Polk County

Destination Highlights

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Things to do in Polk County

The Lakeland and Winter Haven area of Central Florida is the ideal place to stay during your next vacation. Area attractions include LEGOLAND® Florida Resort, Bok Tower Gardens and Westgate River Ranch Resort, while Orlando theme parks and beaches are just a short drive away. Stay Here and Choose Everything!

Did You Know?

Interesting & useful facts

1.

It is named after James K. Polk, the 11th president of the United States and the first president to govern the state of Florida.

2.

At Spook Hill stop your car at the bottom of a hill, put the car into neutral, and feel it creep its way back up the slope.

3.

At Safari Wilderness, get close-up encounters with eland, red lechwe, sitatunga, waterbuck & Grant’s zebra’s to name a few.

News About Polk County

Experience America's Pastime in Polk County

For those visiting Central Florida in springtime from the United Kingdom, accessing America’s Pastime – and the history and culture associated with it through one of its…

Move over Memphis, Polk County Barbeque is Here

Move over Memphis. Step aside Kansas City. Talk a stroll, Texas. And get yourself home, Georgia. When it comes to barbecue, Central Florida’s Polk County is here…

Fantastic Golf in Polk County

From residential courses to historic links, sprawling spaces to island greens, if your idea of a good time outdoors involves time spent on a golf course, Central…

Central Florida

Fun radiates in all directions from Central Florida. How do you make everyone happy? Easy. Choose everything. Disappointment has no rightful place on holiday. Instead, satisfy the whole family with the best that Florida has to offer—all from one super convenient location. Whether you’re in search of exhilarating thrills or a restorative escape, Central Florida’s Polk County has you covered. Soak up family fun on one of our 554 lakes; embrace your inner child at LEGOLAND Florida Resort; explore breathtaking parks and preserves; and immerse yourself in the vibrant flavors of our local food, history and culture. Your vacation in the middle of everywhere starts here.

Wildlife

If your vacation party has its fair share of wildlife aficionados, don’t miss Circle B-Bar Reserve. Share trails with alligators, bald eagles and turtles as you bike and hike your way through a lakefront preserve offering some of the best birding opportunities in all of Central Florida. For even more outdoor recreation, do as the locals do and head to the lakes. Polk County’s aquatic playground is the perfect place to try your hand at watersports like flyboarding, kayaking and waterskiing. Love fishing? You’re in luck. You’ve just dropped anchor in the Largemouth Bass Capital of the World. From airboat expeditions at Westgate River Ranch to camel rides at Safari Wilderness Ranch, there’s no shortage of new experiences to unearth.

Arts & Culture

Add to your vacation masterpiece with a day of arts and culture. View American masterworks at Lakeland’s Polk Museum of Art and Florida Southern College, home to the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world. If natural wonders elevate your creative spirit, put Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales on your must-see list. Featuring heavenly botanical gardens and a 205-foot Singing Tower carillon, this old Florida gem has captured the imaginations of Central Florida visitors for more than 80 years.

Something for Everyone

If you’re still hungry for more, don’t forget that just a short drive connects you to another unlimited spread of scrumptious activities. White sand beaches, the most magical place on earth, and more heart-racing, stomach-flipping roller coasters than you can count are all less than an hour away. When we say Visit Central Florida, we mean all of it.