Favorite Places in Central Florida

[ALadysMom]

I’m making a list of all the places I cannot wait too visit again once everything is fully open & safe. Would you like to share some of your favorite Central Floridian places?

Here are some of mine:

•PassAGrille (pristine beach on a point near St. Pete Beach) great sunset views over the Gulf
•Mt. Dora (quaint downtown)
•John’s Pass Boardwalk (eateries, water rentals, and shipping near St. Pete Beach)
•Downtown St. Pete Beach art fairs every Sat morning (pre-coronavirus)
•Bern’s Steakhouse, Tampa (awesome steak and wine cellar tour. Dessert in keg room is not to be missed!)
•Winter Garden, FL (great downtown)
•Party Boat Fishing from PassAGrill, FL (inexpensive day of sun & fun on the Gulf)
•Cape Canaveral Space Museum and SeaShore
•The Columbia (Cuban restaurant with several FL locations)
•The Don Cesar Hotel & Maritana Restaurant (St. Pete Beach)
•Honeymoon Beach State Park
•downtown Winter Park, FL
•Downtown on St. Armand’s Circle, Sarasota, FL
•The Mote Aquarium, Sarasota
•downtown Celebration, FL especially the dog store & farmers market
•Shingle Creek Hotel & Spa, Orlando
•Key West (not in central Florida but there used to be a fast shuttle boat from Ft Myers to Key West) Also Loved the day trip via seaplane from Key West to The Dry Tortugas.

I would love to add some of your favorite places to my “must visit” list. Thanks for sharing!

[John_W]

When you get to St. Armand's Key, you should look for this guy in the traffic circle. Skip the commercial at the beginning.

Just One Person Stops to Listen - After the Song He Says This - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO7anEgHkRc)

[davem4616]

Opa's Greek Restaurant in Orlando...best roast lamb this side of the Atlantic...the waitstaff toss napkins up into the air to the music of "Zorba The Greek" and the belly dancers dance on the table with the patrons.....it's wild and crazy and totally safe and appropriate for kids too

[alwann]

Tarpon Springs is kinda neat for walking around and enjoying Greek cuisine.

[ALadysMom]

When you get to St. Armand's Key, you should look for this guy in the traffic circle. Skip the commercial at the beginning.

Just One Person Stops to Listen - After the Song He Says This - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO7anEgHkRc)

Thanks for the link.That guitarist is very talented. Sorry but I couldn’t hear the conversation at the end. What was said?

[ALadysMom]

Opa's Greek Restaurant in Orlando...best roast lamb this side of the Atlantic...the waitstaff toss napkins up into the air to the music of "Zorba The Greek" and the belly dancers dance on the table with the patrons.....it's wild and crazy and totally safe and appropriate for kids too

Thanks for the suggestion! The tossed napkins might be scary if I can get some Saganaki too :0 (flaming Greek cheese :) Opa’s is now in my list.

I forgot a couple of wonderful places:

Fort DeSoto Park near St Pete
& Tibby’s New Orleans —fantastic—restaurant in a little strip center near Winter Park (A northern Orlando Suburb) The Coop near Winter Park is a great grab & go for fried chicken in the park. 4Rivers Smokehouse is awesome. I also love Rocco’s Tacos on Sand Lake road Orlando (try to get a table overlook the lake & be sure to get fresh table-side guacamole & fantastic margaritas :) Yum!

[ALadysMom]

Tarpon Springs is kinda neat for walking around and enjoying Greek cuisine.

Thanks! I’ve read that Tarpon Springs is known for its sponge harvesting. Are there any waterside spots to see the boats unload?

[ALadysMom]

Oooo...I just remembered...beach bars...caddy’s & rum runners in St Pete Beach are awesome for bar food, stiff mixed drinks in plastic cups, live music and sunset right on the beautiful beach. Have too much to drink? There’s Uber or a Gulf Blvd. shuttle & many nice beach hotels. St Pete Beach is my favorite beach. Beats South Beach, Waikiki and Cocoa, I think.

[alwann]

I believe some sponge diving is still going on, but never saw a catch brought in during my visits there. Lots of shops selling sponges, however.

[John_W]

Thanks! I’ve read that Tarpon Springs is known for its sponge harvesting. Are there any waterside spots to see the boats unload?

