MOUNT DORA, Fla. – We decided to boot the "Florida's Best Hidden Gems" category in our 2025 voting because it felt too similar to our "Florida's Best Small Town" group.

So let's go ahead and just crown Mount Dora, the charming lake community just 30 miles northwest of downtown Orlando, as Florida's Best Hidden Gem.

Perhaps it's not so hidden – the town of 18,000 welcomes 500,000 annual visitors and is known for events and festivals such as the Mount Dora Arts Festival, Mount Dora Craft Fair, Light Up Mount Dora Christmas Festival, Mount Dora Blues & Wine Festival and several more.

But, still, it's a little surprising how many longtime Florida residents and natives have never been here and don't realize just how cool it is.

A recurring feature we plan to do here at Sunshine State Tourism is "48 Hours In .... (name of city)." The problem with weekend getaways is, with only two days, it really bums you out to choose the wrong activity, restaurant, bar, whatever.

So we kick off our "48 Hours In ..." series with Mount Dora.

FRIDAY EVENING: If you can't stay in an Airbnb on Lake Dora to watch the incredible sunsets, then head over to Pisces Rising and get a spot at the patio bar. This place serves up terrific burgers, views of the lake and live music at night.

You could spend all night at this spot, but after the sun goes down, try to remove yourself from the bar stool long enough to stroll the streets of the quaint downtown, which offers more nightlife than you'd expect. Live music flows out of several spots, including Stairway 2 Donnelly, The Nest, the Funky Monkey, Copacabana Cuban Cafe and more.

SATURDAY MORNING: If you're staying on the lake, don't rush off because you'll see tons of wildlife on/in the water (including large gators), and kicking back on your Airbnb deck to take in the morning sights and sounds is the best way to get the day started.

But once you need some human interaction and more importantly, food, then head straight to Cody's on 4th. A popular joint for both locals and tourists alike, Cody's offers a terrific breakfast menu highlighted by its salmon sandwich creations.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Since you're downtown already, just stick around after Cody's and check out the shops. There are so many of 'em, and quite the variety. Gold In Art Jewelers offers some unique custom pieces worth checking out, and Ivy Boutique obviously is a huge town favorite. Ivy has more than 40,000 Instagram followers and it was packed almost immediately after opening its door at 11 a.m. Julianne's Coastal Cottage is another fun shop and really the list could go on and on.

So plan on spending a good amount of time bouncing around downtown. That'll stir up an appetite that you can cure with delicious pizza fresh out of the huge wood fire pizza oven on the patio at Shadrach's Fiery Furnace.

SATURDAY EVENING: Book a sunset cruise (and if not a sunset cruise, do some sort of water cruise while you're here). Rusty Anchor and Premier Boat Tours both offer a sunset cruise, and others probably do as well.

Start your evening off on the water, but end it with dinner at 1921 Mount Dora or The Goblin Market (or even go back to Pisces Rising for a nice inside dinner). There are dozens of other dinner options as well, but 1921 Mount Dora and The Goblin Market seem to have the most fanfare.

SUNDAY MORNING: As tempting as it will be to return to Cody's, for the sake of variety, a trip to the historic Lakeside Inn, the oldest (142 years old) continuously operating hotel in Florida, should be on the agenda. So head there for a Sunday breakfast at The Beauclaire Dining Room, which offers Southern favorites and adds a fancy touch to the trip.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Even the non-artsy types will be intrigued with the Modernism Museum, which features an interesting mix of exhibitions including a David Bowe collection. Another stop to make before heading home is the Grantham Pointe Lighthouse, which calls itself Mount Dora's favorite spot.

Oh, and you'll probably want to fuel up before hitting the road. Do that with a late lunch at The Salted Fry. You can probably figure out by its name what particular food it does especially well.

And that's 48 hours in Mount Dora.