Let me tell you about the time my wife casually turned a normal "drop our daughter off at college"…read moretrip into what felt like a deleted scene from a survival movie... destination: Solomon's Castle in the absolute middle of nowhere. And when I say nowhere, I mean NOWHERE. I'm driving waiting for streetlights... nothing. Gas stations? Nope. People? Questionable. Cows? Plenty. Motorcycles flying by like we accidentally entered a post-apocalyptic biker convention? Oh yeah. At this point, I'm looking at my wife like, Babé are we visiting a castle or auditioning for The Walking Dead: Florida Edition?" Then suddenly... BOOM. Out of nowhere... like a mirage built by a very creative pirate appears this shiny, aluminum-covered CASTLE. Now I'm confused. Because one minute I'm dodging cows... and the next minute I'm like: Did we just teleport to medieval times sponsored by Home Depot? But here's the thing this place is AMAZING. Inside? Pure genius. Art everywhere. Sculptures made out of stuff you probably threw away last week. It's like if creativity, humor, and a junkyard had a baby and that baby became a castle. And then there's the restaurant. Yes. A restaurant. Inside a boat. Inside a castle. In the middle of nowhere. At this point, I've stopped asking questions and just accepted that I'm in someone else's dream. If you want the backstory, go ahead and Google it because it's wild. But honestly, just go. Don't overthink it. Would I have ever planned this stop? Absolutely not. Did my wife once again prove she's the CEO of random but incredible detours? 100%. Final verdict: Unexpected Slightly suspicious drive in Completely worth it If you're ever near Ona, Florida--or even if you're not take the detour. Just make sure your gas tank is full... and maybe say a quick prayer once the streetlights disappear

Your sign on the front gate. Sorry folks close until October 1s. What a joke! How about you post it…read morein your website CLOSED UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST! SPENT 4 HOURS driving to get to you only to find a sign! Extremely inconsiderate! We will not be back and we will not recommend anyone visit.

Quite a surprise for teeny tiny Avon Park! The college has an enormous campus here with dozens of…read morebuildings. Read on for why you should visit. Location- With so many buildings it can be a little overwhelming. Let your GPS do its thing along with the picture I posted, and you'll have no trouble spotting it. Plenty of easy parking. Time Commitment- This is a small museum. Ninety minutes and most folks will be done. What to Expect- As the name suggests, expect the focus to be on Florida including the artists. It's a great way to learn about this wonderful state! Cost- Every time I have been here it has been free with donations requested. Hours- Extremely limited. Check first before you go. This is not a "Destination" location. It's the kind of place you visit when you are in the area and have a few minutes. Yelp will give you plenty of places for lunch within five minutes of here. What a great place to walk off that huge platter of Gator Bites & giant pitcher of beer!

Guest reviewer: The Wife This museum 100% lives up to its…read morename. Every piece of art at the museum--from the paintings, to the sculptures, to the rest rooms, to the walls themselves--is a study in creative whimsy. Before entering the building, visitors are treated to the sight of giant flamingo statues adorned in fancy headwear and bow ties. What I think delighted me the most about walking around this space was the understanding that the world of art is so much broader than what I learned about at university. The indoor spaces featured both paintings and smaller pieces of sculpture in many different styles, while the outdoor sculpture garden brought the awe of childish whimsy everywhere I looked. Don't forget to check out the men's bathroom near the entrance to the museum!

My mouth hung open in awe from the moment I entered the property. I love this museum. I have…read morebrought many of my friends here. Every piece of painted art is amazing. I am a whimsey painter and I always leave here so inspired I can't wait to start another project. This is a MUST see for Florida visitors. Even if you aren't artistic You will be inspired by this whimsical magical amazing museum of art. Mary, the owner shares her collection of whimsical art on this property and in these buildings. Again, this is a must see in Florida.

