For Visitors
Discover a Lakeland
that locals love.
Curated rentals from Airbnb, VRBO, and local hosts — plus a weekly newsletter of events, restaurant openings, and quiet coves to find.
Browse Lakeland StaysLakeland, Florida
Stay where the
lakes still
belong to you.
A curated guide to charming vacation rentals, local guides, and quiet corners of Central Florida's most overlooked small city — with 38 named lakes, Frank Lloyd Wright on campus, and a downtown that actually walks.
38
Named lakes
30min
To Tampa & Orlando
4.9★
Guest rating
What is Stay in Lakeland
An independent guide
to a Florida town of
thirty-eight lakes.
Stay in Lakeland is a travel guide and vacation-rental directory for Lakeland, Florida, a Polk County city set halfway between Tampa and Orlando. We curate charming short-term rentals from Airbnb, VRBO, and local hosts, map them across distinct neighborhoods from historic Lake Morton to lakefront Hollingsworth, and pair every listing with insider guides to nearby attractions including LEGOLAND Florida, Circle B Bar Reserve, and the Frank Lloyd Wright campus at Florida Southern College, the largest single-site collection of his architecture in the world.
Founded by Isa Ibars, a Florida Southern alumna, Stay in Lakeland is not a property-management company and does not collect bookings. Guests reserve directly with each host on their preferred platform. Listed owners get a free profile, guest concierge support, and inclusion in the annual Lakeland Guest Guide.
- 6
- Charming rentals
- 9
- Neighborhoods
- 9
- Local attractions
- 7
- Travel guides
Two ways in
Find a stay, or fill one.
Discover a Lakeland
For Property Owners
Get booked by guests
who stay longer.
We help Lakeland Airbnb & VRBO hosts earn higher occupancy through featured listings, guest concierge, and the annual Lakeland Guest Guide — delivered to every property.
List Your PropertyWhy Lakeland
Central Florida's
best-kept secret.
Lakeland is more than a stopover between Tampa and Orlando. It's a destination of its own — 38 named lakes, a revitalized downtown, an arts district, and the largest single-site Frank Lloyd Wright collection in the world.
01
Charming Vacation Rentals
From cozy lakefront cottages to stylish downtown retreats, Lakeland rentals have real character — not cookie-cutter hotel rooms. Curated from Airbnb, VRBO, and local hosts.
Handpicked02
Central Florida Location
Lakeland sits between Tampa and Orlando — 30 minutes to either. Theme parks, Gulf beaches, and big-city dining, with a quieter, more affordable home base.
Between Tampa & Orlando03
Local Newsletter & Guides
A weekly newsletter of Lakeland events, restaurant openings, festivals, farmers markets, and insider tips — written by people who actually live here.
Free Newsletter04
The Lakeland Guest Guide
A hardcover coffee-table guide delivered to every listed property, funded by local advertisers. Your guests get an insider's Lakeland on arrival.
Free to Listed Properties05
Things to Do
Hollis Garden, Lake Mirror, the Dixieland arts district, and Florida Southern's Frank Lloyd Wright campus — the largest single-site FLW collection in the world.
Local Experiences06
Guest Services for Hosts
Guest communication, local marketing, and concierge support so your guests have an amazing experience — and you get better reviews and higher occupancy.
For Airbnb HostsHand-picked stays
Featured Lakeland rentals
What people say
Guests come for the lakes.
They stay for the town.
“We stayed in a charming cottage near Lake Mirror and absolutely loved it. The local recommendations made our trip — we found the best coffee shops and restaurants we never would have discovered on our own.”
Jennifer M.
Vacation Guest · Atlanta, GA
“As an Airbnb host in Lakeland, the guest services and local marketing have been a game-changer. My occupancy rate went up and my reviews improved dramatically. Guests love the local guides.”
David R.
Property Owner · Tampa, FL
“Lakeland was the perfect home base for our family vacation. Close enough to Disney and Tampa for day trips, but so much more peaceful and affordable. The lakefront rental was gorgeous.”
Maria S.
Vacation Guest · Orlando, FL
The town
Thirty-eight lakes.
One very walkable downtown.
Frank Lloyd Wright's largest campus, a revitalized arts district, craft coffee, and spring-training baseball — all inside a small city that still feels like one.
Downtown
Hollis Garden & Lake Mirror
Frank Lloyd Wright
Florida Southern College
Shops & Galleries
Dixieland Arts District
Explore by neighborhood
Each corner of Lakeland
has its own pace.
The Lakeland Letter
A weekly dispatch from
a small Florida city.
Events, restaurant openings, festivals, farmers markets, new vacation rentals, and the occasional Frank Lloyd Wright tour. Written by locals. Free. No spam.