Lake Wales

Posted on August 2nd, 2009 by karyn

Book a day while in Central Florida and enjoy a trip to Lake Wales. This short drive from Orlando can be sensory filled with wonderful things to see, taste, and smell.

Lake Wales is a short drive south from Orlando and is in the orange corridor. This is where that tasty breakfast drink gets its start; orange juice. A great stop is at the Florida’s Natural Visitor’s Center. Florida Natural is a brand of orange juice that is produced by the areas orange growers. A true co-op that has become one of the most successful ventures, but they started very humbly.

At the center, you will learn of the history of this co-op, taste the product, and meander through the gift shop for a reminder of your day. Florida’s Natural co-op history started in 1933 with just a few of the areas growers that wanted to make true orange juice with local fruit. It is now the largest with 12 grower associations, which includes 1,000 members that farm 50,000 acres. Their delicious product is owned, picked at perfection, and produced by the growers, so you are ensured to get the most freshest tasting orange juice; not made from concentrate. The visitor’s center is opened Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. This is a great stop while visiting the area.

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Another way to spend some time while visiting the Lake Wales area is to take some time to enjoy this wonderful state park. For just a mere $4.00 a carload (less if you are traveling by yourself), you can get back to nature.

There are over 13 miles of hiking trails for you to discover. You can get a true feel of the area and what it was like before the theme parks moved in. The park is opened from 8:00am to sundown, so you can fit it in to any busy vacation schedule.

Pack a lunch and picnic; soak up some sun or find a great bit of shade under one of the local trees. Did you bring your fishing pole? Great, because you can fish for catfish, bass, or many others. If you are not a fisherman, then you can just enjoy the tranquility of the water and see if you can peek at the fowl and others that make this area their home.

These are just a couple of stops to make while traveling this wonderful area of Central Florida.

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