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The Best Neighborhoods in Orlando for Families
Moving to a new city is always challenging. And a large part of that challenge is looking for a place to live. There are so many things to consider when weighing your options-house styles, neighborhood safety, quality of schools, the convenience of location-it all can be quite overwhelming. That’s why we’ve researched the best neighborhoods for families in Orlando for you, so you don’t have to. You’ve no doubt seen our Orlando City Guide, which includes a short section on a few of Orlando’s most popular neighborhoods.
This list is a more in-depth neighborhood guide meant to examine what it’s like living in each of these highlighted areas (and by the way of introduction, we’re Bellhop —Orlando movers and movers throughout the country).
We’re searching the hot lands of Orlando, locating the most family-friendly places to live. The parks, fresh seafood, theaters, wildlife, watersports, museums, and the area’s richest entrepreneur (Mr. Mickey Mouse of course) keep residents happily entertained. We’ve researched and compiled our list of the top 4 neighborhoods for families in Orlando. Check out our list below to help guide you on picking your new Orlando home.
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Lake Nona
Located 20 miles from center city, this thriving suburb is close to everything residents would want downtown. With great schools and lower crime rates, Lake Nona is one of the fastest-growing areas in Central Florida.
This new neighborhood boasts of a thriving shopping and restaurant scene, miles of trails, sprawling parks, and plenteous sports opportunities at their Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute.
Lake Nona has a cluster of health care and life science facilities that provide the neighborhood with job opportunities and top medical care. And with its welcoming and positive ambiance, more and more families are calling this neighborhood their home.
Things to do in Lake Nona
Laureate Park, a central community builder in the neighborhood, hosts local events aplenty. Locals enjoy live music, gourmet food trucks, films, and entertainment events. Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge is a rehabilitation and education center for injured and orphaned native animals. And Kissimmee Lakefront Park offers picnic pavilions, a fishing pier, playgrounds, and walking paths along the waterfront.
One of our favorite spots in Lake Nona is Graffiti Junktion. This quirky and family-friendly hot-spot serves diner food. Their menu is full of hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, wraps, tater tots, nachos, and cheese sticks. The interior is a funky color-bomb of art and murals, neon furniture, and bright stainless steel.
The Nona Social brings locals together to enjoy an expansive list of wines and cocktails with American fare, like their wings and jalapeno poppers. And Park Pizza & Brewing Company serves wood-fired pizza and house-brewed beer, making this stop a perfect place to unwind with friends or family.
Schools in Lake Nona
The top schools serving Lake Nona include Orlando Science Charter School and Hope Charter School among others. For private schools, look into Lake Highland Preparatory School, Windermere Preparatory School, and Trinity Preparatory School. If you’re in need of daycare, Amazing Explorers Academy, Clayhouse Academy and Ladybird Academy at Wyndham Lakes are highly rated.
Baldwin Park
Just 15 minutes from downtown, this neighborhood sits right along the edge of the beach and park of Lake Baldwin. It’s close-knit community and safe neighborhood streets won Baldwin Park a high ranking in the Home Union Research Services evaluation of the best neighborhoods for trick-or-treaters in the country. With an urban feel, but lower crime rates, Baldwin Park feels like an extension of the city, not a conventional suburban enclave.
New apartments line the town center, and thriving shops and restaurants stretch along New Broad Street. The neighborhood was designed to be incredibly walkable. And unlike the sectioned-off, islanded feel of some other newly developed neighborhoods, Baldwin Park is truly a local neighborhood that blends naturally into the surrounding city.
Things to do in Baldwin Park
Join Baldwin Park locals at the Orlando Farmers Market. This large and popular market is pet-friendly, hosts live music, and sells fresh produce, plants, and handmade crafts every Sunday from 10 am – 4 pm. Baldwin Park boasts of over 50 miles of nearby walking paths where locals commonly jog, bike, and walk their dogs.
The Orlando Science Center makes for a great family outing. This large facility has a Star Wars Exhibit, Dino Digs with giant builds of dinosaur skeletons, and hands-on explorations of animals from across the globe.
Taste the local grub at The Osprey Tavern. This cozy and classy neighborhood restaurant features seasonal dishes like Freshly Shucked Oysters and Smoke Grouper Croquettes. Check out Colibri Mexican Cuisine Baldwin Park for killer Mexican street food, craft cocktails, and a view of the lake. Or sample the beautifully-plated contemporary Asian cuisine at Seito Sushi.
