Florida : An afternoon on Premier Boat Tours Mt Dora

Premier Boat Tours has three pontoon boats that offer tours on Lake Dora and the Dora Canal. They offer tours on most days at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The tours last two hours. We decided to meet our friends there for the 2 p.m. tour. 

One of our favoroite day trips from Ocala and from Orlando has always been Mt Dora. It is about an hour from both locations. We have been visiting there for over 20 years. It is a pretty small town that has enough elevation to be able to use the word mount in its name. It has a pretty city green, also which has always name it seem more like home. It is a great place to poke around and have lunch. 

We have been meeting our friends Joanne and Tony there for years and actually, they introduced us to Mt  Dora as a great destination for antiquing. These days we are more likely to arts and craft shop. Taking the boat trip was a way to change up our usual visit. 

A few things to know about taking this tour. You do need a reservation, it is very popular. No discounts are offered for children or seniors. Dress for the weather, it can get cool on the water and showers do happen. If the weather is really bad ie thunder and lightening, the cruise will be cancelled. Parking is offered at the Lakeview Inn but not guaranteed, we got the last spot and we were there more than a half hour early.  Which brings up that you need to be on the dock 15 minutes before your tour. 

We all loved Premier Boat Tours. Captain Mary was very knowledgeable and made sure,  as much as it was in her ability to do so, that we got to see a snake, an alligator and lots and lots of birds including a bald eagle nest. Plenty of history was imparted about the Dora Canal and the Harris Chain of Lakes. 

Bring along a camera, you will get lots of opportunity to take great photos. You can bring food and drink and there is a chem toilet on the boat. I highly recommend this tour for families, seniors and just about anybody who wants to learn a little about the ecology of Central Florida.