What to do in Plant City, Florida
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Yacob Reyes/Axios
I sat at Fred's Market on a recent afternoon, poring through the lopsided scrawls in my notebook and making sense of an enclave in Hillsborough County that seemed foreign to me.
- I had spent most of my time in Plant City visiting antique store after antique store, sifting through Coca-Cola bottles and Beanie Babies and University of Florida memorabilia older than me.
Between the lines: I hail from Carrollwood, acres of northwest Hillsborough once full of pastures and orange groves that — like many other places in Florida — succumbed to bulldozers and stucco subdivisions.
- My neighborhood was developed in the '90s and marketed as a "convenient location" near highways, shopping centers, and entertainment.
- In short, the only Hillsborough I know is one stacked with restaurant chains and sprawling residential areas.
What happened: I drove about a half hour to Plant City, with only the Strawberry Festival as a reference. I found a downtown with little foot traffic, storefront Christian boutiques and an old train depot.
- I collected business cards from Rocking Horse Collectibles and Antiques and Depot Antiques, a Time magazine deep-dive into the Starr report and a calendar for community bingo.
- Beside the train viewing platform, I called an old friend and told him the place felt almost untouched by time. He said, "That's a choice."
Zoom in: Toward the end of my visit, I grabbed coffee at Krazy Kup, where retro movie posters line the brick walls. Six dollars bought me an iced latte with oat milk.
- I asked patrons for food recommendations and wound up at Fred's.
- There, I ate breaded drumsticks, sweet rolls, mac and cheese, fried green tomatoes and a slice of pecan pie. Hung on the wall was a New Yorker article by Anne Hull headlined "Strawberry Girls."
- In it, Hull noted, "the life that Plant City celebrated was vanishing." Dinosaur World and escape rooms seem to prove her right.
The bottom line: Old Florida still breathes in Plant City, but for how long, one can only guess. Enjoy it while you can.
If you go: Here's a roundup of fun spots in Plant City:
What to do
🦖 Dig up fossils at Dinosaur World.
🌿 Touch grass at Metals & Nature.
🤳 Take a selfie with Elvis at State Theatre Antiques.
🏃 Break out at Game Over Escape Rooms: Plant City.
🥓 Bring home the bacon at Plant City Community Bingo.
🐊 Grab an embroidered University of Florida pillow at The Mercantile.
What to eat and drink
🍗 Bring wet wipes to Johnson Barbecue.
🍷 Sip fine wine at Keel & Curley Winery.
🍕 Try an upside-down deep dish at Olde Town Pizzeria.
🍓 Pick fresh strawberries at Parkesdale Farmers Market.
🌮 Chow down on chimichangas at Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant.