Beautiful park with a big lake. They have a pavilion you can rent for events, a playground for kids…read more5-12 years of age and another one for younger children. They also have basketball & tennis/pickleball courts, and a pool/splashpad you can pay for during the hot months. They hold the 4th of July fireworks here and it's a beautiful display.

BBQ & Brews Ribs on the Ridge Haines City set up Lake Eva Park, something for all ages. Pit Masters…read morefills the air with sweet smell of bbq smoke drifting via air. There's foods, games, music, right off the lake. People gathering to view, see, partake in this event that's been so long in the making, Kids playing with frisbee, balls, laughter enjoying a good family day. @miracle Toyota giving away, free frisbees to each kid to enjoy the relaxing day. There's Mac & cheese, corn on cob, greens, icees, bbq even the @Budweiser car was present to take pics ask questions. There was variety of food trucks. The bands had windows each played music then another band came set up and the music lived on. The weather was Absolutely gorgeous. Plenty of free parking, sitting, wonderful community event.

South Lake Howard Nature Park is the perfect place to enjoy a walk. The 17.6 acre area was…read moreoriginally developed to treat stormwater. Stormwater parks help the environment by capturing and retaining stormwater runoff which prevents flooding in the surrounding areas. It cleanses and stores stormwater to recharge the aquifer. The pond plants removes pollutants from the water leaving it clean. Left untreated stormwater leads to algal blooms, muck deposits, fish kills, and other environmental problems. These ponds also attract a variety of wildlife including Florida's beautiful wading birds, alligators and turtles while providing a recreation area for the public. The South Lake Howard Nature Park opened in 2001 and contains stormwater ponds and infrastructure to help clean and filter the stormwater water from the sucrose's and neighborhoods before it enters Lake Howard. At the entrance to the park is a parking lot, picnic pavilions with tables, and restrooms. The first part of the trail into the park is a 1,000 foot boardwalk that takes you over the water. Further into the park are three paved loops measuring a quarter mile, half mile, and mile. At one point you have to cross over 21st West. The paved pathways make it easy for people of all exercise abilities to enjoy the park. As wonderful as the park is, there is even more to come. The city purchased an adjoining property which was the former home of WSIR Radio. They plan on adding more trails, boardwalks, kayak launch, play area, disc golf, an outdoor classroom and other amenities. Keep an eye out for the exciting new developments at South Lake Howard Nature Park.

Lake Shipp is part of the chain of lakes in Winter Haven. The 276 acre freshwater lake is an almost…read morecompletely round shape. Lake Shipp Park is located in the west side of the lake. This part of Central Florida has many lovely parks and I discovered Lake Shipp Park while returning from a visit to the South Lake Howard Nature Park. Lake Shipp Park was built in the 1960's on 4.41 acres. Attracted by the beautiful view of the lake which I think is the best feature of the park, I stopped to check it out. Lake Shipp park is popular with anglers who can fish from the elevated boardwalk that leads to a fishing pier. Pumpkinseed, Chanel catfish, bull head, bluegill, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, and redbreast sunfish have all been recorded in Lake Shipp. There is plenty of room for fly casting. The park is also popular with boaters and jet and water skiers. A concrete boat ramp was deepened in 2011. Other park amenities include a playground, restroom, bench swings, picnic tables, and a covered pavilion that can be rented. On the day I visited it was being used for a birthday party. Lake Shipp Park is adjacent to the Sertoma Park baseball fields for further fun.

Small park with beautiful scenery but not very well maintained. Bathrooms were yuck! Playground…read morelooks sad and not shaded with lots of metal so kids couldn't play- way too hot. At least trash cans had been emptied.

Lake Wailes Park takes it's name from Lake Wailes on whose shore it lies. The land that makes up…read moreLake Wales was first surveyed in 1879 by Sidney Irving Wailes. He changed the name of Watts Lake to Lake Wailes after himself. The city of Lake Wales was established near the lake in 1911-12 by the Lake Wales Land Company. The spelling Wales was used for the city, although the lake is still spelled Lake Wailes. The park is visually stunning. Under old oak trees dripping in Spanish moss sit picnic tables. On the north side of the lake is a boat ramp. There is a fishing pier on the west side of the lake with an observation gazebo that offers a beautiful view of the lake. The 2.5 mile Lake Wailes Trail, a lighted and paved hike/bike path winds through the park for exercise enthusiasts. It leads around the lake from the south side to Kiwanis Park on the northeast corner at N. Lake Shore Blvd. and Cephia St. It should be noted that there are no restrooms in the park. This passive park that is perfect for a stroll or a picnic lunch. It is also a great place for bird watchers. Migrating song birds can be spotted in the trees in spring and fall. Around the edge of the lake are Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. On the shore are Least Bitterns, White Ibises, Anhingas, Florida Sandhill Cranes and winter ducks. Common Loons inhabit the area in winter. The stately trees add to the old Florida look of the area and it easy to see why Mr. Wailes fell in love with the lake and view.

