On Saturday, November 14, the City of Orlando drops the daily admission fee at Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake for a full day of live music, hayrides, guided nature hikes and farm tours. The rest of the season is less flexible. From November through March, the 183-acre park on South Hiawassee Road keeps hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the gate charges $5 per car.
For a Sand Lake Sound household, that makes the cool season a daylight calendar with programs set for Saturdays. The free day is the easy part. The real choices are which of the remaining Saturdays are worth five dollars, whether an annual pass makes sense, and where the evening goes once the park closes at five.
November 14 is the one day the farm is the headline
The city describes Nature in November as a 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. event with environmental and agricultural professionals from across Central Florida who work in wildlife, farming and conservation. The farm tours are the part a regular visitor can't usually get. The park map labels this section the Children's Farm, with a Farm Gazebo next to it. This month the farm has two scheduled events, the tours on the 14th and Buddy the donkey's birthday a week later.
The farm has a longer history than one event. In 2022, Bungalower reported on a city farmhand job at what it called the Children's Farm and Boarder Barn, and listed chickens, turkeys, horses and a pig among the animals kept there at the time. The park also rents horse stalls for recreational boarding, which explains the barn.
A household that has never been inside the gate can try the park free on the 14th and then decide whether it fits their weekends.
The paid Saturdays that follow
After the free day, the park's calendar keeps a Saturday rhythm through the end of the year. Every event below is at 3401 South Hiawassee Road and happens inside the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. window.
- Saturday, November 21. The Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine's Student Osteopathic Medical Association hosts the Opioid Awareness 5K Run/Walk at the park. From 1 to 2 p.m., the farm hosts Buddy's Birthday for Buddy the donkey, with donkey-themed games and a chance to feed him and take a picture with him.
- Saturday, November 28. The guided Walk in the Park runs from 10 to 11 a.m. and covers park scenery, local ecology, hiking tips, plants, wildlife and conservation. From 2 to 3 p.m., the free Conservation Corner: Flora for All program covers roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds, and how each one ends up in everyday foods.
- Saturday, December 12. Storytime in the Park returns from 11 a.m. to noon, led by the Park Naturalist with Orange County Libraries.
- Saturday, December 26. The second Walk in the Park runs from 10 to 11 a.m., the day after the park's holiday closure.
The park is closed on December 24 and 25.
November 28 has the most going on in one day, with a morning trail walk and an afternoon botany program, so a single $5 car entry covers both. On December 12, the lone event ends at noon, which leaves the afternoon for the trails, the fishing pier or one of the two playgrounds, built for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12.
The annual pass only pays off as a habit
The city sells two annual memberships at the same price for residents and non-residents. Both include free admission and access to the non-rental amenities: nature trails, the fishing pier, disc golf, picnic sites and playgrounds. Here is how each pass compares with the gate price it replaces.
| Option | Annual cost | Daily gate price it replaces | Visits to break even |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual annual pass, one adult 16 or older | $28.30 | $2.00, driver only | 15 |
| Family annual pass, up to 8 people in one household | $75.00 | $5.00 per car | 15 |
Both passes break even at the same number of visits. The event calendar alone won't get a family there. After the free 14th, the paid program Saturdays through December 26 add up to four car entries, or $20 at the gate. A family reaches 15 visits only by treating the park as a regular stop for a weekend morning walk or a few casts off the pier, every week or close to it. The family pass runs 12 months. It issues cards to the adults in the household, and each card for a family member under 18 costs another $5.
The individual pass works the same way for one adult who walks the paved path or plays the disc golf course alone. Disc golf can close for special events, and the city keeps a closure list on its site.
The earliest hours belong to the jon boats
On the city's park page, Turkey Lake is described as one of the top-five rated fishing lakes in Florida. The boat dock is marked on the park map for jon boats. The rentals are bass tracker fishing boats with trolling motors, life jackets and measuring sticks, and each holds up to three people. Rentals require an advance reservation.
On the city's reservation page, boat rentals run Thursday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., in four-hour blocks for $31.95 including tax. The 7 a.m. start comes an hour before the park's posted 8 a.m. opening, so it's best to confirm arrival and check-in details with the rental office when you book. The block also fits a Saturday well. A 7 a.m. launch is back at the dock by 11, an hour before Storytime ends on December 12 and two hours before Buddy's party starts on November 21. For booking questions, the park's rental line is 407.246.4486, and the email is [email protected].
Swimming isn't on the cool-season list. The city's Turkey Lake Pool page says the pool is closed until further notice.
When the gate closes at five, downtown's Frontyard opens
Bill Frederick Park closes at 5 p.m. on weekdays, and the Dr. Phillips Center's Frontyard Holiday Festival in downtown Orlando opens at that same hour on its weekday dates. The free festival runs November 27 through December 31 on the Center's Frontyard and Seneff Arts Plaza. The Apopka Voice reported in August that it will include nightly snowfall, firepits, movie screenings, seasonal refreshments, performances and a holiday market.
The festival's posted hours fit around the park's:
- November 27 through December 13: Wednesday to Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 10 p.m.
- December 16 through 31: Monday to Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 10 p.m.
- Closed December 14, 15, 24 and 25.
The Center lists Latin Night on December 3, Country Night on December 10, Yacht Rock Night on December 17 and a family-friendly New Year's Eve Party on December 31. The Center notes that dates and programming can change. On Saturday, December 12, Storytime at the park wraps up at noon and the Frontyard opens at 2 p.m., so one weekend day can include both.
On Friday, December 4, the Orlando Philharmonic plays Holiday Pops at Della Phillips Pavilion at 7 p.m. at 2002 Packing District Way. The orchestra asks guests to bring lawn chairs and blankets and lists free parking at the YMCA at 2178 Packing District Way.
If you're hosting family through the holidays, or weighing whether a home near Turkey Lake and Restaurant Row suits the way you spend weekends, Ursula, Marcela and the Pristine International Realty team can walk you through the area in English or Portuguese. Request a Free Consultation (English / Português) via WhatsApp.
