Highway
27 meanders through the heart of central Florida, and often its
soul. The main thoroughfare starts off slow-paced and tempered
with rural flavor in its southern extremes, then picks up the
pace as it heads north, finally delivering you to the doorstep
of Orlando’s bustle. On its way, it passes citrus fields and
processing plants, perfuming the air with saccharine-sweet
blossoms and the wake-up smell of orange juice in the making.
The towns that Highway 27 and its offshoots pass remember
Florida as it was when glorious gardens, pristine lakes and
classic roadside attractions made postcard fodder.
 Lakeland,
located conveniently between Tampa and Orlando, has restored its
downtown area, set off by historic architecture, lakeside parks
and an inviting antiques district. But the town’s most famous
architecture graces the campus of Florida Southern College,
designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938. Wright conceived 18
structures for the campus, but only 12 were built, representing
the world's largest single-site grouping of his work. The "Child
of the Sun" Visitors Center displays photographs, furniture and
drawings depicting Wright's relationship with the school.
At Polk Museum of Art, pre-Columbian art and a sculpture garden
further the town’s artistic temperament. Visit Hollis Gardens,
which chronicles Florida horticultural history with neoclassical
archways. For the edification of the children, Explorations V
Children’s Museum explores art, science, literature, math,
health, life skills and global cultures. Aircraft buffs will
enjoy the experimental planes on display at the Florida Air
Museum at Sun ‘n Fun, which hosts an annual mid-April festival.
If you have the need for speed, enroll in racing classes at the
local speedway.
Lakes and the ever-classic Cypress Gardens brought
Winter Haven into
existence as exactly what its name implies, an escape from
cold-weather doldrums. The sight of blossoming gardens and young
ladies in Southern belle garb has managed to accomplish the
purpose since 1936. The garden attraction has recently undergone
an update that has brought even more family excitement to the
gorgeous lakeside setting, where water-ski shows make a big
splash. The region is known as the Water-Ski Capital, thanks to
its many lakes and Cypress Gardens’ fame. A water-ski hall of
fame honors the sport’s late greats. Fishing, boating and other
water sports also make use of the 23 freshwater lakes that
surround Winter Haven. Canals interconnect 14 of the lakes.
Baseball and golf are the other sports in town.
 Lake
Wales resides on the shores of another of the region’s
beautiful bodies of water and along a ridge that accounts for
some of Florida’s highest land. Iron Mountain reaches a towering
(for Florida, anyway) altitude of 298 feet above sea level and
is part of Historic Bok Sanctuary, a garden of floral beauty and
bird-life richness. Its centerpiece, a 205-foot carillon tower,
rings out classical harmonies every half hour. Dutch immigrant
Edward Bok built it in 1929 as a show of appreciation for the
beauty of his adopted homeland.
The town’s museum occupies more historic structures with a
vintage railroad car at its side. A vibrant art scene includes
an art center and handpainted murals in its historic downtown
district. Attractions in Lake Wales tend toward the slightly
eccentric. Beside a singing tower, there’s a haunted hill and
Chalet Suzanne Country Inn & Restaurant, where quirky,
doll-house charm and distinctive cuisine are signature. Get a
taste of the town’s citrus heritage at Florida’s Natural Growers
Grove House.
Before citrus, this was cattle territory. Cow hunters (they
eschewed the term "cowboys") drove Cracker stock,
remnant of animals brought here during the days of Spanish
colonization, to the southwest for shipment. They lived a hard
and often rowdy life, but profited greatly in the end.
Re-enactors at Lake Kissimmee State Park play the part of these
pioneer characters in a circa 1870 Cow Camp. Sit and share their
tales over a strong cup of coffee in the company of long-horn
steers. Then explore the natural beauty of the park and its
fishing lake. There’s a nearby ranch lodge where you can further
explore your inner cowboy with horseback riding, rodeos,
hayrides and a petting coral. |
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