Central Florida’s Lakeland, located off of Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando, makes for a great day trip or weekend destination. If you’ve visited Lakeland in the past or lived there years ago as we once did, you’ll be surprised to see how much it’s evolved in recent years.
Before we share some of our top picks to visit during your Lakeland visit, let’s share a few interesting facts:
–Lakeland gets its name because (shocker) it has a lot of lakes.…38 of them within city limits as well as some smaller ones. The biggest lake is Lake Parker.
–Lakeland is home to the corporate offices for Publix, the behemoth supermarket associated with Florida as much as our alligators, a mouse called Mickey, and sunshine. Find out more about Publix history here.
–In 1956, Elvis Presley performed at the Polk Theatre in the downtown.
–Munnville, Redbug (named for the harvest mite insects once found there), and Rome City were all names proposed for Lakeland. We think people got it right by sticking with the current name!
–Lakeland High School has a beast of a football team and prior to the 2023-2024 season, it ranked 56 nationally, according to MaxPreps.
–In 2023, Lakeland was ranked #3 as a boomtown in the U.S. by LendingTree, due to its fast growth. It ranked even higher than Jacksonville and North Port, the two other Florida cities in the top 10. Metro Lakeland currently has 364,000 residents. Expansion at Publix and a nearby Amazon hub as well as its proximity to other major Florida cities and counties make it attractive to many. Plus, it’s more affordable than many Florida coastal areas.
9 Things to See and Do Around Lakeland
So, whether you’re checking out Lakeland as a potential place to live or you just need a getaway, here are 8 places you should see.
Circle B Bar Reserve
There are places in Florida with alligators, and then there are places with ALLIGATORS. We don’t necessarily mean a difference in gator size but just in quantity and how, well, wild the place feels. Circle B Bar Reserve fits into the ALLIGATOR category. The reserve is is truly the alligators’ home, and we’re just visiting it. Plus, you’ll find tons of birds and other wildlife. Circle B has a mix of trails from which to choose, whether you want an easy stroll with kids or you want to take your time to get nature shots (you’ll find many birders and photographers there). As always, we recommend going early and bringing water, sunscreen, and bug spray. Stay AWAY from any gators, even if they are blocking the trail, which happened to us last time. Show them respect and just turn around to go the other way! Find out more about Circle B in our previous story here.
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College has been named one of the prettiest campuses in the U.S., and we can see why. It’s situated right beside scenic Lake Hollingsworth, and it’s home to the biggest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world. In fact, the college even offers architectural tours and has a special visitors’ area where you can find out more about Wright’s buildings there. Home to about 3,000 students, if you still want to see more after your campus stroll, there’s a trail around Lake Hollingsworth, and there are some cute historic homes to see in the adjacent Lake Morton neighborhood.
Southeastern University
If you’re into campus tours (self-guided or with others), then you should also visit Southeastern University, a growing Christian college also located in Lakeland. The campus has expanded a lot in recent years (it now has 8000+ students) and added a football stadium, Victory Field, in 2014. The campus architecture has a more modern feel to it with some peaceful touches like butterfly sculptures. Plus, there’s a Chick-fil-A on campus–need we say more?!
The Swans at Lake Morton
Swan City, baby! Lakeland is home to about 80 swans that live on Lake Morton in the downtown area. Believe it or not, #SwanLife in Lakeland started in 1926, when the city even established a Swan Department to care for the 20 swans living there. Unfortunately, they were dying out due to alligators, chemicals, and other reasons. Then, Queen Elizabeth II gifted two swans to the city in 1957. Here’s a link to an interesting story about how the swans got to Lakeland. Since then their ranks have increased, and you’ll notice that Lake Morton is also now home to a bevy of other birds, including ibises, ducks, and others. The city continues to monitor the swans’ health and rounds them up once a year to check on them. Visiting the swans to feed them or take pictures (at a respectful distance, please) is just part of Lakeland living. You’ll also find swan statues around Lakeland in honor of their historical role.
Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market
If you’re into farmers markets, you’re in for a real treat. We’ve watched Lakeland’s Downtown Farmers Curb Market on Saturdays grow into a big, popular happening. You’ll find ready-made food, produce, artisans, and lots of fun music and people watching. The market is located in the ever-changing downtown area (plan to stick around a bit and check out some nearby shops and restaurants), and it’s open 11 months out of the year. The market closes in August. Find a map of the market’s location here.
Bonnet Springs Park
Bonnet Springs Park sits on 168 acres of a former railroad operation in Lakeland that was long forgotten until plans for Bonnet Springs Park began to form. This private public park opened in October 2022 and is quite impressive with its size and dozens of nooks and crannies to walk and enjoy nature on your own or with family and friends. Bonnet Springs Park also has some hills, which you don’t see every day in Florida. Plus, entrance is free. There’s lots to explore at the park, like the Florida Children’s Museum, a botanical garden, a playground, nature center, canopy walk, and much more. There’s also a Depot Cafe and a garden bar, but we think the park is a great place to have a picnic as well. You could make a half-day of your visit to Bonnet Springs or, if you’re with kids, perhaps a full day if you also visit the kids’ museum.
Hollis Garden
Hollis Garden offers an oasis of calm in a crazy world. Located in downtown right beside Barnett Family Park, the manicured 1.2 acres of Hollis Garden offers a free, public botanical garden with more than 10,000 flowers, native trees, and ornamental shrubs When we visited, the park was piping in some classical music, and we could take our time wandering the garden paths and looking out at Lake Mirror. We saw one family taking pictures there for a daughter’s quinceañera (15th birthday party celebration), so it’s definitely a place to keep in mind if you want special pictures. Just double check some of its photo rules online. You can also hop onto a path to extend your walk around the lake. If you’re visiting nearby Barnett Family Park for the kids, a quick stop at Hollis Garden could help you regain your composure! Check the schedule online as Hollis is closed on Mondays.
Safari Wilderness Ranch
See nature up close….like real close! Safari Wilderness Ranch brings you face-to-face with some of the most famous safari animals you can think of, like zebras, water buffalo, lemurs, gazelles, and more. Choose from a drive-thru safari experience (if you’ve been to Lion Country Safari in the Palm Beach area, it’s similar), an open-air tour with a group, a camel tour, an ATV and even a kayak tour. The animals live on 260 acres and roam freely, often in herds. Plus, we see that they now offer camping. Double check prices before you book as it’s not cheap, but Safari Wilderness definitely an unforgettable experience. Here’s a link to another time that we wrote about Safari Wilderness Ranch.
Common Ground Playground
If you’re on the go with kids, then you’ll definitely want to make time to visit Common Ground Playground, geared toward children of all ages and abilities. We remember visiting Common Ground not long after it opened and were impressed by the wide range of equipment in this “inclusive play experience,” as its website describes it. It’s a pretty big playground, so have a plan in place to keep your eye on wandering kiddos.
