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Istokpoga Park

4.7 (3 reviews)

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4 years ago

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Donaldson Park

Donaldson Park

5.0(2 reviews)
24.8 km

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to read two reviews. Read Ariel W's and especially…read moreperuse her photos. As a five-year resident of this teeny tiny town, I'll add to hers and here are my additions- * The pavilions are a big draw as they have nice big canopies for shade and sturdy picnic tables. Each has its own trash bin a few feet away. That's nice but they are fly and hornet magnets! Just sayin- * Because of the adjacent playground, birthday parties are common. Expect a bunch of rug rats to be running around. * This is a no pets park except for service animals of course. There is minimal chance you will step in something horrendous with your bare feet. * It's nicely lit at night so it's a nice place to enjoy the cool of the evening. * If you enjoy alcohol, as long as you wrap your can, you know what I mean, nobody with bother you. * This is rural Florida and everyone with half a brain knows every lake has gators! The beach is nice and if you swim during the day the chances of even seeing one is minuscule! If you decide to take a swim at night with an open wound, well, you didn't really need four appendages, did you?

Donaldson Park is located on East Main Street close to downtown. There are shady oaks, picnic…read morepavilions with tables, and a playground. During my visit there was birthday party in one of the pavilions. Donaldson Park sits on the shores of Lake Verona and there is a beach for swimming. I have always heard that if you swim in lakes in Florida you can get the brain eating Naegleria fowleri amoeba. When water gets up your nose it travels to your brain which is almost always fatal. There have been 37 reported cases in Florida since 1962. Peak times to get it are July through September. I am not sure if they test the water here or if people are just careful not to submerge their heads in the water. Although I grew up swimming in lakes in New Jersey, this is the first time I have seen a swimming beach on a Florida lake. Also noteworthy is the dinosaur skeleton on the beach. It features heavily in promotional pictures for Avon Park. The park is used by the City of Avon Park for events like the Blueberry Festival and Christmas in the Park. The beach looked inviting but I am just not sure how safe it is to swim here.

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Donaldson Park
Donaldson Park
Donaldson Park - If you swim during the day, don't worry about the gaters. If you swim in the evening, you could lose an appendage! :-(

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If you swim during the day, don't worry about the gaters. If you swim in the evening, you could lose an appendage! :-(

Lake Denton Management

Lake Denton Management

4.7(3 reviews)
21.3 km

Large lake that has clearly been set up for scuba training. There is a large parking lot and a…read morelarge concrete pad with many picnic tables that classes can use to set up gear, brief their dives, etc. The path from the pad to the lake has been cleared and is easy to traverse in full gear. They recently put up "sails" over the picnic tables to keep most of the sun off, which is really helpful. Every time I go, I can see some new improvement to the facilities. The lake itself is laid out with many lines and markers to facilitate underwater navigation. They have set up some "fun" things to see, such as mounting bicycles or creating a "gnome garden," sinking a boat with skeletons on board, etc. There are platforms that can be used for skills. The lake is good for Open Water and for Advanced classes. The bottom is fairly silty and it's easy to kick up a "storm" of silt and screw up visibility. The viz is between 10 and 20 feet (on a good day), and mostly greenish, so make sure you're sticking together. There are two port-a-potties and a small changing room...and that's it. Bring lots of water and snacks in a cooler. Waivers and reservations are done online. If you're a scuba instructor, register with the management of the lake (free) to get an instructor ID number. Use that number when you make reservations for your classes. Instructors are free, students pay $20 plus $1.20 in tax. Well worth it. When I have the time and students are willing to make the drive (it's 2 hours from my home and scuba shop), I prefer to do training here because I can take my time and not worry about the tides at Blue Heron Bridge.

So, sue me! My teeny tiny town Of Avon Park in Central Florida is lousy with lakes. You can't throw…read morea stick without hitting a lake. Of course, the stick would clunk a gator on the snout first! I finally got around to visiting this particular lake. Do your homework- If you are not from the area and looking for a place to swim & picnic, this isn't it! This lake has a lot of private homes surrounding it, but it has a big reputation for SCUBA divers. There is a divers parking lot with a few picnic tables where they lay out their gear. Local organizations hold diving classes here. There is also an adjacent boat ramp, but there is NO public swimming! Pro Tip- If you are traveling with little munchkins and looking for swimming & picnicking, I recommend Donaldson Park in downtown Avon Park. It's just minutes away. Nice beach. Divers love this place because the water is so clear and it's up to 50ft deep. If SCUBA is your thing, this is a four star stop.

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Lake Denton Management
Lake Denton Management
Lake Denton Management - Diving class going on!

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Diving class going on!

Sadie Khan Memorial Park

Sadie Khan Memorial Park

4.0(1 review)
13.5 km

The Sadie Khan Memorial Park is a quiet tree lined park perfect for passive respite in downtown…read moreSebring, It was the ideal place to sit outside and enjoy refreshment from nearby Sweetwater Coffee. George Sebring founded the town of Sebring in Highlands County in 1912. In 1923 pioneer residents Mike and Sadie Kahn moved to town and formed a strong friendship with George Sebring. The couple opened a dry goods store downtown on the ground floor of the Nan-ces-o-wee Hotel on Ridgewood Drive. The Kahn's were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and they opened the first synagogue in town on land donated by Mr. Sebring. The Kahn's purchased a 20 acre citrus grove asoutheast of Sebring and lived in a home on Old Desoto City Rd.Mike passed away unexpectedly at the age of 52 and Sadie took over the management of the groves eventually dividing them among her children. In 1980 the Sadie Kahn Memorial Park was named by the city. Located near Nan-ces-o-wee Hotel, the park was damaged during the hotel demolition. The Community Redevelopment Agency spearheaded a redesign and it was rededicated during Sebring's centennial in 2012..For the centennial celebration Kenneth Treister designed the parks centennial sculptures ,benches. and the mural of the Kahn's and their citrus orchard. In 2013 Mike and Sadie Khan's son Marvin and his wife Elsa Kahn deeded the property known as Sadie Kahn Memorial Park to the City on June 7, 2013. During his long career as a citrus grower Marvin Kahn fought for growers' property rights, practiced and advocated for water management, and served as a community booster. He was inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2018.

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Sadie Khan Memorial Park
Sadie Khan Memorial Park
Sadie Khan Memorial Park

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Istokpoga Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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