Christmas at Pinewood Estate

Since Mama was in town for Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to take a drive out to Lake Wales to visit Bok Tower Gardens and take the Holiday Home Tour at Pinewood Estate. Each year the estate, a 1932 Mediterranean-style mansion built by Charles Austin Buck as a winter retreat, is beautifully decorated for Christmas. Mama had never been to the Pinewood Estate before and even though Ron and I were there a couple of years ago, I was excited to see it again. A historic home plus Christmas decorations – two of my favorite things put together. :-)

The theme for this year’s tour was “Merry and Bright – a Musical Celebration” and the home was staged to look as if the Buck family were preparing for a 1930's Christmas party with dining and music. The tour was self-paced, but there were docents in each room to provide information and answer questions. My favorite room was the loggia, with its arched wooden doorway overlooking the courtyard and the stone fireplace decorated with Christmas stockings. The tour also included a scavenger hunt for a family of toy squirrels hidden throughout the house. The docents commented that kids loved hunting for the squirrels, but I had just as much fun trying to spot them. I guess I’m a kid at heart when it comes to Christmas!

After we finished the tour, we ate lunch at the garden's Blue Palmetto Café and then wandered around the grounds. The weather was gorgeous and butterflies flitted from flower to flower in the sunshine. It felt good to get out and walk off some of the holiday eating we’d done in the past few days. A perfect way to kick off the Christmas season.

the Loggia

Mr. Buck's Suite

Squirrel!

Children's Playroom

Daughter Lucy's Bedroom

Bok Tower

Travel Tips: The Holiday Home Tour runs through January 7, from 10 AM to 5 PM. Travel Zoo is currently offering tickets at a 40% discount: https://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Orlando/Other/268589/Bok-Tower-Gardens/.