Things To Do In Orlando: Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
1/22/2018
Happy new week friends! Hope everyone's 2018 is off to a fantastic start. Can you believe this is already the last full week of January? I feel like this year is already flying by and I'd really appreciate it if it would slow down a little! I've made it a goal of mine to explore more of my city and what it has to offer this year and my first stop was the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour. If you're looking for a fun and cheap thing to do in Orlando, this is definitely right up your alley!
Located about 7 miles northeast of downtown Orlando, Winter Park is not only somewhat of a hidden gem to tourists but one of my favorite places to spend a day. Founded back in the late 1800's, Winter Park has a lot of history as well as gorgeous architecture, museums but it also has terrific restaurants and shopping but I'll get more into those in later posts.
Today I want to talk about something else Winter Park is known for, the chain of lakes. The chain of lakes is almost 3,000 acres of well preserved, gorgeous lakes all of which are connected by narrow channels that wind through the historic neighborhoods and make for a gorgeous boat ride. 80 years ago the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour was founded to allow residents and visitors to get a first hand look off the beaten path.
364 days a year an 18 passenger pontoon boat takes off every hour to give visitors a look inside three of the five lakes that are part of the chain of lakes. Each tour is lead by an experienced tour guide that provides all sorts of information and knowledge about Winter Park and some of it's historical homes and buildings located along the lakes. Along your tour you'll get to see all sorts of Florida's wildlife which the tour guides are also very knowledgeable about so don't hesitate to ask a question if you have one!
Know before you go:
- The Scenic Boat Tour does not accept credit cards so be sure to have cash or a check on hand to purchase your tickets.
- Tours leave every hour from 10 am to 4 pm. Be sure to get there early as boats can fill up fast and they board you according to when you purchased your ticket.
- Pro tip: Stop by and purchase your tickets for a later time and walk around Park Ave for a bit or grab a drink and/or food before your boat tour to really explore Winter Park.
- If you have a group of 10 or more, call to reserve your tour by phone to ensure everyone gets to ride together.
- Depending on the weather, you could get wet so be prepared! If it's a windy day you could be in the splash zone on the boat and while you won't get soaked, you could leave a little damp. If you prefer to not get wet, try to sit closer to the front of the boat.
- There is no shade on the boat so be sure to wear sunscreen and bring sunglasses.
- There's free street parking near the boat ramp at the end of Morse Rd. It fills up quickly but there's plenty of street parking around the area that is within walking distance.
Thank you to the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour for having us!
*Linking up with Biana*
17 comments
I love winter park, but I didn’t know about the chain of lakes (how did I miss this?!) what a fun way to spend the day!
ReplyDeleteFor as many times as I've been to Orlando I never made it to Winter Park. What a fun activity to do! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful! How much fun!!
ReplyDeleteI'm always mind blown by how much there is to do in Orlando that isn't amusement park related. This looks so fun!!
ReplyDeleteoh you know i love my lakes. and this is practically walking distance from my office ha. i still have never gone! i bet you went with the best weather too. aka not horrid hot. good review and tips!
ReplyDeletexoxo cheshire kat
This is such a fun idea and who knew? The lakes look gorgeous, too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun activity!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks really neat!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes girl, I totally feel you on how fast this year is already going!
We've talked about doing this for years, such a pretty and hidden gem here in town! And great to know about needing cash since I never carry any. Cheers to a fabulous week <3
ReplyDeleteGreen Fashionista
Sounds great to me!! I have also started to get better about carrying cash on me haha. Have a great day!! :-)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like so much fun. Totally adding that to my list to do next time I'm down there. Even since my ATM card was eaten by an ATM, I always try to have some cash on me. I have a twenty hidden in my wallet for those cash emergency. It's come in handy so many times.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I need to add this to our list of things to do when we are back down there soon! I have family in Winter Park, and they just love it there.
ReplyDeleteThat boat tour looks GORGEOUS and so serene! Definitely adding this to my list if we visit Orlando again soon!
ReplyDeleteRosy Outlook
Such fun views!
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to take my parents on this boat tour especially when it's warm out. The price is so affordable and it's just something different than the usual.
ReplyDeleteI love a boat tour, it is a great way to explore! I will have to remember this if I ever get back to Orlando.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful pictures and a fun thing to do- great tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to comment on my blog,I love hearing from my readers! I try to reply to every comment via e-mail so if you don't get a reply from me you might be a no reply blogger!