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Celebration, Florida Parks.

When the word "Orlando" next to Celebration is mentioned, theme parks immediately come to mind. But Celebration, Florida parks go way beyond man-made lakes and thrill rides.

For those really wanting to get away from the crowds, there's the Celebration, Florida park - the Wekiva State Park. This Celebration, Florida park comprises approximately 7,000 acres of wild scenery that offers an opportunity to see how areas of central Florida looked when the Timucuan Indians speared fish in the spring-fed creeks and stalked the uplands. They left a number of mounds in this Celebration, Florida park that are still visible today. The main spring pumps approximately 42 million gallons of water each day. The Celebration, Florida park Wekiwa Springs State Park opened to the public in 1970.

Wekiwa Springs, for which the Celebration, Florida park is named, is one of the region's familiar and popular geologic features. The spring's name is derived from the Creek Indian word "Wekiwa" meaning "spring of water" or "bubbling water." Wekiwa Springs is the headwaters for the Wekiva River. "Wekiva" means "flowing water." Springs commonly occur along each side of Florida central ridge. The streams created by two such springs form the northern and eastern park boundaries. Rock Springs Run and Wekiwa Springs Run merge to form the Wekiva River, which flows into the St. Johns River fifteen miles to the northeast. Witherington Springs, located near the center of the Celebration, Florida park, forms Mill Creek, which flows into the swamp bordering Rock Springs Run.

The wide diversity of plant communities found in the Celebration, Florida park Wekiwa Springs State Park provides year-round food and protective cover for equally diverse and abundant animal populations. Each plant community provides food in the form of seeds, nuts, berries and foliage during different seasons. Deer range from the high sandhills and scrub down through the flatwoods to the hammocks and swamps. Gray fox, bobcat, raccoon, opossum and black bear range across the entire Celebration, Florida park and are not restricted to any one habitat.

For further information on this great park, see their web site at:
http://www.wekivawilderness.org/wekiva_land/wekiwa_springs.php.

Then there areparks in Orlando in nearly every small community providing a great circuit for skating, running and also for cycling. There are water fountains and sheltered rest stops along the route. The Orlando, Florida park trail alternates between a single width pathway and two paths separated by a median. Bicyclists and skaters will use the 10 foot wide side when the Trail is divided and the wider lane of the single width pathways. Sign and pavement markings clearly indicate which side is used for which activity.

To find these secluded little Celebration, Florida park gems in Orlando, see the City of Orlando, Florida park web site at: http://www.ci.orlando.fl.us/public_works/parks/.

Be sure to check out Celebration, Florida vacation rentals by owner houses, vvillas and condos for luxurious, yet affordable accomodations - many times less than the cost of a cramped, stuffy, less-than-clean hotel room.

Celebration, Florida Parks:

Austin Tindall Park
4100 Boggy Creek Road
Kissimmee, Florida
407.344.2939

Lakeside Community Park
2253 Lakeside Dr
Kissimmee, Florida
407.348.2422