Beautiful spot. Lots of peaceful places for contemplation…read moreincluding a butterfly garden and bayfront observation spots Can't wait to go back

Most of the area was closed due to the hurricanes last year, they could have told us that before we…read morepaid. $20 person for a few block walk to see only a couple houses, a small butterfly enclosure and one garden really wasn't what I expected. Maybe Ok for a small child.....

Such a lovely time ! This is a must-see place to go if you're visiting Florida. Nice place to take…read morepictures and walk around. I do wish there was more structure as to what section of the garden to go to first. However, they do provide you with a map to make sure you hit everything.

We spent maybe 90 minutes at the gardens, which are currently featuring sculptures and drawings by…read moreartist Alexander Calder. Calder is most famous for his use of primary colors, and for his mobiles. This exhibit, "Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement" ends May 31, 2026. Calder's connection with Sarasota is mainly through sketches he made of Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, which was based in Sarasota. Portions of the gardens are under construction, but most areas along the water are open. There wasn't much in bloom during our visit. Admission is not cheap ($28 per adult, $12 for children 5-17) but we were able to get in for free using the reciprocal arrangement from our membership at another botanical garden. Garage parking is free, and there's an elevator.

A very cute a fun museum!…read more My group and I came here mostly to see the manatees but enjoyed the rest of the museum as well. We went through the exhibits on the two floors relatively quickly but they were interesting to look at. I liked the emphasis on Florida specific history. The planetarium was interesting and the seats were very comfortable. The manatees were obviously the highlight. We were able to see two babies, Sorbet and Juneau, right at feeding time. The top view of the water had a superior view. Overall, while I'm not from here so I'm not sure when I'd be back if I went, I really enjoyed my time here.

Sad to admit this was our first visit here, and literally on the last day of the Clyde Butcher…read morephotography exhibit. Jade who worked up front was friendly and helpful. Manageable sized museum where we spent about 90 minutes and had to leave before viewing everything. The Butcher exhibit was very good, I wish there was more. Truly incredible work. There is a manatee rehab area, although no manatees currently as the ones they had were thankfully released back into the wild. Emma who works in this area answered several of my husband's questions and was quite knowledgeable and informative. Some great historical artifacts, especially for local history. Excellent museum gift shop as well, with a large variety of items and another friendly and engaging employee, Anne. Looking forward to the upcoming baseball exhibit, and will allow more time.

We booked the Uncovering Ca' d'Zan Guided Tour ($40 per person) before flying to Florida. The tour…read morelasts about 60-70 minutes and includes the main rooms on the first floor, a peek into the Tap Room with stories about indulgence and Prohibition during the 1920s, as well as select spaces on the second, third, and fourth floors of the Ringlings' magnificent waterfront mansion. I'm so glad I booked this tour! it was the highlight of our Florida trip. Our tour guide, Susan, was professional, knowledgeable, and full of humor. She made the entire experience both informative and relaxing. Ca' d'Zan is simply breathtaking. This stunning Mediterranean Revival mansion sits on the shores of Sarasota Bay and was built in the mid-1920s as the winter retreat of American circus magnate, entrepreneur, and art collector John Ringling and his wife, Mable Burton Ringling. Although the mansion is over 100 years old, it still radiates the glamour, elegance, and artistic vision of the Ringlings. Every room is filled with exquisite craftsmanship and thoughtful details that reflect their passion for art and architecture. One of my favorite features was the magnificent ceiling paintings by the Hungarian artist Willy Pogany. Each one tells a story from another era, preserving its beauty for generations to admire. Standing on the terrace overlooking Sarasota Bay, I couldn't help but be reminded of the atmosphere from the movie Great Expectations. There was something incredibly romantic, mysterious, and timeless about the view. To me, Ca' d'Zan feels alive. If you slow down and listen carefully, the mansion tells its own story. There is glamour. There is longing. There is sadness. There is hope. And somehow, there is a place for you within it. I absolutely fell in love with this place. Without a doubt, this was the best attraction we visited during our trip to Sarasota. I would highly recommend the Uncovering Ca' d'Zan Guided Tour to anyone visiting the area, and I will definitely return to explore the Museum of Art next time.

