Small Business

A small orange camper filled with plants, with succulents outside
Business
Local love: LALtoday’s guide to reader-recommended small businesses
Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.
March 10, 2026 11:45 AM
 · 
Laura Figi
A woman holds a typewriter before a wall of shelved books.
Small Business
9 questions with Dr. Diana Álvarez-Hughes of Orange Blossom Poems
Keep reading for Diana’s tips for new writers, favorite poets, and more.
April 10, 2023
 · 
Rilee Delgado
A table spread at Fire Hotpot & Korean BBQ with pots of broth
Food
Become Lakeland’s next hotpot expert
Save these pro tips from local food influencers.
April 5, 2023
 · 
Connor Jacobson
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More from LALtoday
A hand holds a cruffin topped with cream and chocolate chips in front of a lake
Food
Satisfy your sweet tooth with these local desserts
When cravings hit, level up your dessert game at one of these local sweet shops and makers in Lakeland.
June 5, 2025
 · 
Rilee Delgado
A loggia with gated arches and columns on the Frances Langford Promenade under a clear blue sky.
New to Lakeland
Lakeland’s most iconic landmarks
We’re giving you the 411 on the 863’s landmarks — from the Southgate Sign to “Sputnik.”
June 4, 2025
 · 
Staff
Several RVs parked in the trees surrounding a pond at Flamingo Camping Site in the Everglades National Park
Travel and Outdoors
Take an ad-van-ture to these RV camping spots around Lakeland
Get a taste of the camping life with these seven RV parks + campgrounds around Swan City.
June 4, 2025
 · 
Amelia Grooms
LAL_west_pipkin_road_widening_APR2025
City
Decide what’s next for Polk transportation
Join the Polk Transportation Planning Organization’s Envision 2050 meeting to help plan the future of local transportation.
June 3, 2025
 · 
Connor Jacobson
People attend a Polk Pride event with a rainbow Polk Pride FL banner in the background
Culture
Polk Pride is back: Here’s the 2025 event roundup
Check out the event lineup, from family-friendly events in the park to interfaith celebrations and dance parties.
June 2, 2025
 · 
Staff
Palm trees blowing in hard wind in the foreground, with a dark cloudy sky and the Summit Building in downtown Lakeland in the background.
City
Preparing for hurricane season in Lakeland
Hurricane season officially begins on Sunday, June 1 and will run through Sunday, Nov. 30. We’ve rounded up everything you can do to be hurricane-ready in Lakeland.
May 30, 2025
 · 
Rilee Delgado
Screen Shot 2020-05-05 at 4.28.47 PM
Experience
Museums in Lakeland
Whether you’re a history buff, art aficionado, or aviation fan, these nine museums around Lakeland have it all.
May 30, 2025
 · 
Staff
Two hands toast with a glass of margarita and a glass of sangria on an outdoor patio.
Food
Celebration-worthy Lakeland restaurants
From graduations to rehearsal dinners to corporate parties, we’re sharing the top reader recommended spots for celebration-worthy eateries.
May 29, 2025
 · 
Amelia Grooms
Screen Shot 2020-01-28 at 9.02.23 PM
Culture
Polk County’s historic theatres: Smelling bananas, Wayne Brady, and 35 cents
Look back on the first places to catch a movie on the big screen or see a live performance at these historic theatres around Polk County.
May 29, 2025
 · 
Kaylee Holland
A swan glides near lily pads on a lake in Lakeland, Florida, with city buildings and trees visible in the background.
Culture
How well do you remember this month’s top Lakeland news?
Take our interactive quiz to test your local news knowledge, and keep reading LALtoday to up your score.
May 28, 2025
 · 
Connor Jacobson