Beautiful park with a big lake. They have a pavilion you can rent for events, a playground for kids…read more5-12 years of age and another one for younger children. They also have basketball & tennis/pickleball courts, and a pool/splashpad you can pay for during the hot months. They hold the 4th of July fireworks here and it's a beautiful display.

BBQ & Brews Ribs on the Ridge Haines City set up Lake Eva Park, something for all ages. Pit Masters…read morefills the air with sweet smell of bbq smoke drifting via air. There's foods, games, music, right off the lake. People gathering to view, see, partake in this event that's been so long in the making, Kids playing with frisbee, balls, laughter enjoying a good family day. @miracle Toyota giving away, free frisbees to each kid to enjoy the relaxing day. There's Mac & cheese, corn on cob, greens, icees, bbq even the @Budweiser car was present to take pics ask questions. There was variety of food trucks. The bands had windows each played music then another band came set up and the music lived on. The weather was Absolutely gorgeous. Plenty of free parking, sitting, wonderful community event.

I've paddled the Emerald Cut a few times now. Initially I didn't like the idea of paying to launch…read moremy own paddleboard. However, it's only $10 now that I have my own life jacket (saving me additional cost of $5 to use one of theirs, as required). Well worth the low cost for some soul-enriching, communing with nature. I have never made a reservation. I normally arrive around 10:30, most recently on a Friday. Parked for free on Baptist Camp Rd. Just a bit of a walk from there with my inflated paddleboard, but I don't mind the extra exercise. You can unload your stuff closer, if preferable. There are port-a-potties available. You can count on there being a line in the check-in office. Various recreation supplies are available there for purchase. The process moves reasonably enough. A reservation will guarantee your entrance, however, and possibly aide quicker personal info collection. I always plan to do the Emerald Cut in roughly 3 hours round-trip, allowing myself several stops to enjoy the surroundings. You do run into (quite literally at times) novice paddlers along the way, which can be a bit tricky, yet not a real nuisance for me. In general, there's friendliness along the waterway. Slighty rowdy, party vibes in some spots, but also opportunities for solace and zen in various nooks. Encountering wildlife, fragrant elderberry, and other captivating flora along this stretch is always gratifying. It's a popular recreation destination for good reason.

Many tourists don't realize Florida is home to stunning crystal-clear spring rivers--perfect for…read moreswimming, kayaking, and tubing aka "hidden gems". My Hubby and I love kayaking, so we booked an excursion months in advance for Rock Springs through TripAdvisor. Our Tour Operator was Get Up And Go Kayaking located at Kings Landing in Apopka, FL. I LOVE saying Apopka ;) The good news: Apopka is a quick 1 hour drive from Orlando. Make sure you don't miss the turn to King's Landing, because the entrance is located on a narrow dirt road. You must drive past Kelly Park (which fills up fast). There is a Park Ranger located here who will guide you to King's Landing. As you get closer and if you see a parking spot, grab it! Check in is located in the Cabin like office where you will have to sign a waiver. If you do not want to take a clear bottom, guided Kayak tour, you can either rent or BYO Kayak versus taking a semi private, clear, guided kayak tour. NOTE: ONLY use their Sunscreen/lotion which is provided at no cost. It protects the wildlife and the Springs. We wanted the full experience as we have previously enjoyed renting clear Kayaks. Our guide for the morning was: Megan, who was fantastic! Full of energy, information and helpful tidbits about the Springs and its human and wildlife inhabitants. Our group was small and capped at 10. We paddled through both narrow and open stretches, and stopped to swim in the warm, crystal-clear water. One highlight was a banyan tree with an 8-foot natural "jump hole"--such a cool experience! It was a serene, memorable day, and fun fact: this is the very spring featured in the Visit Orlando commercials! Yeah, definitely take a day away from crowded Orlando to relax and enjoy Mother Nature! You will Thank Me ;)

South Lake Howard Nature Park is the perfect place to enjoy a walk. The 17.6 acre area was…read moreoriginally developed to treat stormwater. Stormwater parks help the environment by capturing and retaining stormwater runoff which prevents flooding in the surrounding areas. It cleanses and stores stormwater to recharge the aquifer. The pond plants removes pollutants from the water leaving it clean. Left untreated stormwater leads to algal blooms, muck deposits, fish kills, and other environmental problems. These ponds also attract a variety of wildlife including Florida's beautiful wading birds, alligators and turtles while providing a recreation area for the public. The South Lake Howard Nature Park opened in 2001 and contains stormwater ponds and infrastructure to help clean and filter the stormwater water from the sucrose's and neighborhoods before it enters Lake Howard. At the entrance to the park is a parking lot, picnic pavilions with tables, and restrooms. The first part of the trail into the park is a 1,000 foot boardwalk that takes you over the water. Further into the park are three paved loops measuring a quarter mile, half mile, and mile. At one point you have to cross over 21st West. The paved pathways make it easy for people of all exercise abilities to enjoy the park. As wonderful as the park is, there is even more to come. The city purchased an adjoining property which was the former home of WSIR Radio. They plan on adding more trails, boardwalks, kayak launch, play area, disc golf, an outdoor classroom and other amenities. Keep an eye out for the exciting new developments at South Lake Howard Nature Park.

I've lived in Davenport for 5 years and had no clue this gem of a park was there. This place is…read moreabsolutely pristine. There are a variety of facilities and it was extremely well maintained. I attended an event at the center in front of the playground. Although it was burning hot, those fans cooled us down. I was so glad the planners rented the space. Between the basketball, baseball, playground, racket ball, soccer, and tennis facilities, my children will not be bored this summer.

Attended my nephews graduation party today at the park. It was absolutely adorable. They rented the…read morelittle indoor clubhouse for shaded food and fun. The playground felt new and brought me back to my childhood with all the play attractions. The park itself is huge with tennis, basketball, racket ball, and baseball fields. Everything was modern and well kept. There was plenty of parking and rest areas. Truly enjoyed our visit!

Overall, this is a pleasant park in Lakeland, Florida. It has a welcoming ambiance and there are…read morequite a few restaurants around it. If you are in the area, I would definitely recommend checking this park out.

The lake (or really nice giant pond) is pretty. It is the backdrop for Hollis Gardens and is easy…read moreto walk around. There are several types of birds and ducks. We saw several nests while taking pictures. The lake has steps but there was so much trash and debris in and around the water that I would not want to sit there. There is an art museum, fire department, the Joinery (with restaurants and bathrooms) and stores nearby. Parking is free.

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.

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.

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!