Lake Wailes Park is a peaceful and older park with picnic areas and a 2.5 mile hike along the lake…read more It also has a pier, boat ramp, basketball court, play ground, soccer field and more. It is open from 7am to 7 pm daily and is dog friendly. During my visit there was a large festival going on with lots of family fun activities.

Thoroughly enjoyed a quick and short getaway at this lakeside retreat! A few days soaking in the…read more"old Florida" charm will revitalize anyone's soul. Tucked away on the shore of Lake Pierce, there are several cabins and RV spots available. The owners were super nice and helpful... they truly were invested in ensuring all guests enjoyed their accommodations while at their retreat. I can see how this place would be a great destination for a family reunion. Unplug from wifi (though they have it available if you need it!) and enjoy one another's company surrounded by nature.... complete with alligator sightings at Lake Pierce and hoots-a-plenty from the resident night owl whom hung out at the basketball hoop nightly during our stay. The cabins were beautifully decorated and glamp level comfy. The kids enjoyed the "game room" and especially loved the fishing at the pond- loads of catch and releases in a day! They were fascinated with being able to find the eel as it randomly popped up to say hello. Cabin costs were a steal so log on to their new website and book yourself a much deserved rest and relaxation few days. Below are some extra points to help you with your packing: Kitchen- can't hurt to bring: Dish scrubbing sponge Extra garbage bags Tips: Broom is behind refrigerator in cabin 8 Bring paper plates and cutlery if you don't like washing your own dishes by hand Bathroom- should bring: Shampoo/conditioner Body soap Lotion Hair dryer (if you need it) Living room: Pull out sofa bed linen and pillows are in a bin in bedroom closet in cabin 8 Other tips: Gas fire pit in center lawn Many other circle fire pits available with free wood behind cabin 5/6 Bring fixings for s'mores! Winn Dixie, Publix and Walmart aren't too far away... InstaCart also delivers here with no issues! They have direct TV and roku in the cabins in case you need to take temporary shelter from the momentary bouts of Florida sky sprinkles Rent a kayak or canoe and take on the massive Lake Pierce

1st time visiting this resort, doesn't get much better, beautiful, clean, well managed, from the…read morelake front to the camp sites, easy access, back in & pull through. Stocked fishing pond, boat launch & trailer parking, we'll stocked on-site store (basics). The owners, Cheryl & her husband, caring folks, make u feel welcome & take pride in their establishment. Def will b back.

I was actually surprised at the trails here. At first glance you don't see them and then there they…read moreare hidden from the parking area and fishing "lakes". Pretty trails which wind around more water area and under canopies of trees. Unfortunately there is trash lying around and some of the people I encountered seemed to not be there for nature, so that's why I only rated it three stars. Signs are almost unreadable and area doesn't seem to be taken care of. I will go back as I didn't get to explore the whole length of the trails. I advise being aware of your surroundings out here. Also enjoy nature and the beauty this park has to offer

Worked at Saddle Creek in Lakeland, Florida in Building 18…read more Here is my experience: 1. Arrived at building 18 and made contact with Kathy in dispatch. Kathy instructed me to wait on another driver who could train me on a CNG tractor. 2. Waited for 2 hours in the breakroom. Finally introduced to Omar (CNG trainer) who showed me how to operate CNG. Kathy then assigned a truck to me which was not CNG but regular tractor day cab. (wasted almost 2 hours). 3. Assigned a trailer and handed the BOL by Kathy. On pre trip of assigned trailer, found license plate light was out. Informed kathy of defect and was instructed to repair the light at the shop. 4 At repair shop, light was fixed and finally dispatched at around 12:30 noon. Had been in touch with kathy and ELD logs documenting this defective light and the late dispatch. Receiving: Arrived at 1st receiver (Ft. Lauderdale). Discovered that the trailer was loaded incorrectly by Saddle Creek warehouse. Had to physically remove all packages from the trailer to get the 1st stop's load. Then had to reload the trailer to head to the second stop (West Palm Beach). Received numerous calls from Kathy in dispatch asking about my ETA to Palm Beach. Notified her and dispatch that the unloading took a lot of time and DOT hours were dwindling. Made it to the 2nd stop with an irate and rude warehouse manager. Asked me "what my The problem was" because I was late. Explained about the trailer error but didn't care. Notified dispatch( Kathy and Scott) that manager was rude and in my face. Leaving 2nd stop, notified Scott in dispatch that DOT hours were running out. (had to make it back from Palm Beach to Lakeland in 3 hours). This was not happening. Was instructed by Scott to take the 16 hour exception and proceed. Asked specifically about other options but received 0 feedback from Scott. Arrived back at Saddle creek building 18 and violated DOT driving rule (had to drive 1 hour illegally) Next Day Summary of Events Report was sent by both Scott and Kathy in dispatch to warehouse supervisor Chris Sands of the following: 1. Driver (me) dispatched late (completely ignoring the license plate light issue-item 3 above) 2. Driver took tractor to shop without authorization (was approved and instructed by Kathy to take the truck to the shop (item 3 above) 3. Driver took to long to unload (completely ignoring that the trailer was loaded incorrectly from warehouse) 4. Driver violated DOT driving hours: Scott stated to Chris Sands that he "told me, the driver, that if I run out of DOT time, to call him. This was false and Scott never mentioned those words to me. I do however take full responsibility for the illegal dot driving. In Summary I have found that the two personnel, Kathy and Scott (who was in direct contact with me during the entire load) reported false and inaccurate statements to management to either mitigate risk from the operations standpoint or to shift blame more on the driver. Met with Chris Sands (manager at building 18) in person and had a good meeting. Chris was attentive, direct, and a good listener. his major issue was with the illegal drive time (which is completely understood). Had no other comments or feedback when I explained that his dispatch team (kathy and Scott) falsified and accurately described the load events and details.

