I was lucky enough to snag a spot at a painting class at the Winter Garden Library! The theme was…read more"Celebrating 250 years!" and we painted fire works! Our teacher told us that she isn't an artist, she's a librarian who wants to make opportunities for us, and you know that set the students at ease! We were able to focus on having fun and experimenting with whichever design we wanted to do because fireworks are not cookie cutter shapes! They are irregular, which works very well for me who is new at painting. These classes offered at the library can be reserved on line and they fill up fast, so don't sleep on it! I was very happy with the atmosphere and friendly environment. They provide everything, the canvas, the paints, water and brushes. Make sure to check out the classes on line and you too may learn a new craft!

Orange County Library System: The Greatest Free Subscription You Never Knew You Needed…read more BREAKING NEWS: There's a place in town where stories come alive, books are free, and magic is real--and no, it's not a theme park. It's your local Orange County Library, and it just might be the most underrated treasure in Central Florida. Today, we hit up Tiny Tales with Mr. D, and let me tell you--this man deserves his own Broadway show. He had a room full of babies giggling, parents engaged, and storybooks practically jumping off the pages. It's the kind of experience that makes you grateful to be raising your family here. But that's just the beginning of what this library system has to offer: They deliver books TO YOUR HOUSE. Yes, for real. You can place a hold on popular titles, and when it's your turn--BOOM--they ship it straight to your doorstep like it's book-loving Christmas. FOR FREE. No monthly fees, no strings, just pure literary goodness. Books, audiobooks, DVDs, and even tech kits? All free. Want to dive into a cookbook? Learn a language? Binge a new series? OCLS has you covered. Family fun all week long: From baby bounce time and toddler yoga to coding classes and art workshops--there's always something cool going on, and it's perfect for connecting with other parents while your little one explores. Returns are easy: Drop your books at any branch or toss them into a return bin near you. Then stock up again. It's a beautiful cycle. And guess what? They're building a new branch in HAMLIN! We're counting the days until we can walk to even more storytimes, events, and those glorious stacks of free reads. So here's the truth: in a world of pricey subscriptions and endless screen time, the Orange County Library System is a free, feel-good miracle that supports families, fuels imaginations, and builds community--one story at a time. We love it. We use it. We tell everyone about it. If you haven't gotten a library card yet... what are you doing?! Go. Sign. Up. Now.

The Citrus Tower in Clermont is one of those classic Florida roadside landmarks that still feels…read morerooted in the state's older tourism era. I've been to the Lake Placid tower, which is closed, so it was nice to see this one still operating. I passed through at 6am, well before sunrise, so the doors weren't open yet, but even from the outside the orange and white stripes and the height of the structure make it stand out. Built in 1956 as a 226 foot observation tower meant to showcase the miles of surrounding orange groves, it once drew up to 500,000 visitors a year when US 27 was the main north south route through Central Florida. Today the groves are mostly gone, but the tower remains open as a nostalgic attraction. Admission is usually around the ten dollar range for adults, depending on the season, and gets you access to the elevator ride up to the 360 degree observation deck. Considering the history behind it, including five million pounds of concrete, 149,000 pounds of steel, and a grand opening that drew representatives from Cypress Gardens and Silver Springs back in 1956, it's an inexpensive way to experience a piece of old Florida. Next time I'm passing through during actual business hours, I'll make a point to go up. [Review 1620 of 2025 - 2197 in Florida - 25168 overall]

Wow, Florida is flat! :-D…read more I added the Citrus Tower onto my "to see" list when I found out I was going to be in Clermont. You don't need a whole lot of time here, but really appreciate how authentic they've kept the Tower. Instead of modern signage at the top, they still have hand-painted directional signs. I loved that! I also appreciated how they have ample labeling that tells you what you're looking at. They should rent binoculars; it could help them get toward their fundraising goal to support the Tower. I would have paid to rent some (e.g. they could hold your ID whilst you use them). The little cafe downstairs was pretty good, too; I grabbed a tea from there. Nice way to spend a bit of time! 2025: 13/100

I have had the opportunity to check out this branch on a few occasions and so far it's on par with…read morewhat I've grown accustom to from the Orange County Library System. The location, much to my surprise, is in a shopping center and is quite easy to find. Inside you'll find that there are plenty computers, tables for studying, and books & materials to check out. They also offer a respectable selection of courses and workshops for Members. In all of my visits, my impression of the staff here has been that they are polite, helpful and knowledgeable. I haven't experienced any issues. I was a little surprised the first time that I saw a security desk and personnel near the entrance. More often than not, it is great idea to check out your local library system has to offer. This branch is definitely on my list of branches to keep up with.

Love the Orange County library system! Great staff, nearly perfect selection of books, movies &…read moreaudio.

