Did you know that we had a tourist attraction right in our own backyard? Besides Walt Disney World?! This attraction was built before Walt Disney World, and Walt may have visited here, scoping out the future land of his theme park. Where am I talking about? The Citrus Tower in Clermont!
The Citrus Tower was built in 1956 and was once surrounded by citrus groves. Today, you can probably spot your neighborhood from the top! You can purchase tickets to ride up in the air-conditioned elevator to the top, where there are great panoramic views of the area.
My family and I recently visited and couldn't believe this was our first time here! When you arrive, on the ground floor is the Citrus Coffee Company with some unique citrus drinks and treats. You can also buy some Citrus Tower souvenirs. I learned that there was once a carillon bell set here, and if you look near the restrooms, you can see some of the pieces of what it used to look like. There is currently a working carillon bell set at The Bok Tower Gardens.
Then, get in line for the elevator ride to the top! It takes a few minutes and your ears will pop! Once you're at the top, it is inside and behind glass windows. You can walk around to all four sides to see great sights of the views. Plus, there's plenty of history hanging all over the walls. Be sure to bring a penny for the penny drop at the top!
We were able to spot some of the Walt Disney World landmarks, as well as the Ferris Wheel from Icon Park. If you have young kids, you can make this a quicker trip if necessary. We spent about an hour here, but you can definitely make it a longer outing. We loved that we got to do such local landmark attraction, right in our own community.
Visit the Citrus Tower site for pricing, hours, and most up-to-date information.
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