Living in Lakeland, Florida

SMALL-CITY CHARM. CENTRAL FLORIDA LOCATION. A LOT MORE GOING ON THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT.

Located between Tampa and Orlando along the I-4 corridor, Lakeland offers something increasingly hard to find in Central Florida: a city with its own identity, an active downtown, beautiful lakes and established neighborhoods, while still putting some of Florida’s biggest destinations within easy reach.

It’s not just a place between Tampa and Orlando. Lakeland is a destination of its own.

DOWNTOWN LAKELAND

Downtown Lakeland has the kind of walkable, local character that can be difficult to find in newer Florida communities.

Centered around historic Munn Park and extending toward Lake Mirror, downtown is home to locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques, historic architecture and community events. Lake Mirror and its waterfront promenade give the heart of the city a distinctly Lakeland feel, with water and green space just blocks from downtown businesses.

First Friday brings the community downtown each month for an evening of live entertainment, vendors, activities and local businesses.

SATURDAY MORNING IN DOWNTOWN LAKELAND

One of Lakeland’s signature traditions is the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market.

Every Saturday from September through July, several blocks of North Kentucky Avenue become an outdoor marketplace filled with local produce, food, baked goods, plants, handmade products and artisan vendors.

The market regularly attracts thousands of visitors and has become as much a social gathering as a place to shop. Grab something to eat, wander through downtown and spend the morning exploring local businesses.

BASEBALL HAS DEEP ROOTS HERE

Lakeland is TigerTown.

The Detroit Tigers have held Spring Training in Lakeland since 1934, creating the longest-standing relationship between a Major League Baseball franchise and its current Spring Training community.

Each spring, Major League Baseball comes to Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, where fans can see the Detroit Tigers up close during Grapefruit League play.

Baseball doesn’t disappear when Spring Training ends, either. The Lakeland Flying Tigers, Detroit’s Single-A affiliate, play their home games at the same stadium during the Minor League Baseball season.

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

One of Lakeland’s biggest advantages is its location.

Sitting along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando gives residents access to two major metropolitan areas without necessarily having to live in either one.

Head west and you have Tampa, professional sports, concerts, Tampa International Airport and everything the Tampa Bay area has to offer.

Head east and you have Orlando, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and one of the world’s largest concentrations of at