06.25.2024

Today’s Forecast

91º | 70% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:33 a.m. | Sunset 8:28 p.m.

🦉 Hoo’s ready for a hike?

Hiking guide for Lakeland

A brown and white owl looks to the right.

Keep your camera ready on Circle B’s Wading Bird Way. | Photo by @rh_photoadventures

Lace up your hiking boots, because we’ve compiled a hiking guide with 13 Polk County routes and trails to help you plan your next adventure.

Note: While parks and trails may be listed as open, we recommend checking park websites before visiting for further info, current trail conditions, and the safest practices for the area.

Key: Easy = 🥾 | Moderate = 🥾🥾 | Hard = 🥾🥾🥾

Circle B Bar Reserve, 4399 Winter Lake Rd., Lakeland

Difficulty: 🥾
Length: 5 combined miles
Wheelchair accessible: Portions
Pet-friendly: No

Practice your photography skills along the way or simply take in the fresh air. Visiting soon? The Marsh Rabbit Run Trail and a portion of the Alligator Alley Trail are closed due to gator mating season.

A shaded, grassy hiking path winds through tall trees. — A good hike becomes a great hike when the path is shady.
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Photo by @_kayleeholland

Gator Creek Reserve, 9725 US Hwy. 98 N., Lakeland

Difficulty: 🥾
Length: 7 combined miles — looped trails range from .23 miles-2.9 miles.
Wheelchair accessible: Portions
Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required

The elevation change here is 22 ft and one of the paths is paved, making this a great option for the whole family.

Colt Creek State Park, 16000 SR 471, Lakeland

Difficulty: 🥾
Length: 15+ combined miles
Wheelchair accessible: Portions
Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required

This grassy, padded hike boasts cool breeze and shade if you catch it at the right time.

The sun is setting over treetops in the distance — You can’t go wrong with a sunset hike.
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Photo by @_kayleeholland

Se7en Wetlands, 500 W. Carter Rd., Lakeland

Difficulty: 🥾🥾
Length: 3 miles per loop
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: No

Wear proper shoes and bring enough water to stay hydrated — but leave your furry friends at home. As crews dredge the lakes, expect heavy machinery in the area through August.

Lakeland Highlands Scrub, 6998 Lakeland Highlands Rd., Lakeland

Difficulty: 🥾
Length: 2.8 miles in three loops
Wheelchair accessible: No
Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required

This quiet oasis on the edge of the suburbs is perfect for everything from a quick hike to a longer excursion; trails range from an average of 30 minutes to two hours.

Trek out 8 more routes

Asked

What is most important to you when choosing a hike?

A. Level of difficulty
B. Time to complete/number of miles
C. Unmatched views
D. It’s all about the hiking location

We're trailing with you

Events

Tuesday, June 25

Brew Crew, Music Bingo, and By The Chef Pizza | Tuesday, June 25 | 6-9 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | After a run with the Lakeland Runners Club, play live music bingo and chow down on pizza.
Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. Dunedin Blue Jays | Tuesday, June 25 | 6:30 p.m. | Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland | $8-$11 | Cheer on the Flying Tigers and play Baseball Bingo from the stands.

Wednesday, June 26

Summer Naturalist | Wednesday, June 26 | 9-11 a.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Visit the Nature Center to learn how to identify animals just by using their scat and tracks.
Summer Kids Class - Glowing Gecko | Wednesday, June 26 | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $27-$29 | Kids ages 7+ will learn how to paint a glow in the dark gecko — bring your own juice boxes.

Thursday, June 27

Beer & Bubbles | Thursday, June 27 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Downtown Winter Haven, 400 W. Central Ave., Winter Haven | $30 | Explore downtown shops while sampling craft beer, sparkling wines, and light bites at participating businesses.

