Lakeland

Cleveland Heights has a distinctly Floridian feel, down to palm trees lining its eponymous boulevard. A tranquil suburb of Lakeland, Cleveland Heights is named after the hometown of H. A. Stahl, an Ohio real estate magnate who came to Polk County in the 1920s to develop the community. Today, the neighborhood offers modest starter homes beside a 27-hole golf course. Common Ground Park, directly north of Cleveland Heights, opened in 2009 as the first inclusive playground in Polk County. Open to all children but catering to those with physical and developmental disabilities, the park incorporates non-traditional play zones with classics like swings and slides. Peterson Park, farther south, offers an optimal space for little league games with four baseball diamonds. Cleveland Heights Golf Course, an expansive feature of the neighborhood’s landscape, is the brainchild of H.A. Stahl. A 27-hole public facility, the clubhouse spans 20,000 square feet and offers a full-service pro shop, golf instruction and a restaurant. Locals enjoy walking and biking along Three Parks Trail, a 4-mile path along the neighborhood’s outskirts and a section of Cleveland Heights Boulevard. However, according to David Fridovich, area local and broker associate with RE/MAX experts, outdoor enthusiasts usually flock 1 1/2 miles north to “the matriarch of the city: Lake Hollingsworth.” He shares, “Every time I drive past the lake, I see half my friends and family walking it. I remember right before they shut down the city at the start of the pandemic, I swear the entire city was walking that lake because they knew they couldn’t tomorrow.” Florida Avenue South, one of Lakeland’s primary thoroughfares and the western boundary of Cleveland Heights, is the shopping and dining epicenter of the region. To the west of the avenue is Merchant’s Walk, a retail corridor featuring a Walmart Supercenter, Hobby Lobby, Marshalls and Burlington. Chain restaurants like Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Texas Roadhouse and Keke’s Breakfast Cafe are nearby. For dining with a more local flair, Cleveland Heights features a few distinct establishments. Fat Jack’s Deli & Pub has been serving intentionally overstuffed sandwiches since 1963, and Antojitos Navideños Restaurant serves Puerto Rican favorites, including flan and mofongo. While the first plat in Cleveland Heights was filed in 1925, the neighborhood's oldest homes were built in 1901. The area experienced development surges in the 1950s and 1980s, creating a landscape with various styles, from ranches to midcentury modern homes. Many properties feature prominent carports that face residential streets. Home prices typically range between $190,000 and $380,000, lower than surrounding communities. The community is making efforts to preserve the history of the area despite renovating many properties. “They just tore up a lot of asphalt on some of the streets to expose the original brick roads,” Fridovich says. “It’s an effort to bring back some of the nostalgia.” Young students can attend Cleveland Court Elementary, which has been in the community for nearly 100 years and has landed a place on the National Register of Historic Places, or Carlton Palmore Elementary. Cleveland Court earns a B-plus on Niche, while Carlton Palmore has a score of B-minus. Middle schoolers can attend Southwest Middle School, which has a C grade and is also home to the only deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) program in the district. The program is led by two teachers, three interpreters and two paraprofessionals. Lakeland Senior High School has a B-plus on Niche and has three specialized academies in Multimedia Communication, Fashion Design and Veterinary Science. Florida Avenue South and Cleveland Heights Boulevard are two major thoroughfares for the area, and bus stops run along Florida Avenue for commuters who use public transit. Florida State Route 570 is also in the neighborhood along the southern border. Also known as Polk Parkway, this toll road leads to Lakeland Linder International Airport 6 miles west and connects to U.S. State Route 98 4 1/2 miles east.

