoothie, a warm papaya-jam and goat-cheese sandwich on raisin bread or a cup of Rwandan coffee. Or, sip a craft beer or wine at a shop that also sells locally grown veggies, handmade cleaners and natural dog treats. Browse the plants for sale in the courtyard, where there’s live music every first and third Saturday of the month, or walk upstairs to the bookstore, which features works by local authors.
* When the hustle and bustle of daily life overwhelm, Dickson Azalea Park is the antidote. This 5-acre oasis in the Lake Lawsona Historic District residential neighborhood near downtown Orlando teems with pink, purple and white azaleas early in the year. Even when the flowers aren’t in bloom, palms, ferns, a variety of trees and the meandering Fern Creek beckon. Walk down into this below-street-level park, once a watering hole for cattle, and enjoy bird-watching, a quiet lunch or a picturesque view of the historic-landmark Washington Street Bridge. It’s a favorite place for dog-walkers, too.
* Downtown Winter Garden is known for its buzzing stores, eateries, theater and farmers’ market. A good way to see it all and learn about the city’s history is to download a free “Q Tour” walking tour to your cellphone. You’ll start at the Heritage Museum and go to a dozen other stops, including the Central Florida Railroad Museum, which features old train china, signs, schedules and equipment. Be sure to pass Winter Garden Feed Store and visit Pinky the pig and Phyllis the crested chicken, two of the animals who live there. You’ll end your tour at beautiful Lake Apopka.
* By this time, you’ll be hungry. Head over to Yellow Dog Eats, where the eclectic decor is almost as much fun as the food. The Gotha restaurant specializes in barbecue, but it also offers sandwiches, salads and vegetarian fare with names such as Strawberry Fields and Smoochy Poochy. Tuesday is trivia night, Wednesday is karaoke night, and you can hear live music on the patio from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The 1910 building, decorated with mosaics, mounted fish, a Jimi Hendrix poster and old toys and postcards, used to be a general store, a grocery, a boardinghouse and a private home.
