Lazy Gator Bar Near Orlando: A Laid-Back Florida Escape

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by Bev Posted on

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Lake Views, Alligators, Margaritas, and a Taste of Old Florida

2316 Black Hammock Fish Camp Road Oviedo, FL 32765

Key Takeaways

  • The Lazy Gator Bar offers scenic lake views, alligators, and refreshing margaritas in Oviedo, Florida.
  • Visitors can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, reminiscent of Old Florida, away from typical tourist spots.
  • The Lazy Gator Bar is part of The Black Hammock, which includes a restaurant, wildlife exhibit, and airboat rides.
  • It’s an ideal last stop before heading to the airport, just 30 minutes from Orlando International Airport.
  • For more Florida adventures, the article highlights charming destinations like Winter Park and Mount Dora.

Finding the Lazy Gator Bar

Driving to the Lazy Gator Bar after leaving Sanford, Florida, I felt like I was heading somewhere really out of the way. The route took me along winding country roads off the main highway, but it was actually just about five miles from Highway 417 in Oviedo, Florida, right next to Lake Jesup. I turned onto Black Hammock Fish Camp Road, which ends at Lake Jesup and leads straight to The Black Hammock and the Lazy Gator Bar. There, I finally sat down with a great view of the lake, watched some gators, and enjoyed a margarita before heading to the airport on my last day in the Orlando area.

  • Straw umbrellas over round wood tables with a bue sky and the lake in the background at Lazy Gator Bar.
  • A margarita with the lake in the background at Lazy Gator Bar.
  • An alligator swimming in the lake next to shore at Lazy Gator Bar.

My First Florida Alligators

The Lazy Gator is the first place in Florida where I actually saw alligators. There are warning signs everywhere, and by now, you’d think everyone knows to stay out of lakes or ponds in Florida. Still, I had never seen a gator myself—until now. At the Lazy Gator, I saw several! It was pretty exciting.

A Taste of Old Florida

The Lazy Gator Bar is part of The Black Hammock, which also has a full-service restaurant, airboat rides, and a live exhibit. While we were there, a company had rented part of the bar for an event. We sat outside at a covered table with a view of the lake. It felt like the relaxed, nostalgic Florida you imagine when listening to Jimmy Buffett on the radio—a side of Florida I hadn’t really experienced before, since I’m usually caught up in work or the busy tourist spots. This was the easygoing, stay-awhile kind of Florida. I really liked it.

  • The exterior of The Black Hammock Restaurant part of the Lazy Gator Bar.
  • The straw table umbrellas and an alligator warning sign on a palm tree at the Lazy Gator Bar.
  • View of Lake Jesup from Lazy Gator Bar.

More Than Just a Bar

I came here just to sit, relax, and enjoy the view before heading home. I had been staying in Winter Park while in town for a conference in Orlando. But there’s actually a lot more to do here at The Black Hammock and Lazy Gator Bar than sit and relax as I did. The Black Hammock has a full-service restaurant, a wildlife exhibit with birds and gators, and you can even take an airboat tour if you want. They also rent out space for events and welcome school groups for field trips.

  • The banner sign to the live exhibit of birds and alligators at the Lazy Gator Bar.
  • The wood steps leading to the Lazy Gator Bar painted different colors and words written on them, like "Lazy Gator".
  • A gator cutout photo op with me, Bev with my head in the cutout next to the aligator at Lazy Gator Bar.

One Last Stop Before the Airport

The Lazy Gator Bar turned out to be the perfect last stop before hitting the airport. It felt like a whole different vibe from the typical Orlando tourist spots, even though it’s just about 30 minutes from Orlando International Airport. With a nice lake view, a margarita in hand, and my first look at Florida alligators, it was a great chance to relax and soak in a side of Florida I hadn’t really seen before. If you’re in the mood for something a bit off the beaten path from the usual Orlando attractions, you’ve got to check out The Black Hammock and Lazy Gator Bar.

  • A gazebo and palm tree at the end of the grassy lawn at with the lake at Lazy Gator Bar.
  • An Alligator swimming in the lake at Lazy Gator Bar.
  • A sign about Lake Jesup at the Lazy Gator Bar.

For more ideas on places to visit in Florida.

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