Guide to the Best Free Activities in Orlando
Between free things to do and other ways to save, no wonder that we’re ranked among the20 Cheapest Places to Travel in 2024according to Travel + Leisure.
Celebration Town Center
Celebration is a master-planned community less than 10 minutes from Walt Disney World® Resort. Perfect for relaxation and strolling, Celebration Town Center is their central shopping, dining and entertainment hub. It also features free, family-focused events all year long, such as exotic car shows, fall’s Oktoberfest, and Now Snowing, a holiday celebration with faux snow.
Disney Springs®
Featuring free admission and free, covered parking, the open-air Disney Springs® dining, shopping and entertainment district at Walt Disney World® Resort invites you to enjoy remarkable architecture, natural beauty and free family fun that includes live performances and other entertaining interludes.
Disney’s BoardWalk
Located within walking distance of EPCOT® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, and featuring free admission, Disney’s BoardWalk will transport you to charming, turn-of-the-20th-century Atlantic City. As you stroll along a Coney Island-style boardwalk, take in free evening entertainment that includes jugglers, comedians and even fire-eaters.
Old Town Entertainment District
Get a feel for Florida communities of yesteryear, complete with authentic architecture and distinctive storefronts, at this free attraction in Kissimmee just minutes from Walt Disney World® Resort. In addition to paid attractions, dining and shopping, Old Town has a robust schedule of free events featuring classic car shows and live entertainment.
Sunset Walk at Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Promenade at Sunset Walk
Adjacent to Margaritaville Resort Orlando in Kissimmee close to Walt Disney World® Resort, Promenade at Sunset Walk is home to dining venues, nightlife, retailers and more. They also host a regular lineup of free entertainment and events, including numerous holiday celebrations.
Universal CityWalk
Parking is free after 6 p.m. (excluding special event nights) and admission is always free at this 30-acre entertainment complex at Universal Orlando Resort. Free activities include dance parties set to live DJ sets, splash areas for kids, and water taxis that travel to and from several Universal Orlando official hotel properties, no stay required.
Lake Nona
Farmers Markets
Sample local flavor at our free farmers markets. The Orlando Farmers Market is held on Sundays at downtown’s Lake Eola Park. On Saturdays, take in the Winter Garden Farmers Market, the Winter Park Farmers’ Market, and the Lake Nona Farmers Market. (Please note that farmers markets are subject to cancelation or rescheduling.)
Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards
Every day, Orlando’s largest premium winery offers free, 45-minute tours with tastings, including the production area and a view of the 80-acre vineyards. Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards also hosts free summer and winter music series, as well as a free open house during the holidays. They’re in Clermont, about 35 minutes west of our tourism districts.
USTA National Campus
The USTA National Campus offers top-notch facilities, a wide range of events that are free to attend, and 100 fully lit tennis courts. They even have pickleball. What’s more, the 60- and 30-foot courts at the Nemours Family Zone are free for all ages to play, but pre-registration is required. The facility is in our Lake Nona community.
Nature Preserves
The Orlando area boasts numerous nature preserves. These include the Tibet-Butler Preserve near Winter Garden to the west, Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area about 35 minutes east of Orlando, and Ocala National Forest, which is approximately 90 minutes north of our tourism districts.
Enjoy local parks, forests and gardens with free entry. Top options include Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando’s Thornton Park District, Lake Lorna Doone Park in downtown’s West Lakes Market Street District, Mead Botanical Garden and Kraft Azalea Garden in Winter Park, and Dr. P. Phillips Community Park near International Drive.
West Orange Trail
This 20.8-mile paved trail runs from Winter Garden near Walt Disney World® to Apopka, west of Orlando’s main tourism districts. Hiking and biking are free, and the trail also features playground equipment and other amenities. If you didn’t bring bicycles with you, you can rent them from West Orange Trail Bikes & Blades Co., which offers delivery to area hotels.
ICON Park®
This famous entertainment, dining and shopping hub is home to The Orlando Eye. It’s one of Orlando’s best spots for selfies, and entry to the complex is always free. Hang out on the central green to watch The Orlando Eye’s nightly lighting, or just kick back, relax and enjoy some people-watching after exploring International Drive.
City of Orlando
Free Movie Nights
Orlando has two ways to see free nighttime movies under the stars. First, Lake Eola Park hosts Movieola, which shows popular classics on the last Friday of the month from April through August. And on the second Thursday of each month, the city of Winter Park partners with Maitland’s Enzian Theater to host Popcorn Flicks in the Park.
Nightly Opera at Universal Orlando
Every evening, weather permitting, the posh Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando hosts Musica della Notte (Music of the Night). Starting at sunset, the free event features traditional opera, upbeat melodies and singular blend of pop music and opera appropriately called popera.
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
Located in Winter Park, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art hosts the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including lamps, glasswork, pottery, jewelry and more — they even have a Morse-designed chapel. The museum is open to the public at no charge on select dates.
CityArts
CityArts is home to several separate and unique art galleries. Housed in the historic Rogers Kiene building in downtown Orlando’s City District, the venue showcases local and regional artists.
Snap! Orlando
Part of downtown’s City District, Snap! Orlando hosts rotating exhibits of artistry, and admission is always free. They also have a free augmented-reality (AR) app, CITY Unseen, that blends the work of internationally renowned artists with cutting-edge augmented reality.
Hannibal Square Heritage Center
At the Hannibal Square Heritage Center in Winter Park, discover photography, artwork and oral histories that reveal the surrounding Hannibal Square district’s origins as one of Florida’s original African American communities.
Located in Maitland, just north of Winter Park, this venue presents a historical overview of the Holocaust and serves as a memorial to the victims. The display consists of 12 sections, each focusing on a major theme from the Holocaust with photographs, text, artifacts, art, short films and local survivor testimonies.
Lake Nona Sculpture Garden
Explore a distinguished selection of sculptures from one of the world’s largest private art collections, The Lewis Collection, at this 50,000-square-foot outdoor space in Lake Nona. Standouts include pieces by acclaimed international artists. Make time to explore it all by booking a stay at the adjacent Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
More to Explore
You will never run out of one-of-a-kind adventures in Orlando. See what elseis waiting to amaze you.
{{:isDTN}}{{~fill(helpers.partial('custom_ccl/extras/sponsored'), helpers.var.config )}}{{/}}
{{:hasDeets()}}
- {{:~var.isBlog}}{{:timeToRead}}
- {{timeToRead.minutes}} {{timeToRead.label}} {{/}}{{/}}{{:~var.isListing}}{{:address}}
- {{address}} {{/}}{{:phone}}
- {{phone}} {{/}}{{/}}{{:~var.isEvent}}{{:venue}}
- {{venue.title}} {{/}}{{:recurrence}}
- {{recurrence}} {{/}}{{/}}{{:~var.isOffer}}{{:listings}}
{{#listings}}{{title}}{{!@last}},{{/last}}{{/}}
{{/}}- {{formattedDate()}} {{/}}
{{/}}{{:description}}
{{plainDescription(helpers.var.config.descriptionTruncation)}}
{{/}}
{{:hasFooter()}}
{{/}}
