Dickson Azalea Park

I have been visiting this park for the better part of five years. Over this time i have seen this park go from a unique place of paradise to little more than a disturbing experience. It would seem we have a bunch of geniuses making some very short sighted decisions with regards to the management and maintenance of this little gem. Such a shame.
I suspect much of the maintenance and policy designs has to do around fear. Yes fear of the homeless invading this public treasury as if suddenly by virtue of one’s economic circumstance you are automatically disqualified from being a member of the public. The design emerging from this unsavory conditions is to mow down anything above 40 inches. Turn most planting beds into the high maintenance water gobbling lawns.
The second very obvious malady is to inhibit or deliberately remove anything seemingly remote to do with variety and quantity as far as planting material and the likes. They promptly remove trees and limbs that would otherwise be the home for animals and critters, such a the beautiful family of owls and the cute little squirrel which often serve as their meals.
There is a complete lack of understanding of nature and the natural processes as evidence in the management decisions of this wonderful resources. This is clearly evident in the use of pesticides and herbicides to eradicate plant material that would colonize the waterline of the little stream. Really unfortunate! The vistas used to be something of extremism beauty. The micro climate created by the plethora of associated plant colonies was breath taking. Now it is water trickling over dry sand. As the beautiful little pockets of fish gathering has efficiently been poisoned.
It’s not my intention to be a «sour puss». And yes the park is beautiful. But we do need qualified people to make these policy decisions, around maintenance and management. Which I might add is certainly not about resources in this case, but simple knowledge.
Sure I will be visiting again if nothing else but to yearn for the day when I will see this park flourish once again under proper management.

Being from eastern North Carolina I love love azaleas. During a recent trip to Orlando my wife and I decided to look up parks on Unilocal and this was the closet one. This park is simply wonderful, with beautiful azaleas and trails to explore. We actually parked by Langford Park, which is across the street with tennis courts, swings, and gazebos for picnics. Great way to return to nature while still being in Orlando.

This is a gem amongst Downtown Orlando! It’s absolutely breathtaking during the springtime! It’s great for strolls or a nice jog!

Very pretty place to photograph my pups.

This park is a dreamy oasis near downtown. It’s pretty small, but packs quite the punch. As soon as you walk into the park, you feel like you are transported to a different world. There are usually few people who visit this park, it’s so lovely to be able to feel like the park is all your own while you are here. I love to meander through here and relax on the benches. There is a good amount of shade, so you can avoid that brutal FL sun. It feels like such a treat to be able to spend time in this park.

This is a small and secluded downtown park. The park has a creek running through it and drops down into a little mini valley. It is very relaxing to take a walk through. The peak visuals occur when the azaleas bloom and it is just stunning here.

Sometimes Orlando gets annoying. All the palm trees, and sunshine, and how everything is so flat.
Going to Dickson Park will give you the fresh air/​nature recharge you need without even leaving downtown. It is truly one of my favorite spots in the city.
To get there I usually park in the parking lot at Langford Park and walk across Central to get to Dickson Park. There are dirt paths that lead you into the park, one path on each side of the small creek. I usually walk down one side and then walk back along the other path.
It’s a tiny park, and truly enchanting. It’s always been pretty empty when I’ve gone so it’s great for a romantic stroll with the hubby. Of course, I had to take the kids too and they love it as well.
A walk through the park from end to end is pretty fast. You could easily walk the whole thing in 15 minutes (or you can take as long as you want, no rush.) After this park I would recommend a stop at the neighboring Langford park. A more typical Florida park, but also very nice.

I live on Washington so this gem is in my backyard. When you walk down into the park, you are transported away from downtown. You are in the forest. I say this because the park resides below street level, in fact, if you drive over the historic white bridge on Washington, then you just drove over the park. Once inside, you forget where you are. I’m not kidding. It is like being on the Halo Deck of Star Trek. Instantly, you are mentally and physically in a different world than where you were 5 minutes ago.
There is so much to see. There are three huge attributes that I consider amazing:
1. The oak tree
2. The Stage
3. Fern creek
4. Under the bridge
5. Cobble stone streets
6. Dickenson Park (across from the park. It has swings and benches)
7. Ok, so I got carried away.
I’m ok if you don’t go to this park. Just means it stays our little secret.

This is one of my favorite parks ever. As the name implies, this park is at its peak during azalea season, but don’t be discouraged if these colorful blooms are till hidden– there is so much more to discover in this park.
Take a walk along the path that meanders under the bridges and around the creek. You’ll find tons of special spots where you’ll want to pause, take a picture, and enjoy a moment of peace (just thinking about it is putting me in a zen mood!). The park also has a nice stage area which is small, but I’ve seen used as a wedding location.
I wouldn’t recommend going to the park at night, as it doesn’t have lights and it’s a bit creepy, but during the day make sure to get your pup on a leash, pack a light lunch, and get ready for the best picnic ever!

