Lakeland

Centered around a series of lakes, Lakeland is the largest city in Florida’s largest county and encompasses a region that is the birthplace of water skiing. With a downtown that dates back to the 1920s land boom, it boasts an elegant and historic lakeside promenade and a downtown core of classic brick buildings around a central park, Munn Park. Lakeland’s cosmopolitan arts and architecture scene includes among its treasures the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings on the campus of Florida Southern College, one of the last remaining themed movie palaces in the United States, and the Polk Museum of Art, with its ...

Centered around a series of lakes, Lakeland is the largest city in Florida’s largest county and encompasses a region that is the birthplace of water skiing. With a downtown that dates back to the 1920s land boom, it boasts an elegant and historic lakeside promenade and a downtown core of classic brick buildings around a central park, Munn Park. Lakeland’s cosmopolitan arts and architecture scene includes among its treasures the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings on the campus of Florida Southern College, one of the last remaining themed movie palaces in the United States, and the Polk Museum of Art, with its significant pre-Columbian collection. A center of the citrus industry, it’s a significant business center for agriculture and a place for lovers of gardens and parks, with world-famous Cypress Gardens in close proximity and the beautifully manicured Hollis Gardens on the downtown promenade. Halfway between Orlando and Tampa, it’s convenient to both, and one of Florida’s most child-friendly destinations, with a top-notch children’s museum downtown and the popular Barnett Family Park, offering wet and dry play areas along the shores of Lake Mirror.

About the Expert

Sandra Friend has written 12 books about Florida, including the Explorer's Guide (Countryman Press) series to Florida.