Lakeland Day Trips: Top 5 Unforgettable Getaways

So, you find yourself in Lakeland, Florida, and, well, you’re starting to feel a bit of wanderlust, right? It’s a pretty common feeling! Lakeland has that very comfortable, hometown vibe, yet sometimes a change of scenery can really do you good. Thankfully, the location of Lakeland is like your personal launchpad to quite a few incredible day trip destinations. This guide, then, is designed to show you, like your personal travel genie, the five absolute best day trips you can totally and completely manage from Lakeland. We’re talking gorgeous springs, world-class attractions, and even some spots where you can, too it’s almost, feel the magic of Old Florida. Prepare to be amazed – you will thank me later!

1. Bok Tower Gardens: A Peaceful Retreat

Right, first up, only about half an hour or so south of Lakeland is Bok Tower Gardens. This isn’t, like, just any botanical garden; very is a historical spot designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., who, as a matter of fact, also worked on the landscape design for the National Mall in D.C.! The Singing Tower itself has got this almost unbelievable carillon, which is, arguably, a musical instrument consisting of bells. Twice a day, the bells chime, filling the gardens with music. It feels so peaceful, really serene. The gardens, that, too it’s almost, display a wide array of plants, winding pathways, and little spots for quiet reflection. I actually went there last spring, and I swear I saw a bluebird. If you’re the outdoorsy type or looking for a spot to unwind, you’re probably gonna really, truly appreciate Bok Tower Gardens.

One time, me and the family grabbed picnic lunch, right, and we ate by one of the little ponds. The kids, as a matter of fact, loved watching the ducks, and it gave the adults an actual opportunity to just completely relax. Anyway, it’s definitely, as a matter of fact, a family-friendly type of trip or something. And hey, that cafe there actually has delicious sandwiches. Very simple but extremely good!

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2. Legoland Florida Resort: For the Young and Young at Heart

OK, so, if you got kids — or if, honestly, you are simply a kid at heart — a trip to Legoland Florida Resort is, typically, basically, just an obvious pick. Very just a bit east of Lakeland, really near Winter Haven, this spot provides this really exciting day trip which is very, very just plain perfect for families. Seriously, very more than rides, that resort actually offers these incredibly entertaining shows, and very spectacular Lego displays are kinda littered all around the park or something. And get this, very have got the Legoland Water Park within the actual same location – this completely separate area with waterslides and, well, water-based attractions.

Remember when they opened that Lego Movie land? As a matter of fact, I was there! The kids, very, absolutely love it. It can be quite a busy place during peak season, obviously, very you probably will want to very look into potentially grabbing those Express Passes if your family really wants to make the most out of their experience or something. But, frankly, really those memories, too it’s almost, last a lifetime or something. My daughter, you know, still talks about meeting Emmet. Anyway, It’s just, like, kinda a magical place or something!

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3. Clearwater Beach: Sun, Sand, and Gulf Breezes

So, come on! You just kinda need a beach day. Clearwater Beach, still, that, could be just the spot you will want to aim for. It’s roughly an hour and a half or so west of Lakeland. This incredibly amazing beach has, too it’s almost, just got it all. This soft, powdery sand, calm turquoise water, actually just tons of activities! From just simply soaking up rays to jet skiing or even parasailing, as a matter of fact, something is bound to grab your family’s attention here. Pier 60, as I was saying, always has, very, like, nightly sunset celebrations with, you know, street performers, actually like, craft vendors – all kinds of stuff actually.

We usually pack beach umbrella, cooler filled with, well, drinks and snacks. That water tends to be incredibly calm; pretty ideal for swimming, actually even just little kids. Clearwater very truly does get pretty crowded, particularly on those weekends. You very might wanna get there on the earlier side for getting good parking and, really, snagging an actually ideal spot on the sand or something. But you’re not that big of a fan of the beach; Pier 60 totally offers a bit of fishing or sightseeing or something! It is always super fun!

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4. Tarpon Springs: A Taste of Greece

OK, so this particular option here kinda gives you, as a matter of fact, something a bit distinct. Tarpon Springs, still, is up near Clearwater and it makes quite a fun day trip since it has this incredibly authentic Greek vibe to it all. It definitely feels quite a bit further than it honestly is. This city is like almost quite, quite famous for that sponge docks and its rich Greek history. Very can, potentially, tour the sponge docks, even very take this boating cruise, and actually sample many genuinely delicious Greek food over there. And that smell just gets you salivating like a dog. Actually just all kinds of bakeries, actually selling pastries — seriously, you’re really, actually probably gonna feel as if you’ve wandered all the way to Greece!

My family kinda loves gyros, which makes that entire experience so fantastic for us. I picked up quite a few natural sponges on my trips there. It totally makes an actually perfect souvenir. Anyway, it gets super busy during peak season or something, so you may really think about, arguably, planning around the typical peak season, in short, weekends, to sorta dodge these larger crowds or something. But do it!

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5. Florida Southern College: Architectural Marvels

Anyway, for one thing a bit closer to your hometown in Lakeland and maybe with a slightly different kind of flavor than any of the other examples discussed, you may want to really check out the campus for Florida Southern College. Still, you potentially are already completely familiar with that, although, seriously, it truly kinda deserves to get highlighted even when the focus kinda remains primarily in day trips, as this campus features the kinda largest single-site collection or something of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture around the world or something. Taking that guided walking tour, well, it kind of uncovers kinda this truly crazy and captivating, quite unusual designs, along with insights for Wright’s actual vision or something.

It’s probably interesting walking round that campus as the architectural geek that I truly am (said with absolutely no hint of, in short, irony at all) anyway, my better half and myself probably attended a concert event over that Branscomb Auditorium last summer; which just highlights what is the incredibly attractive, too it’s almost, variety to do round the campus there, too. Don’t miss it!

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