Enchanting, hidden park in the Fern Creek area. White oleander flowers everywhere, making a beautiful backdrop to the footbridges and stone stage in the middle. During the rainy season (anytime not winter, basically), keep an eye out for the little fishes that swim in the creek, spiderwebs with their shivering raindrop diadems, colorful singing birds, and tiny frogs bounding through the grass. Explore under the bridge, and meander your way around through all the somewhat hidden nooks and crannies of this beautiful, almost-​secret park. Few people are ever here at the same time, and they are usually there snapping photos of the scenery. Dogs are allowed. It looks small upon first entrance, but it is sprawling, below street level, shaped somewhat like an octopus instead of the usual rounded park pattern. I love it, it feels like my own secret garden.

Dickson Azalea Park is an urban paradise just east of downtown, a two-​block garden walk with lots of native species of flora. It’s great for photo ops and a beautiful environment to just soak in.
A field guide to local plants would be nice to have when visiting here. On my most recent visit, an artist was there painting, and a female couple were having some professional photographs taken of themselves. But it’s very peaceful and I’ve never seen it crowded.
Bring your dogs with a leash. They will love to explore here!

This is a perfect park for exploring and going on a long walk. I picked the best time to come here in October. When the weather is really nice! The park has little creeks and spots for you to take nice pictures. There is a pavilion to have party’s. The park has many benches around the park. While sitting down I say a black cat and then a lady walking by said that many cats run in the park. That’s when I saw 2 more cats. This was really cute! You can also ride your bike in this park. I do say WHEN PARKING YOUR CAR IN THE PARKING LOT, DONT DRIVE YOUR CAR PAST THE CEMENT BECAUSE IT WILL SCRATCH YOUR BUMPER AND POSSIBLY BREAK IT. I wish they had a sign to warn you. I also wish that they would help keep the park a little cleaner too but it’s a great park to go to!

This is a park that I would love to do a photo shoot in. It’s planned in such a way that taking a picture in any direction would almost guarantee you an awesome shot. I’m surprised I haven’t actually seen more couples or photographers in this park.
It’s small, and it’s a little hard to find, but it’s certainly worth the effort and getting lost numerous times. I actually found out about it through participating in Urban Dare a couple of years ago. And yes, my partner and I literally went in circles ‘cos we kept missing it. I cursed at the park for making my feet hurt and making us lose time, but as soon as we found it, all resentment disappeared.
It’s really, really gorgeous. And peaceful as not too many people know about it. Yet.
But there are some parts of the park that I do feel need more work. It’s a little sad when you step out of a really dense and interesting part of the park only to find a really «undergrown» area that looked like it had been neglected and forgotten. *tear*
My favorite component of this park is the bridge and it’s scattered everywhere! They add a whole ton of character and charm to the park.

Geek alert! I study and plan parks for a living, so I may get a bit long-​winded on this one…
Dickson Azalea Park is a beautiful gem of a place in downtown Orlando – yet many people have no idea that it exists! As Lori mentions, it’s pretty tucked away… you really need to keep your eyes peeled for it on Robinson. If you’re heading east, look for some stairs on your right and there you go.
Once you journey down the stairs, you are transported to a tropical sliver of gorgeousness. There are two interlocking pathways that connect over a small creek (Fern Creek, actually…) via small wooden bridges. The creekside paths lead you to a small stage/​performance area that you can rent for an obscenely cheap price, and eventually this trail of bridges and stone will lead you under the iconic bridge on Washington. Once through here you are treated to more tropical foliage and a (hopefully) babbling brook. You’ll emerge at Langford Park on Central Avenue… be sure to try out the swinging bridge there before you leave!
A few caveats: at certain times of year – mostly in winter, when we haven’t had rain – the park is less than impressive. The plants are as lush, and the creek is barely running. Try to go after a few super rainy days. Also, I don’t recommend coming alone after dusk or so – there are no lights, and I wouldn’t feel safe in the dark jungle alone…

Downtown Orlando is scattered with parks of the blink and you’ll miss them variety. This miniature park would be considered as such if it wasn’t for its breathtaking tropical landscaping. Though I don’t think it was actually landscaped this way, more like a miracle of nature. I first saw this gem out of the corner of my eye while jogging down Central. It is below street level, in fact for a few yards the street turns into a bridge going over the little park while gentle streams and plant life flow underneath. I climbed down the stairway to actually enter this Eden and was taken aback by how much I truly felt like I was in a tropical rain forest. I am guessing this is beauty only the neighboring streets surrounding it have ever taken witness to, which is why I am here to spread the word to check it out. Yes, it’s minuscule and takes but a mere five minutes to see. But to really look through its short winding paths and seating areas for gazing at the wildlife that might be lurking here, and embracing the tropical trees covering your head so that the sky is lost and only twisting green leaves fill your line of sight takes longer and will be well worth it.