Right next to Disney World, this free Florida park sits on a 22,700-acre wild lake

Kissimmee’s secret right next to Disney

You drive past the theme park exits, keep going, and suddenly you’re standing at the edge of a 22,700-acre lake with no ticket required and no line in sight.

Kissimmee Lakefront Park sits on the northern shore of Lake Tohopekaliga, just minutes from Walt Disney World, and it costs nothing to walk in. Sandhill cranes cross the path.

Bald eagles circle overhead. A 50-foot monument built from the ashes of Pearl Harbor stands near the water.

There’s a lot more going on here than most people know.

How the lake got its name

The Seminole people named this lake Tohopekaliga, and a historical marker on the park grounds translates that as “fort site.” At roughly 22,700 acres, it’s the largest lake in Osceola County.

The park stretches about 25 acres along the northern shore, sitting between the lake and downtown Kissimmee’s streets. Parking is free.

Admission is free.

The city built all of this, completed ahead of schedule and under the original $20 million budget, starting from a concept drawn up in 2006.

Walk the mile of waterfront trail

The lakeshore trail runs about a mile from Big Toho Marina to Brinson Park, and it stays wide, flat, and paved the entire way.

At 12 feet across, there’s room for walkers, joggers, cyclists, and rollerbladers moving in both directions. Shaded benches and picnic spots line the route, and the lake stays in view the whole time.

If you want to keep going, the trail connects to the Neptune Road pathway, which continues about seven miles east to St. Cloud.

Eagles, egrets and gators below the path

Give yourself time to slow down along the waterfront boardwalks because this stretch is packed with wildlife. Sandhill cranes, great egrets, herons, ibis, and ospreys work the shallows.

Kissimmee sits in one of Florida’s densest bald eagle nesting zones, and you’ll spot them circling above the lake regularly. Turtles stack up on submerged logs.

Alligators cruise the shallows and can be seen from the raised pathway, where a low wall runs along sections of the waterfront. Bass break the surface near the reeds.

Lake Toho’s bass fishing reputation

Lake Toho ranks nationally as one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. Professional anglers know this water well.

The lake has hosted Bassmaster Elite Series events, and record tournament limits have come out of these waters.

You can cast from the park’s fishing pier without booking anything, or hire a guided charter through Big Toho Marina if you want to go deeper into the lake.

Either way, you’ll need a Florida freshwater fishing license unless you qualify for an exemption.

Pontoon eco-tours from the marina

Big Toho Marina is the largest boat ramp on the lake and sits right inside the park. There’s a bait shop, boat slips, and a waterfront restaurant.

In January 2025, the city added guided pontoon eco-tours run by Florida Everglades Eco-Toon Tours. The 44-foot pontoon is ADA-accessible and pet-friendly.

Captains take you out onto Lake Toho and along Shingle Creek, calling out alligators, eagles, and turtles as you go and filling in the history of the watershed along the way.

The Pearl Harbor monument built from 1,500 stones

Near the park entrance, at East Monument Avenue and Lakeview Drive, a 50-foot step-pyramid rises from the ground.

Dr. Charles Bressler-Pettis conceived it right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, writing to every state governor to ask for a rock donation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a stone from his Hyde Park estate.

By the 1943 dedication, the Monument of States held over 1,500 stones from all 48 states and 21 countries. On Dec. 8, 2015, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The man sealed inside his own monument

Bressler-Pettis was a retired physician and president of the Kissimmee All-States Tourist Club when he launched the project. Local volunteers, many of them seniors and retirees, built the pyramid by hand.

The finished structure weighs an estimated 100,000 pounds, reinforced inside with three and a half tons of steel rails.

When Bressler-Pettis died in 1954, the city made a rare exception to its burial laws and sealed a portion of his remains inside the monument.

After years of neglect, AAA helped fund a full restoration in 2001.

A bronze tribute to the Bataan Death March

Veterans Lawn holds another memorial, and this one tells a specific story.

The Bataan-Corregidor Memorial honors the Americans and Filipinos who endured the Bataan Death March during World War II.

Former Filipino diplomat Menandro de Mesa and City Commissioner Richard Herring founded the Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation together. The city donated the land in 1991.

Sculptor Sandra M. Storm created the bronze statue: a Filipina woman offering water to two exhausted soldiers. The memorial was dedicated on May 20, 1995, and it stands in full view of the lake.

Splash pads, pavilions and wide open lawn

Families with kids have plenty of room here. Two large shaded playgrounds overlook the water.

The splash pad draws on Florida marshland themes, with fountains and sculptures built into the design. Veterans Lawn opens up into a wide green field for picnics, frisbee, and kite flying.

Covered pavilions with grills can be reserved for cookouts, birthday parties, and group gatherings. Throughout the year, the Event Lawn hosts live music and community events that draw people from across Osceola County.

The lighthouse where locals watch the sunset

A decorative lighthouse sits on a small peninsula at the edge of Lake Toho, and it’s become one of downtown Kissimmee’s most recognized spots.

It doesn’t function as a navigational light, but that doesn’t stop people from gathering around it at dusk. As the sun drops, the sky runs orange and pink across the water.

Locals treat it as a nightly event rather than a scenic backdrop.

The Monument of States is a five-minute walk away, so you can easily make a loop of both before dark.

Shingle Creek trail starts right here

The park marks the southern end of the Shingle Creek Regional Trail, a multi-use path still growing northward.

When finished, the trail will stretch 32 miles from Kissimmee through Orlando all the way to Wekiwa Springs State Park.

Along the way, it passes through Shingle Creek Regional Park, where you’ll find hiking trails, kayak access, and historic homestead buildings.

Shingle Creek itself feeds the Florida Everglades from here, from the northernmost headwaters. Cyclists and walkers can pull onto miles of paved trail directly from the park with no car required.

Visit Kissimmee Lakefront Park in Florida

You can head straight to the park at 201 Lakeview Drive in Kissimmee. It’s open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and admission and parking are both free.

The park has playgrounds, a splash pad, a fishing pier, restrooms, picnic pavilions, and Big Toho Marina. Pontoon eco-tours depart from the marina at 69 Lakeview Drive.

If you’re coming by train, the SunRail Kissimmee station is a short walk from the entrance.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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