When I was 12 in 1962, my 6th grade class went on a field trip to Tarpon Springs and they took us out in a boat. It wasn't very big, maybe ten of us at a time, and we watched the hard-hat diver go down and bring up a sponge. They still have the tours.

Tarpon Springs is home to a Greek Community and part of their heritage was hard-hat diving for sponges. There use to a very famous Greek Restaurant at the harbor in Tarpon Springs called Louis Pappas. It first opened in 1925 but I found that it closed in 2005. We had another very popular one in St. Petersburg (Pasadena), but it also has closed. They still have smaller locations in Clearwater and Tampa. So if you see a 'Louie' Pappas Restaurant, it's excellent Greek food.

St. Nicholas Boat Line (https://stnicholasboatline.com/#!/page_more)

Tarpon Springs Tours - Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks (https://spongedocks.net/business/tarpon-springs-tour/)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DMwdWjvW0AECSYz.jpg

https://www.louispappas.com/?fbclid=IwAR0JHG2GVsZUGI7mdwGunmOwHbkyHBbeXUHHdV3Q JvPV7-Amofw9wHW_JGU

This huge building was the Pappas Restaurant at Tarpon Springs, it closed in 2005.

https://live.staticflickr.com/2574/4060264510_77637927e3_z.jpg

Now the nearest to Tarpon Springs is this Clearwater shopping Center location.

https://i3.ypcdn.com/blob/05dbd94d7f74e64ae687f7399cb01a4ceb3d6d2a_640.jpg

[LadyKahuna]

Two Tails Ranch in Williston is worth a visit. It is an elephant rescue ranch with lots of other animals too.

[GaryKoca]

There is always Gator Land, Homossasa Springs, and Bock Tower.

[dennisgavin]

IF you go to Winter Park do the canal boat tour. Not sure if it is currently in operation but I would look
for it in the future.

[Halbraun]

Cedar Key.. any one of many springs (Blue, Manatee, Salt, others) bank fishing for crappie any where along the St John, the gardens at UofF, Rainbow River..

[deantilman@comcast.net]

Linda’s LaCantina in Orlando across from executive airport on E Colonial. The best steak! Been eating there since 1960.

[willis100]

Black Diamond Ranch Quarry Course in Lecanto.

[Paula]

Ocala, right up the street, has the Appleton Museum, Sholom Park, Florida Horse Park, Silver Springs, Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum, Zip Line, Gypsy Golf Horse Farm, just to name a few!

[chvlt57]

Bok Tower gardens Lake Wales.

[Decadeofdave]

Boca Grande Island near Port Charlotte. You can schedule a tour of the back range lighthouse (pre-pandemic)

[Carol Nichols]

So many in Florida. Go to AAA and get their flyers,,,,,, especially calendars,, with their trips to get more ideas than you can handle. Then go on your own but use their list of events on the foyers for the area as a guide. Their tour books are great but you might have to get a AAA Member to get you one if you aren't a member.
Also an unusual fun day is Solomon's Castle and eat in the Boat in the Moat.

[HimandMe]

Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Matlacha, Pine Island area

[HappyRetired]

I've heard that the Barnum & Bailey mansion and circus museum is nice. We haven't had a chance to go yet, but it's been recommended to us.

[John_W]

So many in Florida. Go to AAA and get their flyers,,,,,, especially calendars,, with their trips to get more ideas than you can handle...

That reminds me of a trip that AAA offers. It must be popular, I've seen the price go from $899 to $1049 in the past two years.

You get a bus to Fort Myers, a nice hotel there, meals at nice restaurants, then a hydroplane high speed 90 minute Key West Express boat ride to Key West. Then a couple of nights in Key West at nice place. Meals and tours and then back to Fort Myers.

If you're not into the whole excursion, you can drive to Fort Myers and park your car and take the boat ride on your own, I think it's $155 round trip.

Key West Express Official Page | Key West Ferry Service (https://www.keywestexpress.net/)

https://www.keywestexpress.net/hs-fs/hubfs/instagram-test.jpg?width=4608&name=instagram-test.jpg

[aldeana]

Ichetucknee Springs State Park for leisurely and pristine,, peaceful tubing. If you go during the week t may be more quiet. About 30 mins west of Gainesville. Rent a tube for $5 outside the park, as you approach the south entrance. Rainbow Springs tubing is also fun, but less peaceful, and more crowded.

