A Little Local History
Land O' Lakes is an unincorporated community in south-central Pasco County, home to 35,929 people as of the 2020 census. The area grew up around a stagecoach relay stop between Brooksville and Tampa in the 1880s, and by the 1930s citrus was the main business. The name came from a community contest: residents voted on it in June 1949, and the area was officially renamed Land O' Lakes in September 1950. It fits — there are roughly 50 lakes packed into about 18 square miles.
Today most of daily life runs along two roads: Land O' Lakes Boulevard (US 41) north to south, and State Road 54 east to west, with the Suncoast Parkway along the western edge.
Then and Now: A Local's Memory
"We moved to Land O' Lakes in 1999. Back then, State Road 54 and US 41 were two-lane roads with a blinking light. The Publix at Collier Commons on Collier Parkway used to be a horse farm with a harness racing track, and we'd go watch the horses pulling carriages around it. That's why there are horse topiaries out front of that Publix, for those of you who never realized why they're there."
— Jimmy Schaefer, Voyuno founder
The newspaper archives back it up. In September 1999, the St. Petersburg Times reported that Judd Stables, an 80-acre horse farm of pasture and pond at the corner of Collier Parkway and State Road 54, was under contract to a commercial developer. Owner Barbara Woods had trained show horses on the property since the 1980s. Today that corner is home to Collier Commons and its Publix — horse topiaries and all.
Lakeside Bars and Restaurants
With this many lakes, it's no surprise some of the best hangouts in town are on the water:
- Tiki Cove (Lake Padgett) — an open-air tiki bar and restaurant with tropical drinks, casual food, live music, volleyball and sunset views. You can show up by car or by boat, and it's family- and dog-friendly.
- In the Loop Brewing (Lake Padgett) — a locally owned craft brewery on the lakeshore with an indoor tasting room, a big beer garden, a deck and a small dock, plus rotating food trucks and live entertainment.
- Stonewater Grill (Bell Lake) — a full-service lakefront bar and restaurant with waterfront seating, American comfort food and seafood, live music and room for private events.
- Ukulele Brand's (East Lake Ellis) — a lakeside bar and eatery on Land O' Lakes Blvd. A little bit of a dive bar, but a lot of fun.
Tiki Cove from above, on Lake Padgett. Drone footage by Jimmy Schaefer.
Eating Along Land O' Lakes Boulevard
US 41 is where a lot of the longtime local favorites live:
- Hungry Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que — homestyle barbecue platters in a rustic, barn-style setting, and one of the most-reviewed restaurants in town.
- Larry's Deli & Sandwich Shop — a no-frills stop known for Cuban sandwiches, subs and boiled peanuts.
- ABC Pizza — another one of the most-reviewed restaurants on the boulevard.
Bexley and Focus Loop
Bexley is a master-planned community near SR 54 and the Suncoast Parkway, with about 1,200 of its 1,825 acres kept as preserved land and miles of trails. Its commercial strip along Focus Loop has turned into a dining cluster of its own:
- The Hub at Bexley — the open-air shopping and dining center that anchors the strip.
- BellaBrava Bexley for Italian, and Stillwaters Tavern for a bar-and-grill night out.
- Grain and Berry and Urban Crunch Creamery Cafe for bowls, coffee and dessert.
- Twisted Sprocket Cafe at the Bexley Club, close to the trails.
Coffee, Breakfast and Ice Cream
Land O' Lakes has a deep bench of small coffee and dessert shops — and they're the businesses people search for most:
- Breakfast Station and Corner's Coffee & Creamery, both in the Village Lakes Shopping Center off SR 54.
- Bee Coffee — a women-owned, Latino-owned coffee shop serving waffles, sandwiches and açaí bowls, located at TreeMart North.
- Cotee River Creamery & Desserts and Alice's Tea Shoppe for ice cream, tea and sweets.
- Caribbean Cafe & Bites and Empire Coffee & Deli for something a little different.
Outdoors: Conner Preserve
Conner Preserve, on State Road 52, is 3,486 acres of public land managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. It has about 17 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, roughly 15 miles open to bikes and about 6 miles for horseback riding (day-use reservation required). It's open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. There are no restrooms or water at the main entrance, so come prepared.
Making the yard look good when you get home? TreeMart North on Land O' Lakes Blvd is a full-service nursery and garden center with palms, tropicals, shrubs and landscape trees.
Pasco's Clothing-Optional Side
You can't talk about Land O' Lakes without mentioning this: Pasco County is often called the nudist capital of the U.S., and three of its best-known resorts are right here or just down the road in Lutz.
- Caliente Club & Resorts (Land O' Lakes) — a clothing-optional lifestyle resort open since 2004, known for its pools, nightclub and themed parties. Daily memberships and resort rooms are available.
- Lake Como Family Nudist Resort (Lutz) — Florida's oldest nudist resort, founded in 1941 and now a member-owned family community.
- Paradise Lakes Resort (Lutz) — an adults-only clothing-optional resort with four heated pools, a poolside bar and grill, and day visits.
Each resort has its own rules for first-time visitors, so check with them before you go.
Where Local Businesses Work
A lot of Land O' Lakes small businesses operate out of two shared buildings, and Voyuno has a page for each one so you can see who's inside:
- 4 & Co Coworking Spaces on Early Riser Ave
- Copperstone Executive Suites on Land O' Lakes Blvd
Read More About Land O' Lakes
- 5 Best Date-Night Restaurants Near Land O' Lakes
- 4 Pizza Restaurants Near Land O' Lakes and Wesley Chapel to Try
- Mexican Restaurants Near Land O' Lakes and Lutz
- Inside 4 & Co: The Land O' Lakes Coworking Space
Planning Your Visit
Hours, menus and events change, especially at waterfront spots on weekends and holidays, so check the listing or call ahead before you go. Land O' Lakes uses the 34637, 34638 and 34639 ZIP codes, and it borders Lutz to the south and sits just west of Wesley Chapel.
