Nostalgia.
It is something we are looking for. The joy of reminiscing on times of simple joys and pleasures. To experience that giddy feeling of remembering when.
Well, I found a piece of nostalgic old-time Florida fun right here in Clermont.
Dr. Arnold bought the land out here in Clermont in 1961, and it has been a part of the family for three generations. Fun Fact: They own more land than Disney!
This farm has cattle (and other unique animals), expansive orange groves, monster truck tours, a bar in a barn, food trucks, gift shops with locally made goodies, and all kinds of old Florida fun!
You will easily spot the entrance because there is a giant buoy saying "Greetings from Florida, Showcase of Citrus," a monster truck, and an old wooden water tower.
You park along the wooden fence. Free to Enter and Free to Park! Where can you find that anymore?
Take in the views of kitschy old Florida in all its glory.
There are two fenced areas with animals. The one on your right, when walking in, has goats, pigs, and mini horses. The one on your left has kangaroos and a capybara.
If you want to feed the animals, there is a small stand along the walkway where you can buy food. You can also get the buckets of food from the fridge near where you check-in for the monster truck tour. I was so glad to see that the buckets of food for the animals had real pieces of food: cabbage, carrots, apples, and bananas, not pellets.
One of the main things we came here for was to take the monster truck tour. So we headed to the far side of the tin roof barn building. We did have to stop for a photo shoot with all these iconic memorabilia figures.
Being in this barn felt like finding a picker's paradise! There are treasures around every corner that bring out the kid in you.
There is a monster truck tour every hour from 10 am to 6 pm. Normally, it costs $25.00 for adults, but with the Florida HIA card, it was free! Will talk more about that later.
You don't need a reservation, but you can make one.
You are definitely going to want to buy a bucket of food for this tour. My friend and I split the cost of a medium bucket, which is $10.00. Like I said earlier, the bucket was filled with actual fruit and vegetables, and we had enough left over after the tour to feed the other animals.
The tour starts by taking you through the orange groves, which they were working on planting when we visited at the end of May, and learning the history of the farm. They grow Valencia oranges, which are used when brewing Blue Moon and Shock Top. Also, many of their oranges are shipped to Florida's Natural orange juice plant in Lake Wales.
During harvest season, which is November until May, you can come pick the citrus fruit right off the trees! Can't wait to come back and do that!
Soon, we were entering Big Foot territory...better keep those eyes peeled for the mysterious legendary figure.
On the other side of the forest, you will come to a clearing where you will see longhorns, water buffalo, a camel (official title Camel Joe), an ostrich (his name is Benjamin), zebras, and antelopes. You can't get out of the truck to feed them but don't worry, they are friendly and know the truck means food time.
For human snack time, there are several food trucks with a variety of options. I highly suggest visiting the one serving Cuban cuisine. Their Cuban coffee was spot-on, and the food was fresh and delicious.
You also have the Tractor Bar inside the tin roof barn.
They have beers and cocktails, but I highly suggest the Key Lime Wine Slushy! It was delightfully refreshing and only $7.00!
Be sure you say "Hi" to the parrot, but don't ask if she wants any crackers.
We stopped inside gift shops for some locally made goods. I got their famous pineapple salsa and mango tea concentrate. Both were excellent!!
And couldn't leave without knowing what my future holds. Thanks Zoltare!
My friend and I had a blast exploring and playing in this nostalgic playground, which makes me think of visiting Florida long before rollercoasters and castles. Just some good ol' Florida fun!
Some of you might still be wondering what the Florida HIA card is. If you work in the hospitality industry in Florida, you can apply for this card. It costs $30.00 for the year, and you get access to all kinds of attractions and things to do either FREE or 50% off! I have used it several times, and it has been a great way to explore and have adventures while being budget-friendly. Click this link to apply for your card today!