Named for the camphor trees that line the community’s namesake road, Camphor is a close-knit residential community with early- to mid-20th-century homes shaded by the mature wooded canopy, about 2 miles from downtown Lakeland. “It has a lot of charm,” says Melissa Witter, local real estate agent at Keller Williams Realty Smart 1. “With cobblestone streets and a lot of old-school craftsmanship.” Locals gather at Dobbins Park or one of several nearby Christian churches for community events, including holiday celebrations or the annual puppy parade organized by the Camphor Heights Neighborhood Association; Residents can also venture north to visit the vintage shops along Florida Avenue or explore nearby diners and eateries. Developed primarily between 1920 and 1960, Camphor is full of established homes lined by narrow, well-maintained roads. While three-bedroom midcentury modern ranch-style homes and cottages are most common, usually selling for around $250,000, recently renovated four-bedroom Colonial and Spanish Revival-style homes can sell for as much as $500,000. Most homes sit on uniform quarter-acre lots, with flat grassy front lawns and covered front porches lined by sidewalk-less roads. In the neighborhood's southwest corner, Bedrock Citrus Center is a mobile home community for residents 55 and older. The CitrusConnection bus system serves Lakeland and the surrounding town, with the Peach Line circling Camphor before heading 2 miles to downtown. Nearby airports include Lakeland Linder International Airport, about 5 miles away, and Southpoint Medical Group Hospital, less than 2 miles south. Interstate 4 is about 5 miles away and can take residents 68 miles northeast to Orlando and 35 miles west to Tampa. A few blocks north of the neighborhood on Florida Avenue, the historic Dixieland neighborhood is home to vintage shops like Dixieland Relics and locally owned bars like Cob & Pen, which serves sandwiches and standard bar fare. Serving comfort food to the community for over 75 years, Reececliff Family Diner is best known for its pie. Southgate Shopping Center is located a little over a mile away with Publix grocery store and Bealls department store. Spanning 10 acres on Camphor’s north side, Dobbins Park includes two playgrounds with climbing structures, a zip line, and swing sets; the park’s basketball court and multipurpose fields give plenty of space for local kids to play. Lake Hollingsworth, one of the largest in Central Florida’s Chain of Lakes, is encircled by a 3-mile biking and walking path where birdwatchers can spot spoonbills, pelicans, plovers and dowitchers. Local kids may attend Dixieland Elementary School, rated C-plus by Niche, or the C-rated Southwest Middle. The B-plus-rated Lakeland Senior High offers veterinary and fashion academies where students can earn industry certifications in their fields. Located in Camphor’s northwest corner, the A-rated Lakeland Christian School is the oldest and largest private school in Polk County, serving students in kindergarten through grade 12. The Camphor Heights Neighborhood Association is responsible for maintaining the neighborhood’s friendly spirit, with their Seriously Fun Committee working with nearby neighborhoods to plan activities. “They organize many events that benefit the community,” Witter says. “Toys for tots, big craft fairs, that kind of thing.” Holidays are accompanied by zombie crawls and house decorating contests, with other activities including movie nights at Dobbins Park and a puppy parade as part of National Night Out, a night in August dedicated to building community.

