Last month, at Creative Mornings, a Rollins College urban planner named Bruce Stevensen laid out some of his plans for making Orlando more awesome (which apparently means, 'a lot more like Portland').

He said that one of the big catalysts for healthy city development is the presence (and addition) of city parks.

That got me thinking about the current city parks in Orlando, and how vital they are to me, helping me slow down in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the expansive cityscape.  So, in honor of them, here is a list of some of the best city parks in the greater Orlando area:

DOWNTOWN AREA

Greenland Urban Wetlands—I mostly love this place because although it's not perfect, nobody knows about it. When I go there, I feel like I'm somewhere hidden in the city, and because of that, it's a great place to stop and think.

Dickson Azalea Park—A charming Shangra-La type garden that you can't really experience unless you get off the street and descend into the riverside park. Mayor Carl T Langford Park abuts it and has great fields and forests to run around. 

Lake Eola Park—Iconic for Orlando, and truly beautiful, though not a lot of places to have solitude.

Other notable downtown parks: Al Coith Park/Cherokee Park/Lake Davis Park