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Deland, Florida, the skydiving capital of the world, is a quiet art-town, just 45 minutes north of Orlando and still near all the things you want to do, even those you haven’t heard of yet. Deland, Florida is the peaceful answer to Orlando and Daytona Beach, you didn’t know you needed! Though just a short drive, the bustling city-center of Orlando and Daytona is hard to enjoy when there is no downtime and quiet. In Deland you’ll have no problem getting a table, parking spot, or walking the quiet downtown streets without being bumped.
Award winning, downtown Deland has a small-town friendly vibe with plenty to do and near Orlando and Daytona for day trips. The sky diving capital of the world, Deland has opportunity to sky dive, stroll through a Christmas dream at the Stetson Mansion, or take in a show at the historic Athens Theatre.
MainStreet – Shops and restaurants line the few blocks that make up downtown Deland, awarded and recognized for this amazing MainStreet. Here are a few of my favorites:
Stetson Mansion – Recognized as one of the top mansion tours in the country, and best Christmas displays, the Stetson Mansion, of the famous Stetson Hat maker, John B. Stetson, is a must-see! The mansion is beautiful, the guides knowledgeable and entertaining, and John B. Stetson’s life story of generosity inspiring. Enjoy this mansion any time of year.
Downtown Mural Walk – Your search for fifteen murals will tour you through this historic town of Deland, Florida. As an art lover, I really enjoyed the downtown mural walk. The art was fun, educational, and beautiful. It was a great way to see the town in a way I wouldn’t have by just hopping from place to place. The murals are of various mediums and themes, but all are beautifully done. You can use the map and brochure to find them all.
Sculpture Walk – In Deland, art is everywhere! Indoors, outdoors, on the side of utility sheds, and on a bicycle-bubble-blowing-cart riding down MainStreet with music notes and bubbles floating through the air.
Great Tasting Tour – I think the best way to taste all the food in Deland is one restaurant at a time, however, you might not have the time. The Great Tasting Tour, is a small-group tour of specialty food tastings, wines, craft beer and unique shops. Tour guides provide a history of the location, details about the food, and know the best places to go, including unique shops.
Narrated Walking Tour– Download the Narrated Walking Tour app for your phone and listen to a narration of the various interest points in Deland, Florida. The stories are short but informative and enjoyable.
Life-size Chess– Play a life-size game of chess at Chess Park! Be sure to follow the direction on their website to “check it out”.
Blue Heron River Tours – A two-hour river cruise with Blue Heron River Tours takes you through a variety of parks and river tributaries with stops for nature watching and photo ops. Book online to save your seat on their 49-passenger pontoon boat.
Cool Craft West Volusia Beverage Trail – Enjoy a beverage trail of the best beer, wine, coffee, and more on this Cool Craft Trail with several breweries in Deland to get the party started!
Farmer’s Market– If you’re like me, I miss many farmer’s markets because I am not a morning person and I usually sleep through them. The Deland Farmer’s Market is the perfect date night because it’s only open Fridays from 6pm to 9pm. Browse the booths, and take home your treasures for dinner!
Café DaVinci Drink and Dance Local– Dance and drink up at Café DaVinci a local jazz and dance club.
Sky Dive Deland– The sky diving capital of the world, Sky Dive Deland is internationally known for their state-of-the-art facilities, staff and instruction. They have lessons, video packages, and more to make your experience amazing.
Pure Bliss – Get facials and enjoy the bliss at Pure Bliss! They have a variety of facials to choose from. Their 24K Gold facial removes toxins, helps lymph drainage and blood circulation.
Blue Spring State Park – Quiet and visually stunning, Blue Spring State Park offers seasonal swimming, tubing, snorkeling, diving, picnicking, canoeing, camping, and walking, on the 3.6-mile (one-way) trail. The water is a clear turquoise color, or sometimes a brown tint from the silt stirred up. If you want a more relaxed way to see the park, take the narrated two-hour river cruise. This spring pushes 102 million gallons of water to the St. John’s River each day and is designated as a West Indian Manatee refuge. Though manatee live in Florida year-round, they are best seen in the park in December-February in the morning hours. The small entrance fee helps maintain this park and hosts its 150 annual bird species. Pets are allowed in certain areas of the park. The 73-degree year-round water here comes straight up out of the ground, as pressure builds from the Aquifer. Check out the River and Lakes Heritage Corridor for more nearby nature hikes and outdoor activities.
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge – Fifteen miles various-use trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding at Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge ushers you through marshland, wetland, and flatwoods. With little shade, the best time to visit is winter, spring or fall.
The moment you think the food is outstanding, you’ll be surprised again. From Key West’s famous Key Lime Pie, to a wall of beer with peanut butter bacon hamburgers. A tasting tour of specialty food tastings highlights all the best restaurants in town if you want to try them all.
Kermit’s Key Lime Kitchen, Warehouse and Outlet – If you can’t wait to get to The Keys for some Key Lime Pie, look no further than Kermit’s Key Lime Kitchen, Warehouse and Outlet! This Outlet shop will have everything to satiate your lime craving including lime juice, cookies, candy, pies and more.
Pat and Toni’s Sweet Things – Homemade chocolates, fudge, and candy are the best treat. Pat and Toni’s Sweet Things, offers a wide variety of sweet treats, including the frozen kind!
