More details coming soon about living in Mount Dora! Take a look at what we have so far!
A guide to Mount Dora Florida
Living in Mount Dora Florida
Mount Dora Florida is a city well known for its historic, southern charm, walkability, historic downtown appeal, surrounded by historic residential streets with access to many lakes for fishing and boating.
Throughout the year, Mount Dora is host to many festivals, art shows, antique extravaganzas, boat shows, Sunday farmer’s markets and more!
Step back for a moment and take away all the sponsored events throughout the year and you’ll still be amazed at all the beauty in nature that Mount Dora presents; all the lakes and waterways often clustered with so many bird species, right down to our neighborhood alligators and more. It’s simply breathtaking. Scroll through the photos here that’s all things Mount Dora and you’ll see what I mean.
Here you’ll discover that this Mount Dora guide focuses primarily on the downtown historic district area. It’s a page always developing and will continue to present the “Someplace Special” that’s all things Mount Dora. Here is my hope to deliver that “special” experience.
Where Is Mount Dora Florida?
Mount Dora is located in central Florida, about 30 miles northwest from Orlando, which takes roughly 35-45 minutes.
Mount Dora Living in Photos
City of Mount dora was incorporated in 1910
Mount Dora history
“Someplace Special” was Mount Dora’s designated slogan in the mid to late 1970’s. To this day, it still goes by the slogan. I agree, it really is someplace special and applies perfectly to this nostalgic, small-town feel and premier lifestyle.
Before it was Mount Dora, the town was named Royellou (1880). It’s a “portmanteau” (blend) of the town’s first postmaster’s three children: Roy, Ella, and Louis. Today, you can still find Royellou Lane and Dora Drawdy Way in the downtown district. These aren’t just alleys; they are the “original” footprints of the town’s founders.
In 1883, the city was renamed to Mount Dora after Dora Ann Drawdy. Mount Dora is also frequently referred to as “The City of Festivals”; we really do have a lot of festivals!
At a time, prior to 1883, when Florida was seen as a swampy marshland, “Mount” was a marketing term used to tell Northern settlers that this was a high, dry, and healthy place to live. That 184-foot elevation is still drawing people to move here for peace of mind.
The famous yellow Victorian Donnelly House (built in 1893) wasn’t custom-architected on site—it was actually a mail-order house! Imagine that! It’s been said that it was built from a plan by George Franklin Barber, who sold home blueprints via mail-in catalogs. Capt. John Philip Donnelly built it as a gift for his wife, Annie. It’s a stunning example of “Steamboat Gothic” architecture.
The Lakeside Inn (the oldest continuously operating hotel in Florida, built in 1883) hosted President Calvin Coolidge and his wife for a month-long retirement vacation in 1930. It’s been said; during the 1920s and 30s, Mount Dora was the “it” spot for the era’s billionaires—Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were also frequent visitors. It established Mount Dora as the “Elite Winter Retreat” of Central Florida.
And, did you know? In 1981, Hollywood took over the town to film the movie “Honky Tonk Freeway.” It has been said; the production company actually paid to paint almost the entire downtown district bright pink for the film. They even taught an elephant to water-ski on Lake Dora! While the pink paint is gone, that quirky, artistic spirit is what birthed the “Festival City” identity that is often touted.
History in Photos - in Mount Dora
As you visit Mount Dora and after your first glance, you can see its history…It truly is the charming town of the south. Mount Dora is filled with beautiful architecture
Mount Dora Homes & Home Sales
There has never been a better time to move to Florida and Mount Dora!
Historic district home sampling in Mount Dora
good eats and coffee!
Mount Dora eateries & good sips
Where do I begin?! There are countless, great places to eat in Mount Dora with its many restaurants, cafes and bars. From inexpensive to higher-priced restaurants, you won’t get bored with all there is being offered when it comes to dining out in Mount Dora. You’ll find many of the spots to be one-of-a-kind restaurants to divulge in whatever it is your taste buds are craving, featuring many cultural cuisines to select from.
Good eats and good sips.
A few of my favorites include The Goblin Market, 1921, French Bistro Cafe, Las Palmas Cuban place, Upstairs Cafe, Salted Fry, Funky Monkey, Thai, Asian, Italian, German, Mexican and more! With two more restaurants set to open up in 2026 in the historic downtown!
Be sure to try Mount Dora’s Taste of our town – food and wine tour in Mount Dora, where you discover a great sampling of Mount Dora’s good eats and drinks!
And, we certainly can not forget the wonderful coffee shops; Foxtail, Serendipity, Allyson Bake Shop and more. What would a city be without coffee shops?
Keep in mind, that these are just a few that I’ve named…I could go on forever, yet we’ll be here all day! Plus, there are many nearby towns to visit for good eats.
Imagine what you’d like to eat and you’ll likely find it here. Pick up a fork and dig in!
Mount Dora good eats and sips in photos
Mount Dora Shops, Notable Places and Things to Do
so much to see and do
So many shops in downtown historic district of Mount Dora.
Mount Dora Shops and notables in Photos
*Source for History: City of Mount Dora.