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Premium
#26887
Central Florida home close to everything that Florida has to offer!!
House • Lakeland FL United States
Exchange types accepted
Hospitality Description: For a hospitality stay, there is only one bedroom and private bath available. We do have an inflatable mattress you can use and a sofa for couch-surfing.
Statistics
Listed January 2024
Views 2517
General Overview
Hello! Ken and I have recently retired and are anxious to travel!
Ken and I are easy-going and love meeting new people. My best memories are of shared experiences with other travelers and meeting the local folks.
Our comfortable home is in a safe, friendly neighborhood in Lakeland, Florida. We are centrally located between both east and west coasts of Florida. Disney World is up to 60 minutes away, Orlando and Tampa are an hour away. Downtown Lakeland is absolutely beautiful with many shops, restaurants, parks and lakes. https://downtownlkld.com/visitors-guide/
Within an easy drive, you can visit the many theme parks and all things nature.
Lakeland offers many lovely parks and lakes to stroll, hike and bike around. A privately-funded, amazing park in downtown was recently voted No. 1 Park in the US! Bonnet Springs Park offers many playgrounds, walking trails, areas to jog, skate, play ball, water play, adult outdoor exercise, and so on in a beautiful Florida setting. There is also achildren's museum (admission required for the museum) and many different activities, all free! There is also a butterfly house, a place to eat, drink, or have ice cream. There's even a treehouse and giant trees perfect for climbing!
The beaches to the west are about an hour and a half away and offer gentle waters and lovely white sand. Beaches to the east are about 2 hours away and provide small waves for body surfing.
Manatee watching is great in the cooler months. We have many cool, clear springs to swim, kayak, or tube down. Kennedy Space Center is about 2+ hours away. We have live "mermaids" at Weeki Wachee if you have Littles that are into mermaids. Museums galore. So much to do and see beyond the theme parks.
The Space
Our old oak tree in the front yard supports the porch swing where many a cup of coffee or glass of wine has been shared with friends and neighbors.
Enter the front door through the small front porch and to the left of the foyer you will find the living room with a sofa, upholstered chairs and a small bookcase filled with the classics, all with a view of the front yard. Located in the large armoire you will find board games and so forth.
Off the living room is a dining area that can seat up to six people, and a sliding glass door that leads to the back patio.
Beyond the living room is the master bedroom with a comfortable queen-sized bed, dresser, nightstands, bathroom with tub/shower combination, and a large walk-in closet with a small reading area.
Off the dining area is the galley kitchen fully equipped with an electric range (stovetop and oven), refrigerator/freezer, coffee-maker, electric teapot, and microwave. (No dishwasher. Sorry. He goes on vacation with me.) There is seating available for three at the counter.
From the kitchen you will enter the family room, my favorite spot in the house! Through large windows, you can watch the birds at the feeders and the butterflies feeding on the flowers, and squirrels scampering across the top of the six-foot privacy fence.
Located in the family room you will find the TV and computer located in the large armoire. There is a sliding glass door that leads out onto the back patio, which then leads to the back yard.
Off the kitchen/family room area is a small hallway with two bedrooms and a full bath with a shower/tub combination. One bedroom is used as a small gym. The guestroom has a comfortable full-sized bed, dresser, nightstands, chair and closet.
There is a small patio in the back that is accessed either through the dining area or the family room. Through there you enter the back yard which features a lovely shade tree. There is a table that seats six, and chairs, along with an umbrella to shade the table if you like. A gas grill is available for your use.
There is a 18-foot round 4-foot deep above-ground swimming pool for your use. Large enough to float around in and watch the overhead world pass you by. Or, man a float with drink in hand and let your cares vanish.
The back yard is completely enclosed with a six-foot wood privacy fence.
In the attached garage you will find the electric washer and dryer.
Guest Access
The house is one-story, so no stairs to climb. There is one small step up to enter the house and one at the garage door.
Notes
If any immediate needs or concerns arise, along with our next-door neighbor, you'll find the neighbors across the street are helpful as well.
