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USA - FLORIDA : LAKELAND MAKES A GOOD BASE by Toni Dabbs   Want to spend your Florida vacation in a more relaxed atmosphere but still have easy access to major attractions? The city of Lakeland, a destination in its own right, is within an hour’s drive of Disney, Universal Studios, Sea World and Busch Gardens.Although 70,000 people call Lakeland home, the city has the demeanor of a small town. And its dozen or so namesake lakes give certain areas an almost rural feel. But historic architecture and cultural amenities make it apparent that Lakeland is a city of substance. One of the city’s most distinctive features is the Lake Mirror Promenade, considered Florida’s best example of City Beautiful Movement architecture. The City Beautiful Movement, which took place from 1900 through the 1920s, combined urban planning with a revival of Classical architecture. When completed in 1928, the promenade encircling Lake Mirror, on the eastern edge of downtown Lakeland, included staircases, balustrades, columns and lamps, and remains virtually unchanged today.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center is located in the Thad Buckner Building, which was the original E.T. Roux Library, completed in 1945. The center contains permanent displays of photographs, furniture and drawings depicting Wright’s relationship with the college. It also provides brochures for self-guided walking tours of the campus. Many individual examples of heritage architecture line the streets of downtown Lakeland surrounding Munn Park, the city’s central green space. Some house antique and specialty shops, others restaurants and accommodations. Prominent among them is the 10-story Terrace Hotel built in 1924 in the Mediterranean Revival style. Its Main Street entrance comprises four Ionic columns, a swan neck pediment, swags and gargoyles. The top two floors are separated from the intermediate floors by a large cornice running the length of the building. During its day, the Terrace Hotel has hosted many famous guests, including architect Frank Lloyd Wright, crooner Frank Sinatra, auto maker Henry Ford, actor Lee Marvin, golfer Bobby Jones, and musicians Wayne King and Fred Waring. Another historic structure is the Polk Theater, a 1,800-seat auditorium that opened in 1928 as a vaudeville house and movie palace. The interior is designed in the Italian Renaissance “townhouse” style, with ornate moldings, twisted columns and tiled staircases. Its most outstanding feature, though, is the ceiling with twinkling stars and special sunrise/sunset effect. Notables who have performed on stage at the Polk include fan dancer Sally Rand, musicians Tommy Dorsey, Harry James and Gene Krupa, and in 1956, singer Elvis Presley. The Polk still presents a combination of films and live entertainment, such as performances by Florida Dance Theatre, a locally based professional dance company. Also contributing to the local performing arts scene is Imperial Symphony Orchestra, which presents masterworks concerts in the Youkey Theatre at The Lakeland Center. The 80-member orchestra, now in its 40th year, plays important pop as well as classical music. Yet another Lakeland cultural institution is the Polk Museum of Art, just a block from Lake Morton. With a policy of free admission that hasn’t changed since its founding in 1966, the museum makes its exhibitions accessible to everyone. In addition, it offers lectures, tours, workshops and classes. The Polk Museum of Art has a solid permanent collection of Pre-Columbian stone and ceramic artifacts, Asian art from the fifth through 20th centuries, European decorative arts from the 15th through 19th centuries, and American art from 1900 to the present, with an emphasis on contemporary works by Florida artists. Another free amenity in the city is Hollis Garden, a 1.2-acre formal garden located within Lake Mirror Park. The garden is designed as a series of 16 outdoor rooms representing the domestication of the Florida landscape. Included are native plants, imported plants, wetland plants, tropical plants, edible plants, medicinal plants and ornamental plants. A popular part of Hollis Garden is the secluded section in one corner bordered by a magnolia hedge. Here, a special collection of vegetation is aimed at attracting butterflies. Another isolated spot is the Grotto, with anthuriums, ferns and orchids cloaking its moist limestone walls. Rounding out Lakeland’s attractions are Explorations V and Florida Air Museum. Although it’s billed as a children’s museum, Explorations V has cross-generational appeal. It features three floors of “please touch” exhibits, including a child-size town with a bank, supermarket, television station and other businesses. Florida Air Museum specializes in “one-of-a-kinds” and unique hand-built aircraft, such as ultra-lights and experimental models. SCRIBBLES ETCETERAS Nearby: • Cypress Gardens Adventure Park - Florida’s original theme park, with botanical gardens, ski shows, exciting rides and seasonal events • Bok Sanctuary - 128-acres of Olmsted-designed gardens surrounding a 205-foot tower containing a 60-bell carillon • Fantasy of Flight - Exhibits depicting aviation history plus the world’s largest private collection of vintage aircraft Dining • Antonio’s Ristorante - Excellent service and award-winning Mediterranean cuisine, featuring authentic recipes from France, Spain and Italy (863-324-5950 or 800-247-2799,) • Chalet Suzanne - A Florida favorite since 1931, serving superb food in five quaint dining rooms overlooking a private lake (800-433-6011 or 863-676-6011) • Terrace Grille - A casually elegant atmosphere, with a “New American” menu (863-688-0800) Photo courtesy Toni Dabbs
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