Lakeland: The Jewel in the Crown of Central Florida
Some Lakeland, Florida, Familiarization Facts:
– This city has an average daily temperature of 73 degrees, and is 141 feet above sea level.
– Lakeland, Florida, was first settled in the 1870’s, founded by Abraham Munn. Lakeland didn’t become incorporated until 1885.
– This Florida city was designated by Money Magazine in the late 1990’s as a “Best Place To Live In America” selectee.
– Lakeland, Florida, is a city of around 90,000 residents, and has roughly 175 churches.
– Lakeland is a college town, for The University of Southern Florida and Florida Southern College campuses are located here. Florida Southern has the largest concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.
– Lakeland is the Spring Training home of the Detroit Tigers and has had the longest association with a Major League Baseball team than any other spring training city.
Visitors will come away from Lakeland with a great feeling because its art and culture scene really create a positive ambience, yet will also feel as if they’ve been in a real down-to-earth Southern city, too.
These are my can’t-miss sites to see while visiting Lakeland, Florida:
Frank Lloyd Wright Walking Tour: Oh, What a Great Vibe!
This architectural tour along the western part of the the Florida Southern campus was one of the most memorable walks I’ve ever taken. Wright’s philosophy speaks loudly here, with twelve structures in all inspired by him, and called as a whole, the “Child of the Sun” collection. I’d only seen Wright’s edifices on television, but I finally got to experience his work up close and personal in Lakeland, Florida. As I walked around this part of the campus, a distinctly different kind of vibe came over me because Wright designed buildings in such a way that they complement the natural surroundings rather than intrude upon it.
Florida Southern College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its former President, Dr. Ludd Spivey, was a big fan of Wright’s designs, so he commissioned him in the late 1930’s to design a number of buildings for this school of higher learning. The twelve structures were completed over a 17-year time frame, spanning from 1941-58.
One of the best designs of Wright on the campus is the 1.5 miles of low Esplanades, which run along the western part of the campus. My favorite Wright structure is the Anne Pfeiffer Chapel, completed in 1941 by student labor. The building’s tower is known as “the bicycle rack in the sky” and “the bow-tie”.
The “Child of the Sun” Visitor Center will give visitors even more information about this great architectural mind and some background on his other inspired works. The center features permanent displays of Wright’s relationship with the college via photos, furniture, and drawings.
Wright Walking Tour: Florida Southern College. 111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive. 863-680-4110 or (863) 680-4597 www.flsouthern.edu/fllwctr/tourchoice.htm Free Admission.
Explorations V Children’s Museum: Kids can act like Adults!
Explorations V has been an interactive adventure for children of all ages since 1991. Three stories high, it covers the spectrum of science, health, consumer issues, and world culture. The world exhibits offer the kids the opportunity to get their Impressions Gallery Passports stamped each time they participate in one of the specific activities like visiting an Aztec Market or making a Nigerian Akuaba doll. Kids can shop like their parents do for groceries in the Explore store, the most popular exhibit. They can also act like a star as they dress for theatre and dancing parts in the Theater exhibit.
This Lakeland museum sponsors field trips and workshops for such activities as candle making, and rope making, to name just a couple. Throw a special birthday party for your son or daughter, as Explorations V offers such party themes as Chemistry and Princess Tea parties, which are a change of pace from the Chuck E. Cheese fare!
Explorations V Children’s Museum: 109 N. Kentucky Ave. 863-687-3869. www.explorationsv.com Admission Charge.
Patriotic Trees, Promenades, and Childhood Fun Just South of Lake Mirror
Lake Mirror is one of the city’s largest lakes, but to the south of it you will find it loaded with lots of family-themed activities, including Barnett Family Park, where children can play in the midst of fountains and splash water on each other. The playground area includes a ground made of recycled tires. Lake Mirror’s Promenade is almost 80 years old and fashioned after the classical Roman style of architecture, plus listed in the National Register of Historical Places. It leads to my favorite area in this complex, which is Hollis Garden.
Have you ever wished you could listen to a musical soundtrack while wandering through a beautiful garden? Well, your Mozart dreams will come true if you venture to this 1.2 acre Florida garden just south of Lake Mirror. It’s really loaded with the best of Mother Nature’s fare, featuring more than 10,000 flowers and ornamental shrubs which tell the story of the primeval roots of Florida’s agrarian period up to today. One of the sections of Hollis Garden (the sections are actually called “Rooms”) is the Trees of Americana Room, where the Helen Keller Water Oak and the M.L.K. Jr. Sycamore proudly stand.
