ATTRACTIONS
DESTINATIO N
HIDDEN TREASURES Most people can’t give their kids a million bucks, but how about something that will make them feel like they hit the jackpot? STORY: ROXANNE BROWN
≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL
he unmistakable delight in 4-yearold Bentley Pinizzotto’s laughter was visibly backed up by smiles and leaps of joy while recently sifting through dirt at Clermont’s Showcase of Citrus. But it wasn’t just any old dirt, but dirt from a “Mother Lode” bag, filled with fossils, shark teeth, arrowheads, and gems in all shapes, sizes and colors just waiting to be uncovered, purchased for him at the venue’s Gem Mine Experience. “When the kids find the gems, they are so excited like they’ve just won the lottery and it’s just so cute to see,” says Showcase employee Aly Sferrazza, explaining how the gem mining process works. “What we do is take whatever bag a customer purchases, and pour some of its contents into the sifter (or sluice box) that’s been placed in the trough and into the water. Then, as the water floats through, magically, the dirt will start dissipating and the gems and other goodies will appear.” Bentley’s mother Nicole Hines says she was pleased to see her son so genuinely enjoying the experience. “He likes rocks, digging in sand and things like that, but I didn’t think he’d have the attention span to actually sift and look for the gems, but he did and it was fun,” says Nicole. Bentley, explaining that his favorite gem was “the rainbow one,” adds: “I like rocks and sand and I need toys.” Showcase of Citrus Manager/Operator Tara Boshell says John Arnold, who she lovingly refers
to as her better half, owns Showcase of Citrus, which opened in 1989. The two got together in 2012 and today, their blended family – which includes six kids between them – run the family ranch and one of the south Lake area’s few remaining active citrus groves. In total, it all sits on 2,500 acres, also home to the Showcase of Citrus, a massive roadside attraction that in 2021 was officially trademarked “Florida’s Fresh Air Attraction.” “We all live and work on site. Our girls work in the fruitstand and the boys work in the groves. It is truly family owned and operated, and those who are part of our great staff, and not actually part of the family, are like family,” Tara says. “We’re blessed.” As for visitors, they can pick from an array of activities to enjoy with their own families, including u-pick citrus, monster truck tours of the entire property, two playgrounds, feeding farm animals, and most recently, the Gem Mining Experience, added just five years ago. Tara says John was itching to add something new and fun, yet unique. “It was literally an a-ha moment,” Tara says of the gem mining. “We started with the water wheel and we kept adding to it with the trough and everything. Then, when John came up with the mining idea, we went with it and it’s been great.” Tara says the activity has sparked interest from tourists and local families, but also teachers looking for educational opportunities for their students.
