Greetings from Orlando!

[vraiblonde]

Okay, we're not really in Orlando, we're about 20 miles west.

And this evening we found one of those hidden treasures that we came on the road for in the first place:

Mt. Dora, FL

I was looking online to see where we could grab a bite tonight and several restaurants came up in Mt. Dora that looked interesting. So we made the journey, figuring it would be some wide spot in the road, couple o' diners and a biker bar, etc.

No.

Their downtown is an adorable shopping area with all kinds of unique stores and every nationality represented for restaurants. We walked around and finally decided on a Peruvian place, but the Cuban place and the Caribbean place and the German place were all contenders as well. The town is artsy and antiquey, hip yet quaint. It's sister city is Forres, Scotland, and you can see the influences in the architecture and the layout. They have a crap ton of major festivals in Mt. Dora and Shaquille O'Neal owns a home there.

It was getting dark and chilly so we didn't get to explore as much as we'd have liked to, but this week we'll make another trip there.

 

[Bobwhite]

Okay, we're not really in Orlando, we're about 20 miles west.

And this evening we found one of those hidden treasures that we came on the road for in the first place:

Mt. Dora, FL

I was looking online to see where we could grab a bite tonight and several restaurants came up in Mt. Dora that looked interesting. So we made the journey, figuring it would be some wide spot in the road, couple o' diners and a biker bar, etc.

No.

Their downtown is an adorable shopping area with all kinds of unique stores and every nationality represented for restaurants. We walked around and finally decided on a Peruvian place, but the Cuban place and the Caribbean place and the German place were all contenders as well. The town is artsy and antiquey, hip yet quaint. It's sister city is Forres, Scotland, and you can see the influences in the architecture and the layout. They have a crap ton of major festivals in Mt. Dora and Shaquille O'Neal owns a home there.

It was getting dark and chilly so we didn't get to explore as much as we'd have liked to, but this week we'll make another trip there.

I lived in Orlando for many years and Mt. Dora is where I went to unwind. I wish I could find some place like that here in Southern Maryland.

 

[MADPEBS1]

mom and dad are really close to there in leesburg. love to go visit and see all the lake area towns.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Keep going west and hit up Siesta Key Beach. The sand is like baby powder there.

 

[vraiblonde]

Orlando itself doesn't have a walking retail area, unless you count downtown, which I don't because it's just a bunch of bars and restaurants. But Winter Park has an area called Park Avenue, which is highly walkable and has a ton of retail/dining/entertainment options, and several parks as well. Many of the shops are high end and expensive, but there were a few kitschy places as well.