Because butterflies are such an integral part of Lakeland and central Florida, a special section is reserved for these creatures of flight with vegetation that attracts them, encircled by a magnolia hedge. Garden lovers will take note just how aesthetically designed each of its 16 Rooms have been designed and maintained, which also reflect and honor the values of gardening. Take special note of “The Grotto Room’s” limestone walls and adorning of orchids. At the entrance of Hollis Garden, free walking maps are available for reference to the 16 Rooms.
Barnett Family Park and Hollis Garden are both located at 702 E. Orange Street to the south of Lake Mirror. Phone Contact for Hollis Garden: 863-603-6281. Free Admission.
Polk Museum of Art: Lakeland’s Artistic Treasure
For 40 years, Lakeland’s Polk Museum of Art has been a mecca for art lovers. Once housed in a former Publix Super Market, this venue not only shows art in all its forms, but it’s a center for education. Community art classes abound here, and Visual Arts students from Harrison Arts Center get their art training every day of the school year, adding to the vitality of the museum because of the spirit of youth and creativity that liven up the museum. The museum sponsors a large outdoor arts exhibit once a year that brings in people from all over the state.
The four areas of collection for this 37,000 square foot museum include Asian, Pre-Columbian, American/European Decorative, and Modern/Contemporary art, especially those crafted by Florida residents in the latter category. You’ll find a nice sampling of wood and fiber art and a sculpture garden is also located on the premises. Traveling exhibits find their way to the museum on a regular basis, including AFTERMATH: Images from Ground Zero, Photography by Joel Meyerowitz, which is scheduled to appear from April 22 – July 9, 2006, in one of the galleries.
Polk Museum of Art: 800 East Palmetto St., 863.688.7743. www.polkmuseumofart.org Free Admission for Members, kids 5 and under, and students; nominal admission fee for everyone else.
Down-Home Southern Eatin’ in Lakeland
When you are done with your touring of the Wright buildings, viewing great exhibits at the Polk Museum of Art, and being Bach’ed out at Hollis Garden, here’s a couple of great places in Lakeland where you can re-fuel your body at. These eateries also emanate that down-home Southern feel!
Harry’s Seafood, Bar, and Grille: New Orleans comes to Lakeland
This is a wonderful New Orleans-style restaurant in the heart of Lakeland. Its fresh seafood is awesome, especially the calamari! I ate a very popular Bayou dish of Red Beans and Rice with smoked sausage, served up on a large platter: Very filling and delicious! Other dishes of note are the Louisiana Gumbo, Pasta Jambalaya, and Crawfish Tails.
Harry’s is decorated to give the feel of being in Bayou country. It’s a real local favorite for Lakelanders, and is across the street from Munn Park, named after Lakeland’s founder! Outdoor dining is available, too.
I have a good friend who is from Bayou country in Louisiana. When I went over the establishment’s menu with her after returning back to frigid Wyoming, she told me this place serves true Bayou dishes all the way down the line! So Harry’s isn’t one of those gimmicky touristy eating traps that try to pull the wool over tourist’s eyes. Harry’s take out menu doesn’t just laundry list their items, but goes into decent descriptions of their selections. Harry’s currently has 8 locations around the panhandle of Florida and central Florida.
Harry’s Seafood, Bar, and Grille: 101 N. Kentucky Ave., 863-686-2228
www.hookedonharrys.com
Garden Bistro: Picnic-like dining in Lakeland
This little Lakeland eatery has a nice variety of sandwiches and salads, and its outdoor dining option is especially nice for lunchtime, so as to do some people watching around Lake Mirror. Garden Bistro is also open for breakfast, serving up omlets, waffles, and pancakes at fair prices. For lunch, I feasted on the Bistro’s Porta Garden sandwich, which contains, in part, alfalfa sprouts on bread. I really enjoyed it, and still had room to taste another great selection, their loaded Bistro Club Sandwich, full of bacon, turkey, and ham. They also serve a variety of homemade desserts and tea with strawberry flavor.
Garden Bistro: 702 E. Orange St. (In the back of the Magnolia Building between Hollis Gardens and the Barnett Water Park) 863-686-3332.
