My husband and I just hosted the wedding of our daughter and now son-in-law at the Howey Mansion…read more The venue was just perfect. Fran was extremely helpful in accommodating special requests and answering questions we had right away. Very friendly and pleasant to work with. All of our guests for the wedding raved at how beautiful the home is.

Be sure you read everything in the contract. We had to cancel our wedding due to a family emergency…read moreand our deposit wasn't returned. We thought that a bit tacky since the wedding was still almost 9 months out. They could easily re-rent the space for another wedding.

This is a huge establishment for the preservation of old Florida, including a beautiful Timucuan…read morevillage replica you can walk through. Not too many people know about this place but it is just west of Ormond Beach and worth the short drive. There is an old schoolhouse, general store, farm, turpentine mill, church, and a blacksmith's shop, among other buildings. The property is huge and the farm animals will keep kids entertained at least for a little while! They also have several special events throughout the year, including a Pow Wow in November. The daily entrance fee is $3 for adults, $2 ages 6 -12, and free for ages 5 and under.

I always love coming here. Today was the Fall Jamboree and its a great place to take the kids and…read moreenjoy the demonstrations, arts, and crafts of old Florida-the pioneer days. We enjoyed home made ice cream, local honey and bake sale goodies. We walked around to see all of the home made arts and crafts as well as a few tents where my niece was able to make a craft of her own. She painted a clay jellyfish! The history and culture is so rich and inspiring. It makes you realize how spoiled we are as a society, today. Being a Native Floridian, Ive always appreciated learning about my roots. I'll always be back, for many years to come!

This historical tour was fantastic! We did the last tour of the day with Kayla, the owner. She was…read moreextremely knowledgeable and shared so much information on the home and what's happened over the years. I'm going to have to take this tour again just to try to remember it all! Lovely maintained home with so much history. Who visited, who contributed to the building and maintenance of the home, the restoration efforts. It was fascinating. We happened to be there on a day when they received a gift of an original Edison grammaphone with the beeswax songs in paper wrappers! And it actually worked! Amazing. Also loved the Louis Comfort Tiffany windows - just gorgeous!

If you're planning a visit to nearby Blue Springs State Park, the Stetson Mansion is an absolutely…read moremust-visit stop. Yes - Stetson - as in the hats. I was just as surprised to learn that the famed hat-maker once called the small town of DeLand, FL home. I happened to be visiting during peak manatee season and so had the privilege of being able to still enjoy the mansion during its special holiday tour season. During the holiday tour, each room of the mansion has a unique theme to it that you get to learn all about from your helpful docent. Not only do you get to the enjoy the wonderful story of that room's decorations theme but the history of the home and family is wonderfully blended in. I'm told that obviously during the regular historical tour you dive deeper but I left learning waaaaay more about the Stetson family than I ever expected (or knew). The home is privately owned and you the love and passion the new owners have for the historic property is evident in every room. We even had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners (the super sweet and DeLand native, Kayla) I was surprised to learn she had even created many of the decorations herself that adorned the opulent rooms in the mansion. The Stetson Mansion is a great example of one of the many historical gems tucked away in Florida small towns that you can stumble upon when exploring the state. Whether you're doing the regular history tour or holiday tour, you're sure to have a fabulous visit to the Stetson Mansion.

Not many people are aware that a segment of the Berlin Wall stands behind The Hard Rock Cafe at…read moreUniversal Studios Orlando CityWalk. I passed by it dozens of times for nearly two years and never gave it even so much as a glance. Then one day someone told me it was there. And what do you know? it is! It's amazing how blind we can be sometimes to things that are right in front of us! I think it is amazingly awesome that we are lucky enough to have such a rich piece of history in Orlando. And it's not roped up in some museum with signs posted everywhere warning "Do Not Touch." Nope, it's right there all out in the open. Go ahead and put your hands right on it. It's amazing, just amazing, I tell ya! DO NOT go to Universal Studios and not take the time to walk behind The Hard Rock Cafe and see this piece of history!

