Chris & Rachel's Wedding

Preferred lodging includes scheduled transportation to and from the Howey Mansion wedding venue:

Lakeside Inn 

100 North Alexander Street | Mount Dora, FL 32757 | (352) 383-4101 | https://www.lakeside-inn.com/   

Scheduled transportation will include transporting guests from the Lakeside Inn to the Howey Mansion beginning at 4:30 p.m. Transportation from the Howey Mansion back to the Lakeside Inn will run in a loop starting at 8:00 p.m. with the last transportation service at 11:00 p.m.

The Howey Mansion, Chris and Rachel's wedding venue, is located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. While the Preferred Lodging (Lakeside Inn, see above) includes scheduled transportation to/from the Howey Mansion wedding venue, there are several lodging options in the nearby cities of Clermont, Mount Dora and Tavares - all of which are approximately a 20-minute drive from the Howey Mansion.  

Howey-in-the-Hills:

• Mission Inn Resort & Club (very limited availability): https://www.missioninnresort.com

Mount Dora / Tavares area (north of wedding venue):

• Key West Resort on Lake Dora in Tavares (3-star hotel): https://www.staycobblestone.com/fl/tavares/
• Heron Cay Bed & Breakfast: https://heroncay.com
• Magnolia Inn Bed & Breakfast: https://magnoliainn.net
• Grandview Bed & Breakfast: https://www.grandviewbbmountdora.com

Clermont (south of wedding venue and near Chris & Rachel's home):

• Home2 Suites by Hilton Clermont (3-star hotel)
• Hampton Inn & Suites Clermont (3-star hotel)
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Clermont (3-star hotel)

Wedding guests that are not staying at the Lakeside Inn and are not driving to and from the Howey Mansion wedding venue, please note that ride-sharing services could be limited in the rural area of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. If your planned transportation includes ride-share services, please pre-schedule your ride-sharing services through your preferred ride-share application. 

If you are traveling by airplane, we recommend flying into Orlando International Airport (MCO) which is approximately 45 minutes from the lodging options listed above. The Orlando International Airport offers numerous rental car options as well as ride-share services from Uber and Lyft. 

If you plan on spending some additional time in the area, we recommend having a rental car to explore the Dining and Activities suggested below.

Transportation on the evening of the wedding:

Scheduled transportation will include transporting guests from the Lakeside Inn to the Howey Mansion beginning at 4:30 p.m. Transportation from the Howey Mansion back to the Lakeside Inn will run in a loop starting at 8:00 p.m. with the last transportation service at 11:00 p.m.

Wedding guests that are not staying at the Lakeside Inn and are not driving to and from the Howey Mansion wedding venue, please note that ride-sharing services could be limited in the rural area of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. If your planned transportation includes ride-share services, please pre-schedule your ride-sharing services through your preferred ride-share application. 

All wedding guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, plated dinner, and dancing to follow the wedding ceremony on Saturday, April 6th. 

If your travel arrangements allow you additional time to explore the area, we recommend the following restaurants for dining options:

• Yalaha German Bakery and Deli ($$), located in Yalaha near the Mission Inn
• Pisces Rising ($$$) for lunch/dinner with live outdoor music, located in Mount Dora
• Goblin Market ($$$$) for dinner, located in Mount Dora (reservations required)
• Tiki Bar and Grill ($) for a laid-back and lakefront lunch, located in Minneola
• Southern on 8th ($$$) for a great brunch spot, located in downtown Clermont
• Guru Indian Restaurant ($$) for one of Central Florida's best Indian cuisine, located in Clermont
• Thai Blossom ($$$) for dinner, located in Winter Garden
• Chefs Table ($$$$) for fine-dining dinner, located in Winter Garden (reservations required)

Of course, the best Activity will be Chris & Rachel's Wedding! If your schedule permits, there are many other fun activities in the area. Check out the following activities and sites, organized by municipality:

Mount Dora, FL:

• Historic Shops and Restaurants
• SeaPlane tours (https://www.jonesairandsea.com/seaplane-tours)
• CatBoat Tours (https://www.catboattour.com/)
• Palm Island Park with Boardwalk and nearby Playground
• Orange Blossom Cannonball Train Ride to Tavares Playground & SplashPad (https://www.orangeblossomcannonball.com/)

Clermont, FL:

• Waterfront Park, Trail & Splash Pad (100 Third Street Clermont, FL 34711)
• Lake Hiawatha Preserve - Playground, Disc Golf Course, Park Run free 5k on Saturday mornings (https://prodenv.dep.state.fl.us/DslParks/details?parkId=880)
• The Cove Bar- local hangout for boaters and live music (https://www.cypresscoveclermont.com/the-cove-bar)

Oakland, FL:

• Oakland Nature Preserve (https://oaklandnaturepreserve.wildapricot.org/)
• West Orange Bikes and Blades – Bike Rentals (https://www.orlandobikerental.com/)

Winter Garden, FL:

• Historic Downtown- shops, restaurants and splash pad 
• Saturday morning farmers market (300 W Plant Street, Winter Garden, FL 34787)
  Wheel Works Bike Rentals (https://www.wgwheelworks.com/about/bike-rental-station-pg267.htm)

Central Florida has so much to offer. The Activities mentioned above are all within 30 minutes from the Howey Mansion. If you're feeling adventurous and want to sprawl out further, here are a few attractions worth the drive:  

• Leu Botanical Gardens - Winter Park, FL (https://www.leugardens.org/)
• Rainbow River / Rainbows Springs – Tubing Fun for the family (https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/rainbow-springs-state-park)
• Wekiva Springs (https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/wekiwa-springs-state-park)

And, of course, there are always the world famous theme parks of Disney, Universal Studios and SeaWorld!