[dkaufnelson]

Bok tower at Christmas.
City of DeLand downtown is very cute and has a great dog Mardi gras parade usually February and Stetson Mansion decorated beautifully at Christmas. DeLand also has several arts and crafts fairs that take up the whole main Street for a full weekend with music and food also a great place to stroll on a lazy day. The Morse museum in Winter Park has wonderful Tiffany Glass exhibits. St Augustine is a wonderful long day trip

[kathyspear]

Ocala, right up the street, has the Appleton Museum, Sholom Park, Florida Horse Park, Silver Springs, Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum, Zip Line, Gypsy Golf Horse Farm, just to name a few!

We visited Gypsy Gold Horse Farm in February and I have been meaning to write up a review. I am not a horse person. Never been on a horse in my life. But these animals are amazing and Dennis Thompson's story of bringing the Gypsy Vanner horse to America is fascinating. Highly recommended for all ages.

http://www.maitaitravel.com/GypsyVanner_review/01_braids.png

http://www.maitaitravel.com/GypsyVanner_review/02_horse1.png

http://www.maitaitravel.com/GypsyVanner_review/03_horse2.png

http://www.maitaitravel.com/GypsyVanner_review/04_horse3.png

http://www.maitaitravel.com/GypsyVanner_review/05_1week_old.png

http://www.maitaitravel.com/GypsyVanner_review/06_Miranda_Lambert_and_Dennis_Thompson.png

kathy

[JGVillages]

Carson Springs Wildlife Center (carsonspringswildlife.org) is just North and east of Gainsville.
Rescue center for wide variety of animals, tigers, lions, rhino, and many many others. Visit the website for details.

[stevemac]

boat rise across Dora Lake into the Dora canal. It begins at the Lakeview Inn.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Essex Seafood II in Pierson. Just like New England.

[Aloha1]

Begone, uninvited pestilence! I want to visit some of these places and return to others!

[mkarba]

Once the B&B’s in St. Augustine open the old town is wonderful. On/off tram tickets are a must good for two days. Columbia restaurant has best mojitos and steak. Take A1A all the way up beautiful drive. World Golf Hall of Fame pretty fun.

[DONS999]

Had a place on the water in Tarpon Springs for 25 years before we came to TV. Was great in the 90's when Pappas was at it's peak . Tarpon Springs is still a good day trip with some good Greek food.

Skippers Smokehouse in North Tampa is a real trip (gator burgers are good) . The place has not changed since the 60's . Same great entertainment and people.

[pcacace]

Sunken gardens in Sarasota I think, and the restaurant on site for lunch.

[pcacace]

I’ll agree with Tarpon Springs. Go w AAA and you get a great tour also.

[John_W]

Sunken gardens in Sarasota I think, and the restaurant on site for lunch.

You had the correct coast, but Sunken Gardens is in St. Petersburg, 18th Ave and 4th Street North.

Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/place/St.+Petersburg,+FL/@27.7897565,-82.6392598,985m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x88c2e663693aaa41:0x4cc40 03bcd48bff!8m2!3d27.7676008!4d-82.6402915)

Sunken Gardens - St. Petersburg (http://www.stpete.org/attractions/sunken_gardens/index.php)

https://live.staticflickr.com/978/40362809960_595e531fb9_b.jpg

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/HMM45K/sunken-gardens-100-year-old-botanical-gardens-in-st-petersburg-florida-HMM45K.jpg

[ALadysMom]

Before this thread somehow mysteriously closes, I’d like to thank everyone for contributing. I’ve added so many interesting places to my list! It’s been a pleasant diversion as I’ve Googled your recommendations. I love daydreaming about road trips, don’t you? Several of the places you’ve mentioned have been on my radar but I haven’t made the trek. As soon as I can I will make a point of going! I hope others may be able to venture out soon for a day trip to some of these awesome places too. Please continue to add your recommendations until this thread is gone since I am still making notes...and Thank you! Stay safe & be happy.

[ALadysMom]

[QUOTE=John_W;1765207]You had the correct coast, but Sunken Gardens is in St. Petersburg, 18th Ave and 4th Street North.

