Tavares, Florida travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Tavares is a town in Lake County, Florida.

1 sights · 2 things to do · 3 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Tavares

Tavares Seaplane Base

A labeled picture of the marina/seaplane area can be found on the city website.

Lake County Historical Museum

Tavares Recreation Park

Offers a boat ramp onto Lake Eustis on the northwest side of town.

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 — 30 mi away (major hub). Directions
MCO Orlando International Airport, Orlando — 36 mi away (major hub). Directions

US-441 passes Tavares on its north side, between the lakes. From this road, North St. Clair Abrams Ave goes south to the downtown area near the north shore of Lake Dora. FL-19, Duncan Dr, goes from Howey-in-the-Hills north across Lake Harris to Tavares.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Lake County Historical Museum, Tavares Recreation Park
Lunch Fish Camp on Lake Eustis
Afternoon Tavares Seaplane Base
Dinner Ruby Street Grille
Evening Brü Tap House

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

History

Tavares, like its neighbors Mt. Dora and Eustis, is a small town, and in 2020 its population was 19,000. In 1880, New Orleans businessman of Portuguese ancestry Alexander St. Clair-Abrams founded and named the town. St. Clair-Abrams hoped the town would be made Florida's state capital, but that honor ultimately went to Tallahassee, and Tavares was made the Lake County's seat instead. However, the businessman and founder continued his efforts to promote the town by building a railroad connecting it to Orlando to the east. Today, the town is known for its seaplane base and is consequently known as "America's Seaplane City".

Alexander's son Alfred, a local politician who killed one of his political rivals following an allegedly rigged election, lived in Tavares and died in the town nearly twenty years after the assassination.

Geography

Tavares is on an isthmus between Lake Eustis to the north and Lake Dora to the south. Meanwhile, the city of Eustis is to the northeast, and Lake Harris is to the west of Tavares.