So you want to get outdoors and savor some nature? What better way to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather than to watercolor paint outside? I love painting watercolors in the Orlando area. It’s relaxing—and sometimes you end up with great decor as well!

Next step, find the perfect spot. Here are 10 great places to plop down & make some art:

1. Leu Gardens: Winter Park. This is a great place (especially free Monday’s) for painting flowers, a cool vintage museum house, and and little nooks & crannies of wild flowers.
2. Lake Mills Park: Chuluota (East Orlando). This really pretty & mostly isolated park has a nature trail and a board walk. You can paint oak trees or the lake. It is very quiet. Not extremely exciting, but very pleasant.
3. Rollins College campus: Winter Park. Just so many amazing views, Spanish archways, and other mossy covered buildings & the lake. Stunning!
4. Park Ave: Winter Park. I recommend you go in the little walkways next to Barnies near the book store to paint cool vintage looking street buildings, or near the rose garden in the center of the park.
5. Lake Eola: Downtown Orlando. The swan boats & clam shell theater make for good watercolor paintings.
6. Lake Ivanhoe: College Park. Sit by this open park and paint the paddle boarders or people picnicking. (Drop into White Wolf Cafe for a drink afterwards or some slightly overpriced but delicious scallops.)
7. West Orange Trail: various areas. This trail can be biked through small towns. And I find Winter Garden (especially in a season when they do Saturday farmers market) to be a very sweet place to water color & hang out.
8.  Lake Monroe: Sanford, Florida. This little downtown Sanford has a very chill vibe & if you like sail boats, you can park near one & set up your paints. (Grab food at the German restaurant on First Street afterwards for a special international treat.)
9. Seminole Trail: Chuluota. This bike or walking trail that  begins at SR 419 in Chuluota is really cool, with bridges you can cross over and a variety of untamed wildlife. Just walk back to your car before dark. Watercolor painting in Orlando Florida is a pastime that I enjoyed for many years, and getting any from the busy city out here can be a great place to start!
10. Rock Springs, Apopka, Florida. I just love sitting in the middle section of the grassy park between the river splits. It is just the perfect paint to enjoy the sun and paint the stunning river. Jump in for a quick dip if you get hot.

I could go on, but try these spots and let me know how you enjoyed them. Happy watercolor painting in Orlando!