I'm a Florida native and have visited Winter Haven many times over the years, but I had never had…read morethe opportunity to experience the Chain of Lakes from the water. I'm so glad I finally did the Living Water Boat Cruises pontoon tour--it gave me an entirely different perspective on the area. One of the highlights for me was cruising past the former Cypress Gardens property, now part of LEGOLAND. I remember visiting Cypress Gardens as a child, so it was fascinating and nostalgic to see the property from the water, including the historic Florida-shaped swimming pool that is being restored and the beautiful old Florida vegetation. Our captain and guide, Sage, was excellent. She is also a Florida native and was extremely knowledgeable about the local history, the lakes, and the wildlife. During the tour we saw ospreys, otters, an alligator, and many different birds. We even got to watch floatplanes landing and taking off on the lakes, which was an unexpected treat. We toured the southern portion of the Chain of Lakes early in the morning, which was perfect because it was an extremely hot Florida day with temperatures expected in the 90s. The timing made the trip very comfortable and enjoyable. I especially appreciated that I happened to be the only guest on my tour and they still accommodated me rather than canceling. It ended up feeling like a wonderful private tour. This was such an enjoyable way to experience a part of Florida that I had never really seen before, despite growing up here. I would highly recommend it to visitors as well as longtime Floridians who want to see Winter Haven and the Chain of Lakes from a completely different perspective

I took the 2-Hr Sunset Cruise in July and had such a memorable time. Captain Sage gave an…read moreOUTSTANDING tour. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and skills were everything you'd want on a boat tour, especially if you're like me visiting the area for the first time. I found the landmarks, wildlife, and local history to be fascinating, and this was also a wonderful way to beat the summer heat. It was just myself and another party of three on the tour. A relaxing time was had and I was so taken with the scenery and landscapes as they are so different from where I live. I highly recommend this tour for visitors and locals alike and would definitely take another tour of theirs if given the chance.

We've been fishing with Shea for 5 years in a row now, and we wouldn't go with anyone else. My son…read morewas 8 on our very first trip with Shea, and now it has turned into a full-blown obsession. Shea's knowledge and professionalism make every trip fantastic, and he consistently puts us on fish. This is and experience we look forward to every year. Highly reecommend!!

Fish with Captain Jim probably a half dozen times. Never been left down. Always had keepers over…read more6lb with multiple fish in the 7,8,9lb class. And a couple over 10 lb. He want let you down!!! Randy Murphy

Took my daughter, who's nine, out for a kayak tour today. Guide was friendly, attentive and was…read morewonderful with our daughter, as it was her first time on a kayak.I will definitely do this again.

This is the best place to go!!! My boyfriend and I had the most fun on this trail ride- you can…read moreeven go faster than a walking pace on your horse which was such a relief (my boyfriend and I have ridden before and were looking for more than a walking ride). We will be back!

Abbey, the owner is so lovely and cares so much for her clients and horses. Beautiful area and so…read moremany birds and nice scenery. The horses are very patient and well trained. Highly Recommend!

The area is very crowded, parkiing was notabundant, difficult to find the office, the room was…read morespacious, very clean, the beds were rustic but extremely high and difficult to access, there was not a step stool available, the beds were hard, no extra blanket, the TV did not work at all, leaving nothing to do but sleep, there was a canteen type food hut, not indoor seating, long wait for food, front office thought there was 2 laces to eat, lot of room noise in room but us almost all night, doors opening and closing often. I think if you are a senior citizen, this is definitely not for you. Also everything runs off of cash mostly, no credit or debit cards. We had a 2 night reservation and had to just leave early day 2. We just forged our payment. Would not go there again.The lady in the office was pleasant and in the air boat office was also pleasant!

