Plant City
Plant City is in Hillsborough County in the Tampa Bay Area. Incorporated in 1885, it is known as the "Winter Strawberry Capital of the World" because over three-quarters of the nation's midwinter strawberries come from Plant City.
Understand
[edit]
The city is known for its strawberries, particularly during the winter season, but this is not the origin of the city's name. It was named after railroad developer Henry Plant. The town's first name was "Ichepuckesassa," a Native American name, but pronunciation challenges caused it to be renamed, first to "Cork" after the city in Ireland, until Henry Plant's railroad brought economic success to the town.
Climate
[edit]Plant City is known for having higher quality soil than the surrounding area. As is found across much of Florida, the wet season lasts during summer, with the "dry" season occurring across the other months. Rainfall is fairly high throughout the year, with a total of 56 in (1,400 mm) in an average year, enabling strawberries to grow.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]By car
[edit]Get around
[edit]
See
[edit]- 1 Bing Rooming House Museum
- 2 Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum
Do
[edit]- 1 Dinosaur World, 5145 Harvey Tew Rd, ☏ +1 813 717-9865. 9AM–5PM.
Events
[edit]- 2 Florida Strawberry Festival
- Strawberry Classic Car Show. Monthly car show in McCall Park.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Plant City Outlet Mall, 1864 James L Redman Pkwy, ☏ +1 813 719-6634.
- 2 Parkesdale Farm Market, 3702 W Baker St, ☏ +1 813-754-2704. 9AM–6PM; open daily Nov–Apr, W–Su Apr–Oct. Roadside attraction meets produce market. Sells every kind of strawberry-related product imaginable (from strawberry butter to strawberry slicers to strawberry salad dressing), and various other souvenir-worthy foods and kitsch. Also plenty of fresh produce and popular milkshakes.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Smokin' Aces BBQ, 2509 N Park Rd, ☏ +1 813 704-1374. Tu–Th Su 11AM–8PM, F–Sa 11AM–9PM.
- 2 Strawberry Hut, 1505 N Wheeler St, ☏ +1 813 752-3779. 6:30AM–6:30PM; closed Su.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Keel and Curley, 5202 Thonotosassa Rd, ☏ +1 813 752-9100, [email protected]. M–Th 11AM–9PM, F Sa 11AM–11PM, Su 11AM–7PM.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hampton Inn, 2702 Thonotosassa Road, ☏ +1 813 756-5600. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon.
- 2 Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 2102 Park Rd, ☏ +1 813 719-3800, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $123+ per night.
Go next
[edit]- Orlando, to the east, is the location of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.
- Tampa, to the west, is the main city in the county.
| Routes through Plant City |
| Tampa ← Brandon ← | W  E |
→ Lakeland → Orlando |