Forests, swans, and architecture: 11 can’t-miss tours of Lakeland

Be a tourist in your own town. Get out and try these 11 fantastic tours of Lakeland and beyond to learn something new.

A sculpture of Frank Lloyd Wright wearing a wide-brimmed hat stands in front of the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center

Tour the works of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright at Florida Southern College.

Photo via Florida Southern College

One of the best ways to learn about Lakeland is by playing tourist in your own city. Get out and try one of these tours of Lakeland and beyond to learn something new.

Frank Lloyd Wright Tours | Year-round
Tour Florida Southern College, home to the world’s largest concentration of structures designed by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Choose a self-guided tour or an in-depth tour led by a docent — both are available daily for reservations.

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You won’t be-leaf how many trees you can find on this tour.

Photo by @heyyitsashley

Lakeland’s Urban Forest | Year-round
Did you know that the City of Lakeland manages over 56,000 trees? Use your smartphone to branch out and take a self-guided tour of Lakeland’s cataloged tree collections. Walk through the Lake Morton Flowering Tree Collection or the Hollis Garden Fruit Tree Collection to see 130+ of these trees.

Polk Museum of Art | Year-round
You can always visit this free museum for a self-guided walk through the art, but you can’t beat a tour with an expert. Tour the latest exhibit with a docent, guest speaker, or even the museum’s curator.

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A friendly food tour guide will show you the best bites in Lakeland.

Photo by @lkldfoodtours

Lkld Food Tours | Year-round
Taste local dishes at your favorite restaurants on a guided walking tour. Adults can also take a Prohibition Tour to sample cocktails and learn the history behind them. Call to book a private tour.

Lakeland Fire Station | Year-round
Get an inside look at how firefighters keep Swan City safe. Any Lakeland Fire Station is open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. for individual and small group tours — no need to schedule an appointment.

Historic Walking Tour | Seasonal
Learn more about the Munn Park Historic District from local historians on this walking tour. Go inside historic buildings and end your tour with $10 in “market bucks” to spend at the Farmers Curb Market.

A loggia with gated arches and columns on the Frances Langford Promenade under a clear blue sky.

Learn the secrets of the loggia by taking a free lake tour.

Photo by @thelaltoday

Lake Mirror Historic Tour | October-March
Walk the Frances Langford Promenade around Lake Mirror to go back to Lakeland’s beginnings in the late 1800s. These tours even take guests in the famed loggia.

Stories and Stones Historic Cemetery Tour | Seasonal
Hear the stories of past Lakeland residents as you learn the meanings of the iconography found on their gravestones in Roselawn Cemetery. This respectful tour is led by Lakeland History and Culture Center staff.

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Go inside the Wonder House, constructed by Conrad Schuck’s family in the 1920s.

Photo via @merineitsi

Wonder House | Year-round
This Bartow home has four stories full of history and interesting architecture. See it for yourself on a tour of the house — look out for the taxidermied animals and other oddities found inside.

Architectural Tour of the Polk County History Center | Year-round
Discover the neo-classical architecture of the History Center in Bartow and learn about the ongoing restoration efforts taking place there with this monthly tour.

Experience Keel Farms | Year-round
Go behind the scenes to see how beer, wine, and cider goes from farm to glass at this Plant City winery.

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