Lake City, Florida

Lake City, Florida, home to The Oaks, provides an ideal climate and community to escape the noise and crowds of big-city life. Lake City’s central location in North Florida affords residents many opportunities to take in the natural beauty of the region, pursue business ventures or employment, and to partake in modern-day comforts, conveniences, and activities.

In a subtropical climate zone, Lake City experiences all four seasons without extreme high or low temperatures. This gives residents an excuse to always be outdoors enjoying North Florida’s alluring natural attractions, including the Osceola National Forest and the rivers, lakes, and springs that make up the surrounding state parks and conservation areas. Outdoorsmen and families alike take part in fishing, boating, swimming, kayaking, tubing, and a host of other fresh-water activities, as most points of public-water access are just 20 minutes from downtown. Lake City’s inland position makes hurricanes rarely a threat and home insurance rates lower than the rest of the state of Florida.

One of Lake City’s claims to fame is its annual reenactment of Florida’s largest Civil War battle on the actual site of the Olustee Battlefield. The reenactment is supplemented with an arts-and-crafts festival, drawing crowds from all around. The city is also home to two golf courses, public tennis courts, a public swimming pool, a number of parks and ball fields, two auto racing tracks, and more.

The town’s population of almost 70,000 people constitutes a bustling marketplace of privately-owned businesses, civic groups, public resources, and retail stores, including Home Depot, Starbucks, and Publix Supermarket. At the same time, Lake City retains a personable, small-town feel and a low crime rate. Being just several miles off the intersection of interstates 75 and 10 draws in a steady stream of visitors to support the economy and also makes for efficient travel to North Florida’s larger cities of Gainesville, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee. These cities — all within two hours’ driving time — boast white sand beaches, colorful arts and cultural attractions, sporting events, world-class golf, superior medical centers, and higher education, including the University of Florida in Gainesville, the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and Florida State University and Florida A&M in Tallahassee. Just 35 miles from Lake City, Gainesville has repeatedly been recognized by authors in publications, including National Geographic Adventure, as one of the nation’s best places to live.