I was born and raised in Massachusetts and lived a good part of my life in New Hampshire. You would think that I would be used to cold and snowy winters by the time I reached the age of 64, wouldn't you? Well, my friends. Some of us never get used to it. I remember as a small child looking out the window and watching my friends coasting in the driveway. They looked like they were having lots of fun as they were bundled up and rolling in the snow. I could never understand why someone could enjoy being cold and my biggest enjoyment came from simply watching. Oh, I would go out sometmes also and I have to admit that sometimes I actually had fun in the snow. But.....I hated the cold,I hated the ice and barely tolerated the snow. My lifelong dreams had me basking in the Florida sunshine year round. I finally made it in the year 2000. I moved here to Florida on the 8th of February and at last, I am basking in the Florida sunshine.
Lake County lives up to its name with more than 1,000 lakes located within its 1,200 square-mile border. In addition to its well-deserved reputation as a water sports mecca, the county has the charm of a Southern country destination with a perfect blend of nature and outdoor recreation. Lake County is geographically located in the center of Florida. As part of the Central Highlands, the county has a relatively high elevation of about 50 feet to 190 feet above sea level. Lake County is one of only a few destinations in Florida with rolling hills to climb, offering challenging golf, hiking and bicycling on Sugarloaf and Buck Hill. Lake County has its southernmost tip just miles from Walt Disney World, Disney-MGM Studios and Epcot, and 16 miles from Sea World and Universal Studios. Its northwest tip borders the Ocala National Forest. The county is a perfect location from which to take side trips to Orlando attractions, Universal Studios, Silver Springs, Wet & Wild, Homasassa Springs, Busch Gardens, Cypress Gardens and Daytona Beach. Located on the countryside of Orlando, Lake County's small towns are made up primarily of generation upon generation of native-born Floridians. Locals work hard to preserve the county's natural resources and beauty. Family values, civic pride and streets lined with old oaks and historic clapboard houses give Lake County a "hometown America" feeling. Towns include: Altoona, Astatula, Astor, Clermont, Eustis, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Howey-In-The-Hills, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mascotte, Minneola, Montverde, Mount Dora, Paisley, Sorrento, Tavares and Umatilla. Lake County is ideal for outdoor nature-based vacations due to its year-round mild climate. The average monthly temperature in the winter is 75 degrees Fahrenheit and in the summer, 90 degree Fahrenheit. The average annual rainfall is 50 inches, occurring primarily in the summer months.