Leesburg, Florida

Leesburg, Florida - The Lakefront City in the Heart of Florida

Whenever you are in the south and you see the name “Lee”, like Leesburg, Florida, associated with a name, building, county or location, you quickly assume an association with Robert E. Lee, the famed confederate general.

We found out that General Lee has nothing to do with Leesburg, Florida. There are places like Leesburg, Virginia, and a half dozen counties in an equal number of states that do use the name of the confederate general.

In our attempt to cover all the backroads of Florida, Leesburg was never one of those must-see destinations.

As we discovered, Leesburg has many characteristics of rural Florida and covers almost 25 square miles. Yet the population is just over 22,000 people. Leesburg, Florida turns out to be a great place to visit.

Leesburg, Florida Surrounded by Lakes

Nestled between two very large lakes, Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, Leesburg, Florida has gone through economic ups and downs since its founding in 1875 by several Lee families unrelated to the more famous military leader.

Surrounding sources of water and abundant natural resources fostered Leesburg’s fame as the watermelon capital of Florida in the early 20th century. Weather changes and devastating freezes saw growers of watermelon and citrus move their operations further south.

Some notable facts about Leesburg, Florida include;

a towered airport serving three counties and a large flight school.
two relatively well-known small colleges, Lake-Sumter State College and Beacon College.
the watersports industry around Lake Griffin and the famed bass lake, Lake Harris, account for a significant part of their economic structure.
The Villages, just a few miles northwest of Leesburg, employs a significant number of Leesburg residents. Many local businesses also consider the Villages an economic benefit.

Waterways surrounding Leesburg offer year-round sports including world-class bass fishing, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, and lakeside camping at numerous private and state-operated parks.

Nearby Tavares, the Seaplane City, is under five miles away. On Lake Dora, Tavares has a seaplane port that launches regular flights daily. The many lakes around central Florida, including Leesburg, become landing places for the seaplanes.

Popular Attraction in Leesburg, Florida

Perhaps the most notable visitor draw in Leesburg is Venetian Gardens. This lake-side botanical walk is notable for the beauty of landside vegetation and lake vegetation mingling together at the shoreline.

An occasional alligator wanders through lily pads looking for a meal. The lengthy boardwalk keeps visitors safely away from wildlife or vice versa! Venetian Gardens offer visitors a look at Florida’s flora and fauna.

Leesburg, Florida’s location makes a road trip likely when traveling around central Florida.

Just about 45 miles northwest of Orlando. Route 27 and 441 traverse the city and the freeway (Rt. 75) is 10 miles west by route 44. Take the time to visit this central Florida city. Leesburg has a lot to see in the area.