Residents of Windermere and Winter Garden enjoy easy access to one of Orange County’s greatest public parks: the Dr. P. Phillips Community Park. Located at 8249 Buenavista Woods Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32836 in the Dr. Phillips neighborhood of Orlando, it’s only about 8 miles from downtown Windermere and 16 miles from downtown Winter Garden.
The scenic, peaceful atmosphere and the various activities, amenities, and facilities available at the site make it a perfect family destination. It’s a highly recommended place for the family to spend a sunny Central Florida day relaxing and playing, and you’re sure to meet friendly neighbors of all ages!
About the Park
The Dr. P. Phillips Community Park is an 80-acre recreational site on the shores of Big Sand Lake. It opened in 2007 after the land was sold to the city at a fraction of its market value by Dr. Phillips Charities. Like all other city parks, it’s maintained and administered by the Orange County Parks and Recreation Department.
There’s an expansive, unique playground with fun equipment for children of all ages. Next to the playground, a sizable fenced-in splash pad with some small-scale water park features offers an entertaining way for the kids to cool off. You’ll also find sand volleyball courts, a basketball court, baseball and soccer fields, large green spaces, a short loop nature hiking trail, a picnic area, covered rental pavilions, restrooms, and a dog park.
Organized activities like youth flag football are offered seasonally at the Dr. P. Phillips Community Park as well.
Park Admission
The park is open to the public year-round, seven days per week, at no charge. There’s ample parking at the site. Summer hours are 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and winter hours are 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
From March through October, the splash pad is open daily from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm; the same hours apply November through February, but the splash pad closes two hours earlier at 5:00 pm. There’s a nominal splash pad entry fee of $1 per person on the weekends, on holidays in March through October, and daily in June through August.
What’s Nearby?
A trip to the Dr. P. Phillips Community Park is easily augmented and extended with other family-friendly things to do in the immediate vicinity.
For example, you’re less than 10 minutes away from Restaurant Row, the stretch of Sand Lake Road running through Dr. Phillips that’s heavily populated with all sorts of exceptional restaurants. It’s just a few minutes farther to the dining and entertainment core of International Drive, and the upscale Mall at Millennia is only about 20 minutes away from the park.
