Bok Towers and Spook Hill

For Funday Sunday this week we went over to Lake Wales to see Bok Towers! It's only about an hour's drive and we'd heard it was really pretty. Mya was with us for the weekend so she joined us for the trip too:). As soon as we arrived in Lake Wales we saw signs for 'Spook Hill' which we'd seen on Roadside America. Apparently Spook Hill is a 'gravity hill' (an optical illusion where cars appear to roll uphill.) There's a large sign on North Wales Drive explaining "The Legend" and how to experience the effect. Here's a guy who has more time than I do who kindly made a little youtube to explain the whole thing...

 

It took us a while to figure out how to experience it and we definitely rolled uphill :)

 

Bok Tower Gardens (just down the road) was Edward Bok's gift to the American people. The property encompasses Iron Mountain, one of the highest points in Florida. The famous 5-foot neo-Gothic and Art Deco Singing Tower was built on the 295-foot high hill and houses one of the world’s finest carillons, a bell-based instrument and the heaviest of all musical instruments. It was designed by architect Milton B. Medary, with stone sculpture by Lee Lawrie, the creator of Atlas at Rockefeller Center.

 

That's the girls at the bottom of this photo:)

 

 

There are also over 200 acres of woodland gardens, offering a variety of tropical plants and the opportunity to view some central Florida wildlife.

 

 

The Bok gardens 60-bell carillon is played every day at 1 and 3 p.m.

 

It's a great place to go for some peace and quiet but the girls were bored silly. In fact the only thing that kept them entertained was feeding the koi carp:).

 

 

Overall, if you fancy a picnic and a quiet, peaceful day - it's perfect. For adults :)