Lakeland’s Amtrak station can be found north of Lake Mirror. | Photo by LALtoday
Get ready for fun in the (sweltering) sun — Orlando is expected to be one the top destinations for domestic summer travel this year.
While the newly opened congestion relief lanes on I-4 are mitigating some of that ever-present traffic, did you know that you can skip the car entirely and take a midnight train going anywhere? The Lakeland Amtrak station has been operating at 600 E. Main St. since 1998.
In the 2024 fiscal year, 22,800+ riders took a train through Lakeland, and the station’s ticket revenue topped $1.1 million. Our station is known by two station codes (LAK and LKL) for northbound and southbound routes, respectively.
LAK/LKL are on the Silver Star line, which extends from New York City to Miami.
Photo by LALtoday
Ready to ride? Here are our pro tips for choosing routes, buying tickets, and navigating the station:
If you’re not sure where the travel bug is taking you, check the travel planning map. Just set your departure location to LAK/LKL (depending on whether you’re going north or south) and see the available stops, routes, and fares. You can buy tickets online or in person. Choose a coach seat to save, or upgrade to a private room for a more comfortable ride.
Once you arrive at the station, head upstairs to check in and await your train.
Photo by LALtoday
This is one place it’s good to have baggage — passengers can bring two checked bags, two carry-ons, and one personal item for free. Even small four-legged friends can come along with you for a $39 fee.
LAK/LKL doesn’t offer overnight parking, so we recommend being dropped off or hailing a rideshare. The waiting room is open daily from 10:10 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., and staff members are available to answer questions and sell tickets. If you’re checking baggage, Amtrak recommends arriving 45 minutes before your departure time. If not, 30 minutes should be plenty of time.
Asked
Asked
Have you ever taken the Amtrak out of Lakeland?
A. Yes, it’s my favorite way to travel B. Yes, once or twice C. No, but I’d like to D. No, I’m not interested in taking the Amtrak
Paws to Read | 2:30-3:15 p.m. | Florida Children’s Museum | Price of admission | Enjoy a story time with an SPCA educator, then stick around for puppy snuggles.
Mom’s Night Out | 7 p.m. | Stage Room Lakeland | $5 | This one’s for the moms — join Zumba with Liv for a high-energy class, followed by a self-care station + raffles.
Richard Cranium’s Trivia Challenge | 7-9 p.m. | Gator’s Dockside | Free+ | Put on your thinking caps to tackle this trivia challenge — we bet an order of Gator Taters will help.
Thursday, May 15
Container Gardening: A Place to Start | 6 p.m. | The Way Community Church | Free | Jenn McCain of CorJen Farm will share tips and strategies for how to develop a garden that thrives out of containers.
Squawk Box | 6 p.m. | Union Hall | Free+ | Join Little Bus Books and Dead Swan Society for a talk with award-winning fiction writer Amanda Kabak on her book “Upended” — $10 suggested admission donations benefit kidsPACK.
Friday, May 16
Luau Party | 5-9 p.m. | Grove Roots Brewery, Winter Haven | Free+ | You’ll be on island time with food trucks and temporary henna tattoos, plus performances from hula + fire dancers.
Art with Character | 6 p.m. | Enchanted Fairytale Hollow | $35 | Kids can create a themed art project to celebrate their mother figures, then enjoy a meet and greet with The Brave Princess.
Saturday, May 17
Tire Collection Event | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Hunt Fountain Park | Free | Join Keep Polk County Beautiful for this event — residents can bring up to 24 tires per vehicle to be recycled.
Ask a Master Gardener | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market | Free | Find the UF/IFAS Extension Polk County booth to ask a gardening pro your burning questions.
A new Polk County Fire Rescue station is coming to south Lakeland’s Christina area. The Board of County Commissioners voted last week to purchase a 4.5-acre site on County Road 540A for the station to support emergency response coverage. A construction timeline is TBA.
Community
Meet The Polk Arts & Health Collaborative, a new initiative led by Watson Clinic Foundation’s Arts in Medicine Program, aiming to address health challenges in Polk County by leveraging the arts. Take the community survey to help the program identify community needs + collaboration opportunities.
Closing
Pour out a glass of OJ — after 33 years in business, Ridge Island Groves is shutting down its Haines City operations. Stock up on your favorite fruit-forward products before the grove’s final day this Saturday, May 17. It will reopen in Alturas this fall under new ownership.
Number
210,000. That’s how many people attended SUN ‘n FUN this year — a record-breaking amount. According to SUN ‘n FUN’s official report, attendees came from all 50 US states, as well as 78 different countries. Now the real question is, who will make our plane pyramid next year?
Lakelander
United Way of Central Florida honored six Lakelanders during yesterday’s Annual Celebration Luncheon. Greg Littleton, Michael Tamney, Cheryl Kelly, Kaleigh Avian, and Em + Dr. Glen Barden walked away with awards ranging from Citizen of the Year to Outstanding Volunteer for their exceptional service contributions.
Try This
Farmers market, here you come. Makers + small bizzes interested in selling their wares at Lakeland’s Downtown Farmers Curb Market are invited to a free, informational session at Catapult on Tuesday, May 27 at 12 p.m. Can’t make the meeting? We’ve got you covered.
Read
Calling all romance fans — Lakeland author Kayla Tirrell will be signing books at Inklings Book Shoppe next Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Even sweeter, local bakery Love at First Cookie is featuring Tirrell’s book “Penalty Box” in its June subscription box. BRB while we “add to cart.”
Put your business in front of thousands when you secure your spot in our 2025 Parents’ Gift Guide ahead of Father’s Day. For a limited time, save 20% with code PGG2025 at checkout.
Learn
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Category
History
🦞 Lakeland’s most famous catch
Did you know this spot near Lake Parker was the start of Red Lobster? | Photo by LALtoday
In case you missed it, seafood chain Red Lobster made headlines last year when it filed for bankruptcy. One year later, the chain has exited bankruptcy, named a new CEO + continues to operate more than 500 locations nationwide.
But before the days of Endless Shrimp and Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Red Lobster was just one restaurant in Lakeland.
Entrepreneurs Bill Darden + Charley Woodsby opened the Red Lobster Inn on the shores of Lake Parker in 1968 (they dropped “Inn” from the name soon after). The building at 1330 E. Memorial Blvd. was leased from Lawton Chiles, a native Lakelander and eventual governor of Florida. Chiles was one of Red Lobster’s first investors.
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Yesterday, Connor and I visited The Dram House, a new cocktail bar that recently opened in the former Craft + Kitchen space on South Florida Avenue. Right now, the spot is only serving up beverages, but partner Anup Patel shared that they plan to add food items to the menu soon. Tune in to our Instagram for our full review later today.
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