Since Bartow is located in Central Florida, it offers an easy drive to a variety of fun things to do around the state. The next time you’re looking to explore somewhere different, make plans to head out on one of these awesome day trips from Bartow.
You don’t have to drive far to visit one of the most serene gardens in the state. Bok Tower Gardens is located about 30 minutes east of Bartow. This stunning 250-acre contemplative garden and bird sanctuary has walking paths that meander from landscaped gardens to shaded woodlands. The centerpiece of the garden is the 205-foot Singing Tower that houses 60 cast iron carillon bells. Every day the carillon plays a concert at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
If you’re interested in enjoying some time at the beach, you have plenty of choices. However, if you travel an hour and 20 minutes west of Bartow to Fort De Soto Park, you’ll discover one of the loveliest beaches in the state. The park consists of 1,136 acres and five interconnected islands. During your visit, you can head down the 7-mile multipurpose paved trail, explore the historic fort, search for seashells, or simply find your spot to relax on the over 7 miles of white sandy beach.
Fiorelli Winery
Although Florida doesn’t get a lot of recognition as a wine region, the state does produce some unique varieties. If you’re interested in trying these wines, you can travel just over an hour southwest of Bartow to Fiorelli Winery. This is the only grape winery and vineyard in Southwest Florida, and it produces six to 10 Italian-inspired wines every year. If you head out on the tour, you’ll enjoy a wine tasting as you learn more about the vineyard and winery.
Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring
Even though the name sounds ominous, Devil’s Den Prehistoric Spring is an amazingly beautiful place to snorkel or scuba dive. The den is actually an underground spring located just over two hours north of Bartow. Here you can explore underwater ancient rock formations and fossil beds that date back 33 million years. Since the crystal clear spring water maintains its 72-degree temperature throughout the year, the den is a great place to cool off during those hot summer days.
Fort Drum Crystal Mine
If you travel an hour and 20 minutes east of Bartow, you’ll find Fort Drum Crystal Mine. From a distance, the mine simply looks like piles of gray rock. However, when you get closer to the piles, you’ll soon notice some rocks sparkle and shine. That’s because Ruck’s Pit in Fort Drum is home to a unique treasure: fossilized clams filled with calcite crystals. This is the only known place in the world where you can find these fossils, which are over 1.5 million years old.
When you’re ready to have some fun near Bartow, you know you’ll have a great time when you make plans to check out one of these fantastic day trip ideas.