Tavares FloridaBEACHES & WATERFRONT ESCAPES
Listed below are the best beaches and waterfront escapes near Tavares, Florida.
1. Wooton Park
AMERICA'S SEAPLANE CITY WATERFRONT
Wooton Park is a 6-acre waterfront park on Lake Dora offering visitors a unique seaplane experience along with family-friendly amenities. The park features a children's splash park, boat ramp, fishing pier, picnic areas with BBQ pits, and the famous Tavares Seaplane Base where visitors can take aerial tours. Visitors can enjoy the vibrant waterfront promenade, rent kayaks, or simply relax at one of the gazebos while watching seaplanes take off and land on the lake.
2. Hickory Point Recreation Complex
LAKESIDE RECREATION HUB
Hickory Point Recreation Complex is a popular waterfront destination in Lake County offering various water-based activities for visitors of all ages. The complex features a nature boardwalk and trail, outdoor picnic areas with barbecue grills, a playground, and horseshoe pits with easy water access. Visitors can enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing while taking in the natural beauty of Central Florida's waterways.
3. Tavares Sand Volleyball Courts
LAKESIDE SAND SPORT
The Tavares Sand Volleyball Courts offer three competition-level courts located alongside the picturesque shores of Lake Dora in Wooton Park. These professionally designed courts were built with volleyball enthusiasts in mind, providing a true destination venue for beach volleyball players of all ages and skill levels. The courts are steps away from amenities including restaurants and public restrooms, making it easy to enjoy a day of sand volleyball in a beautiful lakefront setting.
4. Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina
FLY-IN WATERFRONT EXPERIENCE
The Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina is part of the vibrant waterfront area on Lake Dora known as the Pontoon Promenade, offering a unique aviation-meets-water experience. Visitors can watch seaplanes take off and land on the lake, book aerial tours that provide bird's-eye views of Central Florida's landscape and waterways, or even arrange romantic dinner fly-ins to nearby destinations. The marina provides boat access to Lake Dora with convenient proximity to downtown restaurants and family-friendly parks.
5. Dora Canal
WILDLIFE-RICH WATERWAY
The Dora Canal is a picturesque mile-long waterway connecting Lake Dora and Lake Eustis, offering one of the most scenic water experiences in Central Florida. Visitors can take pontoon boat eco-tours through the canal, which is lined with ancient cypress trees draped in Spanish moss creating a natural cathedral-like setting. The canal is renowned for its abundant wildlife viewing opportunities, including alligators, herons, egrets, and other native Florida species.
6. Lake Dora
CENTRAL FLORIDA'S AQUATIC PLAYGROUND
Lake Dora is one of the signature lakes surrounding Tavares, offering 4,475 acres of freshwater recreation opportunities in the heart of Lake County. Visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, paddling, and swimming, or take a sunset cruise aboard the luxury paddlewheel boat, the Dora Queen. The lake serves as a central feature of Tavares' identity as 'America's Seaplane City,' with seaplanes regularly taking off and landing on its waters, creating a unique atmosphere not found elsewhere in Central Florida.
7. Lake Harris
ANGLER'S PARADISE WATERS
Lake Harris is one of the largest lakes in the Harris Chain of Lakes system at over 13,000 acres, offering extensive water recreation opportunities near Tavares. The lake is renowned among anglers for its excellent bass fishing, hosting numerous fishing tournaments throughout the year. Visitors can enjoy boating, water skiing, paddling, and swimming, with several public access points and parks along its shores providing amenities such as boat ramps, picnic areas, and swimming beaches.
8. Alexander Springs
CRYSTAL CLEAR NATURAL SPRING
Alexander Springs is a first-magnitude natural spring located in the Ocala National Forest, producing approximately 70 million gallons of crystal-clear water daily with a constant 72-degree temperature. The spring forms a large, sandy-bottomed swimming area that's ideal for families, with a gradually sloping bottom that extends to deeper water where swimmers can observe underwater life in the remarkably clear water. Visitors can enjoy swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, canoeing, and hiking along the spring run, making it one of Central Florida's most popular natural swimming destinations.
9. Silver Glen Springs
PRISTINE WILDERNESS OASIS
Silver Glen Springs is a stunning natural spring in the Ocala National Forest, featuring crystal-clear waters that maintain a comfortable 72 degrees year-round. The spring creates a natural swimming area surrounded by a pristine wilderness setting where visitors can observe fish and other aquatic life through the remarkably transparent waters. Popular activities include swimming, snorkeling, picnicking, and boating, with a spring run that flows into Lake George offering additional exploration opportunities.
10. Venetian Gardens
HISTORIC WATERFRONT PARK
Venetian Gardens is a historic 65-acre waterfront park on the shores of Lake Harris, featuring a series of canals and islands connected by scenic footbridges. The park offers multiple swimming and water access points, boat ramps, fishing piers, and a newly renovated Rogers Park Beach area where families can enjoy swimming and sunbathing. Visitors can stroll through beautiful botanical gardens, picnic under shady oaks, or launch kayaks and paddleboards to explore the protected waterways that give the park its Venice-inspired name.