Autumn at Central Florida B&B!

Golden Rain Tree at Maitland B&B

When you mention Fall, those from up north picture colorful maple leaves over vast hilly areas. We in the North Orlando Maitland Winter Park area also experience Fall, but in a different manner. The days are cooler and less humid, the yards are greener and the beautiful Golden Rain Tree shows off it’s spectacular colors. They start with their green leaves, then beautiful little yellow flowers in clusters, then last are pink pods everywhere!

Butterfly on penta plant

The birds and other wildlife seem to notice the change too. Just the past week I have noticed so many more birds flying around, along with many beautiful butterflies trying out our landscape. It is glorious here! Aren’t you due for a visit to our North Orlando bed & breakfast soon?

For a really special deal, check out our latest Living Social Escape deal that just went live today. It’s available for only a limited time so hurry!

Central Florida Inn Celebrates 19 years!

Thurston House, the only North Orlando bed & breakfast accommodation in Maitland Winter Park celebrates 19 years! Guests have been from far reaching places, coming from 24 countries, every state and even 4 territories.

NBC News filming with Matt Lauer

One claim to fame was when Florence Henderson – yes Mrs. Brady – stayed with us for several nights while filming a local ad. Our other claim to fame was more recent when NBC news arranged for Matt Lauer to film an interview on our porch. It was lots of fun!

Come see why everyone loves staying at Thurston House, many coming back over & over again!

Special Event Venues in Central Florida

Thurston House yard overlooking Lake Eulalia

Thurston House Bed & Breakfast in Maitland is a beautiful place, but alas we cannot host special events. That’s OK, because it means that our fabulous setting amid 8 lakefront acres will be a quiet oasis for your getaway. 

Just minutes away from us there are five inspirational venues for your celebration or meeting . At the Maitland Art Center you find – The Chapel & Mayan Courtyard, The Main Garden, and The Germaine Marvel Building. At Lake Lily you find – The Cottage at Lake Lily and The Waterhouse Residence Museum Lawn. They all have unique characteristics, and I am sure one will be absolutely perfect for your needs! Contact Lauren Murphy to discuss your needs and plan your event – lauren@artandhistory.org or #407-539-2181 ext. 253.

Then, don’t forget to book your room or rooms at our Central Florida Bed & Breakfast, Thurston House!

Celebrating 50 Years at Leu Gardens!

One of our favorite local places, Leu Gardens is 50 this year! Located only 15 minutes from Thurston House B&B in North Orlando, it is a guest favorite too!

Harry P. Leu Gardens features paved scenic walkways for a self guided, self paced visit that takes you through fifty acres of southern styled gardens including:

  • America’s third largest Camellia collection

  • Three acres of idea gardens for weekend projects

  • The largest formal rose garden in Florida. 

  • A National Historic House dating from the 1880’s. 

  • Two acre Tropical Stream Garden

  • Vegetable and Herb Garden

  • Butterfly Garden

  • Palm, bamboo and cycad gardens

The Mission of Harry P. Leu Gardens is to inspire people to appreciate and understand plants, the environment of Central Florida and the Gardens’ historic significance.

The Leu House Museum is open 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. with tours every thirty minutes on the half hour.  The last tour begins at 3:30 p.m.  The Leu House Museum is closed in July

Classes and symposia on landscaping, horticulture, fine arts, crafts and children’s classes are available with pre-registration.  Click on “Education” in the column on the left for more information.

Hours:  Gardens open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Christmas day. Last Garden admission at 4:00 pm.

This is a must see for those venturing into Central Florida!

Full Sail University Winter Park Expanding Again!

The real-estate arm of the area’s fastest-growing digital-arts school, Full Sail University, has acquired a $17.5 million office park with nine buildings near the school on Semoran Boulevard in Winter Park. Silver City Lakeview LLC purchased Lakeview Office Park, with 225,550 square feet of office space, about a half mile from the University Boulevard campus.