So many of the Berlin Wall segments sit outside in California, but this is the only one permanently…read moreplaced in Florida. This stands in a very odd place, basically if you are walking towards Hard Rock Café and coming from the backend where the University Studio's Globe is, the Wall is on the right side of the Hard Rock Café building. One would never even know it is there, as everyone goes inside Hard Rock Café from the other entrance. While observing the wall, I seen countless people just walking around and no one even seems to notice this significant piece of history right in front of them, how sad? If you are in Orlando and visit the CityWalk, definitely checkout the Berlin Wall Segment. [Review #374] (20th Review of 2016)

Just outside Deland, Florida lies the St. Johns River a true Eco-system that provides a cross…read moresection of Florida's incredible wildlife, on any given day you will see everything from alligators, manatees, herons, egrets, osprey, otters, turtles and even the occasional bear, deer or American Bald Eagle. It's been almost 100 years since people first started driving across this river at this location, the original Crows Bluff Bridge was a swing span bridge; constructed in 1917, in 1954, a plan for construction of a replacement bridge was established; the new bridge, dedicated to DeLand resident Francis P. Whitehair, opened on September 22, 1955 and was built to carry traffic across the river for a century. Unfortunately that was an estimated life span and the bridge is showing signs that it may not survive much longer, especially since the maintenance cost for these mechanical marvels are more than 100 times that of the new modern concrete bridges built today. When terms like "functionally obsolete" and "not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places" are slung around you know your days are numbered.

As an English teacher, a lover of nature, and someone who loves to travel, I can say that our long…read moreanticipated journey to visit Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park did not disappoint. I first stumbled upon "The Yearling" earlier this year after having a conversation with a wonderful woman on the Cumberland Island boat ferry tour over the summer. She mentioned how much she enjoyed her visit to cross Creek. As a California resident, I borrowed the book from a family member who had it, and thus my love for Marjorie, her life, and work was born! We first arrived at her house, and walked around the citrus orange groves. We played with the pet chickens, and made numerous observations of the property. Shortly after, the tour began. The house tour was led by Emma, a young, extremely warm, and knowledgeable tour guide. Emma made everybody feel extra comfortable, inviting questions and comments openly. The tour takes you through her living quarters, her bathroom, master bedroom, and guest rooms. The artifacts, decor, and design have been preserved to fit the exact historical era of Marjorie's life, and the artifacts are original belongings. The tour offers visitors a chance to learn colorful stories about Marjorie's life, a close look at her literary accomplishments, and a bonus is to get to see her kitchen to truly appreciate her love of cooking. After the tour, it's highly recommended that you make a stop at the yearling restaurant, just around the bend in the country road. It is there were you can enjoy delicious southern cuisine inspired by her, and buy from the incredible selection of books and gifts they offered in their gift shop. The tour guide also had mentioned that the park offers great cooking demonstrations from her cookbook "Cross Creek Cookery" in the spring months. I certainly look forward to visiting again to participate!

I was prompted to read "Cross Creek" because I am closely associated with the Mickens family who…read moreare referenced throughout the book. So we decided we'd go visit. I felt taken back in time The tour and information shared was well presented and only lead to more curiosity about this beautiful place that Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings immortalized in her novels. Read her books, visit the park, history is our teacher. Florida is such a beautiful place, if only we could stop paving this paradise... maybe we'd all see places like Cross Creek. Thank you to the staff and for Marjorie's gifts to the State and humanity.

While I am very familiar with the blue markers of the state wide Florida Historical Marker Program,…read moreoccasionally I will come across a county or city historic marker. On a recent walk through Red Bug Lake Park, I discovered that Seminole County has their own historic marker program. Historic markers are a great way to learn about the formative people, buildings, and events in Florida's history. This marker was erected in 2023 by The Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation with support from the Casselberry Historical Society and the Seminole County Historical Society. It recounts the important WWII contributions made by the actress Hedy Lamarr who passed away in Casselberry at the age of 85 on January 19, 2000. According to this marker, famed Golden Age of Hollywood actress and inventor Hedy Lemarr had a home near Red Bug Lake Park in the later years of her life. Hedy was born Hedwig Eva Marie Kiesler on November 9, 1914, in Austria to Emil and Gertrude Kiesler and she was raised in the Jewish faith. In 1938 she came to the U.S. and became a naturalized citizen in 1953. She went on to star in two dozen movies, including the notable Samson and Delilah directed by Cecil B. DeMille. During WWII, Hedy and George Antheil received U.S. patent number No. 2,292,387 for their Secret Communication System. Hedy explored potential military applications for radio technology. She theorized that varying radio frequencies at irregular intervals would prevent interception or jamming of transmissions, thereby creating an innovative communication system. Together she and Antheil designed a way to help the U.S. Navy against Nazi Germany by allowing spread spectrum and frequency jumping of radio waves in torpedo guidance systems. This technology was later used to make Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth technology possible. The National Inventor's Hall of Fame posthumously inducted Lemarr and Anthiel in 2014. Her invention has led Heddy Lamar to be known as the mother of Wi-Fi.

