For vacations looking to enjoy the high life on a low budget, Lakeland has long been a hidden gem in Polk County tucked between Florida’s theme parks, larger cities and beaches. But Central Florida residents know that Lakeland is a city to discover. Home to boutique shops, a vibrant downtown, a burgeoning culinary scene and numerous historic attractions, Lakeland has earned a spot in the winner’s circle.
Spring brings a unique twist to Lakeland. Thanks to the usually dry weather and mild temperatures, festivals lay claim to city streets. For while elsewhere April showers bring May flowers, in Lakeland, it brings Mayfaire-by-the-Lake, a fine arts festival presented by the Polk Museum of Art and sponsored by Citizens Bank & Trust and The Ruthvens. A Mother’s Day weekend tradition, this year Mayfaire takes place May 9-10, 2026, as always along the shores of beautiful Lake Morton in downtown Lakeland. The free, two-day festival started as a small craft fair in 1971. Today, Mayfaire is one of the largest and oldest outdoor art festivals in Central Florida featuring ready-to-buy artwork, vendors, merchandise and plenty of food and drink vendors. Stretching three quarters of a mile around Lake Morton, Mayfaire features more than 140 artist booths and has been ranked among Sunshine Artist Magazine’s “200 Best Art Shows” for the last 10 years.
Fun fact, Lake Morton is also home to the iconic swans of Lakeland. An original pair of royal mute swans was gifted to the City of Lakeland by England’s Queen Elizabeth back in the 1950’s – hence, the city’s nickname, “the Swan City.” Today, more than 80 descendants continue to call Lake Morton home.
If you aren’t able to make it to Lakeland for Mayfaire, you can still enjoy great art at the nearby Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, a Smithsonian Affiliate. The museum offers a permanent collection of Pre-Columbian artifacts along with various other collections and rotating exhibits on display in eight galleries and a sculpture garden. Long standing selections from sculptor Auguste Rodin, mythic Florida artists The Highwaymen and Matisse pepper the museum, as well as works by Andy Warhol, Ansel Adams and Salvador Dali. And, thanks to great sponsors, admission to see all this great art is free. The museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays, but open until 8 p.m. on Thursday nights.
Head two blocks south and you’ll find the campus of Florida Southern College, designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior for being the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.
The fabled American architect designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Best known for his two most famous designs – Fallingwater, a private house in Pennsylvania, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City – Lakeland is home to his largest one site collection. Overlooking scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Wright’s “Child of the Sun” collection consists of 13 completed structures, including a library, a planetarium, two chapels and the Usonian House, based on a 1939 design for faculty housing. Both paid and self-guided walking tours of the “Child of the Sun” collection are available. Reservations are recommended.
Across town from one of Lakeland’s oldest attractions is the city’s newest, Bonnet Springs Park. Larger than nearly any theme park in Florida, this privately-owned public park was opened in 2022 and is situated on 168 acres of former railroad yards that underwent extensive remediation site work. Today, Bonnet Springs Park is a world-class park on a beautiful, flourishing property just a short distance from downtown Lakeland. Admission and parking are free, supported by an endowment, memberships, community partners, sponsors and patrons.
The mission of Bonnet Springs Park is to enrich the community through nature, culture, recreation and education. Any visit should start at the Welcome Center, which includes the history gallery, a gift shop and a coffee shop. The park itself is designed as an oval, with tram service around the property, and features multiple stops including a playground, a butterfly house, a nature center, a greenhouse, a botanical garden, a treehouse and the scenic treetop canopy walk. Visit the Depot Café for lunch or a snack, then spend some time enjoying the view across the park from the rooftop bar.
Another gem located within Bonnet Springs Park is the Florida Children’s Museum. Visitors will find something for the whole family in this two-story state-of-the-art facility, that offers 47,800 square feet of hands-on exploration. The museum has several galleries full of interactive permanent exhibits including the Watermelon Seeds gallery for the youngest of children. The St. Christopher’s Project City Play gallery is a child-sized version of a real city which allows children to explore a wide range of careers. They can transform into a firefighter, create their own TV newscast or take a shift as a cashier at the local supermarket. Out front is the Harrell Family Charities Front Yard, an enclosed outdoor space featuring a 100-foot climbable alligator named Blinky, after a famous one-eyed resident alligator who called Lakeland home in the 1970s. Admission to the museum is $20 per person for those ages 2 and up. Parking is free.
If you wish to see an alligator in its natural habitat, head over to Circle B Bar Reserve on the East edge of Lakeland. Called one of the “Top 50 Places to see Wildlife” by USA Today, the former 1,267-acre cattle ranch has been restored to its original, natural state. Today, birders, hikers, photographers, painters and nature lovers come from around the world to experience this natural treasure. The reserve, which is made up of freshwater marshes, hardwood swamps, oak hammocks, creeks and lakes, is home to an assortment of wildlife, including waterfowl, ospreys, eagles and alligators. For the best opportunity to spy a gator, don’t miss the 1.2-mile Alligator Alley trail along Lake Hancock.
The on-site Polk Nature Discovery Center helps visitors of all ages understand the delicate ecosystem of Central Florida with indoor and outdoor classrooms and numerous exhibits specifically designed to engage and excite young minds. Admission is free for both the reserve and the Discovery Center. The Discovery Center is closed on Mondays.
Another way to see wildlife is to take a tour at Safari Wilderness Ranch in North Lakeland. Named one of the “10 Best Safaris in the U.S.” by Fodors.com, here you can witness the dramatic landscapes of the Serengeti without setting foot on an airplane. You’ll be guided through lush wetlands and open grasslands and enjoy spectacular close-up encounters with huge herds of exotic hoofstock. This 260-acre preserve is surrounded by Florida’s Green Swamp, an 870 square mile pristine watershed that is the source to five of Florida’s finest rivers. Tours are available by safari vehicle, on camelback, on ATVs and by kayak. One-hour drive-through safaris are also available (using your own vehicle) and optional extras include lemur feedings and a cheetah encounter.
Reservations are required.
With so much to see and do in this sweet spot of Florida, click here, or call 1-800-828-7655 to plan your vacation in Central Florida’s Polk County.