Honestly I've been coming here for years. Literally since I was my sons age, since probably 1996?…read moreThat dates me doesn't it? This place is endless with the amount of things going on in these buildings. They offer voting during elections, youth basketball, Friday night basketball, cooking classes and signups for all things throughout the year for different sports for your children. I came here for summer camp, but my son comes here for youth basketball. He loves it. I love it and everyone is so nice! Especially Jarvis - he's like the head honcho when it comes to youth basketball. Tip: if you have a child who is the age of 12 to 17 they offer Friday night basketball from 7:30-9 for FREE.

Today was my first time in the library in a long time. For someone who just picked up a new habit…read morein late December and is on a budget, I needed an inexpensive way to continue reading books and preserving time. After looking online for the hours of operation on the weekend, especially a Sunday, and the requirements to get a full-access library card, I took my little family in. We were greeted by a nice young woman at the counter who smiled, welcomed us, and then proceeded to help us get our cards. Library cards are good for two years and then need to be renewed. Throwback to my last library card in 2014, I had to bring in a utility bill to show I was a resident of the county, today I just needed to show my DL. It was quick and easy to get my card. Downstairs are holiday books, audio, DVDs, magazines, fiction, nonfiction, adult graphics and teen graphics, restrooms, an elevator, a sensory room, and a few study rooms. Upstairs are meeting rooms, study rooms, a teenage section, computer access, adolescent books, preschool books, and a room for toddlers. It was a nice relaxing afternoon. With the all-access pass, I get up to 50 books per card, place 20 holds, check out for 21 days, and have 3 automatic renewals. I am also an educator, to get this pass, I had to show my teacher ID, and current paystub, and provide them with the address of my school. With this card, I get up to 100 books per card. Next time, I will use the online card catalog to find books or go in with a plan. Today, I was a bit overwhelmed and wasn't sure where to find titles. What I like is being able to go on the website and request/hold books and when they become available you'll get notified and have a time limit to pick up. I have already added 3 titles to my request list. :)

My family and I like going into this library- it's small it full of books. My kids love the kids…read morearea and the computer games. I went into the library for a book sale. The lines were longer than I expected, but then again I went in right when they open the doors. The ladies in charge and the volunteers were helpful and they kept the tables full of books. There are plenty of parking space in the front of the library and they always have great events for the family.

Our family has a serious reading problem! Love our little local library that we can easily get to…read morebuy golf cart. They don't have a huge selection, BUT you can easily request any book and get it within a few days or be added to the waitlist. They offer pickup or door step Delivery. They have an amazing kids program with different Events and activities for all ages. Our babes loving exploring the kids section for books and using the learning center for different games. The librarians are the absolute sweetest.

This is my favorite library. Its beautiful, outdoors, there is a big wide porch where i often see…read morepeople sitting in rocking chairs reading a book to their child or children. There are also some amazing sculptures in front. Although I've been coming here for ten years i always stop to look at the sculptures and have a moment if reflection. Next door to the library is a a piece of 9/11 history surrounded by tiles made in different countries. Inside the library is a nice collection of books, DVDs, Audio books, and CDs of music. This library also has a full and interesting schedule of classes. Downtown Windermere is a beautiful historic town that still embodies, encourages, and protects the best of the human lifestyle. Come visit and slow down, calm down, turn the music down, and relax!

The employees are incredibly rude and treat patrons like they hate them. They work bankers hours…read moreand you're never more than five feet from a sign with threats on it. There's absolutely no reason to treat taxpayers like this; we may as well just not have a library. I reserved a room for a work meeting and Ardina decided to aggressively barge in to loudly to yell at me for an empty cup and question me about the name on the reservation. The power trip was insane. The woman is clearly unwell and I am concerned about her working for our local government.

Gets my recommendation as a library: lots of books and magazines! Free wifi. Computers if u need…read morethem ( I don't). Quiet. Good help if you can't find a book. Many desk, sofas, and carols. Great to go for a planning day or just to catch up on current magazines. Only thing missing is the " old library smell". But then: one can't have everything!!

This Thrift store has the usual household items you can find at any other second-hand store;…read morehowever, some are in good condition and others in rough condition. For example they are selling luggage bags with torn zippers ($6-$14) and worn clothing for $6 each, crazy. We did purchase some good quality clothing here, but once again, much higher than you would pay at a Goodwill. The items that interested me most were some of the furniture sets, which were "like-new" and "good" being sold at a great price, and the motorcycle jackets, which sold for less than half of what I would pay at Cycle Gear ($50 verses $110+). The staff were super friendly, and the store is organized. One major issue is that both restrooms were out of order. All-n-all this is an ok place to shop especially if you starting in a new home, need some furniture or other household items. As for the clothing, I would save my money for Ross or Goodwill.

Customer service was wonderful everyone was very nice and welcoming and the guy who checked us out…read moreeven gave us 20% off on everything just because. I would highly recommend this place. We got over 14 shirts/hoodies and spent only $40!