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Visit Central Florida
Contact: Kelly Rote
Phone:
Email:
Website:
863-551-4707
[email protected]
VisitCentralFlorida.org
Facebook: Facebook.com/VisitCentralFlorida
Twitter:
@VisitCentralFL
Photos available upon request
Central Florida’s Polk County Story Ideas: NYC Media Reception
LEGOLAND® Florida Resort is Designed for children 2 to 12 years old. As the largest
LEGOLAND® Park in the world, the 150-acre property offers a unique mix of more than 50
rides, shows and attractions; plus restaurants, shops and a beautiful botanical garden (the
former Cypress Gardens). Spectacular LEGO® models are found throughout 11 themed zones
which include Miniland USA, LEGO Kingdoms, Imagination Zone, Pirates’ Cove and DUPLO®
Village. The resort offers a new five-story, 152-room LEGOLAND® Hotel, located just steps
from the theme park entrance. Rooms and suites feature décor in four themes: Pirate,
Kingdom, Adventure and LEGO Friends. Guests of the hotel enjoy early access to LEGOLAND
Florida Resort, free full breakfast daily, interactive play areas, daily and nightly entertainment,
disco elevators, resort pool and exclusive access to a Master Model Builder Workshop. In
addition to the new hotel, the park has upgraded with several expansions since opening in late
2011, including the LEGOLAND Water Park, LEGO® Star Wars TM Miniland Model Display and
The World of ChimaTM presented by Cartoon Network - featuring an interactive water ride
called The Quest for CHI. The newest land, Heartlake City, is based on the popular LEGO®
Friends line of toys. New in 2016 is “The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” that picks
up where the smash-hit movie left off in a dazzling all-new story created exclusively for
LEGOLAND. See details at http://florida.legoland.com/about-us/press/information
Safari Wilderness Ranch: Named one of the “10 Best Safaris in the U.S.” by Fodors.com.
Witness the dramatic landscapes of the Serengeti without setting foot on an airplane. At Safari
Wilderness Ranch, you will 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 source to
five of Florida’s finest rivers. Tours are available by safari vehicle or on camelback.
Reservations are required and tours operate Wednesday through Sunday at 9 am and 1 pm.
Optional extras include lemur (see photo at left) and budgie feedings. Safari Wilderness Ranch
is a family-run agritourism venture, www.SafariWilderness.com.
Bok Tower Gardens - Undergoing Largest Expansion in its 85-Year History. Voted
“Florida’s Best Garden,” this National Historic Landmark was dedicated in 1929 as a gift to the
American people from Dutch immigrant and world peace advocate Edward Bok. Nearly 700
acres of conservation lands and gardens surround the 205-foot neo-Gothic and art deco
“Singing Tower” carillon and the Pinewood Estate, a 20-room, Mediterranean-style 1930s
winter retreat. A haven for wildlife, Bok Tower Gardens sits on one of peninsular Florida’s
highest points and is home to more than 120 bird species, the threatened gopher tortoise and
rare plants found nowhere else in the world. Scheduled to open in 2016, Bok Tower Gardens is
in the process of completing a $12 million capital improvement project that will expand the
attraction to include an interactive children’s area, wild and pollinator gardens, outdoor kitchen,
edible garden and a new entrance that features an oval lawn. www.BokTowerGardens.org
Westgate River Ranch Resort: Largest Dude Ranch East of the Mississippi. Rooted in the
history of the nation’s first cowboys, Westgate River Ranch lies on 1,700 lush acres in the heart
of Florida’s cattle lands, offering cowboy-themed accommodations from tents and Glamping
(glamour camping) up to luxurious two-bedroom cabins. Recreational activities include
horseback riding, swimming, golf, a petting farm, nature hikes, trap and skeet shooting, airboat
and swamp buggy rides, hayrides, cookouts and a full-service marina complete with boating
and fishing. Westgate River Ranch also features the River Ranch Saloon and the longestrunning Saturday night championship rodeo in the United States, showcasing trick riding, bull
riding, calf roping and barrel racing in a 1,200-seat rodeo arena. www.westgateriverranch.com
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Streamsong® Resort - Adding to its World Class Golf Offering. While Streamsong® Resort
continues to receive rave reviews from travel and golf publications for its spectacular
destination resort, a new addition was recently announced. Streamsong® Black, being
designed by Gil Hanse, is scheduled to open in 2017. Streamsong Resort’s courses join a list
of more than 40 historic and championship golf courses in Polk County that includes Southern
Dunes and The Club at Eaglebrooke, offering golfers an enticing array of options.
https://visitcentralflorida.org/experiences/best-golf-courses
Circle B Bar Reserve - Named one of the “Top 50 Places to see Wildlife” by USA Today.
