Orlando Area
Orlando is the fourth largest city in Florida - its metropolitan area has nearly two and a half million people! Orlando was first incorporated in 1875, after its population began to boom during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. Between 1875 and 1895, Orlando became a an important point, as it was a hub for the Florida citrus industry. Much of that ended after the severe winter of 1894-95, and many of the citrus groves were shifted to the south. Later on, Orlando had a population boom during the Spanish-American War and World War I, and there was extensive development of the area during the 1920s. However, Orlando gained a lot of fame when Walt Disney decided to build Walt Disney World here. Orlando experienced incredible population growth and economic growth following the opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971. Today, Orlando has more theme parks and similar attractions than any other place in the world.
Orlando is not just about theme parks, however. There's plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities in the area. To the north, there are hiking trails in the St. Johns River vicinity, in such places as Seminole State Forest, Lower Wekiva River State Park, Black Bear Wilderness, and many others. To the west, there is an extensive trail system along and around Lake Apopka. Lake Louisa State Park is another popular destination on the city's west side. To the east of Orlando, some of the most popular destinations for hikers include Little Big Econ State Forest and conservation areas around Lake Jesup. There's less recreation areas on the south side of the city, although there's still several of them around the town of Poinciana. But in general, there's plenty of hiking trails available to explore for the citizens of Orlando. In fact, I know more Florida hikers from Orlando than from any other part of the state!
Orlando is not just about theme parks, however. There's plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities in the area. To the north, there are hiking trails in the St. Johns River vicinity, in such places as Seminole State Forest, Lower Wekiva River State Park, Black Bear Wilderness, and many others. To the west, there is an extensive trail system along and around Lake Apopka. Lake Louisa State Park is another popular destination on the city's west side. To the east of Orlando, some of the most popular destinations for hikers include Little Big Econ State Forest and conservation areas around Lake Jesup. There's less recreation areas on the south side of the city, although there's still several of them around the town of Poinciana. But in general, there's plenty of hiking trails available to explore for the citizens of Orlando. In fact, I know more Florida hikers from Orlando than from any other part of the state!