Things to Do in Mount Dora, Florida
Mount Dora is small enough to explore without a complicated itinerary, but there is much more to do than simply walk through downtown. You can spend the morning on Lake Dora, hunt for antiques, walk a waterfront boardwalk, browse local shops and galleries, visit a museum, take a guided tour or build an entire weekend around one of the city's festivals.
This is the evergreen Life in Lake guide to things worth doing in and around Mount Dora. For concerts, festivals, markets, theatre, live music and other activities happening on specific dates, use the weekly events calendar.
Hours, tour schedules and attraction details can change. Check directly with the business or organizer before making a special trip.
Looking for Something Happening This Week?
Mount Dora hosts festivals, concerts, theatre, markets, live music and community events throughout the year. Our weekly events page is where you'll find the things that are actually happening now.
SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEKIf It's Your First Time in Mount Dora
Walk Downtown
Browse independent shops, restaurants, cafés and galleries along the compact downtown streets.
Explore Downtown →Get Out on Lake Dora
Take a boat tour, Dora Canal cruise, CatBoat adventure or another trip on the Harris Chain.
Explore Boat Tours →Walk Palm Island
A wooded boardwalk and trail along Lake Dora makes this one of the easiest outdoor stops near downtown.
Palm Island Park →Go Antiquing
Explore downtown shops or spend a few hours at Renninger's Florida Twin Markets.
Antiques & Markets →Learn the Local History
Visit the Mount Dora History Museum or take a narrated tour through downtown.
History & Tours →Check the Events Calendar
Mount Dora's festivals and special events can completely change what a weekend here looks like.
Current Events →Explore Downtown Mount Dora
Downtown Mount Dora streets, shops or Donnelly Park
Walk the Downtown Streets
Downtown Mount Dora is compact enough to explore on foot. Donnelly Street, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue and the surrounding blocks are lined with locally owned shops, restaurants, coffee shops, galleries and small businesses.
You don't really need an itinerary. Park once, walk the side streets and alleys, stop when something catches your attention and leave room for lunch or coffee.
Find Somewhere to Eat →Mount Dora lighthouse or Lake Dora waterfront
Walk the Lake Dora Waterfront
The downtown lakefront is an easy extension of a downtown walk. Head toward the water for lake views, parks and the Mount Dora lighthouse before continuing toward Palm Island Park.
This works especially well early in the morning or toward sunset when you want something simple that doesn't require reservations or tickets.
Explore Mount Dora Parks →Get Out on the Harris Chain of Lakes
Mount Dora sits on Lake Dora, part of the Harris Chain of Lakes. One of the best ways to understand the area is to see it from the water.
Take a Boat Tour
Several local operators offer trips on Lake Dora and through the Dora Canal, giving you a very different view of the lakes, wildlife and surrounding communities.
Options range from traditional narrated cruises to smaller boats and more adventurous experiences.
Compare Local Boat Tours →
Try Something More Adventurous
If a traditional sightseeing cruise isn't your style, you can explore the area through CatBoat tours, paddling, pontoon rentals and seaplane experiences around Mount Dora, Tavares and Eustis.
See Tours & Water Activities →Parks, Boardwalks & Trails
Palm Island Park boardwalk
Palm Island Park
Palm Island Park is an eight-acre natural area along Lake Dora with a wooded trail, boardwalk, fishing pier, picnic areas and lake views.
It's close enough to downtown to combine with lunch or shopping and makes an easy outdoor stop without committing to a longer hike.
Explore Local Parks →Local hiking trail or preserve
Explore a Local Trail
Mount Dora and the surrounding area have several preserves and nature trails, with additional options around Eustis, Tavares and northern Lake County.
See Hiking Trails →Antiques, Markets & Local Shopping
Renninger's Antique Center or market
Spend a Few Hours at Renninger's
Renninger's Florida Twin Markets combines an antique center, flea and farmers market, consignment areas and larger special-event weekends at its US-441 property.
A regular weekend and one of the major antique Extravaganza weekends can feel very different, so check the current calendar before going.
Explore Mount Dora Area Markets →Mount Dora Village Market or downtown shopping
Browse a Local Market
The Mount Dora Village Market is one of the area's regular local markets, while additional farmers markets and flea markets operate throughout Lake County.
