Boat Tour in Winter Park

Let's face it; it's hot in Florida in July. And humid. And nearly everything we're doing as a family is outdoors. So, you'd think Larry and I, in the time we had alone, would look for indoor things to do, right? Well, yes, some of the time. But, we're just crazy enough to want to do some things outdoors, too, weather be damned.

We decided one day to go on a boat tour in Winter Park. We chose what turned out to be a tour run by the cutest little retired couple, who knew the area backwards and forwards. She did the ticket sales and was very particular about having us board the boat in the exact order we purchased our tour tickets - it's only fair, after all. He drove the pontoon boat and narrated the tour, and you could tell he's spent his whole life on that water. He may have had a bit of trouble getting up from the driver's seat afterward, but he was sharp as a tack.

 

We toured Osceola Lake and two others, navigating to the adjacent lakes by way of two picturesque canals. What beautiful properties! Osceola Lake was fronted by one gorgeous home after another.

    

Fern Canal was worthy of its name. Green, lush, and peaceful, it was a straight path to Lake Virginia.

       

Here, we saw more impressive homes...

  

...and the campus of Rollins College, founded in 1885. The buildings on its 70-acres have a definite Spanish/Mediterranean architectural appeal. After our boat tour, Larry and I visited the campus from the dry side, and walked through the Art Dept. One building strong, it fell off our list of candidates for Sarah... But, what a beautiful setting for a college!

 

This lake was alive with activity. There were water skiers, sailboats (indeed there was a summer sailing program related to the college in progress), and paddle boarders.

     

The Venetian Canal had a very different feel to it. It turned and twisted in snake-like fashion, with a view of the lovely homes on Alabama Street on one side. Both sides of this canal were lined with boat houses associated with the surrounding residences.

          

Lake Maitland, too, was ringed with palatial homes.

            

This lake had an area of cypress trees growing right out of the water. One had an osprey's nest in it.

  

Some of the boat houses had personalities of their own.

    

This one looks like it needs some TLC...

Ah, yes, the good life. It was a nice escape for an afternoon. Sometimes you just need to surround yourself with beauty.