Exploring Plant City — LemonHearted

The search for finding fun and safe places to go, so I don’t completely lose it continues. What could lower the tension more than visiting a Florida city known for arguably the cutest fruit - the strawberry. Yes, Plant City might be the place you drive through on your way to Tampa, but I’ve come to appreciate small-town charm and all it has to offer. Did you know that over 3/4 of the nation's midwinter strawberries come from Plant City? Instead of visiting during the famous Strawberry Festival, I waited until that was over and built an itinerary of outdoor activities to enjoy that I wanted to share.

KRAZY CUP COFFEE

This much we know - every adventure begins with coffee. Although downtown Plant Street is small, I was able to find one locally-owned coffee shop. The perk is that Krazy Cup has an outdoor ordering window in their alley/patio. My cafe con Leche with oat milk was solid, but I really appreciated being able to get in and out with my drink so easily.

EDWARD MEDARD PARK

Believe me, Plant City wasn’t exactly high on my Florida destinations, but after saw Edward Medard Park on the LoveFL account, I knew, if nothing else this was a park I wanted to check out. It’s a huge conservation park that offers canoeing, camping, fishing, hiking, and disc golf areas. There’s also a beautiful area with giant trees with their root systems fully exposed—basically a natural jungle gym for kids.

After we took in the beauty of these huge trees, we did the Singing Bluffs trail which is a 1.4-mile loop that hugs the waterfront in many places. You come across several overlooks where you can search for gators. Binoculars are actually pretty handy on this trail and you scan the waters.

The cost to get in the park is $2.
There are areas with picnic tables all over, so you could definitely pack a lunch.
Canoes and kayaks can be rented on site.
Pets are allowed (this is a great park for doggos)
There is a fishing pier.

PARKSDALE MARKET

Every year I try to make one trip to Parksdale for a strawberry shake, so this trip happened at the perfect time. As we drove through Plant City, we came upon farm after farm of strawberries. We didn’t look into picking; I just opted for grabbing a shake and heading on my way. The shakes are $2.75, or you can grab a strawberry shortcake. You order outdoors, but masks are still required.

THE STRAWBERRY HUT

I was a bit concerned about Plant City's lunch options since I don’t dine indoors, but I was happy to find the Strawberry Hut. It’s a walk-up window only, and you can call in your order ahead. There are a few tables outside, or of course, with a handy steering wheel tray, you can eat in your car.

They have various Cuban sandwiches (not all have ingredients that belong to an authentic Cuban) so you can pick and choose which type you prefer. The sandwiches pretty solid; they also serve salads. Lunch cost us under $15.