The Sperry Fountain, Orlando, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

The Sperry Fountain is a landmark fountain at 205 E Central Blvd, beside Lake Eola Park in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida. It belongs to the city's best-loved public green space, a lakeside park of walking paths, water views and a playground that locals and visitors have gathered in for well over a century.

The story behind it

To understand the fountain, start with the park around it. Lake Eola Park exists thanks to Jacob Summerlin, a wealthy rancher nicknamed the Cattle King of Florida. In the 1880s he donated land around the lake so that ordinary townspeople had a public place to relax and play. The lake itself is not a natural basin. It is a sinkhole, formed when the ground above an underground cavity collapsed.

Over the years the shoreline has hosted many pastimes, including a small zoo, a race track, tennis courts and a pier with a dancing area. Fountains have been part of the lake's character for a long time, and the large central fountain, officially the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain and often called the Centennial Fountain, is lit in changing colors after dark.

What to look for

• Walk the paved path that circles the lake and notice how the water, the fountains and the downtown buildings frame one another.
• Look out at the large central fountain in the lake, which is lit in colors in the evening.
• Watch for the swan-shaped boats on the water, a familiar sight on the lake.
• Look back from the shoreline toward the city, where the downtown skyline rises behind the trees.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 30 to 60 minutes for an easy stroll around the lake, longer if you want to stop at the playground or sit by the water.
• Late afternoon into evening is a pleasant time to go, when the heat eases and the fountain lights come on.
• The fountain and park are outdoors, so there is no inside to visit. Check current opening hours and any event closures before you go.
• Downtown Orlando's cafes and restaurants are a short walk away, which makes the park an easy break in a city day.

See it on a quest

Playing Kid Quest: Solve the case of the lost senses in Orlando is a lively way to see this part of the city with children. You reach the fountain on foot as one stop of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. You can start any time with no guide and no group to join. One ticket covers the whole group.