Features
Washer
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Coffee machine
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
Air conditioning
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
First aid kit
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Gym
BBQ
Pool
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Bikes
Travel Styles
Weekend
Adventure
Budget
Family
Romantic
Sport and leisure
Foodie
Relaxing
City
Beach
Water
Tropical
Culture
Hiking
Cycling
Last minute
Golf
House Rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Allergens
Cat free
Smoke free
Dates of Availability
Click on availability periods to see exchange types and descriptions.
Simultaneous Only Hospitality Only
Neighbourhood
Our neighborhood is safe and friendly. You will find it's a great place to take walks or ride a bike. There is a men's bike and ladies' bike available for your use.
There is plenty of shopping, an excellent variety of restaurants, grocery stores, whatever you need, within a short drive. Within walking distance, you will find 3 restaurants, an ice cream shop, convenience store, gas station, barbers, chiropractor, healthfood store, and pharmacy. Across from that plaza is a golf course open to the public.
A public golf course is a 5-minute drive away.
Because we are centrally located, there are many opportunities for day trips.
Are you a fan of theme parks, roller coasters and the like? Disney, Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens and Legoland are all within an hour's (or so) drive.
Is the beach more to your liking? Beautiful beaches are within one and a half to 2 hours of us. Like the Atlantic Ocean and waves? I recommend Cocoa Beach and a trip to Ron Jon's Surf Shop is a must.
Prefer warmer waters and small waves? An hour and a half away is the Gulf of Mexico with beautiful white sandy beaches.
A trip to our beautiful downtown is a must-see. Many small shops and plenty of places to eat. A walk around one of the lakes in town is a terrific way to spend some time. Lake Morton is home to our city's emblem, the Swan. Many swans, ducks and birds occupy the lake. Look for all the colorful swan statues around town. My personal favorite is the one in front of the office that does X-rays!
If you are a fan of architecture, Florida Southern College and the surrounding buildings were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Interested in museums? There are many fine museums throughout the Central Florida area.
Want to see old Florida? Then an exciting airboat ride is the way to see it, at Midway Airboats. Or, visit one or more of the beautiful springs located in our area.
Circle B Bar Reserve is Lakeland's most popular natural property. Don't be surprised to see alligators and other wildlife while hiking or fishing.
I am happy to help you plan your stay in Florida!
Getting to my home
You will need a taxi, car hire, or rental to get to Lakeland from the airport. There are no trains or buses to our town. If we are hosting, we may be able to transport you to and from the airport. If you are renting a car, the airport is the best place for that purpose. Turbo is also another car rental option.
Nearest airport
We have two international airports and both are about the same distance: Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport. I prefer Tampa because it is a smaller, more convenient airport, but it's usually more expensive to book airfare and has limited flights. So, we typically use Orlando International. At this time there really isn't an inexpensive way to travel between our home and both airports. You will need to rent a car or take a taxi or driver service. We may be able to assist with transportation.
Getting Around
You will need a car. Public transportation here is poor. It's possible we may be able to provide a car if we are doing a simultaneous exchange.
Map of Approximate Location
This member has chosen to hide this section from Non-Premium members.
People Like Us Local Guide
I am happy to provide tips on visiting Florida, including area attractions, parks, non-touristy things to do, restaurants, shopping and so forth.
Feedback
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Carolyn and Ken opened the door for us ( me, my husband - Ken 😁 and our son Dylan) so we can attend our oldest son robotic State Championship. They even help us watch our son to have playdate with their sweet grandson Benjamin the whole day!!!!. It was really kind of them to do it and we trully appreciate it. Their dog Lucy stole our heart. Carolyn literally woke up earlier to make us coffee to go which I feel bad about it. We talked all kind of stories till pass midnight, lol. They are the best and kindest people you'll ever meet. You will not regret get get to know them and visit their beautiful home. Thank you so much Carolyn and Ken ❤️. -
Our stay at Carolyn and Ken's home was fantastic. They hosted us as guests for six nights and everything went smoothly. The bed and pillow were very comfortable and the bathroom had everything. They let us use the house as if it were our own, but the best of all, without a doubt, was meeting Carolyn, Ken and Lucy (their adorable dog), they treated us wonderfully and we shared unforgettable moments together, we will never forget you! -
Oh my stars!, Paloma and Carlos are the best guests ever! They were very respectful of us and the house. Even made us a delicious dinner and served Spanish wine So much fun. Just simply delightful people. I miss you, Carlos and Paloma!
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