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DeLand Day Trip Guide: Springs, Murals & Historic Downtown Near Orlando
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items Just 45 minutes from Orlando, DeLand packs natural springs, award-winning murals, and one of Florida's best historic main streets into a perfect day trip. Here's my full itinerary — from manatees at Blue Spring to craft beer downtown.
Map
In winter, hundreds of manatees crowd the crystal-clear spring run — one of the best free-ish nature shows in Florida. Summer means swimming and tubing in 72-degree water. Arrive early; the park hits capacity fast.
Blue Spring State Park
Home of the famous Old Spanish Sugar Mill — you griddle your own pancakes right at the table. Swim in the spring afterward to earn your second stack.
De León Springs State Park
A beautifully restored 1920s theatre anchoring downtown DeLand — catch a musical or comedy night here to cap off your day trip. The marquee alone is worth a photo.
Athens Theatre
Two downtown galleries with rotating contemporary exhibits — free or cheap admission and a nice air-conditioned break between mural walks. Check their calendar for opening receptions.
Museum of Art-DeLand
The 1886 estate John B. Stetson built — guided tours show off incredible woodwork and stained glass. Book ahead; the holiday-lights tours sell out every year.
Stetson Mansion
One of the most famous drop zones in the world — even if you never jump, grab lunch at the on-site cafe and watch canopies land all afternoon. Bucket-list material if you do jump.
Skydive DeLand, Inc.
DeLand's hometown brewery right off the main drag — try the Beach Hippie IPA on the patio. Live music most weekends and always dog-friendly.
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co.
Watch live venom extractions at a working serpentarium — genuinely fascinating and the kids will talk about it for weeks. Check show times before you go.
The Reptile Discovery Center
Only reachable by the free pedestrian ferry across the St. Johns — quiet trails, a lookout tower, and some of the best picnicking in Volusia County. Feels a world away from the parks.
Hontoon Island State Park
70+ taps and solid pub food right on the boulevard — the beer flights are the move if you cannot decide. Great spot to refuel mid-afternoon.
Half Wall DeLand
Tapas, sangria, and a gorgeous courtyard in the heart of downtown — my pick for dinner before a show at the Athens. The datiles con tocino disappear fast.
De La Vega -Wine, Tapas & Sangria- DeLand
A hidden gem on Stetson's campus — one of the largest private mineral collections in the country, and admission is basically free. Stroll the oak-lined campus while you're there.
Gillespie Museum
21,000 acres of marsh trails minutes from De Leon Springs — sunset walks here mean herons, gators, and sometimes bald eagles. Free entry and rarely crowded.
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge