Seeing Central Florida from the Water

When you're in Florida and would like to spend one morning or afternoon doing something that isn’t in all the guidebooks, drive just three miles north of Orlando into Winter Park, and visit the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour. Driving into Winter Park, it is difficult to tell that this historic little berg sits on three lovely lakes. That’s because the lakes are surrounded by gorgeous, expensive homes that block your view. There is only one business on the local lakes and it’s the Boat Tour, and through it you can see the real beauty of this part of Central Florida.

The Scenic Boat tour was inaugurated in 1938 by Captain Walt Meloon, and the little business has survived in spite of the fact that homeowners on the lakes would rather the whole thing went away. But its historic legacy always wins the day so it has endured.

The boats are now flat like “party boats,” and have skippers that are well-versed in local history. They will tell you how the lakes were instrumental in the development of Central Florida and its early timber industry: in the 19th century pine logs were floated along the lakes to narrow gauge railroads and then to market.

You are also bound to see some beautiful wildlife, great clue heron, snowy egrets, osprey, and even great bald eagles make their homes on these lakes. Once, going through one of the canals between Lake Osceola and Lake Virginia we watched as a barred owl on a low branch dozed and watched us as we motored by.

You’ll also see award winning Rollins College from the lake side, which is the prettiest way to see it, and you will see some stunning homes. The boats leave every hour on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., every day of the year except Christmas Day. It is an inexpensive family-owned operation and I highly reccommend it. When you stop in say hello to owner Ron Hightower. By the way, the boats are open air, so bring a hat if you want some shade. Click on the headline to visit the Boat Tour's site on the Web.