The Ringling is absolutely beautiful and there's way more to see than I expected. You get…read moreeverything from circus history to ancient art and artifacts, contemporary pieces, gorgeous grounds, statues and the rose garden. The roses were supposedly in season, but honestly that part was a little underwhelming. My personal favorites were the ancient artifacts and the circus miniature. There are also some parts of circus history that definitely haven't aged well, including minstrel depictions, but history is history and I appreciated that it wasn't sanitized. My biggest issue was being asked THREE separate times to show our wristbands while walking the grounds. Normally, no big deal, but we watched larger groups walk right by without being questioned while our group of three kept getting stopped, despite our wristbands being just as visible. By the third time, it was hard not to feel like we were being profiled. That was disappointing, especially after driving an hour for a close friend's birthday. I usually don't spend my money where I feel unwanted, but I wasn't going to let it ruin her day. Beautiful museum and absolutely worth experiencing, but that part of our visit left a bad taste in my mouth.

4 stars for a great indoor activity to beat the summer heat in Orlando! This was our first time…read morevisiting Sea Life (located at ICON Park) and our 2-year old had a blast. He loved running around and looking through all the different tanks full of fish. It's a pretty small aquarium and tickets are relatively inexpensive at $15 pp. You can also buy a ticket bundle and combine it with the Madame Tussauds wax museum next door. We didn't do that this time but not a bad deal if you want to see both. This is definitely a tourist attraction, being located on I-Drive, but we still enjoyed it. We went through it in about 45 minutes, but you could go at a slower pace if you're not chasing a toddler. Even with the size, there's still a lot to see and a wide variety of fish and sea life: sharks, turtles, axolotl, starfish, stingrays, seahorses, jellyfish, moray eel, and more. There's also a touch tank at the end if you want to participate. It also wasn't too crowded and was easy to navigate.

Wasn't sure what to expect when we got timed tickets for this aquarium sight unseen…read more Not a fan of taking multiple photos of you, to sell back to you, before you even get inside to see anything. They had some interesting fish and water animals. The docents who were trying to educate people had an uphill battle with the younger kids. Overall, I've been to some bigger aquaria with more to offer but I enjoyed it.

During my travels I have visited a lot of Veteran Memorials but this is the first war dog memorial…read morethat I have found. This memorial is located in front of the Avon Park Community Center and it was dedicated on November 9, 2018. It was donated to the City of Avon Park by the Battle of the Bands and the Loyal Order of the Moose. The Battle of the Bands is an organization created on February 15, 2005 in order to create an annual display that honors veterans on Main Street every holiday season. The monument features a 5 foot tall soldier, German shepherds, collies, and other breeds of dogs. At night the memorial is lit up. As a huge dog lover this memorial instantly caught my attention. It not only recognizes how dogs have served in combat but also how they have offered emotional therapy and support to our soldiers. I love this touching tribute to mans best friend.

I am so ashamed and triple embarrassed! OMG Steven B, what did you do?…read more I've lived in this teeny tiny town for five years and I'm a lifelong dog lover and I've been a member of the Loyal Order of Moose for many years. I've driven by this wonderful memorial maybe a thousand times and for some strange reason it's never "clicked!" Along comes my good Yelp friend https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=lvthTfCQGD0qaEk6jCdRdQ from considerably out of town and she writes the very first review! I am so ashamed! Thank you, Ariel W., for bringing me to my senses. This is an awesome and well-deserved memorial for our four-legged friends that is co-sponsored by the local Moose Lodge. War Dogs have helped humans for hundreds of years, saved countless lives and provided much needed emotional support to our soldiers. The memorial is very nicely done in bronze. I've stopped by twice now and I'm not ashamed to say that I've shed a tear or two!