We saw a lot of wildlife including massive gators, rabbits and a raccoon and tons of different…read morebirds. It was very peaceful.

What a wonderful, beautifully maintained, park! We were awed on the hiking trail we looped around…read moreon. The wildlife we saw was pure joy. There are interpretive signs, as well as warning signs (alligators, snakes, etc) along the way which was an added bonus. Although there was a huge number of vehicles in the parking lot, we barely ran across other hikers. The pathway we took, about a 2.5 mile loop, had minimal foot traffic. The paths are wide, wide enough for worker or emergency vehicles. We enjoyed this park very much and plan to return, albeit most likely NOT in the dead of the Florida summer heat/humidity. We are not that "adventurous" hahaha. We are very blessed with the County and State parks we have here, that's for sure!

I've paddled the Emerald Cut a few times now. Initially I didn't like the idea of paying to launch…read moremy own paddleboard. However, it's only $10 now that I have my own life jacket (saving me additional cost of $5 to use one of theirs, as required). Well worth the low cost for some soul-enriching, communing with nature. I have never made a reservation. I normally arrive around 10:30, most recently on a Friday. Parked for free on Baptist Camp Rd. Just a bit of a walk from there with my inflated paddleboard, but I don't mind the extra exercise. You can unload your stuff closer, if preferable. There are port-a-potties available. You can count on there being a line in the check-in office. Various recreation supplies are available there for purchase. The process moves reasonably enough. A reservation will guarantee your entrance, however, and possibly aide quicker personal info collection. I always plan to do the Emerald Cut in roughly 3 hours round-trip, allowing myself several stops to enjoy the surroundings. You do run into (quite literally at times) novice paddlers along the way, which can be a bit tricky, yet not a real nuisance for me. In general, there's friendliness along the waterway. Slighty rowdy, party vibes in some spots, but also opportunities for solace and zen in various nooks. Encountering wildlife, fragrant elderberry, and other captivating flora along this stretch is always gratifying. It's a popular recreation destination for good reason.

Many tourists don't realize Florida is home to stunning crystal-clear spring rivers--perfect for…read moreswimming, kayaking, and tubing aka "hidden gems". My Hubby and I love kayaking, so we booked an excursion months in advance for Rock Springs through TripAdvisor. Our Tour Operator was Get Up And Go Kayaking located at Kings Landing in Apopka, FL. I LOVE saying Apopka ;) The good news: Apopka is a quick 1 hour drive from Orlando. Make sure you don't miss the turn to King's Landing, because the entrance is located on a narrow dirt road. You must drive past Kelly Park (which fills up fast). There is a Park Ranger located here who will guide you to King's Landing. As you get closer and if you see a parking spot, grab it! Check in is located in the Cabin like office where you will have to sign a waiver. If you do not want to take a clear bottom, guided Kayak tour, you can either rent or BYO Kayak versus taking a semi private, clear, guided kayak tour. NOTE: ONLY use their Sunscreen/lotion which is provided at no cost. It protects the wildlife and the Springs. We wanted the full experience as we have previously enjoyed renting clear Kayaks. Our guide for the morning was: Megan, who was fantastic! Full of energy, information and helpful tidbits about the Springs and its human and wildlife inhabitants. Our group was small and capped at 10. We paddled through both narrow and open stretches, and stopped to swim in the warm, crystal-clear water. One highlight was a banyan tree with an 8-foot natural "jump hole"--such a cool experience! It was a serene, memorable day, and fun fact: this is the very spring featured in the Visit Orlando commercials! Yeah, definitely take a day away from crowded Orlando to relax and enjoy Mother Nature! You will Thank Me ;)