Plant City, Florida

If you've ever eaten a midwinter strawberry, chances are good it was grown in Plant City, Florida, known as the winter strawberry capital of the world. More than three-fourths of the nation's midwinter strawberries are grown here on more than 7,000 acres of rich, fertile farmland.
As with many rural Florida communities, farming was the staple nearby which Plant City grew, initially as a large cotton center. Its primary designation, Ichepucksassa, after an Indian settlement that once claimed the land, was a troublesome mouthful that didn't last long. The community's Irish postmaster renamed Ichepucksassa after his hometown in Ireland: Cork. But that didn't last long either, in 1884, Henry Plant brought the South Florida compel into town; in 1885 the city was incorporated and renamed after him. The historic Union middle point depot still stands on Palmer road today, acting as a downtown area welcome town and mini-railroad museum.
 
Shopping and Dining
 
Although Plant City is considered a small town, residents enjoy all the amenities of big city life. Applebees, Carrabbas, Chilis, all the major chains are in town. Shopping centers also dot the city, including the Pc Outlet Mall. nearby Lakeland square Mall offers just about all else you could need, including anchors Macy's, Dillard's, Sears and Jc Penny's.

But what positively makes shopping and dining in Plant City special is the downtown historic district. Park for free in the ample downtown parking, and gallivant the brick-paved streets exploring the various antique shops, outdoor cafés and ongoing special events. For antiques, visit the Olde Floridian, Pressed Penny or the Frenchman's Market, a unique indoor flea store with more than 20 vendors selling their wares. Rest awhile and refuel at Linda's Crabshack, the Whistlestop Café or Camelia Rose's Tea Room. Or, try Snellgroves Restaurant, the oldest bistro in town paramount for its handmade, country home-cooking. Someone else local shopping feel is the Farmer's store at Alexander and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The store is open seven days a week and offers local produce, plants and crafts.

Sears Big And Tall

And be sure not to miss the local key attraction: Parkesdale Farm Market, the largest family-run strawberry farm in the nation and home of the Parkesdale's world-famous strawberry shortcake. Citizen come from miles around, driving an hour, two hours or more, and stand in line ten hours a day just to sample the Farm's paramount eight-inch-tall stack brimming with scarlet, golf-ball-sized strawberries. 
 
Leisure and Play
 
There's always something to do in and nearby Plant City. Mid-January welcomes the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Festival, faultless with parade, midway, concerts, educational tours and more. In late February-early March, the town swells with visitors from all over the world who come for the Florida Strawberry Festival, eleven days' worth of strawberry goodness along with agriculture, livestock and commerce exhibits, arts, crafts, parades, entertainment...and more strawberries! In November is the Pig Jam Barbeque Festival, and ongoing through the year is the Strawberry classic Car Show. Also ongoing, while the first Saturday of every month, is the Plant City Bike Fest in downtown. Each month the city welcomes up to 12,000 bicycle enthusiasts with a bike show, bicycle expo and dozens and dozens of food vendors.

Right off exit 17 on I-4 is Someone else local affair, a beloved of area teachers: Dinosaur World, an outdoor museum in a lushly landscaped setting with more than 150 life-sized, scientifically accurate dinosaur models, fossil digs and a Skeleton Garden.

The Plant City Parks and Recreation branch keeps residents of all ages busy with a plethora of events and activities, including youth and adult volleyball, softball, tennis, flag football and kickball, exercise classes and bridge for the seniors, plus teen nights and kid nights and holiday events and more. The city is home to 19 separate parks and playgrounds, including the beloved Mike Sansone Park on Park Road northeast of town; the 77-acre park includes a skate park, seven lighted youth baseball fields, two softball fields, volleyball courts, picnic pavilions, two playgrounds, a paved wetland trail, and more.

Plant City, Florida