Where are the best lakes in Florida?
The state of Florida is perhaps best known for its two enormously long coastlines. These provide state residents with excellent access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, but when it comes to enjoying a day on the water, many Floridians will head to one of the state's many freshwater lakes. Swimming and pursuing other activities on a lake instead of the ocean virtually guarantees calmer boating, fishing, and swimming conditions, and in most cases it will also mean smaller crowds and a quieter overall environment. Parents find this particularly helpful when supervising children.
Lake Apopka
Florida's third biggest body of fresh water, Lake Apopka is situated within 15 miles of the large metropolitan centre of Orlando. This places it in both Orange County, and the appropriately named Lake County. For several years, Lake Apopka has been the subject of intense efforts to restore marine habitat in order to improve both plant and fish populations in these waters. These efforts have paid off, as fishing is one of the most popular activities on the lake, which features two separate boat ramps to help visitors launch their vehicles onto the surface. In addition, visitors to Lake Apopka are permitted to fish from the shore, which also features picnic facilities for families enjoying a day at the lake together.
HYPERLINK "http://goo.gl/maps/YW5G" The ‘Chain of Lakes’
The small city of Winter Haven, located in central Florida's Polk County, actually boasts as its motto ‘The Chain of Lakes City’. This appellation is given in honour of the dozens of fresh water lakes that are either contained inside the city limits, or border it. Even more remarkable than the lakes themselves is the extensive system of navigable canals that connect two dozen of the more than 40 lakes in the immediate vicinity.
Winter Haven is therefore an excellent place for a primary or holiday home for those who appreciate water sports such as rowing and sailing. In Winter Haven, boating enthusiasts need not constantly load their watercraft onto trailers to transport them from lake to lake; the canal system makes it possible to travel between lakes without ever leaving the water.
Lake Kissimmee
Lake Kissimmee is situated within 15 miles of the city of Lake Wales, a town itself located in Polk County. Lake Kissimmee is popular with bird-watchers, and is known as a good place to see species such as the whooping crane, black vulture, bald eagle, and sandhill crane. Indeed, Lake Kissimmee is so famed for these species that the area attracts bird enthusiasts from all over the world. The area around the lake is also home to white-tailed deer, bobcats, and turkeys.
Another interesting feature of Lake Kissimmee is the existence of a ‘cow camp’ in the state park where the lake sits. Here, visitors can learn about the work and lifestyle of the Florida cowboys that dominated the region in the 1870s.
Florida's official motto is the ‘Sunshine State’, but anyone who has visited the vast numbers of fine lakes that dot the interior of the state might well conclude that it should take a page from Minnesota and begin to call itself the ‘Land of Lakes’.
