DeLand, Florida: A Local’s Guide to 10 Places That Define the Town
DeLand often gets framed as a quick stop. A charming downtown. A college town you swing through on the way to somewhere else.
That undersells it.
In this episode of The Gallivanter Podcast, Chad and Abby walk through DeLand the way locals actually experience it, from walkable downtown streets and longtime cultural anchors to springs, waterfront parks, and one very unexpected world-class attraction.
This isn’t a ranking and it isn’t a hype reel. It’s how we’d explain DeLand to a friend who texted and said, “We’ve got a day or two. What should we actually do?”
⏱️ Episode Stops
10. Woodland Boulevard
Downtown DeLand’s main spine and most walkable stretch, lined with local shops, cafes, galleries, and cultural institutions.
Anna Bananas Home Market – Local art, home goods, and gifts
The Marketplace at Rivertown – Indoor market featuring local makers
Sidecar Market & Bar – Coffee by day, cocktails by night
Newfangled Modern Market – Plants, home decor, and vintage
Pretty Little Things of DeLand – Women’s boutique
9. Downtown DeLand Mural Walk
A self-guided collection of public murals scattered across downtown, including the popular DeLand Wings.
8. Stetson University
Historic private university founded in 1883 that helped shape DeLand’s identity as a cultural and educational center.
Stetson Mansion
Lavish 1886 home of John B. Stetson, known for its architecture, innovation, and guided tours.
Henry DeLand House Museum
Victorian-era home honoring the town’s founder.
7. Athens Theatre
Restored 1921 performing arts theater hosting concerts, plays, films, and community events.
6. Northwest Square Market
Former historic church reimagined as a food hall, market, and event space.
5. Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Shop – DeLand
Production hub and retail shop for the famous Key West–born pie company, located in DeLand’s industrial district.
4. DeLeon Springs State Park
Home to the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill, where guests cook pancakes at table-top griddles.
Blue Spring State Park
Major manatee refuge in winter and popular swimming and hiking park the rest of the year.
3. Rodeo Whip Ice Cream
Classic soft-serve stand with simple flavors and a newly updated Old West–themed interior.
2. Hontoon Island State Park
Accessible only by ferry, offering quiet trails and St. Johns River scenery.
Bartram Garden & Trail
Named for 18th-century naturalist William Bartram, who documented Florida’s landscapes in the 1770s.
1. Skydive DeLand
Internationally recognized skydiving center drawing visitors from around the world.
Airport Gin Mill & Grille
Casual restaurant next door with runway views.
A Local’s Guide to the Best Antique Shops in Greater Orlando
Central Florida isn’t always known for its antique scene. But it exists quietly, in strip malls, side streets, small towns, and overlooked plazas, built for people who like to look closely.
In this episode of The Gallivanter Podcast, Chad walks through the antique shops he personally returns to around Greater Orlando. Some are better for wandering. Some are better when you’re hunting for furniture. A few are simply good rooms to spend an afternoon in.
Not souvenir shops. Not themed nostalgia. The working version of antiquing.
⏱️ Episode Stops
The Mercantile Antiques and Uniques — Altamonte Springs
Large multi-dealer antique mall with clean, well-maintained booths featuring antiques, vintage décor, collectibles, and small furniture.
Prometheus Esoterica — Winter Park
Atmospheric shop with taxidermy, occult objects, medical tools, religious artifacts, curiosities, and in-house espresso.
Atomic Junkies Mid Century Modern — Orlando (Packing District)
Mid-century modern furniture, lighting, and décor with a strong emphasis on authentic design.
Orange Tree Antiques Mall — Winter Park
Traditional antique mall with specialized dealers offering furniture, estate jewelry, art glass, European pieces, and American antiques.
AT Furniture and Antiques — Orlando (Ivanhoe Village)
Furniture-forward shop focused on dining tables, cabinets, sideboards, and large case goods.
Washburn Imports — Orlando (Ivanhoe Village)
Global import and architectural salvage shop featuring reclaimed doors, heavy wood furniture, and architectural elements sourced largely from Asia.
Adjectives Market — Multiple Central Florida Locations
Curated vintage, handmade goods, reworked furniture, and décor, with each location offering a slightly different presentation.
Renninger’s Flea Market & Antique Center — Mount Dora
Massive indoor antique center plus the Street of Shops, a row of smaller boutique-style antique buildings.
Trader Mae’s Decor Market — Orlando
Shabby-chic leaning shop with painted furniture, vintage décor, and repurposed pieces.
Starrdust Antiques — Daytona Beach
Dense, slow-looking shop filled with antiques, collectibles, vintage décor, and small furniture pieces.
Bonus Stop
The Antique Foundry — Orlando
Newer antique shop (opened late 2025) featuring many European-sourced pieces and an open, vignette-driven layout.
Lake Helen at Christmas: A Small-Town Holiday Stop Just Off I-4
Lake Helen, Florida is one of those places most people pass without thinking twice. It sits just off I-4 between Orlando and Daytona Beach, close enough to both that it’s easy to overlook. During the holidays, though, Lake Helen quietly becomes one of Central Florida’s most consistent small-town Christmas light displays.
What makes Lake Helen stand out isn’t one over-the-top house or a single centralized attraction. It’s participation. Street after street of homes decorate for the season, creating a town-wide Christmas lights drive that works precisely because the town is small and compact.
In this episode, we drive through Lake Helen to show the holiday lights as they actually appear, no curated route, no competition, just neighbors decorating their homes the way they do every year. It’s the kind of place where you start recognizing displays if you come back more than once.
