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Admire the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of Mission Resort + Club. The hotel’s design was inspired by a trip taken across Mexico by a young Nick Beucher, who would eventually go on to buy the Floridan Country Club and turn it into the resort it is today. In 1939, 25 years before he purchased the country club, Beucher saddled up and fulfilled his lifelong dream of crossing Mexico on horseback, riding almost 1,400 miles in 39 days. The resulting memories of his adventure became the inspiration for Mission Resort.

Learn how Mission Resort + Club was born out of a golf course considered one of Florida’s finest. In the late 1910s, the Florida Chain-o-Lakes Country Club was hailed for its lush forests, shimmering lakes, and rare tee-to-green elevations of 85 feet. Then, following the Great Depression and one of the worst freezes the Sunshine State had ever seen, the course and accompanying clubhouse fell into disrepair before being purchased by Nick Beucher in 1964, nursed back to health, and ultimately expanded into the resort it has become. Today, El Campeón has the distinction of being one of the oldest courses in the state and continues to be named one of Florida’s best courses.

Uncover the intertwined origin stories of Howey-in-the-Hills in Mission Resort + Club. In 1916, William John Howey purchased 60,000 acres of Central Florida real estate, intent on creating the world’s greatest citrus empire. (In fact, he later constructed the state’s first citrus juice plant in 1921.) On that very same land, he also built a grand golf course only one year after putting down roots in the area, which quickly helped the sport to balloon in popularity throughout the area. It was not until 1925 when the town of “Howey” was founded, later taking the name of “Howey-in-the-Hills" in 1927 as a nod to Mr. Howey dubbing the region “The Florida Alps.”

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