Route #18 Lake Helen - Cassadaga - Orange City - Pine Lakes - Sorrento

This route travels through the interior of east-central Florida, crossing communities with very different identities connected by former railroad corridors and rural roads. The journey begins in Lake Helen, a small town founded in the late nineteenth century, and continues toward Cassadaga, known for its distinctive history linked to spiritualism.

Cassadaga was established as a spiritualist community in the late nineteenth century and still preserves an urban layout and atmosphere unlike any other place in the state. From there, the route continues to Orange City, one of the oldest towns in Volusia County, with a strong agricultural and railroad heritage.

The final segment connects Pine Lakes and Sorrento, where the landscape alternates between scattered residential areas, natural lakes, and agricultural land. The route offers a view of an inland Florida shaped by small historic communities, far removed from the coast and mass tourism.

The complete route and its historical context are part of Discovering Florida – Volume 1.