Walking Lake Ivanhoe ~

During sunny mornings, I like to take my dog Diesel on long walks.

Diesel and I love the outdoors. I've noticed we're both explorers at heart and together we conquer the streets of Florida. Him and I go for miles sometimes, wandering every sidewalk, taking in the abundant sounds of life all around us.

The other day I decided to follow Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando and walk entirely around it. This ended up being about 4 miles total! I took my time and was grateful my headphones lasted the trip. Along the way I took lots of pictures of things I found beautiful and intriguing.

When I first started walking the path, the road looked like any other street in downtown Orlando- attached to a lake and busy. It quickly led to a lavish neighborhood built with cobblestone streets, three-story homes, and clean, polished yards. The neighborhood wrapped around the majority of the lake. I saw lots of people walking outside, from other dog-owners, to pairs of parents, to teenagers.

Eventually, the path along Lake Ivanhoe continued underneath the i4 bridge, where the surroundings started to turn back into an urban environment. Briskly I walked through, Diesel protecting me by my side.

The path then led to the shopping area of Lake Ivanhoe, known as Ivanhoe Village, which is such a cute area and a great place to spend some time with friends or family! It is a street in downtown lined with local restaurants, bars, unique boutiques, and more! It is a little pricey but it is right in the city, so I imagine rent for the business owners is higher.

If you continue following the path of the lake, you'll walk along a large park called Ivanhoe Park. There are kayak rentals, a floating dock, a volleyball court, outdoor exercise equipment, and as always, lots of places to sit under pretty trees.

My last local tourist stop before home was passing a small statue of Liberty. Orlando truly is an international city, but with a small city vibe. There are people who come to live here, work here, or visit here from all over the world, but there is still so much variety in the area. From country, to lakes galore, to delicious restaurants, to endless outlets, to thick trees and grasses, to theme parks, Orlando truly has so much to do. There is a big city vibe when wanted, but there is also nature all around. And beaches are still only an hour away!

When we finally got home, Diesel and I relaxed on the couch, slightly sweating. Diesel is always just happy to be outside, but he tirelessly laid down for a good thirty minutes. I smiled, happy to be alive and excited to continue discovering the city tomorrow.