My mother came to visit this week, and she had a great idea. Visit places neither of us had been to here in the Central Florida area! I thought this was great as there is so much to do and see right around Orlando that doesn’t involve a theme park. Lucky for us Central Florida is full of activities!
We started out our week in St. Augustine. While I had been here a couple of times, mom had not yet been. It’s such a lovely town, and Nights of Lights was still taking place. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 and is the oldest continually inhabited city in the United States. It has been held by Spain, the UK, back to Spain, and then to the United States.
Before heading into town we stopped at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The first lighthouse was built across the street from the current one. Unfortunately, it fell into the ocean in 1880. The current lighthouse was built a bit further away from the water. This lighthouse is one of only 17 still operating in Florida, and the non-profit that runs the lighthouse keeps the light going every night. You can walk up the 219 steps to the top to look out over the surrounding area and the ocean beyond. While here there are free tours of the site, and I recommend joining one. They will give you history on the keeper’s house, the lighthouse, the Coast Guard WWII Barracks, and the conservation tubs where they are restoring artifacts from shipwrecks in the area. Inside the basement of the keeper’s house, you can view artifacts that have been cleaned and are on display for you.
We walked around and explored the old part of the city and had a lovely lunch at the Colombia Resturant. Colombia is family owned and the original restaurant is located in the Tampa area. They have been open in Tampa since 1905.
We started with the artichoke, shrimp, and crab dip. It came with Cuban crackers, which were very dry and dense, yet very interesting.
While perusing the menu mom noticed the paella and commented that she had never had it. With that said it had to be tried, so the server brought us a large order so we could split it. It was loaded with chicken, sausage, clams, mussels, and shrimp. It was very flavorful and I highly recommend it!
During Nights of Lights which runs from the Saturday before Thanksgiving and through January 31st. The whole downtown area is draped in beautiful lights creating a wonderland. I was there in December of 2017 and did note on this trip while the majority of the lights were still in place most of the Christmas decor and trees were taken down in January. It’s still lovely and much less crowded. You can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride of the old town at night which I did the previous December, and found it to be an intimate way to see the old city and gain a historical perspective at the same time.
The next day we were off again and found ourselves at Blue Springs State Park. Blue Springs is located just north of Orlando and is a natural playground. During the winter months, it’s not just humans who come here to visit but Manatees make Blue Springs their winter home! On the day we visited the park rangers had counted 435 manatees in residence! The park has wooden walkways all along the spring run, up to the spring boil. There were manatees everywhere we looked. Up at the spring head the manatees were very active and playing in the very warm water they come here for
Also in the park there is an optional St. Johns River Boat Tour. It is a two hour tour of the river, and if you want to see wildlife you will not be disappointed. The pristine river is home to all types of birds, alligators, and, manatees. The captain will give you information on the animals you are seeing and the history of the area. Definitely, a must do if you visit the park!
That evening we had a family gathering at Boston Lobster Feast on International Drive. If you are looking for seafood and all you can eat sounds good this is the place for you. They have whole lobsters, crab legs, other hot fish dishes, prime rib, cold seafood salads, and a great raw bar!
Bok Tower and Gardens has been on my to-do list for quite some time, so we made this our next stop on our journey through Central Florida. Located south of Orlando off of Highway 27, Bok Tower and Gardens is on one of Central Florida’s highest points with an elevation of 295 feet above sea level. The view of the surrounding orange groves is beautiful, and the tower itself is exceptional.
The host at the visitors center suggested we start by visiting the Pinewood Estate and then make our way to the Tower to listen to the 1pm show. From there it was all downhill exploring the gardens back to the visitors center. The gardens also offers golf cart shuttles up to the house and tower for those with mobility issues that run approximately every 15 minutes.
The Pinewood Estate was the winter home to Charles Buck the vice president of Bethlem Steel, in the 1930s. The self-guided tour was great, as they had docents in each of the main rooms to explain all the intricate details, and then passed you on to the next docent. To say the house is magnificent would be an understatement. And unlike many other historical homes, you are allowed to take as many pictures as you like, no flash of course. All of the light fixtures in the house are original, except for one. The tile floors throughout the house are all original and the pattern in each room is different. This applies to all the doors in the house as well. They change from room to room. Mr. Buck traveled extensively for work and all of the tile work in the house is hand painted from Tunisia. Also, all of the bathroom fixtures in the house are American Standard, original, and still fully functioning!
