This park is amazing that is how I can describe it,not only it is huge but it is also beautiful and…read morehas so much for the kids to do while enjoying the outdoors there is also a kids museum close by. There is plenty of parking here but we aware you will be walking a lot thru this park even if you park close or not. For the kids I recommend bringing a bathing suite as there is a little river where the kids can play and get wet also bring snacks and drinks it gets very hot and there isn't to many places here to buy food or drinks. If there is an event like there was when we visited, be ready to park on the far side of the park and walk also you can bring bikes,scooters and skates to this park. This is truly a hidden gem in Lakeland,Fl and we enjoyed visiting here.

Always a five star experience…read more There is so much parking and depending on what you want to do you can park close to where you want to be. We always park close to the main playground and start there. It's actually a giant circle when you think about it, so we start at that playground then we move on to where there's the owl playground and the spinning carousels. Then we continue onwards to the treehouse, from the treehouse we go to where there's the main building where they had shaved ice and you can get food if you want then it's an easy walk back to the car. We always bring the kids scooters because the walk is a little far for them, they are five and seven. I did learn this time around that if you are older like my in-laws this park may be a little too spaced out, especially when it's hot outside. However, there is a tram that will bring you from place to place so we did end up taking the tram from the main building back to where we parked. We spent about an hour racing around just giant park. There is a lot of shade, but also you do need sunscreen. It is a majority outside and everyone knows how hot Florida gets. I think it is brilliant that at the main building they have shaved ice. Also, at the treehouse they sell drinks, a water bottle was three dollars, which was actually pretty reasonable so I got the kids water. Even though it's hot in Florida I really like the kids spending time outside so this is a fantastic place to spend a couple hours. I'm sure we could spend even more time here if we ever decide to check out rooftop bar or the food place, but for now we've only experienced the multitude of playgrounds. It never feels crazy, busy, but that's probably because it is so spread out that families can be all over this huge park.

Came here yesterday after it rained and I was actually surprised how well the grass/turf dried…read more This definitely worth a stop with kids if you're in the area. They also have a tennis court next door that was pretty busy. This park has so many different options for the kids to play whether it's slides, climbing rocks, playing with water or musical instruments and more. There's so much to do. Bonus is that they have bathrooms, a water fountain & it's gated!!

Arrived 3:45 on 12/30/25…read more STRENGTHS: - lots of attached tennis courts - there are many different little play areas on the playground. Some areas are great for little kids and some areas are good for bigger kids. - they are cool, tunnels, and artificial turf everywhere which is great for kids to stay clean and not have to deal with Florida ants. - the playground equipment is high-quality and there's a large variety for kids to exercise different body movements. This is the kind of park you can take your kids to every day. CHALLENGES: - parking is small. Not a lot of spots. Only 1 handicap spot - this park was packed, but the park is big enough for that to happen.

What a wonderful, beautifully maintained, park! We were awed on the hiking trail we looped around…read moreon. The wildlife we saw was pure joy. There are interpretive signs, as well as warning signs (alligators, snakes, etc) along the way which was an added bonus. Although there was a huge number of vehicles in the parking lot, we barely ran across other hikers. The pathway we took, about a 2.5 mile loop, had minimal foot traffic. The paths are wide, wide enough for worker or emergency vehicles. We enjoyed this park very much and plan to return, albeit most likely NOT in the dead of the Florida summer heat/humidity. We are not that "adventurous" hahaha. We are very blessed with the County and State parks we have here, that's for sure!

This place never ceases to amaze me! Every time I come here, I have a different kind of experience…read more That's what I love about it, you never know what you're going to get. I can't wait for my one day where I get the shot to see an alligator sunning himself on the walkway. My children and I still come here on a regular basis to see all the different kinds of wildlife we can count while we're there. It's quite a fun experience!

Beautiful park with great trails and tons to do! We had a…read morewonderful day at Lake Parker Park in Lakeland. It's a lovely spot with so many amenities for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. We came mainly for hiking in the early afternoon; even though it was a hot, breezy day, the trails were comfortable-b I sy enough to feel lively but never crowded. We walked all three trails (green, red, and blue), and each one was well-marked, peaceful, and shaded, with beautiful views of the lake. There are plenty of spots along the way to rest, stretch, or get in a little extra exercise. The grounds throughout the park are very well maintained, and the scenery is gorgeous. Beyond the trails, there is a huge variety of amenities: boat docking, tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts, a soccer field, shaded picnic areas, pavilions for private events, and lots of parking. Overall, Lake Parker Park is a clean, well-kept, and truly enjoyable place with something for everyone. We are looking forward to coming back.

