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Through Heather's Looking Glass

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Hidden Gems in Central Florida

July 12, 2024 | Travel

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Visit Central Florida, however, all opinions are my own.

On our recent trip to central Florida, we stayed a few days in Polk county. It has so much to offer families, and we found a ton to do! Check out these hidden gems we discovered and why we loved them!

Camp Margaritaville Auburndale: We love the Margaritaville brand and loved the laid back vibe of this location. We don’t have an RV, so we appreciated the lodging option of a cute “cabana cabin” complete with back porch overlooking the water. Emma Kate loved the pool and waterslide, and we loved that one of the restaurants is adjacent to the pool so we didn’t have to leave the pool area to eat dinner. (We also did laundry right by the pool, super convenient!) They also have certain cabins that are pet friendly! The whole vibe of this place is just laid back and fun!
Visit Central Florida
Black and Brew: This coffee shop is in downtown Lakeland (which is adorable by the way) and has indoor and outdoor seating. My iced vanilla latte was delicious and Emma Kate enjoyed a greek yogurt bowl that held her over perfectly until lunch. This would be a great place to get some work done on my laptop, too!
Visit Central Florida
Florida Children’s Museum: This museum was HUGE and had so many fun exhibits! They have mostly indoor activities but do have a few outdoor things. The second floor with the little city was my favorite. Emma Kate got to shop for groceries, work at a food truck, run a doctor’s office, and become a fireman. It was just too adorable. It’s a great way to beat the Florida heat.
The Back Nine: This unique restaurant is in walkable downtown Lakeland and would make a perfect date night or family outing spot. Not only was the food really good, but they have golf simulators in the back. Fun for all!
Visit Central Florida
Harborside: This lakefront restaurant is in Winter Haven, and the lake was just so peaceful! The menu had a lot of seafood and steak, and Bobby was super pumped about the snow crab legs. He said they were delicious and was pretty impressed. I just loved the views!
This is just scratching the surface, there is so much more to see and do like Legoland and Bok Tower Gardens. That just means there needs to be a next time, right? Thank you Visit Central Florida for all the fun!
Related: Tips for Universal’s Volcano Bay Waterpark

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I am Heather Montgomery, a 30 something southern girl living in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Bobby, 10-year-old daughter Emma Kate, and our goldendoodles Dolly and Luna. I’m just a regular girl who likes to workout, travel, hang with my family, text, and eat chips and queso. Be sure to check out my “about me” page for more info!
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