Full Sail students

This school has grown with amazing speed, and now graduates students every single month! Recently there have been Full Sail graduates involved in two high profile movies – Thor and Transformers. Two years ago students even filmed here at Thurston House – Murder at Lou’s Bed & Breakfast…what fun!

Our North Orlando Maitland Winter Park Bed & Breakfast accommodation is just a short drive from campus, making us a perfect accommodation for friends and family coming into town to visit students or to attend a graduation.

Thurston House Goes Social!

Thurston House Bed & Breakfast North Orlando

Thurston House, the only North Orlando bed & breakfast accommodation in the Maitland/Winter Park area, has partnered with local businesses and attractions to provide a LivingSocial Escape deal – “Summer Solace on Lake Eulalia“. This Escape deal went live at 5am, July 13th.

Open for business for almost 19 years, innkeeper Carole Ballard keeps up with the latest in marketing tools. Always active on FaceBook and blogging, Carole reaches out to past, present and potential new customers constantly, working hard to attract guests to this area. Thurston House guests enjoy all the amenities of a fine accommodation facility, but also appreciate this areas wonderful local attractions, shopping and restaurants.

 Partnering with Thurston House in this LivingSocial Escape are the Art & History Museums – Maitland and Bosphorous Turkish Restaurant in Winter Park. What a deal and it is almost over. The special runs until midnight tonight!

A Chickering at Maitland B&B!

Thurston House front parlour morning

The front parlour of Thurston House, our North Orlando Bed & Breakfast, is home to a beautiful 1858 Chickering Square Grand Piano. The Smithsonian Institution considers this exact model piano to be of such historical significance to include it in the museum’s “Piano 300” Exhibition now on display in Washington, D. C.
The Square Piano was the mainstay of the American home during the latter half of the 19th century, and the Chickering Company was at the very forefront of innovation at the time. Superior action design and the first patented use of the full iron frame provide this piece with tone quality and repetition speed unrivaled by most other manufacturers of this period. Brahms, Liszt, Strauss, and Tchaikovski were still composing in 1858, when this piano rolled out of Chickering’s Boston factory. Such Romantic era music can be faithfully reproduced on this period piano, and the cabinet beautifully reflects the early Victorian style.

Beautiful gold colored iron work inside the Chickering

On loan from the Art & History Museums – Maitland, this beautiful piano graces the area of the front parlour polygonal bay windows. In the morning, subdued sunlight comes through the elegant lace curtains, making the entire room glow softly. Bed & breakfast guests appreciate the beauty of the rosewood case, and the interior decorative gold colored iron castings. This piano is quite fitting for our circa 1885 home!

A Wise Old Owl at Thurston House

Wise Owl

It seems fitting to have this Buzza Company print hanging in my B&B office. Of late we have been entertained a lot by the local birds, specifically the owls. One in particular seems to love to swoop and hoot. We have named him Cyrus, in honor of the original owner of this magnificiant 1885 Queen Anne Victorian Central Florida home, Cyrus Brooks Thurston.

Just two streets away from us is the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. A short stroll will get you to their gate. Step inside and experience the wonder of these creatures. The center is not only home to many owls, but also to eagles, hawks, vultures, osprey, and more! You can even adopt a bird in honor of a loved one, a unique and thoughtful gift!

Cyrus, the Thurston House owl

Of course you can just sit on our porch rocking away and let them come to you. We call it our guest entertainment. Come see, at Thurston House, our Central Florida bed & breakfast!

The lure of a hammock…

North Orlando B&B Thurston House hammock

Many guests come to our North Orlando bed & breakfast exhausted and ready for much needed relaxation. Cell phones, laptops and I pads are often left in the car or hidden out of sight in their guest room just so they can experience what true peacefulness is. They usually find their way to our special hidden place, the upstairs sleeping porch. The highlight of this porch area overlooking Lake Eulalia is the wonderful string hammock. Many a guest has fallen asleep as the hammock gently rocks and the sun shines lightly on their faces.

Don’t you need some hammock right now?