I've been going to this park ever since I was as a kid. During the summer, we would come here…read moreafter watching a movie and use up all of our stored energy. Thankfully, nothing much has changed, besides an upgrade to the jungle gym area. The park is very well maintained, and there is an abundance of free parking. There's plenty to do out here. Walk/run, rollerblade, play soccer, horseshoes, volleyball, fishing, etc. Dog parents also love this park. Some of the paved trail is shaded, which is very much appreciated. I would be a little cautious about rollerblading, because of all of the pine needles. Pavillions are locked. However, they are available for rent thru the city. Plus, each pavillion also has a bbq next to it. This park is great for kids and for someone a little older that would like a change of scenery while they do their daily walks. I hope Lake Parker Park remains preserved for the next generations to come.

I was in town visiting. A day pass is valid for a week between $20-25 per vehicle. There are…read moredifferent beach lots. I visited the first lot. There was parking available, accessible restrooms, trash and recycling bins next to beach ramp. The water was a bit chilly but gorgeous! It was easy to walk on the sand, not many shells. I highly recommend a visit to this beach.

Beautiful, unspoiled beach with a clothing-optional area. I enjoyed spending time here with my gf…read moreduring our trip to Florida

This scenic 40 acre lake is named for John P. Morton who used to own land around the lake. Morton…read morewas the brother-in-law to Lakeland founder, Abraham G. Munn. Both business men came to Florida from Kentucky and Morton was a wealthy publisher. His company, John P. Morton and Co., was one of the largest book publishers in the South, specializing in textbooks and blank books. Morton died just a few years after Lakeland's official founding in 1885. He passed away in 1889 at the age 82 in Louisville but his prolific publishing house continued operation until 1943. Surrounding Lake Morton is a passive park area with benches and picnic tables. Bordering Lake Morton is the South and East Lake Morton Historic District Neighborhoods. Development of these neighborhoods began around 1906 with most of the bungalow and Mediterranean styles houses built during the Florida Boom between 1920 and 1926. In 1926 the City of Lakeland had 20 swans. They became a beloved part of the city and a Swan Department was even created to tend to the birds. By 1954 the last swan passed away leaving Lakeland very sad. Mrs. Robert Pickhardt, a Lakeland native living in England was familiar with the royal flock of swans on the Thames which were descended from the original pair given to Richard, the lion heart. She inquired about purchasing a pair for Lakeland and Queen Elizabeth offered to send swans if the city would pay the cost of capture, crating, and shipping at an estimated $300. The city was able to raise the money and the pair of White Mute Swans from England were released on Lake Morton on February 9, 1957. The swans became treasured celebrities and are the mascot and symbol of the city. The swan is in the city's logo, and in the names of businesses, neighborhoods, streets, and events. The best place to see the black and white swans of Lakeland along with other birds like anhinga, ducks, wood storks, egrets, herons, ibis, and pelicans is on Lake Morton. I loved watching the beautiful swans glide through the water along with all of the other birds on the lake. The only other place I can think of where there are swans like this is on Lake Eola in Orlando. Lake Morton is also home to the Mayfaire by-the-Lake, an art festival which takes place on Mother's Day weekend each year along the shores of the lake. It typically features more than 140 artist booths and is one of the oldest and largest art festivals in Central Florida.

It's a very big park and lake that's full of swans n nature beauties! Furry babies are allowed so…read moreit's a plus plus plus!

Located at the top of the Lake Mirror Amphitheater, Barnett Family Park was cutting edge when it…read moreopened in 2004. The $2 million park was a gift to the City of Lakeland from Carol Jenkins Barnett and Barney Barnett. Carol Jenkins Barnett (September 30, 1956 - December 7, 2021) was a Lakeland resident and the daughter of George W. Jenkins, the founder of Publix Super Markets. She served as president of Publix Super Markets Charities and as a member of the board of directors of Publix Super Markets. The Barnett Family Park playground features a whimsical nature themed playground with climbing net and an interactive fountain and splash pad that spouts columns of water into the air at random intervals to encourage children to play. The park also has the Sunflower Preschool Playground designed for ages 2 to 5, a labyrinth, a covered picnic area, restrooms, and a multipurpose field. I really enjoyed all of the public art surrounding the play area. If you have children this is a must stop in downtown Lakeland. Whether you're looking for a place to relax, take the kids to play, enjoy a picnic, or engage in sports activities, this park provides a little something for everyone.

