About Lake Wales

Lake Wales is a rarity in today's condo-mad Florida - a small town that has no desire to change. While parts of the town have been overrun by strip malls, the downtown district remains intact, now a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street program. The downtown area is marked by its Art Deco architecture, built during the land-grab frenzy of the 1920s. Today, Historic Downtown Lake Wales plays host to several parades and festivals throughout the year, as well as a farmers market, specialty boutiques and over thirty restaurants. Lake Wales is also known for its whole-hearted embrace of artists and their work, and as a result, visitors to the downtown area can take in a series of murals, indoor as well outdoor, depicting the city's history.

Lake Wales is home to even more unique attractions, such as Spook Hill, a “gravity hill” where cars seem to roll uphill. One of the city's biggest attractions is the Historic Bok Sanctuary, an exquisite collection of gardens, landmarks, historic homes and wildlife havens. Located on Iron Mountain, the highest point in Florida (clocking in at a whopping 298 feet), the gardens are home to hundreds of exotic species of plants, animals and butterflies, many of which are found nowhere else on earth. The Singing Tower is a major part of the Sanctuary, which is sometimes referred to as “America's Taj Mahal”. It houses a carillion that consists of sixty bells and plays classical masterpieces on a regular basis.