Outdoors
Day-use and picnic areas near Orlando on public land, from quick drives to full-day outings.
Good to know: Group picnic sites can often be reserved; fire rules change with the season, so check before bringing a grill.
Perennially popular with off-road vehicle enthusiasts, Big Scrub Campground sits in the Ocala National Forest in central Florida. A trailhead within the facility offers riders campsite-to-trail access.
Lake Shore Group Campground sits on the north shore of Fore Lake in Ocala National Forest. It is a favorite for scout, church and civic groups, as well as large families and reunions.
Chassahowitzka NWR was established in 1943 for waterfowl conservation. The refuge protects saltwater bays, estuaries, brackish marshes, and hardwood swamps in Homosassa, FL.
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1983, is the only refuge created specifically for the protection of the threatened Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee.
As lake, waterway and surrounding countryside, Okeechobee shows the many faces of Florida. A canopy of moss-draped live oaks hides clusters of sabal palms. A tangle of water plants marks the boundary where wetland meets lakeshore.
WP Franklin South Recreation Area is a day use area located on the Caloosahatchee River adjacent to the WP Franklin Lock and Dam.
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (ONA) is part of the Bureau of Land Management’s 27-million acre National Conservation Lands; and the only complete unit east of the Mississippi River.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Orlando. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Big Scrub Campground (USDA Forest Service), about 48 miles northwest of Orlando as the crow flies. Next are Lake Shore Group Camp (66 mi) and Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge (82 mi).
Based on Orlando’s average highs, October–April. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including USDA Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, US Army Corps of Engineers. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.