See Mount Dora Area Markets →History & Guided Tours
Mount Dora History Museum exterior
Mount Dora History Museum
The Mount Dora History Museum is housed in the city's first fire station and city jail, a building that opened in 1923. Exhibits focus on Mount Dora's early history and the people and businesses that shaped the town.
It's a small museum, so this works well as part of a downtown afternoon rather than an entire day on its own.
Visit the Mount Dora History Museum →Mount Dora Transit electric cart
Take a Narrated Downtown Tour
Mount Dora Transit & Tours offers narrated sightseeing rides through historic downtown in electric carts. Tours cover local history, architecture and some of the stories behind Mount Dora's landmarks.
It's a particularly good option for first-time visitors who want an overview before exploring on foot.
Explore Mount Dora Transit & Tours →Arts, Museums & Culture
Modernism Museum Mount Dora
Modernism Museum Mount Dora
The Modernism Museum is a small downtown museum devoted to modern art, craft and design.
Because exhibitions and hours change, check the museum directly before your visit.
Visit Modernism Museum →Mount Dora Center for the Arts or local gallery
Mount Dora Center for the Arts
Mount Dora Center for the Arts is part of the city's long-running arts scene and is a good place to check for current exhibits, workshops and arts programming.
The broader downtown arts scene also includes galleries, public art and seasonal festivals.
Explore Mount Dora Center for the Arts →Community Building, IceHouse or theatre
See a Performance
Mount Dora's arts calendar includes theatre productions, concerts and other performances at local venues, including the Community Building and area theatre groups.
Schedules change throughout the year, so the weekly events calendar is the best place to see what's currently playing.
See Current Performances →W.T. Bland Library or Butterfly Garden
W.T. Bland Library & Nunan Butterfly Garden
W.T. Bland Public Library offers classes, story times, exhibits and other programs throughout the year. Adjacent to the library, the Nunan Butterfly Garden is a pesticide-free garden planted to attract butterflies, birds and other pollinators.
The garden is an easy stop even if you aren't attending a library program.
Explore the Butterfly Garden →A Few More Ways to Spend the Day
Go Fishing
Lake Dora and the Harris Chain are known for freshwater fishing. You can fish from shore or a pier in some public areas, or book a local guide if you want a day on the water.
Explore Water Activities →Play Golf
Golf options around Mount Dora and Lake County range from established public-access courses to residential golf communities.
Explore Lake County Golf →Bring the Dog
Mount Dora has parks, outdoor seating and other pet-friendly stops. If your plans include a dog, check individual businesses and park rules before going.
Explore Local Parks →Eat, Drink & Stay Out a Little Later
Downtown Mount Dora restaurant or patio
Make the Meal Part of the Day
Mount Dora has enough restaurants that lunch or dinner can easily become part of the itinerary rather than an afterthought. Downtown options range from casual cafés and pizza to cocktails, seafood and more traditional dinner restaurants.
Explore Mount Dora Restaurants →Live music, brewery or evening downtown
Find Live Music or an Evening Event
Live music, trivia, theatre and other evening activities happen throughout the week at local restaurants, breweries and venues.
These schedules change too often for an evergreen page, so check the current events calendar rather than relying on a static weekly schedule here.
See This Week's Entertainment →An Easy Day in Mount Dora
If you're visiting for the first time and don't want to overplan, this is an easy way to experience several different sides of Mount Dora in one day.
Downtown + Coffee
Start downtown while things are quieter. Walk the shops and side streets, grab coffee and make your way toward Lake Dora.
Lake, History or Palm Island
Take a boat tour, visit the History Museum or walk Palm Island Park depending on how active you want the afternoon to be.
Dinner + What's Happening
Choose a downtown restaurant, then check the weekly calendar for live music, theatre, art or another evening activity.
Find Something That Fits Your Day
First Time Here? Stop by the Visitor Center
If you're exploring Mount Dora without much of a plan, the Mount Dora Area Chamber Visitor Center is a useful first stop for maps, current information and local suggestions.
It's located in the historic downtown area, so it's easy to work into a walking day.
VISIT THE MOUNT DORA CHAMBERDon't Stop at Mount Dora
Mount Dora is part of a larger group of lakefront towns. Tavares is just down the road for seaplanes, waterfront restaurants and additional boat activities, while Eustis adds its Lake Eustis waterfront, markets, events and nature areas.
If you have more than one day, exploring all three cities gives you a much better feel for this part of Lake County.
EXPLORE LAKE COUNTY
