The silence that is in the starry sky, the sleep that is among the lonely hills.
– Sir Walter Scott
In this section you’ll find coverage of central inland Florida except for Orlando, which was covered in the first part of this chapter. Unlike the other regions in this book, this area of Florida has no saltwater beaches or deep-sea fishing, yet it offers some of the best eco-touring in the state. It’s filled with timeless hamlets that were settled long before the theme park boom. It’s a land of lakes and dark rivers, of green woodlands laced with hiking paths, of gardens and cypress swamps. White sand beaches as pure as those on the coasts are found along many of the springs and rivers, and the fishing action in freshwater lakes and ponds can be as exciting as that found at sea.
Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau, Box 61, Cypress Gardens 33884; 941-298-7565 or 800-828-7655; fax 941-298-7564. Web site www.cfdc.org/tourism.
Lake County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 20763 US Highway 27, Groveland 34736; 352-429-3673 or 800-798-1071. Web site www.lakecountyfl.com.
Seminole County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 105 International Parkway, Heathrow 32746; 800-800-7852. Web site www.co.seminole.fl.us/visit.
January
Winter Haven’s annual Citrus Festival coincides with the Polk County Fair, complete with midway, blue ribbons, cotton candy, and homespun fun. 800-828-7655.
February
If you don’t know that Florida has a thriving wine industry involving award-winning vintages, take a sip at the annual Wine Festival held at Lakeridge Winery in Clermont, 800-768-WINE or 352-394-8627.
March
Cypress Gardens’ Spring Flower Festival bursts alive with hundreds of thousands of springtime blooms. 800-282-2123 or 941-324-2111.
April
The Sun ’n Fun EAA Fly-in in Lakeland is the second-largest EAA fly-in in the nation. See airplanes of all shapes and sizes plus air shows and booths of aviation souvenirs and gear. 941-644-2431.
November
The annual Chrysanthemum Festival at Cypress Gardens brings three million mums to bloom in all colors and configurations, including a 35-foot waterfall formed entirely of brilliant mums. 800-282-2123 or 941-324-2111.
Late November through early January: Cypress Nights, City Lights is a six-week spectacle throughout Polk County, one of the American Bus Association’s Top 100 Events. In addition to the awesome light show at Cypress Gardens, each community in the county lights up according to a different theme, such as snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, and so on. Covering all the routes will take several evenings. Write ahead for a map: Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau, Box 61, Cypress Gardens 33884, or call 800-828-7655; Web site www.cfdc.org/tourism.Cypress Gardens’ Poinsettia Festival also occurs during this time.
Other Special Events
During a full moon, special evening concerts are held at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. 941-676-1408.