Downtown Lakeland, located at the city's center, offers unique dining options and local shopping in a walkable layout with wide stone sidewalks and bus routes branching off in every direction. "They have food and craft fairs," says Melissa Witter, local real estate agent at Keller Williams Realty Smart 1. "And all these niche boutique stores selling restored furniture and other neat items." Just east of the Main Street-style shopping, locals can enjoy the scenery surrounding Mirror Lake by visiting the Frances Langford Promenade or the Hollis Gardens. The neighborhood's south end is home to the Lake Morton Historic District, featuring early 20th-century architecture, as well as the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, one of several buildings in the area designed by Frank Llyod Wright. With many distribution hubs for national retailers like Publix and Walmart scattered around the city, residents can commute to work by car or bus while living within miles of local eateries and community events like the annual Christmas Parade. At the center of Downtown Lakeland, bars and restaurants are clustered together with brick storefronts and wide stone mosaic sidewalks. “There’s a lot of foot traffic on holidays, but it’s never too busy,” Witter says. “Pretty much every business is within walking distance.” For an upscale night out, Nineteen61 serves modern Spanish cuisine with Latin American and Southern U.S. touches. The good times keep rolling at Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille, a New Orleans-inspired restaurant serving modernized versions of cajun and creole favorites and operating under the concept of Lagniappe, meaning “to give a little something extra.” Locals can also find gift shops and businesses like Top Buttons Boutique and Jesse Carl Vinyl within a few blocks. Downtown Lakeland has a Cap Index Crime Score of 5 out of 10, compared to a national score of 4. In January 2024, the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority added 14 new security cameras to deter criminal activity in the main commercial districts. On the neighborhood's northern edge, The Lakeland Town Center Mall on Memorial Boulevard includes a Save-A-Lot grocery store. The annual Mayfaire-by-the-Lake Art Festival takes place on the shores of Lake Morton throughout Mother’s Day weekend. One of the oldest and largest festivals of its kind in the state, it typically draws well over 100 artists who set up booths on the lakeshore. Residents and visitors can also gather Downtown for the annual Christmas Parade, where themed floats wind their way along a 1.25-mile course, ending with a visit for Mr. and Mrs. Claus. On the neighborhood’s south side, the Lake Morton Historic District features colorful two-bedroom bungalows from the 1920s that sell for as little as $250,000 and four-bedroom Spanish Revival-style houses that can sell for more than $500,000. On the north side, there are many investment properties available for around $150,000, including three-bedroom bungalows and ranch-style homes from the 1920s and ‘30s, as well as newly built Modern Craftsmen-style bungalows with covered front porches that sell for between $300,000 and $400,000. A few townhome and condo complexes dotted around the community also offer three-bedroom units for around $300,000. Two of Polk County’s highest-performing schools are in Downtown Lakeland, including McKeel Academy Central, a technology-focused charter elementary school rated B-plus by Niche. Graduates receive automatic admission into the McKeel Academy of Technology, an A-rated charter high school offering robotics, legal studies, and digital imagery programs. Another top-rated school in the area, the A-minus-rated Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, is one of only four middle schools that offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. In addition to public schools, the Florida Southern College campus is located on the south end of the neighborhood, offering over 70 undergraduate programs. Lake Mirror is the highlight of the local landscape, surrounded by beautiful structures and greenspaces, including the Frances Langford Promenade, a stone walkway around the lake dotted with public art installations. Residents can also spend the day at Hollis Garden, a botanical garden divided into 16 “rooms” featuring rotating plant life and distinct architecture. Also part of the complex is Barnett Family Park, which offers a playground, splash pad and a maze. Set at the center of Lakeland, Downtown is bordered on the east by U.S. Route 98, which runs north-south, and on the north by Route 92, running east-west. Residents can access Interstate 4 a few miles north, which runs 61 miles northeast to Orlando and 34 miles west to Tampa. CitrusConnection bus service offers 15 routes throughout Lakeland, most of which branch off from the Lakeland Downtown Terminal. There is a nearby Park & Ride station less than a mile away on the corner of Rose Street and Bartow Road and an Amtrak train station that can take passengers to Tampa, Orlando and beyond. Nearby airports include the Lakeland Linder International Airport, 7 miles south, and Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, a few miles north.