Who knew that Hedy Lemarr had a connection to Oviedo, Florida? I certainly did not until today as I…read morewas walking around Red Bug Lake Park and came across this historical marker. Hedy Lamarr was n incredibly popular actress back in the golden age of film making. She starred in over two dozen movies including the Cecil B. DeMille classic "Sampson and Delilah." What many do not realize is that in addition to her beauty, Hedy Lamarr was not only incredibly intelligent, but she was also the co-onventor of a "secret communication system," which allowed frequency jumping in radio waves. This later was beneficial with WiFi and cellular phone technology possible. It appears that Lamarr relocated to the Oviedo, Florida area and this is where she passed away back in 2000. I love finding these historical markers that connect us to a community's past.

I've heard the residents of Mount Dora were in an uproar when this house was painted, but…read moreultimately the city failed to make the homeowners to revert to a standard color (lost court case). Hearing this was painted to help their autistic son identify the house if wandering off made my heart happy. It also offers both residents and tourists a beautiful mural and testament to artistic expression. Very glad I was able to see it and hope others are able to appreciate the beauty of the mural (renovated in 2025).

If you're strolling through Mount Dora and stumble upon the Van Gogh House, prepare to be genuinely…read moredelighted. This hidden gem is an absolute visual treat and one of the most creative outdoor art experiences I've seen in Central Florida. Every side of the house and surrounding walls is covered in vibrant, swirling murals inspired by Van Gogh's most iconic works--from Starry Night skies to bold sunflowers and rolling landscapes. It feels like you're walking straight into a living painting. The colors are incredibly vivid, and the detail is impressive from every angle. No two sections feel the same, which makes it even more fun to walk around and explore. It's peaceful, artistic, and surprisingly immersive for an open-air display. The contrast of classic fine art style painted onto a casual neighborhood setting makes it feel whimsical and unexpected in the best way. This spot is completely free to enjoy, perfect for photos, and a must-see if you love art, murals, or unique local attractions. It's one of those places that reminds you how much creativity can transform a space. The Van Gogh House is truly one of Mount Dora's coolest hidden treasures and absolutely worth the stop.

While on our Florida Mini Vacay, Deacon, Kayla Beth Fields & I stopped at New Smyrna Beach area to…read morecheck out the Sugar Mill Ruins. This was Deacon's first historical site with his maw maw YoYo on her trek to see all things historical. He seemed to enjoy the adventure. The Cruger-de-Peyster Plantation Sugar Mill Ruins are superb. There are hiking trails in to the jungle like funa but we didn't have bug spray. I keep it in my car but we were enjoying Kayla's new rocking rover!!! We saw quite a few lizards. I guess they are a local staple to the wildlife here. Their little throats blow out a orangish bag, weird to us West Virginians....lol!! This park is nice! Pets allowed Small parking lot. FREE TO ENJOY! Well marked with signage to the location. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Simple free walkthrough. With signage as to what it was and what they did. A little hard to find as…read moreit isn't a large sign

Castle Ottis Coastal Hwy,…read moreSt. Augustine, FL 32084 Did you know we have a hidden castle in St Augustine? Castle Otttis is a unique, privately-owned landscape sculpture in Vilano Beach, Florida, built by Rusty Ickes and Ottis Sadler. They wanted to build something unique and different that would go well with the landscape of St Augustine. Since both were religious, they also wanted to built something that would show their appreciation to Jesus. The Castle features rustic stone walls and an interior with elaborate cypress woodwork, serving as a venue for religious weddings and events. Its not open to the Public. It offers tours available only by appointment. So you would have to go to their website and request an tour appointment via email. The story behind it is interesting. Just 2 men who wanted to be in peace with nature.

Just about 10 minutes north outside of historic St. Augustine is a unique castle that sits back…read morefrom the main road among trees and hedges. Sadly, the owner and creator of Castle Otttis, Kendle Icke, passed away in July 2023. However, his son, who lives on the property does conduct tours for small groups of people who have reservations. His tours are very interesting with information on how the castle came to be. Apparently, Mr. Icke had a couple of dreams about a castle in great detail, which he shared with a builder friend of his. The friend encouraged him to build it and agreed to help him. They were able to get donated building materials to work with. Mr. Icke built the castle in the image of old castles in Ireland and dedicated it to his wife. Castle Ottis was built between 1984-1988. The Ickes also had a home on the property to the left of the castle. We took the tour with a small group of people, which worked out very well. There are 3 levels if you count the rooftop, where you will see gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean. This is a castle based on 1000 year old Irish castles. The tour is free but donations will be greatly appreciated. A must see if you are in St. Augustine. It is a magical experience. There are special events held at the castle, like weddings or anniversaries. It is also great for photography opportunities. This is a one of a kind opportunity. Please note that Castle Otttis does not have handicapped accessibility. Parking is available on the property for the guests. You are allowed to take pictures inside the castle.