Okeechobee, known for bass, speckled perch, is a fishing destination
Superlatives float around Okeechobee, a community of almost 6,000 in south central Florida named after the state’s largest freshwater lake. While some consider it one of the bass fishing capitals of the country, others say it’s the “Speckled Perch Capital of the World.” “The main attraction has always been fishing in the past,” says Donna Huth, a real estate agent with Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage, who has around 7 years of experience. “It’s becoming an ‘out-of-the-coast area.’ The coast has gotten so congested that people are buying over here and working over there. … The commute is worth it because they’re out of traffic,” she says, explaining that residents commute to cities as far away as Port St. Lucie and West Palm Beach.
New constructions, manufactured homes and late-20th-century cottages
Palm trees rise above lush greenery along the roads of Okeechobee, and a lack of sidewalks on most residential streets contributes to the area’s rural feel. Minimal Traditional cottages and ranch-style homes built starting in the 1960s make up a significant portion of the area’s housing market, with new constructions on the rise, too. The median single-family home sales price across Okeechobee is about $295,000, and options range from fixer-uppers to multi-acre estates. Mobile and manufactured homes are also common in the area; prices range anywhere from $40,000 to $550,000, depending on condition and lot size.
Bass fishing and pontoon boating in Florida’s largest freshwater lake
Okeechobee lies along the northern bank of its namesake lake — the largest freshwater lake in Florida and the second largest in the United States. The “Big O,” as locals have nicknamed it, is renowned for bass fishing, though bluegill, crappie and pickerel are common as well. “A lot of people have pontoon boats who like to cruise along the lake or the Kissimmee River,” Huth says, though she wouldn’t advise swimming in the water. “You might come back without an arm or a leg. We have a lot of gators.” The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail loops around the body of water, totaling roughly 110 miles for hikers, cyclists and equestrians. Campsites have been established along the route, which is part of the more extensive Florida National Scenic Trail.
The Speckled Perch Festival and The Yee Haw Music Festival
Okeechobee celebrates its prominent fishing culture with the Speckled Perch Festival. What started as a parade and a fish fry in 1965 — making it the oldest celebration in Okeechobee — has evolved into a two-day festival with fishing tournaments, a car show and other entertainment during the second weekend of March. The Yee Haw Music Festival is a three-day series of live bluegrass and country music shows in January. Honoring its rural roots, Okeechobee also draws several rodeos throughout the year.
A number of seafood restaurants, and major grocery stores on Route 98
Many of Okeechobee’s businesses are clustered near the intersection of U.S. Route 98 and Florida state Route 70, also known as Park Street. Lightsey’s Seafood Restaurant has a laid-back feel with wooden booths and large fish trophies mounted on the walls. Seafood of all varieties comes paired with Southern-inspired sides, like collard greens and hush puppies.
Tin Fish serves crispy fried fish, conch, clam strips and oysters in a brick building with high ceilings, though its fish tacos are also a popular order. Pogey’s is a classic diner offering an extensive breakfast menu, a selection of burgers and other hearty entrees. Farther south along U.S. Route 98, there’s an ALDI, a Walmart Supercenter and a Publix Super Market for groceries.
Okeechobee High School’s newly constructed building
The Okeechobee County Schools receive a C-plus grade from Niche. Children living in the northern portion of the city and the county may attend Yearling Middle School, which scores a C-plus, while those in the southern half may enroll at Osceola Middle School, maintaining a B-minus. Okeechobee High School scores a B-minus as well and will move to a newly constructed building in the 2026-2027 academic year. The high school offers career technical education courses in fields like agriculture mechanics, aquaculture and digital design, as well as a bass fishing club, Future Farmers of America and a drama club.
State Route 710 goes to West Palm Beach, and SR-70 goes coast to coast
Okeechobee is situated at the intersection of SR-70 and U.S. Route 98. The state route travels east to Fort Pierce on the Atlantic Coast, roughly 40 miles away. “That’s our main road. It goes all the way from the eastern coast to the western coast,” Huth says. “There’s a lot of development going on along 70.” United States Route 98 travels south through the community, skirting around Lake Okeechobee and continuing east toward West Palm Beach, which is about 70 miles away. However, SR-710 provides a more direct path to the city. There is an Amtrak station in town, and the Vero Beach Regional Airport is roughly 50 miles away.
