Off the Beaten Path Insider

The final resting place of Dutch immigrant Edward Bok, whose desire was to make the world a more beautiful place. Credit: Nancy Howell

My wife and I have owned our bed and breakfast since 2000 and, naturally, share travel tips with our guests. Since our own visit to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales was so memorable, I’ve lost track of the number of times we’ve suggested to our guests that they, too, place it atop their “must-see” list of Florida destinations.

So when we returned there on Saturday on a drive down Scenic Highway 17, I was startled to realize that the last time we were there was 20 years ago! Apparently, we were so seduced by the privilege of doing nothing but lazing in the shade of oak trees and listening to the recital of the carillon (bell tower) echoing across the hills, the impression it had upon us made it seem as if we had just been there.

There’s not enough room here to tell you the full story of Bok Tower or how peaceful and serene it is, but I can tell you that in the last few years a new opportunity has been open to guests, and that’s the chance to enter the tower itself. We had that privilege and I’ve added some images here.

There's no denying the nation's going through a rough patch, and if stress and anxiety have affected you, or if you’re just looking for a place to get centered again, there’s hardly a better place in America to achieve that than right here in Lake Wales.