Be a happy camper 🏕

RV campsite with tropical trees, tiki hut, and outdoor living area

Park your RV here and relax under your own personal tiki hut. | Photo by @campmargaritavilleauburndale

National Camp Day is Saturday, Nov. 19 — just in time for some cooler temperatures to finally roll in. Celebrate by booking a stay at one of these unique camping destinations in and around Lakeland.

Camp Margaritaville, 361 Denton Ave., Auburndale
Make summer last all year long at this lakeside resort. Bring your RV, rent one on-site, or book a Cabana Cabin for a more upscale camping trip. Enjoy amenities like pools, parks, restaurants, a bathhouse, and tiki bars.

Colt Creek State Park, 16000 State Rd. 471
Pitch your tent on a site only accessible by foot, or rent a fully-furnished, air-conditioned, waterproof canvas tent known as a Cypress Dome. There are also equestrian campsites with space for horse trailers so you and your campsite neigh-bors can enjoy the park’s 15+ miles of horseback trails.

Zebras and antelope on grassland in front of forest and rainbow in sky — Imagine waking up to these views in the morning.

Safari Wilderness, 10850 Moore Rd.
Take glamping to a wild new level at this animal safari ranch. Camp out in furnished tents on wooden decks and enjoy a panoramic view of the animal herds. Overnight guests also have access to sundown safaris, mountain biking, and animal encounters.

Lake Wales RV & Campsite, 15898 US Hwy. 27, Lake Wales
Travel ~50 minutes from downtown Lakeland to visit this campsite. Book your stay for full RV hook-ups, winter entertainment, and potluck dinners. Fishers will enjoy the catch-and-release fishing pond, and the heated indoor pool is perfect for the cooler months.

Airplanes lined up on grass at SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo — Flying in for a SUN ‘n FUN event? Camp out under the wings of your airplane.

SUN ‘n FUN, 4075 James C. Ray Dr.
Get close to all the aviation action SUN ‘n FUN has to offer with year-round RV and dry tent camping. Reserve a spot for a few days or a few weeks — discounts are available for monthly campers. Enjoy aircraft displays, natural golf cart paths, and activity fields.

RV missing your favorite campsite? Let us know where we should pitch our tents next.

EVENTS

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Tuesday, Nov. 15

Story Time at the Florida Air Museum | Tuesday, Nov. 15 | 10-10:30 a.m. | Florida Air Museum, 4175 Medulla Rd., Lakeland | Free | Junior ACEs ages 2-5 can hear a story and take part in an interactive learning experience.
Tasty Tuesday | Tuesday, Nov. 15 | 4:30-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | $25 | Dine through downtown by purchasing tasting tickets from local restaurants — get 10 samples for $25.

Wednesday, Nov. 16

Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, Nov. 16 | 5 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 Florida Ave S, Lakeland | Free | Learn some new moves from 5-7 p.m., then sing your heart out starting at 8:30 p.m.
Musical Animals and Nature | Wednesday, Nov. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Branscomb Auditorium, Robert Davis Performing Arts Center, Florida Southern College, 1100 Johnson Ave., Lakeland | $5-$10 | The Florida Southern College Orchestra will perform pieces inspired by animals and nature.

Thursday, Nov. 17

Zen Awakening Festival 2022 | Thursday, Nov. 17-Saturday, Nov. 19 | 1-11:45 p.m. | Zen Meditation Fields, 2505 W. Bella Vista St, Lakeland | $88-$333 | Visit this four-day music and arts festival to connect with performances, meditation, yoga, and 100+ workshops — on-site camping is available.
Wine, Chocolate and Cheese | Thursday, Nov. 17 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce, 401 Ave. B NW, Winter Haven | $30-$35 | Pick up your Tasting Passport and try wine and cheese or chocolate pairings from 30+ downtown Winter Haven businesses.

Friday, Nov. 18

Sixx L Sixx w/ Smokin’ Chanchos | Friday, Nov. 18 | 7-10 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W Pine St, Lakeland | Free | All ages are welcome to listen to live music from Sixx L Sixx and order from the Smokin’ Chanchos food truck.

Saturday, Nov. 19

Dixieland AlleyFest | Saturday, Nov. 19 | 8 a.m.-3 p.m. | Dixieland Village, 1035 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Stroll through Dixieland to shop from local businesses, artists’ booths, antique shops, and grab a bite from food trucks.
35th Annual Margarita Ball | Saturday, Nov. 19 | 5-11 p.m. | Frances Langford Promenade, Lakeland | $45 | Bring a toy donation and enjoy an evening of live music, hors d’oeuvres, margaritas, and more from local restaurants and bars.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

CAUSE

4 volunteer opportunities at SUN ‘n FUN and beyond ✈️

Aerospace Center for Excellence article 11.15

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) and engages over 50,000 students a year through its youth programs. | Photo provided by Aerospace Center for Excellence

If this fall has been a little too boeing for your tastes, here’s an idea: become a volunteer for the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) or the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo.

Hosting one of the largest aviation events in the world (along with dozens of others year ‘round), ACE and SUN ‘n FUN have been bringing outreach programs, summer camps, and scholarship opportunities to Lakelanders since 1974 — and volunteers make it all possible.

