Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, 2020 and there are plenty of mamas who deserve a special day — especially this year. Showering mom with love will probably look a little different than usual, but there are still plenty of ways to make her feel appreciated.
From a picnic at the park to virtual experiences, here is a unique and fun list of things to do with mom during Mother’s Day in Orlando.
Picnic at a local garden or park.
Many local parks are open, but the playgrounds and facilities may be closed. Check with each location before you go so you are prepared. Here are some of our favorite FREE places to picnic:
- Winter Park: Kraft Azalea Gardens, Central Park, Mead Gardens
- Downtown Orlando: Lake Eola, Harry P. Leu Gardens (free admission for everyone)
Visit Disney World (from home).
While you still can’t take mom to Disney in Orlando — you can bring some of the magic to her through virtual experiences. We curated this list of our favorite FREE things to do at Disney World (from home).
Ride your favorite rollercoasters (from your couch).
Pretend you are in the middle of all the theme park excitement!
Meet animals at Wild Florida.
Wild Florida’s Drive-Thru Safari Park is a self-guided journey to get up close and personal with hundreds of wild animals. The park is offering a special, limited time price of $15 for adults and $10 for kids.
Explore Central Florida’s waterways.
Rent a kayak or canoe and launch at King’s Landing in Apopka. The park is open for paddle out, paddle back adventures. Cash only; first come, first served.
Blackpoint Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island. Image: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Discover Florida’s native wildlife.
Take mom on a safe and relaxing car ride at the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island. It is home to a variety of animals from birds to alligators. All fees to enter have been waived indefinitely to help locals enjoy nature while many businesses are closed.
Get front-row seats to the Orlando Arts (virtually).
There’s not a bad seat in the house when you arrange a date to enjoy virtual artistic experiences from Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Orlando Ballet and Cirque du Soleil. Or explore virtual galleries from The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens and Orlando Museum of Art.
MORE FREE & CHEAP THINGS TO DO IN ORLANDO
SeaWorld® Orlando
Explore a penguin colony at SeaWorld’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin.
School of Croc at Gatorland
A Facebook Live at 10 a.m. every morning showcases animals and adventures. In the afternoon, their YouTube channel shares live-action encounters with animals including Burmese pythons, crocodiles, alligators and monitor lizards.
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Peak into animal habitats through a new daily video series on Facebook Live.
Wild Florida
Every Wednesday, this airboat tour operator and nature park is hosting listening adventures on Facebook and Instagram with its #WildWednesday program. The uninterrupted natural sounds will range from daybreak on the Florida swamps to giraffes enjoying their dinner.
Universal Orlando Resort
Travel to different worlds virtually like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ — Diagon Alley™ You can also experience Universal Orlando’s parks on their YouTube channel, including explorations of holiday events, a closer look into the restaurants that make up Universal CityWalk, and 360-degree videos of some of the most popular roller coasters, such as Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida, The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Krakatau Aqua Coaster at Universal’s Volcano Bay.
LEGOLAND® Florida Resort
Explore the LEGOLAND® Florida Resort Castle virtually through the twists and turns of The Dragon, an indoor/outdoor steel roller coaster.
Disney Parks
Learn to draw Mickey Mouse as Disney shares a complete series of how-to tutorials on how to draw the famous figure on the Disney Parks YouTube channel. Cast member Stephen Ketchum provides expert tips on how to draw Mickey over the years, from vintage 1920s Mickey to the more contemporary “pied-eyed” version.
Orlando Science Center
You can now stream educational IMAX films typically shown in the cinedome of the Orlando Science Center. Enjoy MacGillivray Freeman IMAX films normally playing in the Dr. Phillips CineDome now available for streaming. The educational films available include America’s Musical Journey on YouTube, and Dream Big, Humpback Whale and National Parks Adventure on Vimeo on Demand.
The Escape Game (TEG) Orlando
This escape-room attraction is hosting TEG Field Trips, which invite students to take engaging journeys through famous museums, visiting historic landmarks and even traveling through time to witness watershed events. Similar to escape rooms, students progress by discovering clues and solving puzzles, using critical thinking and deductive-reasoning skills.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Learn about living in space, Mars and rocketry, or tour Space Shuttle Atlantis during a new series of Facebook Live posts from Kennedy Space Center.
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