Sanford, Florida

Located on South Magnolia Avenue, the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art community arts theater that presents an array of performances ranging from plays and concerts to films and musicals throughout the year.

Built in 1923 as the Milane Theatre, the historic center has a rich and long-standing heritage that saw the theater changing owners and names several times before becoming the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center.

Today, the theater still retains much of its old character and intimate ambiance, including the neon RITZ Theatre sign as it was in the 1930s, but has upgraded LED technology lighting to enhance performances.

201 Magnolia Ave, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-321-8111

The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is a 116-acre animal sanctuary and arboretum north of Orlando that is home to over 500 animals representing 205 species and an array of flora.

In addition to a variety of habitats and exhibits that showcase animals in their natural habitats, the zoo also features several attractions such the Wharton-Smith Tropical Splash Ground Water Park, the ZOOm Air Adventure Park, which offers an aerial adventure course, the Barnyard Buddies Children’s Zoo, and an authentic carousel with rides for young visitors.

Guests can explore the zoo and gardens on a 16-inch gauge ridable miniature railway that chugs around the park and enjoy giraffe feedings and rhino encounters for an additional fee.

The zoo also operates the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation, an offsite conservation center that helps to breed and release eastern indigo snakes into the wild.

3755 W Seminole Blvd, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-323-4450

The Jeanine Taylor Folk Art is a locally owned gallery that focuses on contemporary folk art.

Located in the charming historic district of Downtown Sanford, native Floridian, Jeanine Taylor established the gallery in 1997 to preserve Florida’s rich artistic culture.

The gallery showcases works by local folk artists like Theresa Disney, Missionary Mary Proctor, Butch Anthony, Ruby C. Williams, John "Cornbread Anderson, and Purvis Young.

The Jeanine Taylor Folk Art hosts a variety of rotating exhibitions and special events throughout the year.

211 E 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-323-2774

Attractions for Couples

Deviant Wolfe Brewing is a locally owned microbrewery in the heart of historic downtown Sanford that produces a range of quality, handcrafted beers.

Tucked between the West End Theater and the Tennessee Truffle on 1st Street, the brewery brews a selection of specialty draft and bottled beers using locally sourced ingredients and seasonal additives.

The taproom has communal tables where visitors can relax while sampling some of the brewery’s brews, as well as a guest tap cider and a selection of local wines.

Guests can order food from any of the surrounding restaurants and have it delivered to the taproom.

121 W 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-878-4367

The Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park is a nature reserve and critical wildlife habitat spanning over 20,000 acres that incorporates the St. Johns and Wekiva Rivers.

Forming a wildlife corridor to the Ocala National Forest along six miles of the St. Johns River, the park is home to a wealth of wildlife including alligators, river otters, black bears, sandhill cranes, and wood storks.

The park also offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities ranging from hiking, horseback riding, camping, and equestrian camping to fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing.

8300 FL-46, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-884-2009

Recommended Attractions

Established in 1957, the Henry Shelton Sanford Memorial Library and Museum, now known as the Sanford Museum, is dedicated to the history of the Sanford.

The museum houses a vast collection of books, documents, and papers from the founder of the city, Henry S. Sanford, as well as American and European paintings, personal objects, and furniture dating back to the 1800s.

The museum is home to the Chase Gallery which features exhibits on city-related elements like the fire and police departments, riverboats and railroads, city planning, and the Naval Air Station.

520 E 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-688-5198

The Historic Sanford Welcome Center is a community center and communications hub that provides a wealth of information about the city of Sanford and its attractions and activities.

The center is manned by friendly, welcoming locals who are on hand to offer advice and information on everything about the city from its history and culture, best restaurants and bars, and businesses and services to top things to see and do while visiting.

The Historic Sanford Welcome Center keeps up to date with all the latest events and festivals happening in the region and is open daily.

230 E 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771, Phone: 407-302-2586

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

The Sanford RiverWalk follows along the shoreline of scenic Lake Monroe in the city of Sanford, Florida.

Located just north of busy Orlando, the Riverwalk Trail extends from Mellonville Avenue to US 17-92 and offers local residents and visitors alike an opportunity to stroll down one of the county’s most scenic paved trails while taking in views of the lake.

Along with providing access to the historic downtown Sanford, the Sanford Riverwalk also connects Lake Monroe to Fort Mellon Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Log Cabin Memorial Park, Wayside Park, the Sanford Museum, shops, restaurants, a public boat ramp, and more.

E Seminole Blvd, Sanford, FL 32771, 407-328-0018

The American Bronze Foundry is a state-of-the-art facility that specializes in producing fine art and museum-quality bronze sculpture castings.

The facility uses the highest quality and top-of-the-line materials to produce spectacular bronze casts with intricate detailing utilizing both ancient and modern techniques.

Professional and expert in-house sculptors can produce all types of sculptures from a variety of mediums such as drawings, sketches, illustrations, photographs, and 3D digital file formats, and molds are cast in clay, wood, plastic, wax, and leather.

1650 E Lake Mary Blvd, Sanford, FL 32773, Phone: 407-328-8090

Red Hill Groves is a long-standing, family-owned citrus farm that has been growing and providing fresh Florida citrus to the community and the world since 1962.

Located in the Indian River growing district with the home grove in Sanford, the farm has a large on-site shop that sells a wide variety of citrus products, such as the highest quality Florida Navel oranges, Red Navel oranges, Honeybell tangelos, Tangerines, Valencia oranges, and Grapefruit.

The country-style farm shop also sells fresh Georgia pecans, handmade citrus candies, homemade jams, and preserves, and citrus fruit and gift baskets, and a small café serve coffee and light snacks, as well as a home-cooked barbecue.

7210 N Ronald Reagan Blvd, Sanford, FL 32773, Phone: 407-885-0272