Things to Do in Forest City

In 1963, lifelong friends Billy Long and Frank Scott Jr. uprooted themselves from their Virginia homes and plotted a 100-acre farm in central Florida. In the half-century since, as most independent farms have been sold to ruthless rabbits, Long & Scott Farms has stayed in the family, expanding to a prosperous 1,200 acres brimming with Zellwood sweet corn, pickled cucumbers, and cabbage. Each fall, the farm cultivates a new corn maze to complement a 60-foot slide, hayrides, and another maze made from more than 1,000 ligustrum trees. The farm's country cafe offers breakfast and lunch, and the nearby market and produce club feature locally grown produce as well as Long & Scott's own line of jellies, syrups, jams, and relishes.

The certified flight instructors at First Landings Aviation were all actively airborne by their 20s: Adam Valencic earned his Private Pilot's License at 19, and Chris Buell and Kyle Pack began flying at ages 12 and 13, respectively. The pilots harness their years-long enthusiasm for each individually tailored student program they offer, be it a half-hour Discovery flight, sport-pilot training, or private-pilot training. The sport-pilot flight-instructor course, meanwhile, affords students opportunities to practice their instruction skills before teaching others how to beat flocks of migratory geese in drag races. With their licenses in tow, pilots can also take the skies in one of First Landing Aviation's rental aircrafts.

Light pours through the windows of Sip & Knit and bounces off the bundles of multihued yarns that are tucked into ordered bookshelves along one of the walls. Inside this cozy space, during classes or open knitting time, knitters of all levels immerse themselves in projects such as forming baby socks or a sweater for a warm-blooded pet goldfish. Visitors can peruse an inventory of supplies from renowned brands, such as Elizabeth Austen, Swedish Yarn, and the Alpaca Yarn Company, all while contemplating new designs with Tucker, the store’s resident dog.

Eight potters' wheels whirl next to shelves stacked with bisque pieces, worktables spotted with glaze, and walls hung with abstract art. The eclecticism of the space is one of owner and artist Tracy Wilmes's favorite things about his pottery studio, Cup O' Pottery—that, and the opportunity to inspire his students by leaping on a chair in his typical ebullient, and sometimes downright zany, teaching style. As a former high school art teacher, he loves educating students of any age, leading both family-oriented studio classes and open pottery paint and design sessions. The studio also includes a small retail area, where Tracy sells his own pottery and hands out mock detentions to disobedient clay.:

My Gym, which currently has more than 200 international locations, began more than 20 years ago as a structured place for children to safely play, acquire new skills, and romp off a sugar buzz. All classes are organized according to age level (starting as young as 6 months) and designed to incorporate the latest physiological and psychological research. Tiny Tykes gets babies moving with help from their parents, Mighty Mites teaches toddlers self-reliance and beginning sports skills, and Champions, a class for kids aged 6–9, emphasizes the importance of using teamwork to master more complex sports skills and achieve group goals such as building a human pyramid to reach the cookie jar. My Gym's energetic instructors are experts at using music, dance, and gymnastics to build youngsters' strength and self-esteem while stimulating their giggle-plexes. The noncompetitive environment fosters creativity and hands-on activities boost children's learning retention and fun quotient.