Olde Mount Dora Carriage Company

Olde Mount Dora Carriage Company offers one of the more old-fashioned ways to see the town’s historic downtown, pulling guests through the brick and tree-lined streets in a Victorian-style horse-drawn carriage. Mount Dora’s downtown, with its Victorian homes, wraparound porches, and canopy of live oaks, was practically built for this kind of tour, and the slow clip-clop pace of a carriage ride gives visitors time to actually look at the architecture rather than glancing at it from a car window.

The company describes its service as clean and green, a nod to the fact that a horse-drawn carriage produces none of the emissions or noise of a motorized tour vehicle, which fits the general character of a town that has worked hard to preserve its historic feel. Carriages depart from a central point downtown and typically wind through the main historic district, passing landmarks like the Lakeside Inn, Donnelly House, and the shops and galleries along Fourth and Fifth Avenues.

Beyond standard sightseeing tours, Olde Mount Dora Carriage Company is a popular choice for weddings and private events. A carriage arrival or departure adds a distinct, photogenic touch to a wedding at one of Mount Dora’s many event venues, several of which are within a short carriage ride of downtown. The company also works private parties and special occasions, from anniversary surprises to birthday outings, giving couples and families a way to mark an occasion that feels a step above a typical car service.

During the holiday season, Mount Dora’s downtown gets decorated with lights, and carriage tours become especially popular as a way to see the display at a relaxed pace, bundled up against the mild Florida winter chill. Combined with the town’s annual holiday events, a carriage ride through the lit-up streets in December is one of the more requested experiences the company offers, and booking ahead during that stretch is advisable given how much demand builds around the season.

Because the business relies on horses and is subject to Florida’s heat, especially in the summer months, schedules can shift to protect the animals during the hottest parts of the day. Visitors planning a trip should check current availability directly with the company rather than assuming a fixed daily schedule, particularly outside of the cooler months when carriage rides are most heavily booked.

For anyone who wants to experience Mount Dora’s historic downtown the way visitors might have a century ago, minus the actual inconvenience of 1890s travel, Olde Mount Dora Carriage Company offers a genuinely different pace than walking, biking, or riding in a golf cart or trolley through the same streets.