Forno Bello – OMG! This food was delicious! Gregg and I are still talking about the size of the order of Bruschetta and how we ate off for days. I am not an Italian food fan but Forno Bello came recommended to us and didn’t disappoint! We had the lobster ravioli and chicken parmigiana with tiramisu for dessert.
Half Wall Beer House – Ready to try new foods? Travel is all about expanding as a person! The Peanut Butter Bacon Burger at Half Wall Beer House was amazing. I never would have thought that flavor combo would be delicious, but it was!!! They are known locally for this unusual pairing along with their wall of 76 beers on tap. With multiple TVs it’s a great place to watch the game too!
Santorini Greek Cuisine – An unassuming exterior, Santorini Greek Cuisine restaurant provides excellent authentic dishes, great service and reasonable prices.
Boston Coffee House – Boston Coffee House is so delicious it’s a highlight on the Great Tasting Tour. Delectable baked goods, fresh sandwiches, and extensive menu, the Boston Coffee House is so good we’d go back just for their food.
Cress Restaurant – Reservations are recommended for an upscale dining experience at cress Restaurant. Awarded “Best overall Restaurant” cress Restaurant curates a creative menu including an espresso & cocoa rubbed wild board tenderloin with polenta cake, using fresh and local ingredients. Outdoor dining along the streets of Deland is a treat, with the warmer weather even in winter months.
The Elusive Grape – Each time we walked by, there was music, laughter, and a great vibe spilling out of The Elusive Grape. Weekly specials, wine flights, cold beer, and a great time are all on the menu.
Airport Restaurant and Gin Mill – If you love the sound of planes taking off and the rush of the wind as they pass, you’ll love the Airport Restaurant and Gin Mill. Watch sky divers float to the Earth, listen to music, eat a great burger, and karaoke (on certain nights). This is a casual atmosphere, but when the band starts playing, be ready to party.
De La Vega – If Latin food tantalizes your taste buds, look no further than De La Vega. Family owned and operated, this authentic Latin fusion is edible art; you’ll want to photograph your food. Brunch, lunch, or dinner, the health centric authentic ingredients combine the best of Costa Rican, Venezuelan, and Mexico.
Luxury. Modern. Comfort. This is the experience of the accommodations in Deland, Florida. The little touches make all the difference here.
Artisan Downtown – A boutique hotel in the heart of Downtown Deland, Artisan Downtown is an experience in modern comfort. Hardwood floors, luxury linens, and a variety of room types make the Artisan Downtown your choice for being close to the action with a restful withdraw into peaceful sleep.
The Deland Hotel – The Deland Hotel is a 1925 historic boutique hotel, showcasing its original architecture and Hemingway’s 442 Cigar Lounge & Bar. Back to a vintage time of four-poster beds and chandeliers with upgraded modern touches, you’ll want to come back again and again.
Brittons Hill – This vacation rental checks all the boxes. Brittons Hill is a two-bedroom one bath home with easy-to-use hardwood floors, a full kitchen, walkable to downtown Deland, and has access to a shared pool.
From concerts and theatre productions to a farmer’s market, and classic car club events, Deland Florida is hoppin!
Just can’t wait to get to Deland? You don’t have to! You can get familiar with the historic downtown history with the Narrated Walking Tour. Download the app for your phone and listen to a narration of the various interest points in Deland, Florida. The stories are short but informative and enjoyable.
Everything you need to know about traveling
Deland, Florida, is a great option for your vacation winter, spring, summer or fall. This best in show list contains a nationally recognized tour, frozen hot chocolate, and accommodations in a great location.
Things to Do – Stetson Mansion – Recognized as one of the top mansion tours in the country, and best Christmas displays, the Stetson Mansion, of the famous Stetson Hat maker, John B. Stetson, is a must-see! The mansion is beautiful, the guides knowledgeable and entertaining, and John B. Stetson’s life story of generosity inspiring.
Food – Boston Coffee House – When we first had their frozen hot chocolate, we knew we had tasted heaven. Order on line or dine in, couch or table. The Boston Coffee House is always busy, but we never had to wait for a table. All of their food was delicious! They have a variety of options to please even picky eaters. Any drink can be made frozen which is a fun experiment!
Alise’s Favorites and Suggestions –
Meet a local – Thirteen-year-old Cheyenne Potter of nearby Lake Helen, Florida is a race car driver. Hear her amazing outlook on living life to the fullest and her philosophy on death.
Best Swamp Tour – Kissimmee Swamp Tours is the best swamp tour we took. It’s about 2 hours away from Deland, but think of it this way… if you want to see swamp wildlife, don’t go to a swamp tour close to the city. You have to go out into the wild to see the wild. Kissimmee Swamp Tours customer service, kindness, knowledge, and wildlife was unparalleled. It was a fun ride, but there was just so much to see. I highly recommend going to The Catfish Place for lunch or dinner.
Move to Deland, Florida – If moving is on your mind, check out Bee Realty Corp. We met one of their realtors on the street outside their office and I was impressed!
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April 21, 2022
The information provided through this website is for informational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. It is not professionaladvice, nor is it intended to create any type of relationship between us. You should not act on any of the information on this website without seeking professional legal, financial, medical, mental health, travel,or other professionaladvice or care. All subscribers that havejoinedthrough a request for information initiated by the subscriber have the opportunity to opt-out at any time. We are a part of multiple affiliate sales networks; we may be compensated if you (the consumer) choose to utilize the links located throughout ourcontent andour website.By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Affiliate Policy. Content may not bereproduced in any form.