Sunken Gardens, Ringling Museum and the cobblestone old town area in St. Augustine have been on my list for many years but I’ve never gone. It’s just so hard to take time away from the beach whenever I’m near the Gulf!
I do love to tour historic estates & homes so Central Florida has a lot to offer. My daughter is a UCF alum so I had split most of my time between Orlando & Tampa/StPete. I can’t wait to be free to roam again! I saw that CityWalk is (Limited)!open at Universal again! It’s kind of scary to think about visiting tourist areas again but this too shall pass...

[Carlsondm]

Don’t forget the Freezer and Tiki Bar in Homasassa Springs, just a few miles from the state park. A seafood cook owns it and it is a bit of a dive, but the shrimp is amazing, prices are fair, and you can enjoy your chowder or shrimp on the marina, while sipping a fav beverage.
They also have a seafood market open a few days a week. This is a local hangout. Some of those Key West foodies will be there too.

[HimandMe]

That reminds me of a trip that AAA offers. It must be popular, I've seen the price go from $899 to $1049 in the past two years.

You get a bus to Fort Myers, a nice hotel there, meals at nice restaurants, then a hydroplane high speed 90 minute Key West Express boat ride to Key West. Then a couple of nights in Key West at nice place. Meals and tours and then back to Fort Myers.

If you're not into the whole excursion, you can drive to Fort Myers and park your car and take the boat ride on your own, I think it's $155 round trip.

Key West Express Official Page | Key West Ferry Service (https://www.keywestexpress.net/)

https://www.keywestexpress.net/hs-fs/hubfs/instagram-test.jpg?width=4608&name=instagram-test.jpg

We went on this...rough ride as there were some small waves...spent entire time sick often in washroom with head over the bowl and people behind me pounding for their turn....there is a cheap plane ride back in 1/3 of the time...TG

[davem4616]

boat rise across Dora Lake into the Dora canal. It begins at the Lakeview Inn.

we enjoyed that boat ride too...very interesting traveling through the canal

[davem4616]

Thanks for the suggestion! The tossed napkins might be scary if I can get some Saganaki too :0 (flaming Greek cheese :) Opa’s is now in my list.

I forgot a couple of wonderful places:

Fort DeSoto Park near St Pete
& Tibby’s New Orleans —fantastic—restaurant in a little strip center near Winter Park (A northern Orlando Suburb) The Coop near Winter Park is a great grab & go for fried chicken in the park. 4Rivers Smokehouse is awesome. I also love Rocco’s Tacos on Sand Lake road Orlando (try to get a table overlook the lake & be sure to get fresh table-side guacamole & fantastic margaritas :) Yum!

They do have Saganaki and we order it every time (their pita bread is fabulous)....and give the grilled octopus a try too

you'll laugh at the tossed napkins...they're the little cocktail type

[davem4616]

The Lake Ridge Winery on 27 heading south toward Clermont had been having outdoor concerts once a month on a weekend...you'd bring your own chairs...sit in the shade under huge live oaks (spanish moss removed) always nice breeze on this hilltop and listen to blues, rock, jazz, pop music Free tours of the winery and they have a number of food vendors with excellent food and drink

keep an eye out for when they resume these events....easy to stay 6 ft away from everyone and you're outside (unless you go inside for the tour

[ALadysMom]

Once the B&B’s in St. Augustine open the old town is wonderful. On/off tram tickets are a must good for two days. Columbia restaurant has best mojitos and steak. Take A1A all the way up beautiful drive. World Golf Hall of Fame pretty fun.

I can’t wait to drive up there! I’ve read about the history of St. Augustine and a scenic drive is a great way to start or end a trip. Sometimes I take routes just for the vistas along the way like the Sunshine Bridge near St. Pete, the Tampa Bay bridges, and the overseas highway in the Keyes. Simply breathtaking. Thanks for the tram tip too. I love all of the locations of The Columbia restaurant. It’s named after a ship I think. Have you been to The Columbia in Ybor (Tampa), Sarasota and Celebration? Each one has a unique ambiance but they all share the same delicious menu of wonderfully tasty, fresh Cuban food. I love the pitchers of table-side Sangria and Eggplant Riojana or Pollo Riojana if I’d prefer chicken. My daughter loves their seafood paella. The fresh Cuban bread is so yummy! I’ve never been disappointed with the food or the service. I’m getting really hungry just thinking about it! Gee, Thanks? St Augustine lighthouse was featured on Ghost Hunters but I need not fear since knees won’t climb all those steps. I would still like to see the historic structure though. And The tram sounds delightful.

