Oviedo in Orlando North is a mecca for hidden gems that all ages can enjoy! If you’re a family looking to explore new, one of a kind experiences, this Seminole County city is an absolute must. Here’s a full day itinerary jammed packed with fun activities my family recently enjoyed and highly recommend!

Black Hammock Bee Farms

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to wear a bee suit? Black Hammock Bee Farms is a family owned farm with a passion for bee conservation. This husband and wife duo not only offer beehive relocation services, but also open up their farm to the public for educational classes, private bee yard tours and beekeeping 101.

Booking a tour here includes the opportunity to hop into one of their custom designed bee suits to get up close and personal with the little pollinators. The suits are also available in kids sizes making it a great family friendly experience! The farm tours are filled with hands-on educational information ranging from bee life cycles, honey extraction and even beekeeping classes for anyone interested in taking up the hobby.

The in house gift shop also offers guests the opportunity to purchase fresh, unfiltered honey that is sustainably produced, extracted and bottled on site. The flavors range dependant on the pollinating flowers in season and is the perfect takeaway after a fun family day on the farm!

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe

After exploring the bee farm, my husband, son and I worked up quite an appetite! For lunch we dined in at a delicious local Oviedo restaurant called Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe. This casual sit down venue transports guests into a Mediterranean themed aesthetic with a large infused menu and kid friendly items. From traditional hummus and taziki dips, to classic favorites like Greek salads and gyros – there’s definitely something for everyone!

For our taste of the Mediterranean, we opted for a veggie gyro, Greek salad, tomato soup and hummus pita platter. My son is a huge fan of dips so this was perfect for a hands on finger food! The soup was deliciously seasoned and probably my favorite dish while my husband really enjoyed the gyro. If you’re a family with different dietary needs or preferences, this cafe is a great option that can accommodate both meat and veggie based meals.

Lukas Nursery & Butterfly Encounter

After our bellies were full, our next stop was to explore Lukas Nursery & Butterfly Encounter. Lukas Nursery is a true Oviedo gem as it has been a staple in the community since the late 60’s. This local business is 100% family owned and is currently in its 5th generation of operation in the Lukas family. Once a field for celery growing row crops, the property is now a 33 acre nursery housing over 5,000 species of plants ranging from ornamentals, edibles and landscape. If there’s a specific plant you’re on the hunt for, Lukas nursery has got you covered!

In the early 2000’s, Lukas’ Butterfly Encounter was also added to the nursery and is open for the public to purchase admission to. The greenhouse conservatory is a 4000 sq space with around 6-20 different Florida native butterfly species depending on the season. The encounter was added in the hopes of educating the community about the important role butterflies play in our environment while providing a fun interactive experience. In addition to the butterflies, there are also Chinese Button quails roaming freely in the conservatory serving as natural clean up providers to the habitat.

Visitors of the encounter are able to explore the greenhouse’s native plants which then leads to a small space where you can interact with the butterflies! Small juice cups are placed inside the area for guests to dip their fingers in which mimics the sweetness of nectar. Once the butterflies get a taste of the juice, you can gently get them to land on you to closely observe their beauty. Guests are also given an identification pamphlet to help ID the insects as well as provide suggestions on which butterfly friendly plants you can add to your own home garden.

From up close encounters to bees and butterflies, to delicious traditional Mediterranean dishes – Oviedo is a great family destination with amazing things to do!