Mount Dora is a quaint Florida town worth spending a LONG WEEKEND in, if not longer!
Located just 33 miles northwest of downtown ORLANDO, this quaint Florida town is easy and worth adding to your vacation plans!
The people are friendly, the shopping is insane, the art and history culture is abundant, and there are eateries and drinkeries galore! You won’t regret spending your well-earned vacation time in this town!
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Fast Fact: Mount Dora is known for its large collection of specialty shops and special events!
Mount Dora has dozens of specialty shops throughout the downtown area and is known for their yearly events including the Mount Dora Arts Festival, the Antique Spring Show, the Annual Sailing Regatta, the Bicycle Festival, and the Christmas Lighting Festival.
Four Worth Your Time Points of Interest:
This was hard to narrow down because in this quaint Florida town there are dozens of specialty shops to visit, festivals, museums, and nature. But I will just speak to what I know and leave you to explore from there!
1
Get your Christmas list together and dig in to find unique and beautiful items of all types in this shopping mecca. You can feel good supporting small businesses and also find those unique items you won’t find in chain stores. Shopping in Mount Dora can take up more than a weekend itself, but don’t let that intimidate you! Shop or play by day, then eat, drink, and be merry at night, that’s called “Vacation!”
2
If art is your scene, Mount Dora has you covered there as well. Among other events, the Mount Dora Center for the Arts holds an annual Mount Dora Arts Festival, showcasing hundreds of artists lining the streets of downtown, along with festival foods, music, beer, wine, cocktails, and various entertainment. This is a huge annual event that’s not to be missed, and one of many this town hosts!
Click here for the option of a wonderful electric cart tour of historic downtown Mount Dora. It’s a great way to take in all the sights in the Florida heat and plan out the rest of your time in Mount Dora so you won’t miss a thing!
3
Palm Island Park is a wonderful park within walking distance of downtown. It has a great boardwalk, tree-lined paths and is filled with Florida’s finest wildlife, gators included. My suggestion would be to grab some carry-out from one of the fabulous restaurants in town, walk down to the park and have a picnic. Follow that up with a nap on one of the hammocks the park provides and you’ll be fueled and ready to go on a stroll through some of Florida’s finest nature.
4
Lakeside Inn is a beautiful, historic hotel downtown, Mount Dora. The location and property are stunning and the 90-room hotel is set up to accommodate anything from a weekend getaway to a wedding or corporate event. Fun fact, as part of its history it’s rumored that there’s a secret door under the rug in front of the check-in counter that leads to what used to be a speakeasy. Supposedly the space is now used as finance offices, which is a bit of a shame. If it’s true that the secret entrance exists, what a great space to capitalize on for a secret bar or speakeasy! Just sayin’.
FIVE things to know before you go to this quaint Florida town:
- If you’re planning a visit that includes a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, be sure to check if your interests are open on those days. Those days are prime closure days for small businesses.
- This town is super walkable, but not without some slight hills. Be prepared to get your steps in!
- Mount Dora is also a great destination for antique enthusiasts. Antiquing has surged in popularity again, and Florida’s Antique Trail runs through Mount Dora with two stops, Renningers and World Travelers Antiques & Fine Arts. There are other antique shops in town as well, so be sure to look for them all.
- If you’re not spending your evening on a sunset cruise, or if you want to continue your night after you take in a beautiful sunset, Mount Dora has several bars that stay open late and cater to the active nightlife scene. Some favorites include Eden Abbey Brewing Community, HandleBar, and The Frog and Monkey Restaurant and Pub.
- Parking in Mount Dora is super easy and plentiful. This town has planned well for the crowds they invite, as there are over 700 available spaces to park. Use this map to locate the parking facilities.
More Photos From Mount Dora:
