[valleygirl1974]

My go-to place for guests which is inside (air-conditioned) is the Stetson Mansion in Deland. Beautiful architecture & restoration, interesting history of John Stetson, the hat maker. Lots of great places for lunch or dinner in downtown Deland. a 90 minute drive from The Villages. The Stetson Mansion - Deland, FL Even my guests that are not real interested in seeing old houses have loved the 2 hour tour. The guides bring the history to life. The couple who restored the mansion in the early 2000's live there.

[Jerry Leinsing]

If near Mt Dora, go to the Peddler’s Wagon in Eustes. It’s a gift shop. The products change with the seasons. Our go to trip place for feeling happy and visual overload of beautiful nicknacks.

[rwfisher1969]

Silver Springs is a great local trip and experience!

[newgirl]

Yes

[Stitcher]

Another nice day trip would be to go to Winter Park outside of Orlando. They have a wonderful canal boat ride there’s beautiful shopping wonderful restaurants and the Morse Museum is there which is Tiffany glass. It really is a very nice place to take your guests

[vicsnotes]

If you go to the beach, the Gulf beaches are so much prettier and safer to swim in than the Atlantic side. Treasure Island has several public beaches, parking fills fast so go early. The municipal public parking lot has a snack bar too (closes at 4) and you do pay to park. The beach is beautiful there. Another favorite and slightly further is Siesta Key Beach. Once again in the summer go early, parking lots are huge and free but fill fast. Mid week is best, avoid weekends at all beaches in the summer time. Treasure Island is near St. Pete, about 2 hours, Siesta Key is more like 2 hours 20 min. but a more direct shot down 75 south. Enjoy!!

[worahm]

A boat ride through the Dora Canal is nice. Sort of like stepping back 250,000 years in time. The Dora Canal is where portions of the movie The Creature from Black Lagoon was filmed. The underwater parts of the movie were filmed at Silver Springs, located in Ocala.. You might want to consider lunch at the Lake Side Inn on Dora lake during your boat ride.

[gail swanson]

Don’t forget to do an airboat ride and watch the gators even hold one

[BaileyMom]

If they like peel and eat shrimp, take them to The Freezer in Homasassa. It's an hour's drive but well worth the trip. They only take cash but you get 1.25 lbs of hot shrimp for $10.95...can't beat those prices or the shrimp. VERY casual.

[kdbaumann11]

My wife and I really like Bok Gardens (Lake Wales - between Tampa & Orlando - worth the drive) and the Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando (1-1/2 hours and again worth the drive). If more energetic activities wanted then we enjoy kayaking numerous places but Crystal River is favorite (temps may be cold but Florida Springs water temps are a constant 72 degrees so they feel warm in winter and cool in summer.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by dennisgavin

We have a set tour we take first time guests on. We are in MAllory and take a golf cart tour to Spanish Springs, over the golf cat bridge to the historic side and back and then down to Lake SUmter Landing and the boardwalk, THen on to Miona rec center and then Sea Breeze rec center. IT gives a good overview of what The Villages is like. Now with the new bridges we will have to have a second tour to the south.

2nd tour? If you continue to Brownwood from Seabreeze and over the bridge to come out on Morse Blvd. Come up Morse or do Moyer Loop. Easily can fit in a day. Of course there is plenty to see so you can be on a golf cart every day to have fun.

[Carlsondm]

Originally Posted by jayerose

Have two friends coming to visit this summer from the mid-west.

Besides swimming and visiting one of the beaches, any suggestions on what we can do in The Villages?

Would I be able to obtain a pass for each of them?

thank you

Lots of things to do here. Depending on their interests try:
Mt Dora
Homasassa Springs state park w electric boat ride and small ‘zoo’ of local critters
The Freezer and Tiki hut for great shrimp and chowder and dips. Very reasonable and on a marina.
Disney Springs if Mickey beckons.
Eaton Beach Sandbar restaurant on Lake Weir
Crystal River and wildlife
Myakka State Park for a lake cruise through gators.


We are in the middle of everything so you may have to spin a bottle. State parks with springs are my fav so enjoy and have fun. Being outdoors is good these days.

[Barborv]

Jayerose, Although these suggestions are wonderful and I even wrote them down for myself I believe you were asking about things to do in the Villages. Of course riding around in the golf cart is fun, especially the bridge by Spanish springs over 441. Town squares at night, pitch and putt, The boat tour in Lake Sumter Landing. The 3 different Trolley tours are great and informative. Go bowling or shoot some pool. the air gun range is also fun. Or Shooters world. And of course see what's in entertainment, I always loved to take my guests to a show at the Sharon and Savannah. Unfortunately, no more Katie Belles! LOVED the Donna and Dunning show! I wonder where and when they will be back? Also the Studio theatre. If you guys like Bingo, there is a fantastic HUGE bingo game every Friday night at I believe Paradise recreation center. Show your guests some of the regional recreation centers.
Of course we don't know what will be up and running in the summer. Let's hope almost back to normal.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by worahm

A boat ride through the Dora Canal is nice. Sort of like stepping back 250,000 years in time. The Dora Canal is where portions of the movie The Creature from Black Lagoon was filmed. The underwater parts of the movie were filmed at Silver Springs, located in Ocala.. You might want to consider lunch at the Lake Side Inn on Dora lake during your boat ride.

I went to Silver Springs when I was 7 years old a couple of years after the movie was made and they showed us where the Creature of the Black Lagoon was filmed during the glass bottom boat ride. I never forgot that, and have the movie on my DVR right now and built the Aurora plastic model when I was 12 years old. I have a new version of the model in the garage right now I'm working on.



In Mount Dora I've been wanting to take the Cat Boat Ride, they're powered boats you drive yourself and it holds two people.

About Us | CatBoat Adventures

[rmd2]

Ditto for Mt. Dora Canal Cruise and lunch/dinner at Goblins Market.