In Crystal Lake, education is literally at the center of the community. Anchored by the private Southeastern University and home to the local elementary and middle schools, this suburban section of Lakeland creates a walkable environment for students from kindergarten to college. For those outside the education system, the university still plays a significant role in the community’s atmosphere. The baseball field’s overhead lights often spill over to neighboring streets, and it’s nearly impossible to miss the sounds of fans cheering during games. “That’s something that some people might hate, but I didn’t mind it. I lived right there on North Crystal Lake, and I would just walk right across the street and go watch a baseball or a football game,” says Drew Wilson, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Smart and a longtime resident of Lakeland. Although less than 5 miles from downtown Lakeland, the neighborhood maintains its distinct charm with a mix of local churches, restaurants and markets. Ranch is the most common style in Crystal Lake, although homes can vary greatly in size and price. Renovated properties and a few newly constructed options sit beside Southeastern University, offering a taste of classic suburbia with sidewalk-lined streets. Wilson says some of these homes have been turned into rental properties to accommodate students living off campus. For buyers, these three- and four-bedroom homes range from about $250,000 to $330,000, while the more modest two- and three-bedroom properties to the north of the university rarely top $280,000. This makes the neighborhood a significantly cheaper alternative to the rest of the Lakeland metro area. Mobile and manufactured home communities such as Bonnie Shores often provide fully furnished options under $50,000, while lakefront homes in the Skyview Lake development can cost anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000. Crystal Lake Elementary and Crystal Lake Middle serve the neighborhood, receiving grades of C-minus and C on Niche, respectively. While some students may attend C-plus-rated Tenoroc High, most are zoned for B-plus-rated Lakeland Senior High, the longest-running public high school in the city. The school offers three distinct career academies: the Multimedia Communications Academy, the Fashion Academy and the Veterinary Academy. Polk County is also known for its extensive network of magnet schools, which include highly rated institutions such as Rochelle School of the Arts, a kindergarten through eighth grade fine arts school that receives a B from Niche. Lincoln Avenue Academy is an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for kindergarten through fifth grade students, receiving an A-minus from Niche. Private post-secondary options in the area include Florida Southern College and Southeastern University. Fletcher Park at Lake Bonny is home to the city’s largest skate park, a 24,000-square-foot facility with separate sections catering to different skill levels. Baseball fields and a playground surround the park’s central lake, and a paved trail leads to a long fishing pier. Kids flutter around Common Ground Playground, a butterfly-shaped playscape bordered by more than a dozen tennis courts within Publix Charities Park. Across the street, Cleveland Heights Golf Course welcomes duffers to its 27-hole facility. A trip to the city’s edges reveals a world of wildlife at Circle B Bar Reserve, while the short drive to downtown makes it easy for families to cool off at the Barnett Family Park splash pad. Surrounded by a paved 3-mile trail, Lake Hollingsworth is also a popular stop for daily exercise. With downtown Lakeland just a few miles away, residents can easily attend the Lake Mirror Classic, a three-day event in the fall that showcases and celebrates classic cars. Nearby Munn Park hosts a creative light show in winter, which includes a Christmas Parade and fireworks over Lake Mirror. In spring, the Polk Museum of Art’s Mayfaire by-the-Lake craft fair always draws a crowd. Residents of Crystal Lake may also be able to see Fourth of July celebrations from home. “Southeastern University always has big, fancy fireworks that I could very easily see from a lawn chair in my front yard,” Wilson says. But the city’s most notable event may be the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, a 50-year tradition catering to aviation enthusiasts from around the world. The week-long festival takes place in spring at Lakeland Linder International Airport and features workshops for pilots, a career fair and daily airshows. Wilson says the classic burger joint S&L always comes up when asked about the best restaurants in town. “It’s one of those that you’re going to need a nap afterward,” he says. The family-owned restaurant has stood since 1983, slowly collecting vintage license plates on its wood-paneled walls. West Caribbean Cuban Restaurant is a favorite for authentic tostones, while A&B Restaurant offers the classic American diner experience. Pizza and taco spots are common among the banks and small businesses along South Combee Road. Harvest Meat Market packages fresh cuts of local beef, and shoppers will find the closest Publix Super Market at Grove Park Shopping Center. Home cooks can visit Krishna Grocery or New India Bazaar for specialty ingredients. And for nightlife, Lakeland’s Main Street dining district is about 4 miles away. The Lakeland Area Mass Transit District operates locally as Citrus Connection, offering routes across Polk County. It takes about half an hour to reach the downtown Lakeland train station by bus, while drivers enjoy a direct route via Bartow Road. Drivers also benefit from living near Interstate 4, which leads northeast to Orlando and west to Tampa.

