Mount Dora, Florida. Florida’s top ranked small town to retire to (USA TODAY)
Mount Dora, Florida is one of those wonderful Florida retirement living towns in which to retire, as indicated by USA TODAY’s® ranking of Mount Dora as the #1 Small Town in Florida, and #4 in America, in which to retire.
Photo of the Waterman Village bridge, connecting THE OAKS at Waterman Village retirement community to LAKESIDE at Waterman Village retirement community
Often referred to as the “New England of the South,” Mount Dora offers a unique variety of cultural activities, specialty shops, dining establishments, major festivals, and recreational opportunities.
March 2025 Community Newsletter
Located in the center of the state, Mount Dora is less susceptible to a direct hurricane hit, New Smyrna Beach is just over an hour’s drive, and it’s only 35 minutes to Orlando. More seniors seeking an established, not-for-profit, multi-level, progressive living type retirement community, in the Orlando-Central Florida area, in a vibrant town with a small, homey, safe feel, are choosing Waterman Village in Mount Dora, FL. Visit www.MountDora.com for more information.
Mount Dora is a town residents feel proud to live in, and a town where they are excited about inviting their family members and friends to visit. But be careful, they may want to visit you more often.
Waterman Village is located close to everything
For a variety of reasons, living close to these services helps residents retain their personal independence longer, compared to living in a location or community that is further from these essential resources and services. Many of our residents move to Waterman Village from areas across FL and the U.S. We’ll help provide you with a list of local medical providers, to help make your transition to new doctors and medical professionals, a smooth and easy one. They are all located close by,
Walking Distance
- A grocery store
- Insurance agencies
- Two dental offices
- Retail pharmacy
- Two tax preparers
- Hardware store
- Full service bank
- Podiatry services
- Physical/occupational therapy clinic
- Spa
- Restaurants
- Three physician clinics
Less than a mile
- Two hardware stores
- Insurance agencies
- Grocery store
- Urgent Care Center
- Auto care center
- Mount Dora Public Library
- Eye clinics
- City of Mount Dora Police, Fire, and EMS
- Numerous banks and credit unions
- Restaurants
One to two miles
- Retail big box stores
- Numerous restaurants
- Sydonie Mansion
- Bed and Breakfasts
- Several auto dealerships
- Two new emergency care centers
- Numerous churches and a Synagogue
- The widely acclaimed Ice House Theater
- Various health care providers
- The Mount Dora Center for the Arts
It’s just four miles to the highly rated Advent Health Waterman hospital (they take traditional/original Medicare and certain Medicare Advantage plans) and the VA Community Outpatient Clinic.
Travel and Leisure Magazine’s ratings of the top ten small towns in Florida. Mount Dora is one of only two towns located away from the threat of a direct hurricane hit.
It’s only 45 minutes to Orlando and the Disney/Universal areas.
45 minutes to Orlando-Sanford (Allegient) Airport and Orlando International Airport
Visit the links below, and discover why Mount Dora was selected by USA TODAY, as the #1 RANKED small town in Florida, and #4 in the NATION, to retire to
Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce
What to do in Mount Dora 
Mount Dora YouTube Channel
Map of Downtown Mount Dora
Mt Dora Visitor Guide
Mount Dora Live