Ever wonder where the quintessential southern campsites are located, look no further than Camp Mack…read more- this is where the piney woods meets up with the Florida swampland. You ain't never experienced old Florida charm until you been here, the land of airboats and alligators, a place where the mosquitoes swarm at dusk and the screeching wildlife will wake you before dawn. Ahhh this is the life I love, a place where the internet struggles to connect you with the real world, the only agenda here is rest and relaxation, a place where chores are something you'll look forward to, most consist of filling the yeti with ice and can beer and visiting your neighbors on your golf cart or 4 x 4 ranger. There are no strangers here it seems everybody shares the same mindset. I spent five days here and I didn't want to leave when it came time to break camp. This place is known for its fishing and believe me they are plentiful, it's a simple recipe - catch / clean / fry. I like beer but I'm not a beer drinker I prefer vodka so I stocked up before arriving, finding beer is easy if you like the hard stuff it's a trip to town I'm guessing it at least thirty miles round trip and leaving the camp will break the vibe and there's no reason to do that if you prepare. There are no typical days here every is different but everyday is the same in the sense that you own one hundred percent of your time while you're here, it's a place you can turn your phone off and disconnect for awhile and forget anything else exist - I know I don't do that enough but I do know this is the kind of life we should be addicted too. Okay okay I'll review the place instead of the lifestyle that seems to be the norm here. Things to do: cross the street and you're in a beautiful State Park, find a shady spot down at the boat ramp and watch one of the best shows on earth there seems to be an endless number of unique water crafts being launch or being pulled from the water (airboats, bass boats, skiffs, pontoon boats, jon-boats, etc) I say with the utmost respect this place is like the redneck yacht club where everyone seems to have a buzz e.g people ride in the boats while it's still on the trailer going down the road - yes they are creeping along but it's still fricking awesome. I recommend you leave any pretentious behavior at home and pay attention to the dress code it's very easy to look out of place here - acceptable clothing includes - anything camouflage, women should have a few pairs of short shorts and a ragged pair of cowboy boots and any kind of top you can tie in the front, men shirts are optional but a stained tank top and a pair of Tevas gets you status. After the sunsets fire pit sitting beer drinking attire rules can I get a little yeehaw repeat day two and day three and so on and so on. Other highlights include a visit to the outpost store lots of beer and snacks, a indoor fish cleaning area and a bait shop, a outdoor projection screen, community fire pit, you can rent bicycles and pontoon boats or take a swamp tour on an airboat. They occasionally have live music which I hear is pretty amazing with an outdoor food court and beer for sale. The campsites are large and plentiful with full hookups with concrete or paver pads, they offer up to 50 amps, water and sewer all included unless you're planning on staying awhile then you pay for utilities. There are a few bars and restaurants, maybe restaurants is a stretch but you can buy food on property. There's a lodge onsite if you don't have a camper and still want to experience this unique venue. Theres lots more I don't think it's possible to take it all in at least not in the five days I spent here - I believe having a good cup of hot coffee at sunrise sitting in your favorite chair is nirvana, having a cocktail at sunset in the same chair by the fire pit will rejuvenate you, there's nothing wrong with freeing your soul once in awhile...

If someone in Lakeland tells you they are going to walk/ run/ rollerblade/ bike/ set up a hammock…read moreat "the lake", there's 0% chance they are talking about anywhere other than Hollingsworth! (okay, so maybe more like 2%, but you get what I'm saying). Hollingsworth is the lake. It's the place to go anytime you need to get out, need something to do, need to exercise or see some nature or are a bored college student. (especially the college student thing) It's a fantastic lake, and easily one of the largest in Lakeland. There's a lovely walking and running path that wraps around the lake, that adds up to being just shy of 3 miles total. It takes half an hour at a slow jog to get around the lake, or 45-60 minutes to walk. If you watch closely enough, you can spot a few gators, ducks, cranes, egrets, and even the occasional turtle or otter hanging out at Hollingsworth. It's not just a Lakeland local spot for people, it's the animals' choice too! Not to mention the walking paths also have markers indicating how far you've gone, at quarter mile intervals. So if you go here deciding you'll torture yourself with a run, you know how long you've lit your body on fire and how much longer you need to reach full battery drainage. It's really a lovely attribute. There is free parking and a decent amount of spots, but in the evenings it fills up quickly and many will park on the grass right along the path. Brb, I'm gonna go walk the lake!

Came to visit this place with my family and enjoyed the walk very much. I like the fact that the…read morepark offers different types of activities you can do with the family or on your own. If you like the outdoors and like nature walking, this could be a place for you. Come visit this place if you happen to be in Lakeland.

Very small skate shop near the "Boring building" and across from the old Lincoln "Sputnik" neon…read moresign. Owner is very knowledgeable and safety conscious. Some prices are lower than online. A great local business to support if you are going to the nearby city skate park.

Stopped in during a business layover this past Fall. I liked the vibe. No pressure sales tactics…read more Answered my questions as best they could. When they didn't know something, they admitted it and said they would find out and call me later. I will stop the review here, as this says it all...no BS kind of place, which is uncommon in this industry.

Great staff. Super friendly and helpful! They helped me replace the battery in my dive computerread more