On the eastern banks of Lake Parker, in the aptly named city of Lakeland, residents of Combee Settlement are close to major employment centers, including power plants and distribution hubs just north of the neighborhood, while enjoying natural landscapes that usually can’t be found in more urban areas. “People here love jet skiing, boating, fishing,” says Cameron Woods, local real estate agent at Dream Realty Group and lifelong resident of Lakeland. “If you’re an avid watersports person, this is a haven.” Although the landscaping makes this community feel more rural, homes here are densely packed and close to major roadways where locals can access larger chain businesses and amenities. Homes in Combee Settlement are typically packed close together along flat, sidewalk-less streets, many with above-ground backyard pools. “What’s nice is that we’re more protected from hurricanes,” Woods says. “We get them, but don’t get blasted like the coast.” Midcentury Minimal Traditional-style homes, including many manufactured homes with two bedrooms, covered porches and gated yards, usually sell for between $100,000 and $200,000, while late 20th-century ranch-style homes with three bedrooms and attached garages can sell for around $300,000. More recently built properties, including three-bedroom bungalows with shingle roofs and stucco exteriors and four-bedroom Modern Craftsman-style properties with large fenced-in backyards, can sell for between $300,000 and $400,000. With Tampa about 35 miles away on U.S. Route 92 and Orlando 50 miles away on Interstate 4, Combee Settlement residents can commute to major cities for work or just for fun. Citrus Connection’s Orange Line bus can take locals 4 miles into Downtown Lakeland. Nearby hospitals include Watson Clinic Hospital, about 5 miles away, and Lakeland Linder International Airport, about 12 miles away. The dining options are concentrated off Route 92, otherwise known as East Memorial Boulevard, which runs along the community’s southern edge near Crystal Lake. Residents can grab a quick bite at Hungry Howie’s or enjoy the barbecue at BubbaQue’s. Also nearby is Harvey’s Supermarket, one of Combee’s grocery stores. A few of the others, Dollar General Market and Lakeland Discount Grocery are located along County Road 33, which runs north of Memorial Boulevard. The community's outdoor recreational activities are centralized at Aldine Combee Park. The nearly 20-acre facility has baseball fields for organized youth leagues, a picnic area with a screened-in pavilion and a rodeo arena. Outside Combee is Saddle Creek Park, a 740-acre tract with a maze of lakes comprising a series of old phosphate pits. Visitors can enjoy fishing, boating and the park's numerous trails. Local kids can attend Philip O’Brien Elementary School or Crystal Lake Middle, both rated C by Niche. The C-plus-rated Tenoroc High offers several technical programs like their Agricultural Studies, Construction and Electric Power Academies, where students can earn certifications and shadow professionals in their chosen field. While the Aldine Combee Arena at the park of the same name no longer hosts citywide and countywide rodeo events, it remains a gathering place for the community. It is home to monthly rodeo events by Legends in the Making, a nonprofit organization supported by local businesses. Events include sheep riding, calf riding, bull riding, barrel racing and pole bending.

