Had a good time at this festival with tons of great artists and vendors. The most difficult portion…read morewas finding a place to park our car, and then walking quite a ways to get to the main festival area. If you know Mount Dora well you will know that they have limited street parking, and only a few public parking lots, so when things get busy, the parking is the first thing to go. We did enjoy the excuse to go to the area, get some food, visit some new shops and see some great local vendors. I always appreciate a chance to see handmade and homemade artisans. Overall: A- Parking situation is always a challenge in this area when things get busy, but the art show itself was a good time and I'm sure we'd go again in future years.

I am impressed. I don't remember being in such a big arts festival in a while. I don't travel to…read moreartsy events anymore, but as far as my previous travels remind me, this is one of the biggest ones in Florida. And I also have to say that the setting is just majestic, you can come and walk around, grab lunch, and keep walking. Of course, I hope you pick up some art, but if you don't, I hope you have fun. Besides all the nice restaurants to visit (please don't settle for pizza), you can also visit other galleries around the area. At the same time, talk to some people, many travel far to visit and to showcase their art. It is a great atmosphere, kids and small dogs may not appreciate it because it is crowded, but with a little bit of patience everything is smoothed out. There's plenty of free and paid parking also.

I had a great time at the sunflower festival! Everyone received a ticket for 12 ears of corn with…read moreadmission. I've never walked through a corn field before so picking my own corn was an adventure. Grilled corn hot off the grill was unlimited. There was live music, happy hour drink specials, food trucks, activities for kids and a petting zoo. My favorite part was picking sunflowers and taking pictures at all the cute photo spots around the farm. I didn't get a chance to pick blueberries, but I'll definitely be back the next time they are in season. I did get a fresh blueberry doughnut and it was delicious! Parking was easy, the workers were all so friendly, and the whole place had a fun, welcoming vibe.

I went for the fall festival. It was about 22 dollars after fees and taxes if bought online. It was…read morealmost an hour drive from Orlando. When I arrived, an attendant was very nice to direct us where to park. Walking to the parking lot to main entrance was pretty easy. Once ticket was scanned, we were able to enter. The first thing you see if the small area where they are selling pumpkins. It was at a reasonable price, but I didn't buy any. The petting zoo was nearby, and it was 5 dollars for treats or feed. There were goats, camels, zebra, llama, turtles, and others you can pet and feed. Those animals were definitely looking for treats and happy when fed. Pony, horse, and camel rides were available too. It was 10 dollars for pony (under 85 lbs), and 15 dollars for horse or camel, which adults are also allowed to ride. It was definitely expensive for two short laps on each animal (so I paid 30), but worth it. After healing from my injury, being able to sit on each animal for a little over a minute was worth it! The staff was very friendly, and help you get on and off, and also willing to take photos. There was also a small playground across from the petting zoo. Walking further takes you to the food and drink area. There were a few food trucks. Walk a bit more has even a bigger play area with even a stage that had live music. Kids were playing a lot in the area, while there were some small seats to enjoy the music as well. They had a mechanical bull this week, and it was included. Lots of kids and some adults (including myself at an easy pace) rode. There were slides, tug of war, roping area, and sand area. They also had a free tractor ride that went around the sunflower garden. There was a paintball area, but that cost an extra 10 dollars. Overall, kids would have good fun, but single adults may be a bit bored. There were some people picking the sunflowers, but I didn't know how much extra it cost. The staff were friendly and helpful, and I was happy parking was free. However, some activities were extra cost, and quite expensive. 10 dollars for the horse or camel rides would have been more reasonable. The food and drinks looked to be pretty pricey too. I think it was 7 dollars for beer, 9 dollars for wine, and 2.50 for soda and water. I don't remember how much were the food. Air conditioned restrooms were available near the stage and big playground area, but port of potties were also there. I did enjoy the farm festival. Looks like they have it every weekend doing the fall season, and the admission was reasonable. However, extras were extra, and it did get expensive. Kids would enjoy it, but adults may get a bit bored afterwards. At least the live music was very good. I would come back again, but wished it wasn't almost an hour away. Overall: B

So many different stalls! I really enjoyed the plant vendors and bought a few different plants…read more There's plenty of food and drink options too; we got a watermelon agua fresca that was nice and refreshing for $6. We also got a big bag of kettle corn for $6 and some pickles. A lot of decorative junk and old toys and games. We left before checking out the vintage area, but it was a good time! Parking is plentiful, but be ready to walk on dirt roads for a bit.

