If you’re looking for a good place to spend the day and want lots of things to do and see within walking distance, Mount Dora fits the bill. I ended up here after a quick trip to a place called Sugarloaf Mountain. That excursion from the bottom of the “mountain” to the top, including a stop for a couple of photos, took all of about five minutes. Hmmm. Now what? I saw that a town called Mount Dora was only a half hour away, so I headed in that direction.
I liked Mount Dora immensely. The downtown area has a quaint city hall, lots of shops to browse and tons of restaurants. I’m all for the shop-eat-shop-eat-eat-eat equation when sightseeing. And if you’re a beer drinker, I hear they have a micro-brewery that’s very popular.
I found the downtown area to be a bit on the hilly side so if you’re walking with a cane or you’re wheelchair bound, it might be challenging, but certainly not off-limits. I dare say if the temperature (including humidity that could suffocate) wasn’t stifling the day I went, I might not have even noticed the hilly inclines. As it was, if I’d stopped and leaned over, my drippy face could’ve watered the shrubs. The lesson here – go on a day when the weather will be comfortable for outdoor walking.
I rambled past a couple of artsy shops, took a few photos, discovered the Modernism Museum wasn’t open and stopped to ask about nearby restaurants. The nearest recommendation was to a place called 1921 but, not only was it not open at noon on a Thursday, the gate to the courtyard entrance was padlocked. So I took the next suggestion and headed for the Thai place around the corner. The food was good and the staff was personable. Can you ask for more? OK, well maybe the air conditioning.
Next on my list? Antiques. I’ve always had this impression that antique shops are full of kitschy junk, but I’m a fan of the home shows on HGTV and someone is always browsing through an antique store looking for a steal. Where do they find these places with something worth buying? I had passed an antique place, Village Antique Mall, on my way into the main downtown center of Mount Dora and vowed to return.
I was amazed to see they actually had some interesting treasures. It was a huge place – 12,000 square feet housing about 50 vendors. You can find a plethora of stuff – furniture, vintage jewelry, military items, antique toys and dolls, glassware, porcelain, watches, vinyl records, vintage lighting, musical instruments, and collectibles. My favorite was what appeared to be a brocade steamer trunk with lots of fun inner compartments. Unfortunately, I have no use for it, so I didn’t bother to look at a price. But it was eye-catching.
Don’t ask me why I had to have a photo of these old-timey typewriters. A nod to my own antique past perhaps? Remember typewriters? Typing class in high school? Carbon paper, white-out? It irritated me that my mother made me take the class. I planned to do something artsy and couldn’t see that I’d ever need it. Now, of course, it’s an indispensable skill.
There were a few things I’d go back to explore – the lake and its surroundings for one. Everyone recommended the boardwalk around the lake, the lighthouse, and the boat tours. I would like to spend a night at the Lakeside Inn sometime in the fall when they have the arts and crafts festival.
I’d start my day with a leisurely breakfast on the veranda and a stroll along the boardwalk, then I’d take in the lighthouse before heading over to the festival.
Other things to see and do in Mount Dora:
- Mount Dora Craft Fair – 4th weekend in October
- Arts & Crafts Fair – 3rd weekend in March
- Premier Boat Tours
- Mount Dora Center for the Arts
- Hidden Waters Preserve
- Museum of Speed (muscle, pro, and foreign cars, “automobilia”)
Lakeside Inn is located at 100 Alexander St. Have questions? Call 352-383-4101. Village Antique Mall is at 405 Highland St. and their number is 352-385-0257.
Lisa Browder 
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