When my husband suggested turning our 10th wedding anniversary into five consecutive day trips, I had to think it over. I was leaning more toward taking a cruise or traveling out of state, but the more we talked about it, the less feasible those options seemed, especially since we have an elderly cat we don’t like leaving with anyone.
So with no other plan in mind, I agreed to the day trips and hoped for the best. Of course, living in Florida is both a blessing and a curse. The weather here can be quite unpredictable. Sometimes it rains when it wasn’t supposed to and sometimes it behaves. The blessing though is that we have some incredible places to visit, and depending on where you are in Florida, you can absolutely take a day trip to Georgia as well.
Our day trips consisted of a mix of activities from vineyards to tours, but before I get into all that – let’s talk about where we started, which was in a beautiful place called Mount Dora.
Starting Our Anniversary Adventure in Mount Dora
I’ve been to Mount Dora numerous times. Last year, I even worked with the Chamber of Commerce to spread the word of everything Mount Dora had to offer. There’s plenty to do in Mount Dora, which is one of the reasons we decided to start here.
Premier Boat Tours
The day before our adventure began, we booked a tour online with Premier Boat Tours. They had two hours available 11am and 2pm. Since it was due to rain in the afternoon, we decided for an early start, and made our way to the tour at 10:30am for our 11am adventure.
Tip: if you want to avoid the crowds, go on the tour during the weekday!
My husband had never been on the tour, and with an aching back he was concerned the seats would have no back rest. However, Premier Boat Tours has comfortable cushioned seats with a back rest. So anyone struggling with their backs should be fine to take this tour.
While there were many other tours we could have done, we went with Premier Boat Tours because not only is it $35 per person, but you are also on the tour for two hours exploring the Dora Canal (and yes, there’s a bathroom on board!)
The tour is worth it, especially if you want to learn more about Mount Dora and see the awesome canal. You’ll also get to see a bunch of wildlife, which the tour guide points out every chance they get. From baby gators to birds, you’ll see a variety on your journey.
Magical Meat Boutique British Pub
Since it started to rain, we decided to head to Magical Meat Boutique British Pub. Neither of us had ever been there, but I had seen them a few times when they were in the downtown location. Just outside of downtown about eight minutes away, this establishment is now in a larger space, and it looks just as British as before.
I had no idea what to expect, but as soon as I walked in I knew I was going to love the place. Since I was focused on my time with my husband I didn’t get many photos of the place except for the red phone booth outside.
Nonetheless, this place should be on your must visit list because the food here was delicious. My husband could not stop raving about Lord’s Haddock, which is fish and chips using Haddock fillet. I had the Steak, Bacon and Ale Pie with a side of mash – both great, but my favorite dish was the Sticky Toffee Pudding with hot custard. If you have a sweet tooth, this is a MUST!
Aside from the food being delicious, the prices here were great. We were surprised that we paid less than $90 for what we ordered (we also had drinks). Plus our server was so nice! Overall, the dining experience was great, and we’ll definitely be going back for seconds.
While there’s plenty to do in Mount Dora, we decided to end our day early due to the weather, and we also had the next few days to explore different places.
Our first day ended up being a great start to our five days of adventures, and while we weren’t going back to Mount Dora, living close means I can go back anytime!
For more on Mount Dora and surrounding areas, check out this post full of adventures.
