5 Family Activities to Enjoy at Bill Frederick Turkey Lake Park – Playgrounds and Farm Animals!
For a pleasant day with the family, consider venturing out to our very own City Park at Bill Frederick Turkey Lake Park, part of City of Orlando’s parks system.
Located near Metrowest, the park is near enough to the tourist hot spots on I-Drive and beyond for an overnight stay after some roller coasters, or the park also offers numerous amazing things to enjoy together. It’s one of our favorite playgrounds near Walt Disney World too!
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Below we explore five fun ways to experience Turkey Lake Park, along with a few added ideas too.
Kids’ Activities at Turkey Lake Park
1. Visit with the Farm Animals
A small sign within the park points towards a farm outpost full of animals that honestly, after several visits to the park I never even realized was there! Just about half a mile down the road you’ll exit your car to the coziest little red barn and be greeted with the squawks, oinks and baa’s of your new farm friends.
When I visited with my daughter we saw the most amazing giant turkeys, a fitting mascot for Turkey Lake Park. They were truly incredible to see up close, along with other feathered friends as well. We said ‘aww’ at rabbits, saw horses in their stables and made ‘baa’ noises back at the goats.
Good for a 15 minute stop, we enjoyed this little farm and recommend it for families with small children.
See them on your own or go as part of the organized Farm Friends events. Find details on the website for upcoming dates.
Discover more petting zoos and farms for kids.
Play Frisbee Golf (Disc Golf)
As the name might suggest, frisbee golf, or disc golf, is a fairly modern-day sport involving a frisbee and a metal net goal post thought of as a ‘hole’. With 18 ‘holes’, Turkey Lake Park is one of the most popular places to play a round of disc golf in the city.
We saw a tournament of disc golfers the last time we camped there, and it’s great to see everyone from all fitness levels and walks of life trying out the sport. They had caddie bags for their discs and clearly took it very seriously.
For newbies, pick up a dollar store frisbee and give it a try. You can research online how to play (basically, aim the frisbee at the target and apply golf rules) and if the course is clear, go ahead and try it for yourself. The course is free to play with park entry, so why not try something new?
Camp Overnight
My favorite activity at this park is to have a stay-cation with our camper. At roughly $20/night we also see tent campers here, where the clean and organized campground offers amenities like full or partial hookups (that means sewer dumpouts on site for RVs and travel trailers), and of course, all of the park offerings are included in your overnight stay.
Tent campers will want to be reminded of park rules, which include no open fires – sorry, no s’mores!
Splash in the Pool
The Turkey Lake Pool is pretty spectacular and reminds me of those open pool decks you see in summer movies – full of kids and fun. Situated overlooking the lake, it is enjoyable to have views while splashing around, but be aware there is limited shade.
There are some rules about flotation devices and clothing (wear a white shirt only if you plan to have a shirt over your swimsuit) to avoid dyes getting in the pool.
Also, be aware of seasonal and maintenance closures.
Drone Zone
This one is cool, and little known to those not seeking it out. Florida has certain laws regarding recreational versus commercial drone pilots, as well as drone laws in general throughout air space. Drone flyers always need to be aware of these laws.
So the good news is, Bill Frederick’s Turkey Lake Park has a legal, dedicated drone flying area called the Drone Zone!
With charging stations for your drones, it’s a neat place for drone enthusiasts to meet and get together in a legal and organized place.
Other Great Things to Do at Turkey Lake Park
- Attend 5ks or frequent festivals and events
- Have a BBQ Picnic
- Book a pavilion for birthday parties
- Nature trails and hiking (there’s a great 2 mile loop that is pup-friendly)
- Fishing pier (I hear there’s bass in Turkey Lake…)
- Playground – a winner with the kids, always
- Volleyball – a sand court
- Boat, canoe and kayak rentals (call in advance)
Park Fees and Info
Located at 3401 South Hiawassee Road, Orlando, FL 32835
Cars are $5 per car load, with driver only entry being $2. Camping averages $20/night for City of Orlando residents. Buses and large passenger vans are $1 per person.
Open 8am-7pm daily, except for Christmas. Learn more at the website here.