For an area with a lengthy commercial corridor at its heart, Gibsonia is surprisingly calm. Named after central Lake Gibson, this suburban community less than 10 miles north of downtown Lakeland combines the serenity of lakefront homes with the convenience of local businesses — without the accompanying traffic. “It’s well established and definitely less congested than downtown,” says Cyleste Goodson, a Lakeland native and real estate agent with Regal Real Estate LLC. “There’s plenty of shopping, plus churches on almost every corner.” The family-friendly area has baseball fields, playgrounds, an indoor trampoline park and pediatric offices. With a mix of rental apartments, traditional ranch-style homes and waterfront properties, Gibsonia has options suit many different budgets. “It’s a little more affordable than the south side of Lakeland,” says Cameron Woods, a broker associate with Dream Realty Group who’s sold homes in Polk County for 20 years. “You get a little more home for your money, and it’s still a good school district.” Although some four- and five-bedroom waterfront homes are available on the shores of Lake Gibson, usually costing between $450,000 and $700,000, most of Gibsonia’s housing stock is made up of modest ranch-style homes. Lots are often large enough to fit a backyard pool, but sidewalks are rare. Homes built in the 1960s and 1970s range between $250,000 and $400,000, while the occasional new-build can cost as much as $550,000. Sandy Cove of Lakeland offers two-bedroom condo units for $100,000 to $130,000, and a few townhouses are available for under $250,000. The area also has a handful of apartment complexes to accommodate renters. Covering nearly 500 acres, Lake Gibson is a destination for bass fishing. There’s a convenient boat ramp on the lake’s eastern shore, and visitors can enjoy the scenery from a covered picnic area. An independent living facility sits nearby in the historic 1920s Carpenters Home, and staff “often take the residents out on a little pontoon boat,” Goodson says. The closest playground is at Cook Park, an 18-acre public park that opened in 2018. Lighted sports fields are a big draw for young athletes, and there's also a fenced-in dog park. Hunt Fountain Park spans more than 60 acres and hosts local baseball and soccer games. With two playgrounds and a screened-in pavilion, it’s also a popular location for weekend picnics and birthday parties. There’s even a horse arena that’s open to the public. Duffers set tee times at Huntington Hills Golf and Country Club or Links of Sandpiper, both public courses within a few miles of Gibsonia. As part of Polk County Public Schools, students may attend Roberts Elementary or Padgett Elementary, which both receive grades of C-plus from Niche. After a few years at C-plus-rated Lake Gibson Middle, teens can enroll in one of the career programs at B-rated Lake Gibson Senior High. The Academy of Agriscience and Agricultural Biotechnology is unique to this campus, while additional academies such as culinary arts and early childhood education are offered at numerous high schools. Polk County is also known for its extensive list of magnet schools, which includes A-minus-rated Lincoln Avenue Academy, an IB World School for kindergarten through fifth grade students. Rochelle School of the Arts receives a B from Niche and serves kindergarten through eighth grade students. Private, faith-based options like Saint Anthony Catholic School are also nearby. Lake Mirror is a destination for citywide events, including the Lake Mirror Classic, a three-day car show held each fall. Come winter, the lake lights up with fireworks during the city’s annual Christmas parade. And in spring, the nearby Polk Museum of Art hosts the colorful Mayfaire by-the-Lake craft fair. One of the city’s longest-running events, the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo takes place at Lakeland Linder International Airport. The week-long spring festival caters to aviation enthusiasts with workshops for pilots, a career fair and daily airshows. Gibsonia is primarily residential, with one key exception: U.S. Highway 98 serves as the area’s commercial core, lined with shops, restaurants, medical offices, banks and salons. Strip malls host an array of casual spots like Panda World for Chinese takeout, and BubbaQue’s BBQ, known for their Southern specialties and laid-back atmosphere. Palace Italian Restaurant, an extension of the popular downtown spot Palace Pizza, has served the community since 2007. A Walmart is across the street, and there’s a Publix Super Market about a mile north at Lake Gibson Shopping Center. Retail options are concentrated a few miles south at Lakeland Square Mall, a massive complex with more than 90 storefronts. In addition to department stores such as JCPenney and clothing boutiques like H&M, there’s a spacious food court and a Cinemark movie theater. Although the city has expressed an interest in turning the mall’s now-closed Sears building into new apartments, Goodson says the project is currently on hold. Highway 98 is the quickest avenue for drivers heading toward downtown Lakeland. The major thoroughfare also links commuters with Interstate 4, which connects Tampa and Orlando. Citrus Connection buses are available throughout the community, offering routes across Polk County.