Sanford

Incorporated in 1877 around Fort Mellon, a Seminole War era fortress on the shores of Lake Monroe, Sanford was carefully crafted as a planned community by Henry Sanford, who saw his city as a gateway to commerce to South Florida by river and rail. In the early 1900s, Sanford was known as “Celery City” thanks to its farms in low-lying areas along the lake; you’ll learn how that led to Chun King Chinese food in a can at the Sanford Museum. Revitalized over the past decade, downtown Sanford is a center for the arts, with antique shops where vintage glass and furnishings are often as old as the city itself. A lengthy Riverwalk Trail, completed ...

Incorporated in 1877 around Fort Mellon, a Seminole War era fortress on the shores of Lake Monroe, Sanford was carefully crafted as a planned community by Henry Sanford, who saw his city as a gateway to commerce to South Florida by river and rail. In the early 1900s, Sanford was known as “Celery City” thanks to its farms in low-lying areas along the lake; you’ll learn how that led to Chun King Chinese food in a can at the Sanford Museum. Revitalized over the past decade, downtown Sanford is a center for the arts, with antique shops where vintage glass and furnishings are often as old as the city itself. A lengthy Riverwalk Trail, completed through the downtown district, showcases a waterfront that is both lake and river — Lake Monroe is a broad spot in the north-flowing St. Johns River. Board the Rivership Romance for a cruise that’s part Vegas, part ecotour as it heads downriver along cypress-lined shores while a crooner encourages folks to get out on the dance floor. Indeed, this is an eclectic place. You can catch an airboat ride to wild places along the river’s marshes, get up close to an Asian elephant at one of Florida’s largest zoos, or take a walk down First Street to the beat of an oompah band playing a polka.

About the Expert

Sandra Friend has written 12 books about Florida, including the Explorer's Guide (Countryman Press) series to Florida.