Friday, June 28

ONEBLOOD Drive | Friday, June 28 | 2:30-8 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Give blood to receive a gift card, t-shirt, and a free pint of beer from The Joinery bar.
Moxie Le Femme Presents: The 90’s Burlesque Bash! | Friday, June 28-Saturday, June 29 | 7-11 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | $15-$20 | Catch this cabaret + burlesque variety show with a 1990s-themed twist.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Number

$900,000. That’s how much Lakeland Electric has paid in rebates since October 2023. The utility will now honor all rebate applications for customers who make energy upgrades or install Energy Star appliances despite exceeding the rebate program’s budget. (LkldNow)

Real Estate

Lakeland home prices changed -0.5% in the last year, according to a SmartAsset study. Lakeland ranked No. 97 out of 100 nationwide metro areas for year-over-year price increases (read: in a market where most cities saw costs rise, Lakeland’s decreased).

Closed

The South Florida Avenue Hooters permanently closed this weekend along with dozens of locations nationwide. According to locals, it was the chain’s second restaurant. The north Lakeland location remains open. (The Ledger)

Award

Southeastern University won five awards at the Polk County All Sports Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet, bringing the school’s total to 29. Honorees included the men’s 4x100 relay + baseball teams, runner James Williamson III, and Director of Athletics Drew Watson.

Seasonal

Mary’s Bagel Cafe is giving away free summer lunches for kids for the second year in a row. Visit every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through July 26, or donate online to support the program. (Bay News 9)

Sports

Baseball manager Lance Niekro is out at Florida Southern after an 18-30 season, but he’ll join All Saints Academy next month to restart its baseball program. Before joining FSC, Niekro played professionally for the San Francisco Giants. (The Ledger)

Kids

Roll with the trolls. Skate World’s next themed skate takes place tonight from 5:30 to 8 p.m. featuring characters from the “Trolls” movies. Tickets are $6 to skate, take photos, and play games with Poppy and Branch.

Eat

For nearly 30 years, Granger & Sons Bar-B-Que has been serving up some of Lakeland’s best barbecue. Owner Granger Noles credits the restaurant’s loyal customers and simple menu for its decades of popularity. Visit it at 8121 US Hwy. 98 N. (Fox 13 News)

Plan Ahead

The Lakeland Police Department will host the 2025 USPCA Region One Police Dog Field Trials in February. Events will be open to the public to watch police K9 teams from across the southeast US compete in a week of challenges.

Health

What happens when you combine German engineering with the world’s most trusted name in hearing care? The biggest breakthrough in hearing technology in more than a decade: the award-winning Horizon hearing aid. Join 385,000+ people hearing better than ever with a 45-day, no-risk trial.*

Arts

Witness “Wings, Wonders & Wonderscapes”

See “Wings, Wonders & Wonderscapes” at this Lakeland photographer’s exhibit

A gray and reddish egret lifts its wings as it steps through shallow water.

See works like “Dance of the Reddish Egret” on display. | Photo by Andy Glogower

Lakeland has no shortage of beautiful natural scenery, but it takes a keen eye like photographer Andy Glogower’s to capture it on camera. His first gallery exhibit is set to open on Thursday, June 27 at the Mulberry Cultural Center (103 E. Canal Street, Mulberry).

Glogower got his start shooting his daughter’s dance recitals at Harrison School for the Arts. In just a few years’ time, he’s now a published photographer (you’ll see many of his shots in The Lakelander) and an international award winner — he won the bronze medal for Team United States in the 2023 World Photographic Cup.

The works in his exhibit, “Wings, Wonders & Wonderscapes,” feature the beauty of nature + wildlife in Lakeland, across the state, and even abroad. Visit the Mulberry Cultural Center Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday, Aug. 9 to browse the 40+ photos.

Pro tip: Don’t miss the opening reception on Thursday, June 27, 5-7 p.m.

The Buy

The Buy 6.25.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

Stylish men’s summer shirts made from cotton and linen. They come in demure colors like khaki, olive, and gray and are $30 a pop.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Connor

From the editor

Picture this: You and a friend get $1 million each. The catch? You have to chat non-stop over a cup of coffee at a local cafe for one hour. If you know just the friend that you could ace this challenge with, tag them here.

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