Welcome to my latest series – Thursdays off-the-beaten path – a collection of ideas for day trips and getaways from Walt Disney World when you need a bit of down time or otherwise want to explore more of what Central Florida has to offer.
Last week we explored Southern Hill Farms. This week we’re headed to the Clermont area again – but this time it’s all about The Tiki Bar & Grill on Lake Minneola!!
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As always, information on all of these activities will be accurate as of the time of posting, but I encourage you to verify independently that they are open and available when you plan to visit, as well as double checking any rules that might affect your time spent there. You can find The Tiki Bar & Grill’s website right HERE.
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Location: The Tiki Bar & Grill is located at 508 S. Main Ave in Minneola, Florida – about 40 minutes from Walt Disney World.
Cost: Just the (very reasonable) cost of your meal. There are also pontoon boats that can be rented for up to 8 people. At the time that I am writing this, they are $200 for four hours or $350 for the full day (8 total hours).
The Tiki Bar & Grill has been serving visitors and locals to the area since 1995. The restaurant is located right on the edge of Lake Minneola and – to me – sort of epitomizes everything that’s good about Florida life. Spanish moss, a good burger (or wings or a seared tuna sandwich or….), and a beer lakeside watching the sun set. After dark the tiki torches are lit and the atmosphere only gets better.
As I mentioned above, there are also pontoon boats available for rent if you want to take your party out on the water. There are three of these 18 ft boats to choose from – two “party barges” that are geared toward a laid back cruise and one “bass buggy” geared more toward visitors interested in a little fishing while they’re out on the water. (The latter is set up for fishing gear but, as for the gear itself, be sure to bring your own.)
While I have not experienced it myself and so cannot speak to the experience, they also have some rooms at the adjoining Lake Minneola Inn.
I really can’t say enough about how much I love this spot. It’s where I go when I want to disconnect and remember why we moved here. It’s where I take visiting friends and family when I want to show them everything that’s great about Florida. It’s this little hidden gem that I love and I hope you get to sit back and have a drink and a little something to eat there one day.
You can find more information on The Tiki Bar & Grill on their website right HERE.
Where should we head next week??
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You can find my complete guide to making the most of your runDisney race weekend RIGHT HERE. And while those are on hold, you can find my guide to running trails on Disney World property RIGHT HERE.
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Please join me on Instagram for my day-to-day adventures living a mile from the magic. And join the conversation over in our community on Facebook!
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If you’re missing home (or love someone who is) and are looking for a way to bring the magic home, I’d love for you to check out my Core Memory Candle collection right HERE. And as always, stay safe and be kind, my friends.
