White Sands Buddhist Center, Mims

Gorgeous, but small. The entrance is secluded and you drive down a dirt path lined by tropical plants. When you emerge you see pillars and statues. Park the car, enjoy the scenery and be mindful of all around you. Its small, but its a slice of peace in the chaos that is life. The ladies at the gift shop were wonderful, and I got talked into dropping $45 on a Vietnamese lunch for myself and my girlfriend. The food was incredible. Fresh, tasty, full of exotic flavors and I can't wait to try more. My favorite part was how happy it made the family cooking to serve me as their first customer today. Their English was great, the little bows at the end of conversation made me feel special, and the man making coffee? DELICIOUS. Absolutely bring some money and support this place by trying some food/shopping at the gift shop. They have some very inexpensive food options. Rice balls for instance are $2 each and they had multiple kinds. Its so peaceful here, and the drive from port orange down was well worth it.

Very pretty but seems new age. Went with my family and it's a very pretty place to come and relax and experience. For the experience i would give it a 10/10. But it just didn't feel very Buddhist. It seems as though the place is very highly influenced by the new age movement, as though it's run by hippies who discovered Buddhism in the 60's but never bothered reading about the 4 noble truths or noble eightfold path. Would love to come back and experience the tea ceremony or.. mass of sorts they seem to offer.. If i lived closer I'd probably come every day and read by the pond, check it out.

A true hidden gem tucked in the Florida woods of the Space Coast. So peaceful and welcoming! We enjoyed a serene stroll around the grounds and lovingly cared for gardens. On Sundays, they serve a delicious Vietnamese lunch prepared by the happiest people ever. Huge granite Buddhist statues and inscriptions everywhere. Lovely gift shop. This is NOT a tourist trap; it's a true Buddhist center that welcomes guests. Please be respectful, reflective, and reverent, as noted on a sign by the entrance. Highly recommended.

Beautiful place that is free to visit! Bamboo, orchids, and a wide variety of other flowers and trees along small trails which lead to various buildings and 30'+ tall statues on the enormous property! We arrived after daily prayer (free for anyone to attend, there is a dress code though) and we purchased 3 egg rolls from their small kitchen. The kitchen cooks food for sale daily, FCFS, and when the food's gone, it's gone! They also have a gift shop which sells incense, signs, statues, and more. Spent about an hour walking around. Highly recommend!

We drove over 2 hours to visit this serene and majestic spot. We were lucky enough to attend the meditation on Sunday as well as learn walking meditation. Kathy (I think that was her name) was so helpful and pleasant. She got us seated inside, got us all together for a group photo, told us the history, & showed us around. All around a great experience.