Lots of good parking and it was easy to walk around. The kettle corn was so good and fresh…read more Multiple vendors were friendly and helped you by knowing where things and booths were located. Fresh donuts were good

Everything was awesome! Great atmosphere, great people, great music!…read more If you are looking for a fun filled day with the family this is the place!

This is a hidden gem! We went to a concert there and the acoustics are great. It is very clean and…read morethe seats are very comfortable. They bring in food trucks for the food. We thoroughly enjoyed finding this place!

I spent the morning in Eustis, visiting some local coffee shops, wandering around and enjoying a…read morepleasant time. Eustis began taking shape in the 1870s, when post‑Civil War settlers moved into the Florida frontier and homesteaded along the eastern shore of Lake Eustis. The community first went by names like Highlands and Pendryville before adopting the name Eustis in honor of Colonel Abraham Eustis, who had served in the region during the Seminole Wars. Early life revolved around steamboat travel on the interconnected Harris Chain lakes, but the arrival of the St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway in 1880 pushed the settlement toward true cityhood with stores, churches, hotels, and a growing citrus industry. Today, the city is known for winter tourism and I get that. It was nice and warm but a foggy morning in early December, making it easy to explore. There are a variety of restaurants in town, including classic Florida on the lake like Crazy Gator or more ethnic options like Taste of Lebanon. A few coffee shops (One Thirteen was great for setting up my laptop) and several retail shops. It's just far enough from the Orlando and Daytona metros to be independent and close enough that you could hop to MCO or DAB for a flight. I like it. [Review 1626 of 2025 - 2203 in Florida - 25174 overall]

What a beautiful city with a picturesque lake! My boyfriend's mother owns a home right near the…read morelake, and I really enjoyed the boat ride on the lake. It's amazing there is a canal to help cross into another lake to see other cities as well. If I didn't already have my roots in Arizona, I'd consider Eustis!

Viva La Frida is a charming, small art festival in Mount Dora that's still new but has great…read morepotential. Tickets are required, but you get plenty in return, live music, food trucks, and a selection of art to browse and buy. I enjoyed some drinks, tasty bites from the trucks, and even picked up a few goodies to take home. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, especially if you're looking for something new to do. Very kid-friendly, too. One thing to note: parking in Mount Dora on a weekend with an event can be a challenge. Plan ahead or arrive early, we ended up parking pretty far from the event, which was the only downside of the day. Still, we had a good time and got to explore more of Mount Dora in the process.

We're currently at the Mount Dora art festival, but it took us around 15-20 minutes to find…read moreavailable parking spot. After finally finding a parking spot, we had to walk for about a mile to reach the location of the festival. If you're planning to attend this festival, it's advisable to come early when they first open to avoid parking and walking issues. There are lots of food stalls, vendors, and amazing artwork to admire. In addition, there's live music playing at the center of the art festival.

This is one of the powwows I look forward to because it's here that you get a little bit of…read moreeverything, the wonderful, the wacky, the drama. Not to mention being behind a flea market has its perks when there's some downtime. I like antique shopping. This is a great event for families (bring chairs if possible). There's educational performances and demonstrations, craft and food vendors (get an Indian Taco), and of course dancing. Saturday usually has the most people. My mother and I were there for the weekend and had a great time dancing, visiting with friends, and winning some "luck of the draw" money. This is done in place of dance competition so everyone gets a chance to win something. If there's ever a problem at the gate the best thing to do is to speak to a someone at the committee booth. They can help if there's miscommunication. The dancers are a major part of the powwow and are welcome into the circle for Grand Entry with the proper attire. Their powwow, their rules. After Grand Entry, anyone is allowed to come in and dance during the intertribal songs, as long as you be respectful.

Rev. Feather and I attended this powwow driving two hours each way and it was very rainy but we…read morestayed till the very end because we wanted to do the inter tribal dancing. It was raining, but we got in line then we were told it was men first then women second and as I approached the circle to dance I was told my attire did not qualify. I had bought the one nation shirt I was wearing at the last powwow from a vendor named Randall and had a long rawhide skirt with owl leggings, and high top boots. I was wearing feathers in my hair. I have attended powwows for many years and never been told that I cannot stay and dance. This was disrespectful to me. There were very few people there at that point because of the continuing downpour. We immediately left. Powwows are about honor and a special opportunity to teach about Native ways. There was no announcement or written rules posted regarding who would be allowed to dance at the end of the night. I would not recommend this to families due to my experience.

