Lake Eola Park is located in the heart of Downtown Orlando. The sidewalk that circles the lake is .9 miles in length, making it easy for visitors to keep track of their walking or running distances. Other activities available to park visitors include renting swan-shaped paddle boats, feeding the live swans and other birds inhabiting the park, seeing a concert or a play in the Walt Disney Amphitheater, grabbing a bite to eat at local restaurants or relaxing amid beautiful flower beds and a spectacular view of Orlando’s skyline.
Jacob Summerlin the “Cattle King of Florida” arrived in 1873 to purchase 200 acres of land in what is now Downtown Orlando. Shortly after the purchase, on the edge of his property there was a sink hole forming. Along with the help of a natural aquifer 200 feet below ground and the flooding of storm water, this area became a beautiful lake. Known to the public as Sandy Beach, this lake was perfect for the settlers to enjoy on hot Florida days.
In 1883 the Summerlin family donated a strip of their land around the lake for public use. Sandy Beach was renamed Lake Eola in memory of Robert Summerlin’s dearly departed sweetheart.
In 1888, Lake Eola was recognized as a City of Orlando public park.
In 1922 the first swans arrived at Lake Eola. An Englishman was raising multiple breeds on Lake Lucerne at the time. There was a territorial conflict between two breeds of swans so they were separated and transferred to Lake Eola.
The Lake is now home to various species of swans including: Trumpeter Swans, Black Neck Swans, Whooper Swans, Royal Mute Swans and Australian Black Swans.
Supplemental food is accessible to all swans in feeders in the lake as well as on the shore. The swans can be fed lettuce, spinach, and duck pellet food found in the parks. Any other foods could be detrimental to their health, ultimately making the swans ill.
During Lake Eola’s annual Swan Round-up, the swans are collected, checked by a swan veterinarian and receive a vaccination for botulism. Swans have their own health record on file, which is updated annually at this event.
Built in 1924 by George Marsh, this Mediterranean Revival Style historical home is the newest staple to Lake Eola Park.
The Eola House houses the park offices as well as event spaces. Being a historic home without renovations, the second floor of the Eola House is not ADA accessible.
The Ting was donated to The City of Orlando by an influential man named Nelson Ying. Given as a token of friendship, the Ting was originally built in Shanghai. When donated, the Ting had to be disassembled, shipped to Orlando and reassembled in the park.
This monument was dedicated on the 55th anniversary of the battle of the bulge, December 16, 1999, to honor World War II Veterans. This monument is modeled after a similar statue in Clervaux, Luxembourg.
Also referred to as the Band Shell, has been a staple of Lake Eola Park since 1886. Originally built on the south side of the lake, it has since been torn down and reconstructed at the west side of Lake Eola. The Amphitheater became the Walt Disney Amphitheater in 1989.
In the rock garden there is a large piece of black marble that was gifted to the City of Orlando by Tainan, Taiwan. Su Nan-Cheng, the Mayor of Tainan, offered this gift as a token of sister city affiliation and eternal friendship. The marble is 12.5 tons and 19.5 feet long. It is said that it was sculpted by the winds over 10,000 years, discovered high in the mountains in Hua-Lien at an altitude of 1,600 meters.
Lake Eola Park was gifted the Sperry Fountain as well as the land in which it resides by Mayor E. Frank Sperry in 1914. In the center of the octagonal fountain is a figure, a large acanthus leaf with a duck base, made of wrought iron.
This tiered fountain at the center of Lake Eola was built in 1957 and refurbished in 2011. First named the Centennial Fountain, it was renamed the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain in 1966 to honor the originator. The fountain was designed to replicate similar styles found in England, Spain and Italy; hoping to boost the prominence of Orlando. When construction began in November 1956, 320 tons of concrete were barged in to the lake build the foundation. The fountain was made to blast 6,400 gallons of water into the air each minute with various incandescent and fluorescent underwater lights for nighttime viewing.
In 2009, however, the iconic fountain was struck by lightning. This brought forth the 2011 renovation of Orlando’s beloved icon. The original green glass from the fountain can be found in the Eola House at the park.
At night, the fountain comes to life with a choreographed light show set to music. Shows run nightly at approximately 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. lasting 6 minutes in length. *Times change as the days get longer so be prepared for later times in the summer months.