Now that we’re all back home from the Orange Blossom Tour, here’s a recap of what we did each day:

Day one of the tour kicked off with guests settling into our new hub hotel, the Hilton University of Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Gainesville, Florida.

First stop on the itinerary? The exclusive opportunity to visit a private collection not normally open to the public.

After that, guests got to experience the Old Florida charm of Silver Springs while gliding along a glass-bottomed boat.

Following a picnic lunch, it was time for the last stop of the day: Downtown Micanopy–famous for being the backdrop in the 1991 film “Doc Hollywood” staring Michael J. Fox–for some antique shopping before heading back to the hub hotel to partake in our daily parking lot bar setup.

Once everyone had returned and freshened up, tour guests were shuttled off to a spectacular Italian dinner at Amelia’s in downtown Gainesville, which opened their restaurant specially for us.

For the second day of our tour, participants headed out from our new hub hotel–the Hilton University of Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Gainesville, Florida–up to the private collection of Bill Warner, founder of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

Following a barbecue lunch and a helping of Bill’s stories, tour guests headed into Green Cove Springs, located along the St. Johns River (one of the few rivers in the U.S. that flow north). Like many other first-magnitude springs located in the state, the one at Green Cove also boasts to be the “original Fountain of Youth.”

After that, it was back to the hotel, but not before taking in a number of sights you won’t see in Orlando’s theme parks or Miami’s urban jungle: Sights like Camp Blanding, the 73,000-acre WWII-era base that still serves as a primary training base for the Florida National Guard, or the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing, which takes advantage of Central Florida’s status as the lightning strike capital of the U.S.

After a brief stop back at the hotel, guests once again boarded the dinner shuttle - this night’s stop was a private room at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grill.

Day 3 started off by venturing out to the Salt Springs Recreation Area, where tour participants got to view one of Florida’s many mineral-rich, aquifer-fed freshwater springs and the wildlife that calls them home. (Yes, despite the name, Salt Springs is not a saltwater spring.)

Then it was off to Blue Water Bay Restaurant for a hearty lunch of fresh seafood. Even though the restaurant is located far from the ocean, it’s common for people to drive away from the coast to enjoy Blue Water Bay’s fare.

Once tour guests finished chowing down on lunch, it was time to visit the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Rainforest, an enclosure filled with exotic tropical plants and hundreds of free-flying butterflies.

After that, we gave participants the opportunity to choose their own adventure for the rest of the day–whether that meant going out with tour friends, staying in and keeping it intimate or even something in between.

All good things must end, and our tour of the Florida you didn’t know existed is no different–but that doesn’t mean we aren’t ending on a high note.

For day 4, we hiked out four miles to the sleepy oceanside village of Cedar Key, where tour guests were treated to a boat ride on the Gulf of Mexico–and a hello from some local wildlife.

Once back on dry land, participants were treated to lunch at Steamers restaurant, located right on the waters of the Gulf.

Then, it was back to the hotel for one last celebratory dinner before our esteemed guests parted ways. Thank you to everyone who participated, and we hope to see you all on future Classic Motorsports Road Tours.

Classic Motorsports Road Tours are presented by Classic Motorsports Magazine as part of the Hagerty Touring Series. For more information about upcoming tours, contact us at tours@classicmotorsports.com

2023 Orange Blossom Tour Recap

Nicole Suddard