Overview
Mount Dora is a city in Lake County, Florida. It is a charming town consisting of 1,400 named lakes. Situated on rolling hilly terrain, Mount Dora sits 184 feet (56 m) above sea level on beautiful Lake Dora which is part of the Harris chain of lakes, including Lake Beauclaire, Lake Eustis, Lake Griffin, Lake Harris and Lake Yale.
Mount Dora is a short drive from the Walt Disney World area, Orlando, Ocala, and the beaches (on both coasts).
4 sights · 3 things to do · 7 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 4 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Mount Dora
Mount Dora History Museum
Small local history museum, located in the former city jail.
Mount Dora Center for the Arts
Modernism Museum
Mount Dora Community Building
Calendar of live music and theatre.
Rusty Anchor Boat Tours
Take a sunset cruise around Lake Dora, or a slow-paced cruise to see the wildlife on the Dora Canal.
Glide Adventure Tours
Embark on a guided Segway tour around the town. You'll have a lot of fun riding these unique vehicles as you zip around the various neighborhoods and nature trails.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 91°F; winter lows dip to about 53°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Aug and Jul. (climate data from nearby Central Florida)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SFB Orlando Sanford International Airport, Orlando — 25 mi away (major hub). Directions
- MCO Orlando International Airport, Orlando — 33 mi away (major hub). Directions
From Orlando International Airport, Mount Dora is just under an hour's drive away. From the Beachline to west Florida Turnpike, go to Toll 929 to FL-441 going north to Mount Dora. From I-95, to I-4 West to Sanford. Take FL-46 into Mount Dora.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Modernism Museum, Mount Dora Community Building
- Lunch The Frog and Monkey
- Afternoon Rusty Anchor Boat Tours, Mount Dora Center for the Arts
- Dinner Las Palmas
- Evening Tremain Bar
Day 2
- Morning Rock Springs Run State Preserve, Mount Dora History Museum
- Lunch Fifth Avenue Streatery
- Afternoon Glide Adventure Tours
- Dinner Copa Cabana Cuban Cafe
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Mount Dora has been nicknamed "The New England of the South", "The City of Parks", "Antique City", and "The Festival City". Even Money Magazine seemed enthused, naming Mount Dora in their "Top Places to Live Today". With a population of around 12,000, it still holds a small town appeal, but provides many options in shopping, restaurants, and things to do and see.
In Mount Dora's early history, citrus was its major industry and even though you can still get a glorious whiff of the fragrant white blossom of the orange tree in springtime, as tourism has grown in importance, the relative importance of citrus has decreased. Mount Dora was the primary setting of the 1981 comedy film Honky Tonk Freeway, a box-office flop, though trivia enthusiasts will enjoy the fact that the entire town was painted pink for the movie (some remnants of which can still be seen today).
The downtown is on the side of a hill, sloping down to the lake, and there are pretty and immaculately maintained shops and restaurants in the center of downtown.
Get in
From Orlando International Airport, Mount Dora is just under an hour's drive away. From the Beachline to west Florida Turnpike, go to Toll 929 to FL-441 going north to Mount Dora. From I-95, to I-4 West to Sanford. Take FL-46 into Mount Dora.
From I-75 south of Ocala to Wildwood. FL-44 to US-441, and then south to Mount Dora.
FL-44 bypasses Mount Dora on its northern side, connecting Mt. Dora to the east with the college town of DeLand.
Get around
Mount Dora is a great walking town, with parks and alleys and little enclaves. You can also take an historic tour through the city by using the Mount Dora Road Trolley which departs at the Chamber of Commerce at 341 N. Alexander Street. +1 352 385-1023. Local bus operator LakeXpress connects Eustis to Mt Dora which serves as a local circulator bus around town on route #3.
See
Do
Walk the long lakeside boardwalk that leaves Gilbert Park and follows Lake Dora. It is a beautiful walk and follows the shoreline for a good distance. Also, at the same park, check out the lighthouse, one of the few freshwater lighthouses still in operation.
Tours
Parks
Do Rock Springs Run State Preserve
A 14,000 acre (57 km²) State Park in the Lake County, Florida, located about 30 miles northeast of Orlando in Sorrento, 3 miles west of the Wekiva River bridge on State Road 46. The park contains a number of Indian mounds, pine flatwoods, swamps and artesian springs, and a number of creeks and rivers. Among them are Seminole Creek, Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, the Wekiva River, and Blackwater Creek. Activities include bicycling, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, hunting and wildlife viewing. Among the wildlife of the park are Florida black bear, Florida scrub jay, sandhill crane, indigo snake, gopher tortoise. Amenities include a canoe and kayak, rentals, swimming, tubing, about 17 miles of trails, access to the Rock Springs Run and the Wekiva River, primitive canoe and equestrian camping facilities.
Buy
A wide variety of specialty shops can be found in Mount Dora. You'll discover great unique finds and can interact with friendly folks the South is known for.
Eat
Eat The Goblin Market
Ambiance and good food.
Eat Fifth Avenue Streatery
Consistently good food. Nice view of Donnelly park.
Eat Copa Cabana Cuban Cafe
Eat Olive Branch Grille
Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
Eat Las Palmas
Cuban cuisine.
Eat The Frog and Monkey
American cuisine.
Drink
- Upstairs at The Goblin Market.
Sleep
Stay Lakeside Inn
Walk back in time over a hundred years to 1883. Former President Calvin Coolidge and his wife spent their winters here. The lobby retains a romantic 19th century feel with vintage furniture, fireplaces, a cozy restaurant and ballroom and a wonderful piano bar. You can order an iced tea and sit on one of the rockers on the front porch overlooking Lake Dora, take a lake cruise from the dock, or just stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds.
Go next
- Greater Orlando to the south
- DeLand and Sanford to the east
Nearby
Eustis
City / town · 12 listings · 4 mi away
Tavares
City / town · 11 listings · 5 mi away
Apopka
City / town · 13 listings · 12 mi away
Leesburg
City / town · 13 listings · 15 mi away
Fruitland Park
City / town · 2 listings · 17 mi away
Winter Garden
City / town · 17 listings · 17 mi away
Clermont
City / town · 15 listings · 19 mi away
Lake Mary
City / town · 8 listings · 19 mi away
My experience
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