Lakeland brings together Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, art, aviation, and expansive parks. In 2012, the Historic District at Florida Southern College was designated a National Historic Landmark. It is home to the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture at a single site.
Architecture, Art, and Local History
The Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center presents the Florida Southern College campus as an interpretive center. Guided tours of Wright’s works start daily at the Geico Gift Shop on campus; reservations are strongly recommended. This lets you plan your stay around Lakeland’s architectural history rather than simply adding individual buildings to a longer list.
Downtown offers a different focus with the Downtown Public Art Trail: a mobile story map guides you through the city center between Lake Mirror and Lake Beaulah. The permanent collection at the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art ranges from contemporary and modern art to pre-Columbian, Asian, European, and American decorative art. The museum is wheelchair accessible. Family workshops take place on the first Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m.; admission to the museum is free every day.
Gardens, Trails, and Parkland
Hollis Garden is a 1.2-acre formal botanical display garden in historic Lake Mirror Park. The garden is closed on Mondays. Since opening hours vary by season, it’s best to check them before your trip. For a bike ride, Lakeland offers opportunities on its Lake-to-Lake Bikeway System.
At Lake Parker Park, four distinct, color-coded trail systems with markers help you find your way. One specific route is the 0.84-mile Water Path, which winds through a hardwood swamp forest. There is also a nine-hole disc golf course at the park’s northern edge. This gives you both a short, clearly described trail and a different activity in the same park, without requiring you to combine them into one outing.
The 168-acre Bonnet Springs Park can be explored on foot, by running, by bike, or in a wheelchair; admission is free. The Watson Clinic Gallery in the park tells the story of Lakeland’s development and the surrounding areas through their railroad and citrus heritage. Its perspective extends beyond one location to include the history of Central Florida.
Museums with Distinctive Focuses
At the Florida Children’s Museum, six exhibits span 47,800 square feet. A sensory-friendly area is wheelchair accessible. The Harrell Family Charities Front Yard includes Blinky, a fenced, 100-foot-long, climbable alligator. These specific exhibit details offer a different kind of museum visit from an art collection, campus architecture, or park trails.
The Florida Air Museum focuses on aviation, displaying unique aircraft designs, classics, ultralights, vintage aircraft, and historic military planes. The museum also presents a changing selection of aviation artifacts year-round. Its educational programs for all ages include holiday camps, tours, workshops, and lectures.
Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests
The activities described here differ primarily in their subject matter and type. If you plan to take a guided campus tour, reservations are strongly recommended; for Hollis Garden, be sure to check the seasonal opening hours as well.
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