The lady who owns this store is a veritable Library of Congress when it comes to pet knowledge. And…read moreshe shares this freely with all who ask. You will find the best quality pet foods and pet supplies, pet toys, pet decorations, wonderful pet Christmas ornaments, and anything else pet there is to be had, for birds, too!

Great friendly place. You can find everything here and you…read morecan also find things larger stores don't have. I will return.

Having heard of this festival a few years ago we finally were able to make it and were incredibly…read moreexcited. It didn't hurt that it was the weekend of my dear husband's birthday and our passion is to ride our bikes. Off we went to ride hard and ride long. The town is warm and welcoming to all of the cyclists who come out en masse like locusts. The organization of this Festival is amazing. There are various official rides on Saturday and Sunday, including the two hardest and daunting. On Saturday the century ride (yes that's 100 miles of biking in one day) and Sunday the 40 mile "Assault on Sugarloaf" - Sugarloaf being the only mountain in Florida and a wicked climb at that (read: unholy realm of torture). Aside from those two gruelling events there are rides that range from fun rides for families to longer rides for the rest. All rides are clearly marked on the roads, and they all start ON TIME. So don't be late. The description of many of these routes include the words "rolling hills' for this is one of the few areas in Florida that actually has them. By rolling hills they actually mean "little pockets of hell", and I must say even the knowledge of the incredible rush of doing 35 miles per hour uninterrupted downhill can help the brain through them. OK, maybe a little, but I still think they are misleading us with the words "rolling" and "hills" (pain and hell is more like it) - but its a rush once you finish that LAST one and ride in. Yea, I rock. Just call me Superwoman. Vendors are available all three days with toys for us roadies. Some kind of expensive, some have great prices. Also with the vendors there are masseuses available, food for the riders, and all different kinds of support. Refuelling, paramedics, etc. Speaking of support, after hitting a 28 mile ride on Sunday I rolled in with blood all over my right side. I had hit gravel on mile 8 and wiped out completely. Sitting with a glass of Gatorade given to me by the AMAZING volunteers, I was on the phone telling my daughter of the experience. After about a minute no less than 3 people came up to me (volunteers) telling me that the paramedics had been called.. ?!?! HUH? Wow. I was just sitting there, and they were ON top of it. Now that is caring! I wish I had gotten their names, but one lady especially, with grey hair, a retired nurse took care of me and fussed over me like I was her child. Bless her! So awesome. The paramedic rocked too. I now have a nice trio of trophies from the ride, a messed up elbow, knee/shin, and most interesting, a bruise and road rash the size of a melon on my right hip/leg. The only reason the event didn't get 5 stars was because I spoke to a previous volunteer. I wiped out on a right turn (where there were clear markings) and there was a mess of dirt/gravel all in the right lane and part of the left forcing the cyclists to turn into the left lane. The wrong side of the road. I fell trying to ride around it but also trying not to ride on the left hand side. The gentleman was behind me and saw it happen, he told me that when he volunteered in the past , they drove out with the paint to mark the road they also had brooms to clear out things like this. I am sure this was an oversight, but had I been riding faster it could have been worse. All in all though, you aren't a real roadie without a battle scar or two. Now I have mine! Next year: I ATTACK harder! Dare I attack the Sugarloaf??????

I've been wanting to go to this festival for over 6 years and counting, and there was never quite…read morethe right time. So this year we decided to make the commitment and so come October 9th, we hit the road with great enthusiasm. This event totally exceeded our expectations, there is just something really powerful about descending upon a place where hundreds of fellow riders converge. You feel like you belong and the anticipation of long, enjoyable rides is simply overwhelming. So we wake up really early and ride the 2 and half miles from our hotel to the center of town and as any fellow rider can attest, there is a very cool feeling about riding in a place where you have never been before. Everything looks and feels different and you simply have no idea of what lies ahead but can't wait to travel the miles on your own power to find out. We arrive in the middle of town with a few minutes to spare before our 50 mile ride to the Yalaha Bakery out in Yalaha, Florida. The scene of hundreds of cyclists on super cool bikes, we are ready to join them and ride out to some place we've never been before. The rides were simply flawless, clearly marked and easy to follow on beautiful country roads and rolling hills with a couple of challenging hills to tackle, life got better by the mile. The organizers and volunteers are simply the best, great demeanor and always, always, always willing to help and inform. The residents of Lake and Orange County are the most respectful, patient and courteous motorists I have ever encountered. There are over 10 rides that cover distances from 100 miles to just a couple of miles, so everyone can find a ride to match their abilities and desires. This festival is simply a must for any bicycle enthusiast and must be done many many many times over. As for me... I am a fan and will definitely return every year.