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Here’s why you should visit Tavares, Florida.

Its a reminder of just how special this area is, Closi says.

Beautiful Wooten Park in Tavares, Florida; a family friendly outdoors park with seaplane rides and outdoor activities.

Sea plane in Wooten Park in Tavares, Florida.Credit:JillianCain/Getty Images

Read on to plan your visit to Tavares.

If you want a water view, ask to book the lodge overlooking the canal.

Theres an onsite golf course and pool available for guests.

A boat on a lake

Fisherman’s Cove in Tavares, FLorida.Courtesy of Discover Lake County

Activities include weekly game nights and shuffleboard.

Its a taste of the Old Florida vacation lifestyle, to be sure.

With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, the cottage can accommodate eight people.

Close up of the front of a seaplane against blue skies in Florida.

Sea plane in Tavares, Florida.JillianCain/Getty Images

Board games, puzzles, and a Pac-Man arcade game round out the family fun.

Best Things to Do

See the area from a seaplane.

Theyre often amazed at how flat and tiny everything looks from the air.

Exterior of a restaurant

Puddle Jumpers in Tavares, Florida.Courtesy of Discover Lake County

Flightseeing tours can be as brief as 15 minutes, including a splash-and-dash maneuver on Lake Dora.

Stroll Wooton Park.

Kayak through the Dora Canal.

Florida red maple trees at Lake Dora in Wooten Park, Tavares, Florida. Tavares is part of the Golden Triangle which includes Mount Dora and Eustes known for it’s small town feel and natural beauty.

Wooten Park in Tavares, Florida.JillianCain/Getty Images

Admire more than 20 gardens in one setting.

Kids love the butterfly garden, Five Senses Garden, and water features to splash in.

Enjoy a sunset cruise aboard a paddleboat.

Late morning aerial photograph of Lake Harris and Highway 19 at Tavares Florida USA

Lake Harris in Tavares, Florida.TimothyOLeary/Getty Images

Other themed cruises include New Years outings complete with fireworks, Christmas-themed cruises, and afternoon fun cruises.

BTW Burgers, Tacos, Waffles

The thinking behind this fun spot?

A seasonally rotating food truck-style menu with a little something for everyone in a brick-and-mortar setting.

Right along Main Street,BTWis the perfect downtown spot for a casual and family-friendly lunch or dinner.

Ironworks Steaks and Fine Cocktails does a divine New York strip that gets smoked table-side under a glass dome.

Theres also a perfectly-marbled coulotte steak slathered with a whiskey bourbon glaze.

The creative cocktail list includes a dessert root beer float libation spiked with vodka and root beer liqueur.

The spring and fall months also usher in fun annual festivals including OctobersROCKTOBERFEST and Monster Splash Seaplane Fly-In.

The annualCandyland Christmas Celebration & Paradetruly transforms the area into a magical winter wonderland.

Daytona Beach International Airport is 61 miles (just over one hour) to the northeast.

Plan to visit nearby towns likeMount Dora, Eustis, and Leesburg.