Barnett family park is my families favorite park we have gone to in Lakeland. There is a huge…read moreparking lot, as well as street parking which provides plenty of places to park. The location is situated on a beautiful lake that has several walkways for a lovely stroll. The park itself is centered around a humongous shade tree that has a ton of picnic table seating. Each playground is separated by age and is gated, which is a huge relief for parents with runners! There is an infants area, toddlers age 2-5 and big kids area. On the opposite side of the playground is the splash pad which is spread out nicely so parents can keep a good eye on their children as they run and cool down. This park has something for everyone and is a must go to!

I was actually surprised at the trails here. At first glance you don't see them and then there they…read moreare hidden from the parking area and fishing "lakes". Pretty trails which wind around more water area and under canopies of trees. Unfortunately there is trash lying around and some of the people I encountered seemed to not be there for nature, so that's why I only rated it three stars. Signs are almost unreadable and area doesn't seem to be taken care of. I will go back as I didn't get to explore the whole length of the trails. I advise being aware of your surroundings out here. Also enjoy nature and the beauty this park has to offer

Worked at Saddle Creek in Lakeland, Florida in Building 18…read more Here is my experience: 1. Arrived at building 18 and made contact with Kathy in dispatch. Kathy instructed me to wait on another driver who could train me on a CNG tractor. 2. Waited for 2 hours in the breakroom. Finally introduced to Omar (CNG trainer) who showed me how to operate CNG. Kathy then assigned a truck to me which was not CNG but regular tractor day cab. (wasted almost 2 hours). 3. Assigned a trailer and handed the BOL by Kathy. On pre trip of assigned trailer, found license plate light was out. Informed kathy of defect and was instructed to repair the light at the shop. 4 At repair shop, light was fixed and finally dispatched at around 12:30 noon. Had been in touch with kathy and ELD logs documenting this defective light and the late dispatch. Receiving: Arrived at 1st receiver (Ft. Lauderdale). Discovered that the trailer was loaded incorrectly by Saddle Creek warehouse. Had to physically remove all packages from the trailer to get the 1st stop's load. Then had to reload the trailer to head to the second stop (West Palm Beach). Received numerous calls from Kathy in dispatch asking about my ETA to Palm Beach. Notified her and dispatch that the unloading took a lot of time and DOT hours were dwindling. Made it to the 2nd stop with an irate and rude warehouse manager. Asked me "what my The problem was" because I was late. Explained about the trailer error but didn't care. Notified dispatch( Kathy and Scott) that manager was rude and in my face. Leaving 2nd stop, notified Scott in dispatch that DOT hours were running out. (had to make it back from Palm Beach to Lakeland in 3 hours). This was not happening. Was instructed by Scott to take the 16 hour exception and proceed. Asked specifically about other options but received 0 feedback from Scott. Arrived back at Saddle creek building 18 and violated DOT driving rule (had to drive 1 hour illegally) Next Day Summary of Events Report was sent by both Scott and Kathy in dispatch to warehouse supervisor Chris Sands of the following: 1. Driver (me) dispatched late (completely ignoring the license plate light issue-item 3 above) 2. Driver took tractor to shop without authorization (was approved and instructed by Kathy to take the truck to the shop (item 3 above) 3. Driver took to long to unload (completely ignoring that the trailer was loaded incorrectly from warehouse) 4. Driver violated DOT driving hours: Scott stated to Chris Sands that he "told me, the driver, that if I run out of DOT time, to call him. This was false and Scott never mentioned those words to me. I do however take full responsibility for the illegal dot driving. In Summary I have found that the two personnel, Kathy and Scott (who was in direct contact with me during the entire load) reported false and inaccurate statements to management to either mitigate risk from the operations standpoint or to shift blame more on the driver. Met with Chris Sands (manager at building 18) in person and had a good meeting. Chris was attentive, direct, and a good listener. his major issue was with the illegal drive time (which is completely understood). Had no other comments or feedback when I explained that his dispatch team (kathy and Scott) falsified and accurately described the load events and details.