Schools in Baldwin Park
The top public schools serving Baldwin Park include Orlando Science Elementary Charter School, Hope Charter School, and Orlando Science Middle/High Charter School. For private schools, look into Baldwin Park Elementary School, Baldwin Oaks Academy, and Beeman Park Preparatory School. If you’re in need of daycare, Childtime of Winter Park and Green Day Early Learning Center are highly rated.
Homes in Baldwin Park
In Baldwin Park, you’ll find a lot of Spanish style homes, townhomes, and colonial style homes.
Oviedo
Located about 25 minutes northeast of center-city, Oviedo has low crime rates, good schools, cuisines from across the world, great parks, and friendly residents. And it’s growing. New shops and restaurants appear left and right, and the nearby University of Central Florida brings in a flow of diverse residents.
Things to do in Oviedo
Butted up against Lake Jesup, Overlook Park is a safe way to peer from a good distance at the 10,000+ alligators that roam the waters. Tour operators are available for information about these scaley beasts and rides across the lake in an airboat if you dare. The Little Big Econ State Forest spreads over close to 10,300 acres and is a great spot for hiking, paddling, horseback riding, biking, hunting, fishing, and spotting the rich wildlife.
Or take a day trip to the nearby Sanford. This quaint neighboring town has some cute shops and stops, a zoo, parks, and waterfronts. But it also has several craft breweries and bars within walking distance of each other. So strap on your comfy shoes and get to brew-crawling.
Our favorite restaurant in Oviedo is Sushi Pop This contemporary Japanese restaurant serves tasty dishes featuring fresh seafood including sushi, sashimi, curries, and Korean chicken. The Townhouse Restaurant is a popular spot. This old fashioned diner-style restaurant serves American and Greek classics and features live music, patio seating, and craft beer.
Schools in Oviedo
Oviedo’s top public schools include Evans Elementary School, Galileo School for Gifted Learning and Hagerty High School. Its top private schools include St. Luke’s Lutheran School and Twin Rivers Montessori Academy. For daycares, check out the top-rated Alafaya Woods KinderCare and Ladybird Academy of Oviedo.
Homes in Oviedo
The lovely Oviedo offers a spread of housing options but offers mostly large single-family homes.
Winter Park
While comfortable Orlando suburbs are often packed full of retirees, Winter Park draws a different crowd. Idyllic, tree-lined, and safe? Yes. But also, Orlando’s thriving food scene got its start right in this neighborhood.
The suburb opened the city’s heart for great food when 4 Rivers Smokehouse opened its doors. This little starter is considered one of the best barbecue joints in the entire state. And, it’s since successfully spread its saucy goodness to 14 locations. Today, the restaurant scene in Winter Park thrives with dishes from authentic Indian fare to high-end Mexican food.
Warm and welcoming, Winter Park invites a diverse crowd including plenty of families. And located only about 15-minutes north of downtown Orlando, this neighborhood offers all the amenities of a modern city and all the charm of a small town.
Things to do in Winter Park
A local favorite and must-eat-at in the neighborhood is The Ravenous Pig. Their warm, elegant dining area serves tasty American dishes, in-house brewed beers, and handcrafted cocktails. Try their Chicken & Waffles with black strap caramel and apple jam. Want to eat lunch like a local? Visit Black Bean Deli. This tiny Cuban sandwich corner serves pressed, hot sandwiches that honor the traditional ingredients and flavors of old-time Cuban cuisine.
Besides food, Winter Park holds parks, museums, events, and shopping destinations. Visit Park Avenue , the beautiful, tree-lined main street of Winter Park. You’ll find a busy pocket with more than 140 shops, boutiques, and cafes. Walk through the tropical oasis at Mead Botanical Garden, blooming with local floral foliage and dotted with wildlife. Or peruse Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass designs at The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum.
Schools in Winter Park
The top schools serving Winter Park include Lakemont Elementary School, Hope Charter School, Orlando Science Charter School, and Winter Park High School. For private schools, look into St. Margaret Mary Catholic School, The Geneva School, and Circle Christian School. If you’re in need of daycare, Childtime of Winter Park and First Steps Academy are highly rated.
Homes in Winter Park
Art deco, bungalows, four square, cape cods, craftsman, Victorian, and prairie homes. Winter Park’s got ‘em all.
There you have it: the best neighborhoods for families in Orlando!
We hope this guide to the best neighborhoods for families in Orlando was helpful, and if you decide to take the plunge soon, don’t forget we offer last minute moving services in Orlando! So don’t hesitate to reach out to your friends here at Bellhop. As we said, we coordinate local and long-distance moving services in Orlando, and we would love to help. We also help coordinate moves for nearby cities such as Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami should you be interested!
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