[ALadysMom]

The Lake Ridge Winery on 27 heading south toward Clermont had been having outdoor concerts once a month on a weekend...you'd bring your own chairs...sit in the shade under huge live oaks (spanish moss removed) always nice breeze on this hilltop and listen to blues, rock, jazz, pop music Free tours of the winery and they have a number of food vendors with excellent food and drink

keep an eye out for when they resume these events....easy to stay 6 ft away from everyone and you're outside (unless you go inside for the tour

I considered buying a home in Clermont but I never knew about the Winery or the concerts. Sounds like a great way to enjoy some vino! The hilly terrain there is not very Florida-like, isn’t it? Their lakes would make nice places to call home but there wasn’t much of an obviously social community, unlike The Villages. Hope everyone can enjoy concerts and festivals again very soon.

[ALadysMom]

[QUOTE=John_W;1764603]When I was 12 in 1962, my 6th grade class went on a field trip to Tarpon Springs and they took us out in a boat. It wasn't very big, maybe ten of us at a time, and we watched the hard-hat diver go down and bring up a sponge. They still have the tours.

Tarpon Springs is home to a Greek Community and part of their heritage was hard-hat diving for sponges. There use to a very famous Greek Restaurant at the harbor in Tarpon Springs called Louis Pappas. It first opened in 1925 but I found that it closed in 2005. We had another very popular one in St. Petersburg (Pasadena), but it also has closed. They still have smaller locations in Clearwater and Tampa. So if you see a 'Louie' Pappas Restaurant, it's excellent Greek food.


Thanks for the great photos! They brought back so many memories for me, too. I used to love sponge painting with my 3 kids. We had a ball decorating their rooms together. That’s how I knew sponges were harvested in Tarpon Springs. But WOW...I thought bell scuba suits were left behind long ago. I’ll keep a lookout for Pappas. TY

[ALadysMom]

Cedar Key.. any one of many springs (Blue, Manatee, Salt, others) bank fishing for crappie any where along the St John, the gardens at UofF, Rainbow River..

I’d love to take a canoe trip on any of those rivers but aren’t alligators and snakes a threat? Yikes!

[ALadysMom]

Black Diamond Ranch Quarry Course in Lecanto.

How does anyone focus on playing golf with such scenery to look at? That place looks beautiful. I don’t play golf but I think I could offer to caddy just to see it. Thanks!

[ALadysMom]

Boca Grande Island near Port Charlotte. You can schedule a tour of the back range lighthouse (pre-pandemic)

So sometimes Google rains on our parade. The images of Gasperilla looked so enticing but then my search switched to “The name Gasparilla was born from Jose Gaspar, a pirate who terrorized the coastal waters of West Florida during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Fond of calling himself "Gasparilla", Gaspar and his band of pirates lived a life of seizing and robbing merchant ships off the Gulf Coast until 1821”

Not all of history was happy for all :/

[ALadysMom]

Two Tails Ranch in Williston is worth a visit. It is an elephant rescue ranch with lots of other animals too.

I think elephants & lions are some of the most intelligent, elegant creatures on the planet. Spending time with elephants would be an honor. Thanks

[ALadysMom]

There is always Gator Land, Homossasa Springs, and Bock Tower.

My cousin highly recommended Gator Land too. I think they house a previous-Villages resident or two. I love the native FL creatures and nature areas the best.
The Mote Aquarium (Sarasota) rescues and rehabs FL manatees. There’s a sea turtle place in the Keyes that I also enjoyed for its naturalist endeavors.

https://www.turtlehospital.org/visit-us/

The j.Darling bird sanctuary is great for bird watching too (fort Myers/Sanibel Island) Do you know of others?

[ALadysMom]

Ocala, right up the street, has the Appleton Museum, Sholom Park, Florida Horse Park, Silver Springs, Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum, Zip Line, Gypsy Golf Horse Farm, just to name a few!

Ocala offers several interesting day trips! The Appleton Museum looks fun but this sculpture reminds me of the “Wisteria vine from Hell” I once made the serious mistake of planting!

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/0a/eb/38/c1/stickwork-exhibit-outside.jpg

I guess I should stick to art that hangs on walls!