Check Out Downtown Winter Haven’s Best Bars On The Happy Hour Tour
by James Coulter
Want to know which bars and eateries offers the best happy hour? Then take a tour of select bars and eateries in Downtown Winter Haven on the upcoming Happy Hour Tour.
On Fri., June 18 from 4:30 pm to 7 pm, attendees will be able to tour several select downtown establishments, including a whiskey bar, tap room, and a few other pubs and bars, to visit their venue and even sample some of their food and drink.
Whether you’re a visitor to Downtown Winter Haven, or even if you’ve been a lifelong resident, this tour will allow you to check out some of the best places to enjoy Happy Hour, from Union Taproom to Grove Roots.
Raise your spirits with a sip of sangria, citrus ale, or craft beer. And enjoy the beautiful artwork and architecture of the downtown area, including the many murals the city has installed.
“It is a very laid back, relaxed tour,” said Amada Anderson, tour guide and organizer. “Some people who live here have only been to one eatery, so they only sample a few places, they have never been to the union taproom or the local eateries that recently opened. So even if you live here, you have a chance to experience what downtown has to offer.”
Anderson grew up in South Florida, and spent the last decade living and working in New York City as a tour guide. When she moved down to Winter Haven and started working in City Hall, she became enamored with everything the small town had to offer, and she was inspired to start her own tours there. That’s how she started Winter Haven Food Tours.
“I fell in love with the area and the eateries,” she said. “I kept thinking that it would be so cool to have a little tour over here. But I was unsure of the local history. I did some research, and in December of last year, I came up with the idea of the food tours.”
Winter Haven Food Tours, as the name implies, offers guided tours of many local eateries and bars in Downtown Winter Haven. Each tour focuses on a different aspect of downtown flavor. The Sweet Tooth Dessert Tour shows the sweet spots that offer the sweetest treats, while the Afternoon Flavors of Winter Haven offers an afternoon stroll for lunch specials.
Recently, they have even incorporated a ghost tour, touring many establishments that are purported to be haunted. This fall, a special Halloween themed event will be offered that will combine the ghost tour with aspects of trick-or-treating to offer fun for the whole family.
Amada loves how close-knitted the downtown community is, both with the close proximity of the many businesses, as well as their overall camraderie with one another.
“I love that there is an Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, steakhouse and other ethnic eateries in walking distance along Central Avenue,” she said. “What I have come to love in downtown is
that everyone embraces the history of Winter Haven. They are all very entrepreneurial and very locally sourced. And they all work together, and I love that spirit.”
These tours allow everyone an opportunity to see the best that Downtown Winter Haven has to offer, whether they are visiting out of town, or even if they’ve lived here all of their life.
“So these tours have been receptive of people who live here and people who come out of town who visit from Orlando, or visit Legoland,” she said. “They did not even know Winter Haven existed. We are happy to drive an hour for a food tour, and they learn that the city is pretty cool, and [how] laid back everybody is, and the history of the lakes and what the city has to offer.”
To ensure public safety, these tours will be restricted to 10 people. Masks will be required, hand sanitizer will be offers, and physical distancing will be enforced.
Tickets are $65 for 4 or more guests. Private tours are also available. Flat rate of $500 good for up 1-10 people max. For more information, visit their website at: https://winterhavenfoodtours.com/