Circle B Bar Reserve includes freshwater marshes, hardwood swamps, oak hammocks, creeks
and lakes are found on this property, which is home to waterfowl, ospreys, eagles and
alligators. Once a functioning cattle ranch, Circle B Bar Reserve has been restored to its
original natural state as one of the most impressive bird habitats in Central Florida. Complete
with numerous trails and unique treasures like a freshwater marsh and hardwood swamp,
Circle B Bar Reserve offers something for everyone in your family. Bicycling, horseback riding,
fishing, hiking, and picnicking are all encouraged at this free admission reserve. The Polk
Nature Discovery Center helps visitors of all ages understand the delicate ecosystem of
Central Florida with indoor and outdoor classrooms and numerous exhibits. The free Discovery
Center has exhibits specifically designed to engage and excite young minds, making it a great
choice for families. www.polknature.com/
Local Dining - With more than 550 freshwater lakes dotting Polk County, locals - and visitors
alike - all have their favorite lakeside dining spot. To name just a few, Winter Haven is home to
Harborside Restaurant on Lake Shipp and Harry’s Old Place on Lake Ned; Cherry Pocket
Steak and Seafood Shak is nestled on Lake Pierce in Lake Wales and Texas Cattle
Company overlooks Lake Mirror in downtown Lakeland. Local inland favorites include Peebles
B-B-Q in Auburndale and Gary’s Oyster Bar and Seafood House in Lake Alfred. If you find
yourself in Central Florida from October through May, a lunch stop at Lang’s Taste of Florida
Café is a “must do.” The café is best known for Mary Lang’s award-winning Grapefruit Pie,
which has been featured on the Food Network show “Epicurious”. If you’d prefer to snack on
an orange picked fresh from the tree, visit Ridge Island Groves in Haines City and take a
citrus grove tour (seasonally, October to May). You can pick your own fruit, sample fresh
Florida citrus and juices, indulge in homemade ice cream, watch the packing process and ship
fresh fruit right to your front door! BBQ loving visitors will find many opportunities to savor
mouthwatering barbeque throughout the year, at well-known annual competitions such as the
Lakeland PigFest, Smoke on the Water, Ribs on the Ridge, Fine Swine at the Pit and
When Pigs Fly South. For fine dining, make reservations for Arabellas Ristorante in Winter
Haven and the Terrace Grille in Lakeland.
Architecture and Art - at the Heart of Central Florida. Visitors can tour the largest one-site
collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world, consisting of thirteen completed
structures, including the Usonian House, finished in 2013 - based on a 1939 design. The
collection is located on the Florida Southern College campus in Lakeland, and both paid and
self-guided walking tours are available. The Polk Museum of Art, also in Lakeland, offers a
permanent collection of Pre-Columbian artifacts along with various collections and rotating
exhibits on display in eight galleries and a sculpture garden. www.FLSouthern.edu/fllwctr and
http://polkmuseumofart.org/
Vacation Rental Homes - Spread Out and Soak Up the Sun. Central Florida's Polk County
offers comfortable accommodations in its more than 7,000 luxury vacation homes and
condominiums. Just minutes away from Florida’s major attractions and a short drive to the Gulf
and Atlantic beaches, these convenient and affordable properties are the perfect "home away
from home," with amenities including full kitchens, spacious furnished living areas and washer/
dryer units. The properties range from two to seven bedrooms and most include private,
screened-in swimming pools. They are also ideal for golf vacations since many of these homes
are located in communities right on some of Central Florida’s best golf courses.