Eagle Lake

Southwest Winter Haven offers the best of both worlds. Comprising a significant swath of the city’s unincorporated areas, it offers a more rural setting than would be typically found in one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. At the same time, new homes are popping up in planned developments that offer residents not only easy access to the lakes Winter Haven is known for, but also proximity to buzzy Downtown Lakeland directly to the north. “It’s definitely an up-and-coming area, with a lot of housing being built,” says Emily Ward, a Realtor with EXP Realty and city resident, who adds that the location means homeowners will still get “all the benefits of Winter Haven.” Residential pockets around the lakes feature a collection of newer homes in small planned developments, including The Shores at Lake Sears, The Grove at Crystal Beach and the Landing at Eagle Lake. Established housing is comprised primarily of ranch-style homes on spacious lots with private driveways, attached garages and large yards. Home sizes and styles are more diverse on the lakefront, where the occasional midcentury-modern and some multi-level homes can be found. Lakefront properties often feature private docks. “A lot of people are looking to purchase a Florida home, and the Orlando/Kissimmee area is pretty tapped out. So if someone is looking to invest, Winter Haven is a great place,” Ward says. “We’re near Orlando and near Tampa, but we have a smaller state of mind. With lower prices, it’s a great place for people looking for longer-term investments.” Prices typically range from the mid-$200,000s to the mid-$500,00s, although the largest lakefront homes can sell for more than $1 million. Manufactured homes, including in 55-plus communities, start at under $25,000. However, some are lot-leased, meaning homeowners do not own the land and pay a significant monthly fee to use community amenities. Be it boating, fishing or water skiing, a pastime the city is famous for, lakefront recreation is a staple of living in Winter Haven. In this community, the activity centers around the 640-acre Eagle Lake, which is home to a large park that features a swimming beach. Sears, Grassy and Deer lakes are smaller alternatives open to the public. Residents also have access to several lakes in neighboring Downtown Winter Haven, including Howard Lake and its picturesque nature park. Spirit and Millsite lakes are private community lakes. Off the water, residents can stay active at Lake Shipp Park, whose athletic amenities include five baseball fields and two soccer fields, and Eagle Lake Ball Park, which hosts organized youth competition. Locals can get their grocery shopping done at Publix, located in the Spirit Lake Crossing shopping center. A handful of local dining spots and dollar stores can be found along U.S. Route 11 near Eagle Lake. Blackburn’s is a popular barbeque restaurant that consistently receives high ratings and engages the community by hosting seasonal events, including an annual Christmas parade. Locals who want to enjoy their meal by the water can head to Harborside at Lake Shipp, a downtown seafood restaurant with an outdoor patio, waterside bar and boat dock. Other featured dining destinations among downtown’s burgeoning culinary scene include Nutwood, a farm-to-table restaurant, and Arabellas, an upscale Italian restaurant. Residents also can take in performances downtown at cultural attractions such as Theatre Winter Haven and Gram Parsons Derry Down, a contemporary concert venue. Lake Shipp Elementary and Eagle Lake Elementary schools, rated C and C-plus, respectively, by Niche, are located in the community, while some students are zoned to nearby Pinewood Elementary, rated B-minus. Westwood Middle, a C-minus-rated school, serves the area. Older students can attend Lake Region High, a C-rated school, or Winter Haven Senior High, a B-minus-rated school that offers the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program through the University of Cambridge. Students can take advantage of the Florida Department of Education’s controlled open enrollment policy. “Let’s say a student wanted to play an instrument, but there was no music program at their zoned school – well, our state has a policy that allows families to use this preference as a factor in determining school assignment,” says Stephanie Meyer, a real estate agent with Keller Williams. Commuters in Southwest Winter Haven have easy access to three major thoroughfares for regional travel: U.S. Route 17 to the south, Florida State Road 655 to the northeast and Florida State Road 540, also known as Winter Lake Road, in the middle of the neighborhood. Citrus Connection is a public transportation provider that operates a fixed bus route from downtown Winter Haven to Spirit Lake, with stops along Route 17 and Winter Lake Road. Route 17 provides easy access to the Amtrak station downtown, as well as Haines City and Davenport further north. Lakeland is a 15-mile drive to the west. At the southernmost point of the neighborhood is the Bartow Executive Airport, which offers a flight school and aircraft rentals. Commercial service is available at international airports in Tampa and Orlando, both about 50 miles away. Since 1983, residents have been celebrating the holiday season by visiting Santa’s House by the Bigda’s, a regional attraction in neighboring Sun Ridge. For weeks leading up to Christmas and through the end of each year, the Bigdas welcome their neighbors with nightly shows featuring their handmade decorations and accompanying music. Even Santa joins the community for an annual visit to take in the sights and sounds of the holiday season. A Patriotic Celebration featuring fireworks and children’s activities is held at Eagle Lake Park each year the week before the Fourth of July in an effort to get as many people to attend as possible. Community members also gather at churches that serve Baptist, Greek Orthodox and First Assembly of God of God congregations as well as at Temple Beth Shalom.