Things to do in Clermont and Lake County

Clermont and Lake County sit about 30 to 40 minutes west of Orlando on SR 50 or Florida's Turnpike, and the terrain changes as soon as you arrive: this is one of the few parts of central Florida with real hills, rising toward 95 meters, wrapped around chains of lakes linked by narrow canals.

The Clermont Chain of Lakes anchors the south, small-town Mount Dora sits to the north around a walkable historic center, and Tavares markets itself as a seaplane city with float-plane rides off its downtown waterfront.

Plan for boating and kayaking on the lake chains, converted-rail bike trails, scenic flights, and seasonal fruit picking, ideally November through April; by mid-afternoon in summer, a daily thunderstorm routinely cancels anything on the water. A half day covers the highlights, a full day allows both a lake outing and a town stop.