About the Mount Plymouth-Sorrento Area of Lake County
For generations, those who love the rustic style of living in Lake County know its attractions lie in the gently swelling hillsides, the vast expanses of water in its Chain of Lakes and the Wekiva River Basin, and the natural refuges in its parks, preserves and trails.
Tucked into the heart of Lake County, the twin hamlets of Mount Plymouth and Sorrento have long been a haven for those who want the quiet life, but also enjoy trips to close neighbors in Mount Dora, Lake Mary and Sanford.
Now, residents of these two communities can have the best of two worlds: The relaxed lifestyle amid natural attractions plus an easy commute to the job centers of Metro Orlando.
The change is thanks to new roadways, especially the Central Florida Parkway.
Central Florida Parkway is just a few miles from completion. It will encircle Metro Orlando and offer access at multiple locations. The western portion—called the Wekiva Parkway-- includes State Road 429 and new roundabouts at State Road 46 as it crosses local roadways. Mount Plymouth and Sorrento are in the heart of the SR 429/453 extensions that are part of this system.
The Wekiva Parkway will link to the eastern portion that includes State Road 417 and Interstate 4. The connection of the eastern and western loops will be at SR 417 near Seminole Towne Center in Sanford.
When completed, the parkway will enhance access from Lake County to Metro Orlando and its attractions, but the beautiful areas that make Lake County so desirable to homeowners will remain. Eco-tourism isn’t just a buzzword in the area, it is part of the fabric that weaves throughout the Mount Plymouth-Sorrento communities.
There is so much to do and see in this area, from bike trails to state parks, to golf courses, even to a winery.
There are several biking and hiking segments that make up the overall Wekiva Trail System, spanning Lake, Orange and Seminole counties. The Wekiva Trail is often called the spine of the system. It is currently 6.5 miles from the Lake/Seminole county line at the Wekiva River to Sorrento Avenue. It links seamlessly to the 14-mile Seminole Wekiva Trail, built on the former Orange Belt Railway. In the south, the Neighborhood Lakes Scenic Trail ties into Orange County and the West Orange Trail. When completed, the Wekiva Trail will continue to Mount Dora and eventually will move onto the Tav-Lee Trail that will tie Tavares to Leesburg.
Those who love the outdoors will find Seminole State Forest in nearby Leesburg a little slice of Heaven. It encompasses 4,300 acres of sand pine scrub, a type of habitat that is rapidly disappearing. It is in the Wekiva River Basin and offers unique animals, plants and topographical characteristics.
Rock Springs Run State Reserve offers biking, hiking or horseback riding along its trails. Several activities, including equestrian camping, are available. In cooperation with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, hunting is permitted in designated portions of the reserve but only on specific weekends from September through January.
Swimming is encouraged in the crystal clear, 72-degree waters of Wekiwa Springs in nearby Apopka. The swimming area of the 7,000 acre- state park is over a half-acre and is popular for those who love to swim, snorkel and lazily tube down the second magnitude spring. However, the spring is only four feet deep, so no diving and jumping are allowed. In the remainder of the expansive Wekiwa Springs State Park, visitors can kayak, canoe and bicycle.
Red Tail Golf Course, with its Links course layout is a Sorrento jewel and it is open to the public golfer. But visitors don’t have to play golf to enjoy its beauty. The view from its porch restaurant overlooks a beautiful setting, the 18-hole championship golf course designed by Dave Harman. Red Tail and other courses in the area echo the history of Mount Plymouth, which began 100 years ago as a golf course community with a commanding 150-room hotel and plans for four Links golf courses. Economics and time worked against the project, and both the hotel and its only golf course are long gone.
Sports of a different kind—the kind played by kids on ballfields and soccer fields—are where you will find families every day of the week at the East Lake Sports and Community Complex. Those who discover Mount Plymouth-Sorrento will find that meeting new families is easy when you sit in the stands cheering on your favorite T-ball or soccer team.
For a fun-filled family getaway, Oak Haven Farm & Winery in Sorrento, is the spot where visitors can pick their own strawberries from late December to mid-March. The winery is a local favorite, offering the farm’s popular selections of Strawberry Wine (of course!), Blueberry Wine, made with Lake County’s famous blueberries, and the Muscadine wines: Carlos, which is available in both sweet and dry versions; Noble, a favorite red wine and Southern Belle, the winery’s newest rose’ wine.
