If you’re staying anywhere in our Downtown Collection, Lake Eola Park is the one spot you shouldn’t skip. It’s the green heart of downtown Orlando — a mile-long walking path around the water, a fountain that lights up after dark, and a small flock of black swans that have been the park’s unofficial mascots for decades.
Go early and you’ll get a quiet lap around the lake before the city wakes up. Go on a Sunday and the eastern edge fills with the Lake Eola Farmers Market — local produce, coffee, and enough breakfast options to fuel the rest of your day. The swan-shaped paddle boats are a rite of passage here, and they run until early evening, so a sunset lap with the downtown skyline behind you is an easy way to close out a day.
Most of our downtown homes are a five-minute walk or less from the park, which is exactly why we chose that neighborhood in the first place. It’s the kind of place you can visit once at 7am and again at 8pm and get a completely different park both times.
Best time to go: early morning for a peaceful walk, or just before sunset when the fountain lights come on and the paddle boats are still out.
