SPRING LAKE, Fla. — The Hernando County roadside attraction started as a citrus stand before it became Boyett's Grove & Citrus Attraction.

What You Need To Know

  • Boyett's Grove & Citrus Attraction brings a touch of Old Florida to tourists

  • They have much more than citrus, and stock many unique goods in their store

  • There is also a dinosaur cave

“We are original ‘Old Florida.’ We sometimes use the words ‘tourist trap,’” Cathy Oleson of Boyett's Grove & Citrus Attraction said. “We packed oranges when we were kids.”

They still send out citrus year round, but tourists cannot live on oranges alone. That’s where the gift shop comes in.

“Orange bubble gum. Years ago, we used to get them in crates,” she said. “They’re even harder to find.”

In fact, dinosaur sightings may be more likely.

They have a cave filled with dinos.

“Some of this used to be part of the old packing house. We weren’t using it as much anymore,” she said.

It started as one dinosaur and one rock and grew and grew. It’s just like the fish world — that’s thanks to her family of anglers.

“Nobody really wanted to eat them, they wanted to bring them home and look at them,” Oleson said.

Their homage to the Wild West came from years of collecting.

“My favorite is the bear. Everybody loves the bear,” Oleson said.

She considers the exotic animals in her wildlife park part of the family.

“Just like some more of my kids,” Oleson said with a chuckle.

She says the best part of all this work is her young customers.

“Kids. We love to see the little kids come,” she said, smiling.