We also talk about a few traditions that help explain why decorating matters here, including the annual Lake Helen Christmas Home Tour, where residents open historic homes to the public, and the Butler Express, a long-running seasonal train ride that has become part of the town’s holiday identity.
From a practical standpoint, Lake Helen is an easy stop. You don’t need a full evening. Thirty minutes to an hour is enough time to loop through town, enjoy the lights, and get back on the road. If you’re already traveling through Central Florida in December, it’s one of the simplest holiday detours you can make.
This episode is about slowing down briefly, seeing a place that still treats Christmas as a shared effort, and then continuing on your way.
Helpful Links for the Lake Helen Holiday Season
Lake Helen Christmas Home Tour
The annual Christmas Home Tour is one of the longest-running holiday traditions in Lake Helen. Each year, residents open historic homes to the public, fully decorated for the season.
Official source for dates, tickets, and details:
Lake Helen Chamber of Commerce
https://www.lakehelenchamber.com
(Tip: This event typically sells out, and details usually post closer to December.)
The Butler Express
The Butler Express is Lake Helen’s seasonal Christmas train ride, a long-standing local tradition that operates on select evenings during the holiday season.
Official event listings and updates:
City of Lake Helen
https://www.lakehelen.org
You can usually find Butler Express dates under:
Events calendar
Parks & Recreation announcements
Holiday or Christmas event listings
Winter Garden & Oakland: Central Florida’s Most Bikeable Escape
🎧 Winter Garden & Oakland: Central Florida’s Most Bikeable Escape
What happens when two small towns decide not to become suburbs?
That’s the story at the heart of this episode, an exploration of Winter Garden and Oakland, Florida. Just west of Orlando, these two connected communities have done what so many others have failed to do: preserve their history and authenticity while quietly becoming two of the most desirable places to visit (or live) in Central Florida.
In this podcast, we slow things down and take a deep look at the people, places, and planning that make Winter Garden and Oakland stand out. This isn’t a theme park story. It’s a story about intention, design, and a shared vision for livability.
🏙️ A Downtown That Got It Right
Winter Garden’s historic downtown has become a model for small-town revitalization across Florida.
Historic District: Once a fading citrus town, Winter Garden reinvented itself through smart preservation and streetscape planning. The brick streets, bike-friendly layout, and adaptive reuse of old buildings now define its charm.
Edgewater Hotel (99 W Plant St) — A restored 1920s hotel that now serves as both a boutique inn and a living museum of Florida hospitality.
historicedgewater.com
Adjectives Market (131 W Plant St) — A sprawling vintage and artisan marketplace perfect for home décor hunters and curious browsers.
shopadjectives.com
Ruby & Rust (49 S Main St) — Locally loved for its eclectic gifts, antiques, and modern Southern aesthetic.
rubyandrust.com
🎧 Listen for a reflection on how Winter Garden preserved authenticity without becoming artificial, a delicate balance few towns achieve.
☕ Cafés, Trails, and Everyday Life
What makes Winter Garden so livable isn’t just its shops, it’s the rhythm of daily life.
Axum Coffee (146 W Plant St) and Rosallie Le French Café (141 W Plant St) — Morning staples with strong local followings.
Crooked Can Brewing Company & Plant Street Market (426 W Plant St) — A communal hub blending craft beer, food stalls, and live music.
crookedcan.com
West Orange Trail — The 22-mile paved trail linking Winter Garden to Oakland and Apopka. Bike it, walk it, or just people-watch. It’s the social spine of the community.
Newton Park (31 W Garden Ave) — Overlooking Lake Apopka, this serene green space connects the town’s present to its natural roots.
💡 Pro tip: Rent a bike downtown and explore the trail’s shaded route toward Oakland—Florida’s most scenic suburban ride.
🌳 Oakland: The Town That Chose Stillness
If Winter Garden is the heartbeat, Oakland is the pause that gives it meaning.
Prairie House Coffee Co. (4 N Tubb St) — The town’s unofficial living room, serving espresso and small-town conversation.
prairiehousecoffee.com
Oakley’s Trailside Treats — A family-friendly ice cream stop along the West Orange Trail.
Oakland Manor House (620 N Tubb St) — A historic home turned inn, offering a quiet retreat surrounded by oak canopies.
Oakland Nature Preserve (747 Machete Trail) — 128 acres of protected land along Lake Apopka with boardwalks, trails, and education centers focusing on restoration and wildlife.
🌾 Oakland’s approach is slower, quieter, and fiercely intentional, a town that prizes green space over growth.
🧺 Events & Experiences
Winter Garden Farmers Market (104 S Lakeview Ave) — Saturdays year-round, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Named one of the best in Florida, it’s a feast for the senses—local produce, flowers, baked goods, and music.
Garden Theatre (160 W Plant St) — A restored 1930s movie palace turned performing arts venue. Check their schedule for plays, concerts, and classic film nights.
SoBo Art Gallery (127 S Boyd St) — Home to the Winter Garden Art Association, featuring rotating exhibits and community workshops.
Festivals: From Blues & BBQ to Light Up Winter Garden, the town celebrates year-round with family-friendly events that never feel overrun.
📍 Featured Locations
Edgewater Hotel — Restored 1920s hotel in the heart of downtown
99 W Plant St • historicedgewater.com
Ruby & Rust — Locally owned boutique with vintage and modern finds
49 S Main St • rubyandrust.com
Adjectives Market — Marketplace for vintage, art, and design
131 W Plant St • shopadj.com
Crooked Can Brewing Co. — Brewery inside Plant Street Market
426 W Plant St • crookedcan.com
Prairie House Coffee Co. — Beloved small-town coffee shop
4 N Tubb St • prairiehousecoffee.com