The Home’s Interior
The Amazing Light Fixtures
The 205-foot Singing Tower situated at the top of the gardens is a spectacular piece of architecture, and the music from the carillon is hauntingly beautiful. The tower was constructed in 1929 and houses a 60 bell carillon. Concerts are held daily at 1pm and 3pm. Just sitting at one of the many benches and listening to the music is so relaxing. The exterior is marble from Georgia and coquina stone from St. Augustine.
The next day I decided to stay a little closer to home and explore a hidden gem right up the road from where I live in Orlando. That gem, of course, is Winter Park. This little-overlooked town is packed full of activities. They have public parking garages behind Park Ave so you don’t have to worry about parking on the streets.
We started our morning off at Barnies Coffee & Tea Co. for a light breakfast. They offer a great menu and wonderful coffee. My friend Sarah is a fan of their Santa’s White Christmas. I had the Avacado Toast with Poached Eggs, and mom had the Breakfast Panini.
Winter Park is home to the Morse Museum, home to the largest collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany! My mother and I were both amazed by the works housed here and the size of the collection. If you are in the Orlando area this is a must see! The centerpiece of the collection is the chapel he created for the World’s Colombian Exposition in Chicago.
And now for Mr. Tiffany’s stained glass!
In 1957 Mr. Tiffany’s home on Long Island, NY burned down. The McKean family went at the request of Mr. Tiffany’s family and recovered what they could from the home, and brought them here to Winter Park. Here in the musem they have recreated some of the rooms in the home with recoeverd pieces.
Daffodil Terrace
The Dining Room
The Study
The Chapel
After the Morse we took a short drive over to the Scenic Boat Tours of Winter Park. My friend Joe had said this was a lot of fun so we decided to give it a go. We were not disappointed. It was a beautiful winter day in the 70’s, so perfect to be out on the water. There are six large lakes in the Winter Park area that are connected by a series of canals created by works programs put in place by President Roosevelt. The hour and a half tour explores three of the lakes, canals, and shows off the magnificent homes along the lakes. It’s a very relaxing way to spend part of your day in Winter Park.
That evening after relaxing at home I decided to throw a little Disney into our week. The Walt Disney World resort has some amazing resort hotels with great resturants. As part of our goal during the week was to try new things I made a dinner reservation at The Wave… of American Flavors inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort. We shared the seasonal salad to start. I had the Grilled Pork Tenderloin, and mom had the New York Strip.
After dinner we went up to the Concourse Level and watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. A little Disney magic is always a great way to finish up a great day!
On mom’s final day in Orlando we went a little further afield once again to another hidden gem here in Central Florida, Mount Dora.
Situated about an hour northwest of Orlando Mount Dora is a quaint town, it’s also famous for all the festivals they hold throughout the year. The downtown area has lots of lovely shops and restaurants. We strolled the small streets and popped into many of the little shops.
We stopped into Love Has No Gender Boutiqueand I picked up a shirt for myself, and some stickers for my niece.
I was feeling a bit peckish so we stopped at Let’s Do Lunch for a bite. I had the Lobster Roll with potato salad, and mom had a Hot Dog with chips. The lobster roll was filled with meat, and mom said the hot dog was great!
Afterward, as we were strolling along I noticed Le Petit Sweet Bakery. If you have read any of my other posts you will already know I”m a sucker for a sweet treat, so I had to pop in. They had an assortment of small sweet treats from cookies to small cheesecakes. I sampled the Caramel Coconut Cheesecake and it was wonderful!
So as you can see Central Florida is full of activities outside of what most people come here for. While I love the theme parks, there is so much more to do and see here. On your next trip take some time to explore and find your own unique adventure in My Backyard!
Billy's Travel Adventures 
Cuban crackers are know as “Galletas de Casco” in Puerto Rico ^_^ The glass work was so beautiful. (Your pictures are great! Love ’em!) The boat ride through the canals seemed very refreshing. And i love all those small “old” stores. Is like visiting the past with the “hand written” signs and wooden shelves. The glass bottles were awesome!
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