Central Florida has a wide range of attractions for families and individuals with special interests. This is a region that takes pride in being home to some of the best-preserved nature areas in Florida. From all my travels I realize that balancing human development with preservation of the natural world is a growing problem that is not Florida’s alone. But Polk County is trying hard.
The county markets itself as ‘Central Florida Tourism’, accurately placing it in the geographic center of the state, between Orlando to the east and Tampa to the west. In addition to nature, it has some high quality cultural and quirky attractions. Here are a few I’ve experienced:
Bok Tower and Gardens (please see my recent article, listed under More stories by Gary Crallé on the bottom of this web page)
Florida Southern College www.flsouthern.edu FSC is the oldest private college in Florida. To quote its official website: ‘Florida Southern College has the largest concentration of (Frank Lloyd) Wright designed structures anywhere in the world with 10 buildings and two additional structures on campus, and is in the National Register of Historic Places.‘ That about sums it up. Visitors are free to wander the campus, as we did. Architectural aficionados will enjoy walking through this contemporary history despite the minor ravages of Floridian climate on the structures.
Circle B Bar Reserve www.polk-county.net Polk County is to be congratulated for its enlightened decision to turn a former cattle ranch into a nature preserve. Its 1,267 acres) offer easy, free access to Floridian wildlife. You’ll find the site off Winter Lake Road/Hwy 540 bordering Lake Hancock. A ring walking trail is rich with aquatic wildlife, including several dozen species of birds plus reptiles such as alligators and turtles. Perfect for families. And this Nature Discovery Center is just one of 37 places to spot wildlife in the county.
Fantasy of Flight http://www.fantasyofflight.com Guide Jack Newton is a fellow with a robust laugh and sense of humor to match. His smiling face greeted us as we entered the Flight Center for a tour after downing a few milkshakes at the Compass Rose diner. He gave us a ground tour of the facilities which have more than 40 vintage aircraft plus flight simulators and interactive exhibits. We didn’t take a biplane flight with Waldo’s Wright’s Flying Service, but that’s available too, weather permitting. You choose between a 15-minute ride in a New Standard D-25 or piloting (yes, piloting!) a 1942 Boeing Stearman PT-17 for 30 minutes. Hot air balloon flights are another option.
Polk Museum of Art http://www.PolkMuseumofArt.org As one of the ten best art galleries in Florida, this is the little museum that could and does host the county’s fine arts exhibits – about 22 of them annually. There’s a permanent installation of pre-Columbian artifacts; the rest of the building is dedicated to rotating exhibits. I’ve found that gallery gift shops can be a fine source of past and present offerings. To show this, the staff helped me stage a table still-life of interesting objets d’art, while visiting students volunteered some background action to add a human element.
Silver Moon Drive-In http://www.silvermoondrivein.com Little did I know when we attended the weekend flea market at the Silver Moon that this 1948 art deco structure was Lakeland’s First Drive-in theatre. If you’re old enough (and agile enough), you can relive the days — or evenings — with first-run movies 7 nights a week. The original concession stand still operates, but now you can hear the audio on your car radio. Remember, the windows may steam up when completely closed!
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Story and photos copyright © Gary Crallé 2013. No commercial reproduction without written consent.
Central Florida Tourism www.visitcentralflorida.org