Here are four areas that volunteers can lend their talents:

Museum + Events: Give guided tours, archive our collections, upkeep the museum, become a docent, or help with special events.
Education: Inspire young aviators with Story Time, field trips, and events of all kinds.
Maintenance: Beautify the grounds as a Flower Babe, or serve in maintenance as a plumber, carpenter, or mechanical worker to operate large machinery/vehicles.
Creativity: Take your administrative and creative talents out of the office and serve in the area of social media + graphic design.*

NEWS NOTES

Weather

85º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain

Development

Lakeland Regional Health has purchased a 2.2-acre property at 6150 S. Florida Ave. to be used for a freestanding emergency department. Construction on the new location, which has access to South Florida Avenue and County Road 540A, will start in 2023. 🏥

Coming Soon

This has a nice wing to it. The Anchor Bar, the home of the original Buffalo wing, is planning to open a franchise in Lakeland. The location and opening date are TBA, but we’re already working up an appetite for its traditional wings, pizza, and burgers. 🍗 (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Community

Lakeland is now home to the Buffalo Soldiers Monument following Saturday’s unveiling ceremony featuring re-enactors on horseback. You can visit the memorial at Veterans’ Memorial Park (along Lake Beulah Drive), which is open daily from dawn to dusk. (LkldNow)

Holiday

Learn about the origins of your favorite Christmas carols at the Songs of Christmas Past Lunch & Learn today at 12 p.m. in the Polk County History Center (100 E. Main St., Bartow). Pack a lunch to visit in person, or send an email for the link to join virtually. 🎼

Learn

Hear about school safety from Sheriff Grady Judd and Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid at the “Breaking Down Silos” event. Register for a spot on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m. in the Polk State College Center for Public Safety (1251 Jim Keene Blvd., Winter Haven). (The Ledger)

Concert

Southeastern University is striking up the band with two performances this week. Don’t miss the Brass Quintet Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and the Percussion Ensemble Concert on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Both are free and take place in the Buena Vida East Band Room. 🥁

Health

Polk County is seeing a rise in both flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases. More are being affected earlier in the flu season than usual, and Lakeland Regional Hospital has seen 50-60 RSV cases per month, on average, since the school year began in August. (The Ledger)

Shop

Take to the streets at the Holiday Night Market happening downtown on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 5-10 p.m. Curated by Buena Market, Downtown Lakeland, Art Crawl, and Lakeland Punk Flea, you’re sure to find the perfect gift, specialty food + beverage, or live performance. ❄️

Sports

The Lakeland Magic hosted the Austin Spurs at home this weekend, winning Friday’s game and falling behind in Saturday’s. The Magic are on the road for their next four games, but you can get tickets now for their next home game against the Mexico City Capitanes on Friday, Nov. 25. 🏀

Edu

Florida A&M University is hosting a recruiting event tomorrow, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. in Lakeland’s Coleman-Bush Building (1104 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). High school students can learn more about becoming a Rattler at this event — no registration required. (The Ledger)

The Word

Credit Utilization Ratio. Okay, technically three words, but this is the figure lenders use to determine how well you manage credit. Learn what number you should strive for. 💵 *

Try This

Daunted by a long holiday shopping list? Quick cash idea: List your extra storage spaces on Neighbor. You can rent out anything from closets and sheds to driveways and parking spots. Bonus: Listing your space is free. 💸*

Family

Looking for hands-on holiday fun for the whole family? Make a gingerbread house (without having to worry about clean up) at Publix Apron’s Gingerbread Houses event on Fri., Nov. 25. 🎄*

Featured Deal

Payne Air is offering Cool Cash rebates on new Carrier Systems now through Sat., Nov. 19. Get up to $1550 off new systems plus 36 months of no interest with approved credit. Snag the deal.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

HOLIDAY

It’s (almost) turkey lurkey time 🦃

The Terrace Grille's dining room has plush orange chairs, large windows, and two glasses of white wine on the table.

Celebrate Thanksgiving at The Terrace Grille. | Photo via @terracegrillelakeland

Looking to celebrate the day of thanks without the hassle of prepping a meal? Don’t quit Thanksgiving cold turkey — we’ve got you covered with where to dine in + carry out for Thanksgiving dinner.

Where to dine-in

The Terrace Grille, 329 E. Main St. | 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. or 5 p.m.
Head to The Terrace Hotel for Thanksgiving this year, and enjoy a buffet-style dining experience for $120 per adult or $49 per child (12 and under). Dinner here is reservation only, so be sure to give The Terrace a call at (863) 603-5420 to reserve your spot.

Where to carry out

Fred’s Market, 2120 Harden Blvd. | Place orders by Wed., Nov. 16
Skip the cooking and pick up a Fred’s Family Holiday Feast on Nov. 23 by 8 p.m. A standard order costs $119 and feeds about 8 people, but add-ons are also available if you’re hankering for more. You can view the menu here.

5 MORE OPTIONS TO BE THANKFUL FOR

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Connor.

Editor’s pick: Can’t wait until Nov. 24 for your feast? Stop by Ax-Caliber and order up a Thankgiving plate including roasted turkey, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, your choice of pie, and more. It’s available until Friday, Nov. 25.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out where to order your holiday pies, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Rilee Delgado, Connor Keith, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Kailey Burke | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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