Two Lights and a Wildlife Refuge

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May 22, 2023

We finish up our stay in Orlando with a day with my brothers in Mount Dora (and its light) and a day at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (and its light) en route to our next accommodations. We had several stress-free days and enjoyed more of nature’s good stuff.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Seeking the Sun 2023.

Antiquing in Mount Dora

We visited my brothers in Fort Lauderdale a few weeks ago, but two days weren’t nearly enough when we live 275- and 1,500-miles apart. My Florida brothers had a weekend visit to Mount Dora already on the books and too bad my Iowa brother was already back home, because they invited us to join them for an afternoon of antiquing. With less than an hour to drive to yet another beautiful waterfront town, we readily agreed!

As with most of our family get-togethers, we started off with breakfast. We walked in the door at the Highland Street Cafe and passed the service window where a gorgeous plate of stuffed strawberry french toast was waiting for pickup. We added a magnificent stack to our order to share, and OMGosh. It was delicious!

Mount Dora Lighthouse

Dedicated in 1988, the Mount Dora Lighthouse is not just another pretty lighthouse. It’s an officially registered aid to inland navigation, guiding boaters on Lake Dora to its boat ramps and marina. Although a short one at only about 35 feet tall, it is one of Mount Dora’s best known landmarks and offers great photo opportunities with a nearby oversized Adirondack that can accommodate the whole family!

“Mount Dora overlooks beautiful Lake Dora, one of the prettiest lakes in the famous Harris Chain. A local Segway tour visits the lighthouse almost every day, and there is also a guided boat tour that leaves daily from the docks adjacent to the lighthouse. The town has many antique shops in the downtown area, and a huge antique center called Renninger’s on the outskirts of town.

A nearby attraction is Palm Island Nature Preserve. It features a long boardwalk along the Lake Dora shoreline where you will usually see a variety of water birds and an alligator or two.” ~ READ MORE

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain (from the red sign above)

Disney Springs: House of Blues

Although we haven’t been to Disney World in years, we’ve stopped several times to enjoy an afternoon at the House of Blues. It’s hard to beat live music on a patio in the sunshine while the family is shivering (and shoveling) back home. The food and beer choices are excellent as well, with smash burgers, pulled pork, brisket, and main dishes with a southern flair.

Although the place looks a bit rustic, it was built that way. It’s definitely not a dive bar, although it gives that relaxed vibe. Historic signs and beautiful artwork don the walls when it’s required to head inside.

“Highway 61 is significant in the history of blues for both a regional and the national area it traverses. Regionally, Highway 61 is backbone of the Mississippi Delta, a place where real and lyrical feelings of hardship experienced by black sharecroppers formed the genesis of Blues music.

Nationally, Highway 61 was the initial route of Delta bluesmen during the era of “the great migration” of the mid 30s. Their influence in Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago is legendary. The House of Blues is privileged to pay tribute to this mythic highway and its continued influence upon the American music scene.” ~ from the sign above

Our last couple of days required finishing up leftovers so we could justify a celebratory dinner at Benihana to use our Christmas gift certificate. This fabulous restaurant is very close to the Fountains and we always try to stop while we’re here. The next day we enjoyed our last Happy Hour at the Wakoola Grill, met some new timeshare friends, and started the pack-up process – because tomorrow is moving day.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Last time we were in St. Marks (The Scenic Route), we had no idea how fantastic it actually was and we arrived later in the day mostly just to see the lighthouse and head on down the road. Since we weren’t able to give the entire refuge the time it deserved, we decided on a return trip.

This time we opted for one night in an Airbnb right in St. Marks to cut down on commute time. This worked out perfectly so we could visit that afternoon and in the morning we could see some of the surrounding areas before heading to our next accommodations.

Our day was mostly overcast, and the clouds really rolled in as our stay progressed. A trail took us out to a point where we could get wonderful shoreline views of the lighthouse.

The Star of the Show

“Noted lighthouse builder, Winslow Lewis, began work on the Saint Marks structure in 1829. Eroding shores forced relocation a short distance inland in 1842 to its present location. The adjoining keeper’s house is not original having been rebuilt on several occasions. During the Civil War the lighthouse played a role in military affairs primarily because of its strategic position on the coast. Coastal raids launched from the blockading squadron comprised much of the hostile action against the Confederacy in Florida. One such raid in June of 1862 resulted in the destruction of a fortification located near the lighthouse. ~ read more on the sign >

And of course, the Birds!

Apalachee Bay and Distant Views

Another great place for photos is from the sandy shore of Apalachee Bay right in front of the lighthouse. In the photos above we got some views looking back, but as we got closer, the huge trees blocked a lot of the front. It’s hard to beat a walk along the bay anyway, even if you’re only looking for memories (or exercise).

On our previous visit, I got a shot from way out (last photo), which is probably the best one of all. Even though it’s probably not as clear because we were quite a ways away, it shows a great overview of the structures making up this beautiful place with a nice sunset to boot.

A Guiding Light

Since most of the birds were in the other area above, the last photo below is from last time too, showing the lovely egret gliding effortlessly along the swampy grasses. This whole area, which was teeming during our last visit, seemed rather deserted.