Things to Do in Altamonte Springs and Longwood
A lakeside town center, a 2,000-year-old cypress and a pocket of 1880s history.
See top-rated activities »About Altamonte and Longwood
Altamonte Springs and Longwood are next-door neighbors along the busy U.S. 17-92 and State Road 434 corridors in the southwest of the county. Much of the area is shopping centers and neighborhoods, but a few places reward a stop, and they are close enough together to see in half a day.
In Altamonte Springs, Cranes Roost Park is the heart of the Uptown district. A one-mile walkway circles the lake past restaurants and apartments, a choreographed fountain plays on the water in the evening, and the Eddie Rose Amphitheater has a floating stage used for concerts and the city's holiday light festival. It is a pleasant place for a walk after dinner, and the Altamonte Springs SunRail station is nearby.
Longwood holds two very different kinds of history. Big Tree Park, part of the larger Spring Hammock Preserve, has a boardwalk through a cypress swamp to the site of The Senator, a bald cypress estimated at about 3,500 years old that was destroyed by fire in 2012. A clone of the tree grows near the playground, and Lady Liberty, another cypress believed to be around 2,000 years old, still stands beside the boardwalk. In the town's historic district, the Longwood Historic Society cares for buildings from the 1870s and 1880s, including the Bradlee-McIntyre House, which was moved to Longwood from Altamonte Springs in 1973 and opens for tours on set days.
Spring Hammock Preserve itself covers roughly 1,500 acres between Longwood, Winter Springs and Lake Jesup, with trails through hardwood hammock and along Soldiers Creek. On the western edge of Longwood, Wekiva Island rents canoes and kayaks on the Wekiva River; it is covered on our Wekiva page. Both cities have SunRail stations, so a car-free afternoon of Cranes Roost, lunch and a ride back to Sanford or Orlando is possible on weekdays.
Don’t Miss
A 45-acre lakeside park with a one-mile walkway, a fountain show and a floating-stage amphitheater.
The restaurants, shops and apartments around Cranes Roost Park, with events on the lawn and the amphitheater.
A boardwalk to the site of The Senator cypress and to Lady Liberty, a living bald cypress believed to be about 2,000 years old.
About 1,500 acres of hammock and creek-side trails that take in Big Tree Park and Soldiers Creek Park.
An 1885 house moved to Longwood in 1973, cared for by the Longwood Historic Society with other 1870s and 1880s buildings. Tours run on set days.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Altamonte and Longwood
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Get free trip quotes »Altamonte and Longwood — FAQ
Can you still see The Senator tree?
The Senator burned in January 2012, but its site is marked at the end of the Big Tree Park boardwalk. Lady Liberty, an ancient bald cypress, still stands nearby, and a tree grown from The Senator is planted in the park.
When does the Cranes Roost fountain run?
The fountain show runs in the evenings on a schedule set by the City of Altamonte Springs. Check the park page before you go, especially around holidays.
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