One Of Florida's Best-Kept Secrets Is A Lakeside Town With Pretty Landscapes And Hidden Trails

One of Florida's best-kept secrets is a lakeside town known for rolling hills, thriving nature, and a touch of cowboy culture. Built in 1911 by settlers hoping to nurture local lumber and citrus industries, Lake Wales is the perfect place to escape theme park crowds and immerse yourself in outdoor adventure and historic charm. Set around scenic lakes like Wailes and Kissimmee, this town is a nature-filled oasis that feels more like a rural escape than your typical Florida beach vacation.

Start your visit in the downtown historic district, where 1920s-style buildings like the Dixie Walesbilt Hotel and the Rhodesbilt Arcade line the streets. History buffs can download the "Florida Stories: Walk Lake Wales" app for a self-guided tour of the historic buildings in the area. From there, you're just a few miles from the town's crown jewel, the 205-foot Singing Tower located within Bok Tower Gardens, named a national historic landmark in 1993. Perched on Iron Mountain — the highest natural point in peninsular Florida — this traditional carillon has 60 bells played by a professional carillonneur twice a day (at 1 and 3PM).

Admission into Bok Tower Gardens is just $20, so keep this at the top of your Lake Wales to-do list. Aside from the famous Singing Tower, Olmsted Gardens is the biggest draw. Designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., visitors in spring can admire blooming azaleas, magnolias, and camellias as well as 126 different bird species. Insider tip: don't miss the fairy trail within Hammock Hollow Children's Garden. Visitors also have access to the Pine Ridge Nature Trail, an easy walking trail that meanders through endangered longleaf pine forest filled with native plants and wildlife, like the gopher tortoise — one of the oldest animals on earth, dating back 60 million years. 

Outside the garden gates, you'll find more to explore around Lake Wales. Lake Kissimmee State Park, about 25 minutes away, offers over 20 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and wildlife-peeping. Birders will be in heaven — there are more than 200 varieties of birds in the park, with Gobbler Ridge Trail being a bird-watching favorite. Camping is popular, so plan an overnight to get the most out of things like canoeing and fishing. The park's campground even has Luxury Pioneer tents for an upgraded glamping experience. 

Lake Wales is also adjacent to the most unusual camping destination in the Sunshine State — Westgate River Ranch. This resort-slash-rodeo about a half-hour away is a must-visit. Aside from the popular Saturday night rodeo, there's a ton of stuff to check out, including the Cowboy Adventure Park (tickets are $15), and the River Country Water Park (free admission for resort guests, $20 for non-guests). Stay for river cruises, airboat rides, skeet shooting, a petting farm, a full-service marina, and more. Accommodations include luxury glamping, cabin rentals, and lodge and cottage suites — and, of course, regular camping sites for tent camping (tent provided), primitive camping (bring your own tent), and RV sites with partial hookups.

To see strange natural phenomena, head to Spook Hill, where cars seem to roll up the hill on their own. The only magnetic hill in Florida, Spook Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. One legend says a Native American chief battled a giant alligator here and was buried on the hill. Pioneers many years later noticed their horses straining as if they were going uphill rather than downhill and gave it the nickname "Spook Hill."

Another must-do for families visiting Lake Wales is the Legoland Florida Resort, just under 30 minutes north in Winter Haven. Tickets range from $35 to $104 if you purchase online. With a theme park, water park, and aquarium, it might be worth springing for a two-day pass. Adventure-seekers should also know that Jump Florida Skydiving is based in Lake Wales. Adrenaline junkies can jump tandem starting from $149. They also offer skydiving lessons and gear rental for experienced jumpers. 

Accommodations range from campgrounds to hotels to vacation rentals and resorts, so you can find just the right fit. And while Lake Wales isn't much of a foodie town, there are plenty of tasty places to grab a bite. Notable mentions, according to reviews, include L'incontro, Ovation Bistro & Bar, Crazy Fish Bar & Grill, and Lake Wales Family Restaurant. Cherry Pocket also offers seafood shack vibes attached to a cabin and RV park.

The best times to visit are spring, when the blooms of Bok Garden are at their best, and fall, when the weather is mild enough for long walks. These months also coincide with Orlando's shoulder seasons. With plenty of things to do in Orlando besides Disney World, Lake Wales is a good base-camp for day trips to bigger cities like Orlando and Tampa. About an hour's drive away, both Orlando and Tampa's airports are the best options for visitors flying in as well. You'll need a car to get around, especially if you plan to head to parks and preserves beyond the town limits, but parking is easy and traffic is rarely an issue. From quiet lakeside walks to blooming gardens and adventure-filled parks, Lake Wales makes a strong argument for spending more time in central Florida.