ORLANDO, Fla. – With spring break quickly approaching, if you’re looking to stay in the Central Florida area but still get out of the house and enjoy the warm weather, here are 10 events to visit or activities to do. Let’s go!
Spring break runs March 17 to 21 (not including weekends) for most Central Florida counties.
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1. Check out the Space Coast Strawberry Festival - Melbourne
For those who missed other strawberry festivals in the area, the Space Coast Strawberry Festival will be around March 15 to 16. Admission is $7 and the outdoor family festival offers a variety of activities including concerts, gators, a petting zoo, contests and strawberry picking. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 5775 Stadium Parkway, Melbourne.
2. Visit the Central Florida Zoo - Sanford
From March 14 to 22, the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens will stay open an extra hour for spring break. Soak up wild fun with zipline courses, a splash ground, giraffe feeding, rhinoceros encounters and more. The zoo will also be offering spring break camps for children ages 5 to 12 years old. The zoo will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. that week.
3. Witness the beauty of a Candlelight Concert - Various locations
Experience a new kind of a concert with a Candlelight Concert, where orchestral music played in a variety of themes and genres meets the ambience of a candlelit atmosphere. Multiple concerts will be happening over spring break, including:
- Queen vs. ABBA - March 14
- A tribute to Adele - March 16
- Tribute to Fleetwood Mac - March 16
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & More - March 20
- The Best of Joe Hisaishi - March 20
- Best of Hip-Hop on Strings - March 21
4. Play at Dezerland Park - Orlando
Beat the heat but still indulge in fun with over 20 indoor attractions at Dezerland Park. There’s something for all ages with the Orlando Auto Museum, pinball, axe throwing, indoor karting, mini golf and much more. The indoor park also has special ticket offers for the spring. Dezerland Park Orlando is located at 5250 International Drive and is open daily with varying hours.
5. Stroll through the 66th Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival - Winter Park
Join in a community favorite and walk through the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, one of the nation’s largest and oldest outdoor art festivals from March 21 to 23. Located in the heart of downtown, walk around hundreds of 2D and 3D artworks while exploring the area’s shops and restaurants. The festival will also have live music from the Brown Bag Brass Band and George Porter Jr. & The Runnin’ Pardners. The festival’s hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
6. Visit a Black History Month Art Exhibit for free - Orlando
Although Black History Month ended, there’s still much culture to celebrate and learn from the city of Orlando’s Black History Month Art Exhibit, running through March 30. The theme of the exhibit is “African Americans and Labor,” showcasing art pieces from 32 local visual artists. The exhibition’s hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday an 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
7. View show cars at the 35th Spring Daytona Turkey Run - Daytona Beach
Car enthusiasts can visit the Daytona Turkey Run for all things cars at the three-day festival. The event features over 5,000 show cars, a swap meet for automotive parts and accessories, vehicles for purchase at the Car Corral and handcrafted products at the Artisan Alley. The festival runs March 21 to 23 with tickets at $15 on Friday through Saturday and $10 on Sunday. The event runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
8. Catch a game or jam out to a concert at the Kia Center - Orlando
The Kia Center in Orlando will also be having a few concerts over spring break. They include:
- Deftones - March 20
- J Balvin - March 21
- Tyler, The Creator - March 22
Games at the Kia Center include:
- Orlando Solar Bears vs. Florida Everblades - March 15
- Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets - March 19
9. Eat your way through a food festival - Various locations
Foodies can try an array of cuisines in one place, with many of Central Florida’s theme parks hosting food festivals in the spring. SeaWorld Orlando has its Seven Seas Food Festival, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay its Food & Wine Festival, and EPCOT has its International Flower & Garden Festival with outdoor kitchens and garden grazes. Most of the food festivals offer select dates through May to visit.
10. Watch an equestrian show - Ocala
Ocala is home to more horses than anywhere else in the country, according to the city’s website, which springs a great opportunity to catch an equestrian show. The 34th Live Oak International runs from March 13 to 16, where enthusiasts can watch the largest combined driving and show jumping competition in the U.S.
A single-day ticket is $15; buy your tickets here.