Eat down the street | Discover one of Lakeland’s hidden gems or try a local favorite restaurant for the first time on the next street in this series: Edgewood Drive. ICYMI, we even let you pick our lunch stop for the day.
The flavors of fall | Cozy new food + drink options are warming up at eateries around Swan City. Try these seasonal menus before they’re gone.
Spend a day like the “Gilmore Girls” | While Lakeland may not be Stars Hollow, we’ve put together an itinerary inspired by the show so you can live like a Gilmore Girl this fall.
Asked
Asked
What’s your go-to spot in Lakeland for a free hour?
A. Outdoors at a park B. Grabbing food or drinks C. Shopping at a local store D. Exploring the arts + culture scene
Polk State FallFest | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Polk State College Winter Haven Campus, Winter Haven | Free+ | Support students by buying crafts, walking through haunted houses, or enjoying family entertainment.
Rock Your Vote Block Party | 12-4 p.m. | Simpson Park | Free+ | Get information on voting in Lakeland while partying with music by Cienna Alida + food and merchandise vendors.
“Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical” | Saturday, Nov. 2-Sunday, Nov. 17 | Times vary | Lakeland Community Theatre | $26+ | Local actors will perform this musical based on the classic story that’s sure to be twice the fun.
Sunday, Nov. 3
Art Crawl 2024 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free+ | Explore the works of 60+ local artists while taking in food, brews, live performances, and demonstrations.
Lakeland United FC vs. Azzurri Storm | 6:30 p.m. | Bryant Stadium | Free+ | Hit up the food truck and cheer on the Swans as they go head to head against this Naples team.
Tuesday, Nov. 5
44th Annual Lake Morton Swan Roundup | 7 a.m. | Lake Morton | Free | Have your camera ready as city staff + veterinarians round up each swan for its annual health checkup at this rescheduled event.
Friday, Nov. 8
14th Annual Festival of Wreaths | Friday, Nov. 8-Thursday, Dec. 12 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Polk County History Center, Bartow | Free+ | Browse + bid on festive wreaths decorated by Polk residents, bizzes, and organizations.
The City of Lakeland expects to complete its first round of hurricane debris collection by mid-December, picking up an estimated 200,000 cubic yards. For those in the county, the end date is a bit earlier — late November. Speed up the process by dividing your debris. (The Ledger)
Civic
Property tax bills are now in the mail from the Polk County Tax Collector, but you can also access your bill online before it arrives. Pro tip: Taxes are due in March, but you can get up to a 4% discount by paying early.
Seasonal
Daylight saving time ends today, meaning it’s time to say bye, bye, bye to sunsets after 6 p.m. in Florida. Before you turn the clocks back, make sure to get one last sunset in at one of these reader recommended spots around Lakeland. (WTSP)
Outdoors
As Polk County continues to recover from hurricane impacts, several environmental land sites + parks are still closed, including Circle B Bar Reserve. Tabitha Biehl, Polk’s Land & Water Natural Areas Manager, says guests can expect the reserve to remain closed through at least this weekend. (WFLA)
Travel
Want to make sure your fall vacation takes off without a hitch? Check out our guide to Lakeland Linder International Airport for a full rundown on parking, boarding, and security. Bon voyage.
Coming Soon
Lakeland Senior Hub, Inc. announced plans to open a new senior center in Lakeland next June at the intersection of Harden Boulevard + Beacon Road. Want to keep up with all the most recent openings in our area? Read more on our website. (LkldNow)
Regional
Have you ever made an LAL faux pas like driving down South Florida Avenue at rush hour? We’ve all been there. Here are all the unwritten rules Lakelanders should know about the city, according to LALtoday readers.
Now that Halloween has passed, we’re officially looking ahead toward the holiday season. Don’t have a guest room for visitors? Set them up in one of these unforgettable rentals with room for the whole family.
The Funky Swan Shack | Sleeps 8
This vintage cottage’s Lake Morton location will make it easy to walk downtown to watch the Lakeland Christmas Parade.
707 Luxury Downtown Cottage | Sleeps 8
Centrally located in Lakeland, this home features modern luxuries and baby essentials, so everyone in the family can enjoy their vacation.
The Cumberland Cottage | Sleeps 10
Your guests will love cuddling up here for a holiday movie marathon with hot chocolate — maybe they’ll invite you over?
The Morton House | Sleeps 8
Out-of-towners will get an instant taste of Lakeland life when they wake up to a view of the swans, plus the lit tree in the center of Lake Morton.
A tiny label maker that’s a bestseller and on deal for a limited time. Organize pantry items, office supplies, cables, and anything you can stick a label on (stay still, kids).
We consider this sticker the best accessory on Election Day. | Photo by LALtoday
There are only two days of early voting left before the general election on Tuesday. I stopped by the Polk County Government Center over on Parker Street to cast my vote this week, and it only took about 12 minutes from start to finish. I used our local voting pro tips, and LkldNow’s comprehensive voter guide was also helpful for getting to know the candidates.
