Last Updated on May 19, 2025 by JJ
A Little Altitude, A Lot of Attitude
In a state defined by sea level, Mount Dora sits like a polite contradiction—elevated, eclectic, and oddly obsessed with trolleys. It doesn’t have a beach, but it does have a lighthouse, and nobody seems to question that.
This is where you come when you’re tired of the theme parks, weary of the coast, and ready for tea rooms, antique arcades, lake breezes, and garden paths that look like they were imported from a storybook.
Mount Dora is equal parts small-town sweetness and eccentric edge. It’s where snowbirds wander through a used bookstore and stumble into a jazz band, and where the only thing stronger than the coffee is the collective passion for porches and pie.
A Bit of History, A Dash of Odd
Mount Dora was founded in the 1870s, perched on a ridge beside Lake Dora (named after an early settler, Dora Ann Drawdy, which is peak Florida frontier trivia). Its cooler climate—yes, really, it’s a few degrees cooler than Orlando—made it a favorite among Victorian vacationers escaping the northern cold.
By the 1920s, it was a winter resort destination complete with grand hotels, orange groves, and a growing reputation as Florida’s antique capital. Today, it leans hard into that identity—with over 30 antique stores, vintage signs on every block, and the kind of Southern hospitality that comes with strong opinions about cobbler.
Things to Do (Besides Browse and Brunch)
🛶 Lake Dora & The Dora Canal
Start with the obvious. Rent a pontoon, take a seaplane tour, or hop on a narrated scenic cruise through the Dora Canal, a narrow waterway shaded by massive cypress trees and dripping with Spanish moss. You’ll spot egrets, gators, and maybe even a boat captain who claims to have seen a skunk ape.
🛍️ Antique Row
Mount Dora’s downtown is a walkable mosaic of antique shops, quirky galleries, and curiosity dens. Don’t miss Renninger’s Twin Markets—a sprawling flea-and-antique extravaganza every weekend, with everything from Civil War bullets to mid-century barstools.
🖼️ Modernism Museum
Surprise: this tiny town houses one of the country’s most impressive collections of mid-century modern furniture and art, including rare pieces by Wendell Castle and Wharton Esherick.
🌳 Palm Island Boardwalk
A short, shady trail along Lake Dora’s edge, offering peaceful views, birdwatching, and the best place to watch the sunset burn across the lake like spilled gasoline.
Where to Stay: Porch Swings, Charm, and a Bit of Ghost Lore
🏡 The Heirloom Inn
A turn-of-the-century house turned boutique inn, with floral wallpaper and front porch rocking chairs made for gossiping with strangers. Visit site
🛏️ Lakeside Inn
Florida’s oldest continuously operating hotel, opened in 1883. Teddy Roosevelt stayed here. You can too. Sit by the fire pit, sip something cold, and soak in the old-Florida vibes. Visit site
🌼 Adora Inn
Contemporary meets cozy. Great breakfast. Hosts who double as gourmet chefs. Art everywhere. Visit site
Where to Eat: Sip, Savor, and Second Breakfast
🥘 1921 Mount Dora
Modern Southern cuisine in a restored home-turned-gallery. Seasonal menu. Art on the walls. Duck confit on the plate. Visit site
🥞 Highland Street Café
Old-school breakfast, cash only, line out the door by 9 a.m. Pancakes the size of frisbees. Get the corned beef hash and don’t ask questions.
🥧 Pisces Rising
Waterview patio, seasonal cocktails, and crab-stuffed snapper that might make you forget about the beach entirely. Visit site
☕ One Flight Up Café
Coffee and dessert on a second-floor balcony overlooking downtown. Cozy, slightly creaky, and full of locals with open laptops and open lives.
Festivals Worth Planning Around
Mount Dora punches way above its weight in the quirky festival category:
🎨 Mount Dora Arts Festival (February) – Juried artists, music, food trucks, and crowds. One of the top-ranked in the Southeast.
💡 Mount Dora Light Up (November–December) – Over 2 million lights strung across downtown, plus a parade, tree lighting, and enough small-town cheer to power a Hallmark movie.
🧀 Mount Dora Craft Fair (October) – Handmade everything. Thousands attend. Tip: park outside town and bike in.
A Hidden Moment: The Lighthouse That Has No Business Existing
Mount Dora has a lighthouse.
Why? Unclear. It’s 35 feet tall and completely adorable. Built in 1988 by a local boating club, it guards the entrance to the marina like a well-meaning lawn ornament. But it works—it’s an actual Coast Guard–registered aid to navigation.
Go at twilight. Watch the light blink. The lake lap. A couple stroll by, hand in hand, probably debating pie flavors.
It’s a perfect, weird, wonderful Florida moment.
Why Mount Dora Is the Florida You Didn’t Know You Needed
There’s no ocean here. No roller coasters. No celebrities.
But there’s a guy painting plein air landscapes on a folding easel. A bookstore cat that naps next to Hemingway novels. A woman at the farmer’s market who sells homemade elderberry syrup and also gives solid relationship advice.
Mount Dora isn’t “Old Florida.” It’s present-tense Florida, just moving at a different frequency. And if you’re willing to slow down and match it, it’ll reward you in weird little ways that no brochure can explain.
And if you ask the trolley driver in the suspenders and straw hat, he’ll tell you: “Mount Dora’s like sweet tea. A little too much at first, but give it a minute—it sticks with you.”
He’s not wrong.
