Florida Roadside Attractions & Abandoned Places - Lake Placid Tower - Town of Murals & Caladiums

On this episode of Florida Roadside Attractions & Abandoned Places we visit Lake Placid’s Placid Tower on US Highway 27. Also, a downtown tour of Lake Placid’s “Town of Murals.” Lake Placid is known as the Caladia Capitol of the World. There will be plenty of Murals, Caladias, orange groves, lakes, and abandoned places in this video. Thanks for joining me. There is much ahead.
@tampajay on Instagram, Facebook, and @tampajay_ on Twitter
#roadsideattractions #abandonedplaces #florida #roadsideexploration #abandoned #lakeplacid #new

[@TampaJay]

My latest Florida Roadside Attractions video : kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4WofJ-Gp7-Spck

[@christiannall7751]

If your ever in lake placid again, i can give you more in depth info behind some of the places, and show you the some other places.

[@J_ORusticDesigns]

Tampa Jay, I just came across your video. As police chief for the Lake Placid Police Department, I thank you for seeing the best parts of our beautiful little town. Keep up the good work.

[@TampaJay]

Thanks so much Chief! I appreciate you watching and chiming in on the video. I really enjoyed my day there in Lake Placid and it’s such a gem of a town! I will return one day to check out the festival! Hope all is well today and thank you for your service, and stay safe out there my friend. Much ahead!!

[@nicolaxoxo1]

Chief, can you please tell us why the tower is not open and what future plans might there be for the tower? I would love to see someone restore it and the other “Old Florida” spots he saw that were abandoned.

[@J_ORusticDesigns]

@@nicolaxoxo1 The tower is privately owned and has some structural issues that keep them from allowing public access. The current owner has yet to show interest in restoring it or any future plans to open it. He makes royalties selling space to cellular companies placing antennas on the side of it. I have been to the top and it is a beautiful sight for sure.

[@Michelle-zz7no]

We stayed at Lake June-Lake Placid every year starting when I was a very young child i.e. 5. I was just thinking about Lake Placid Tower today and the gift shop and restaurant! Such great memories ❤️❤️❤️. We always went around the time of year when the oranges blossoms were blooming. That’s my favorite scent. I believe heaven will smell like orange blossoms!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@JaniceLalla]

I said Oh, no 43 minutes long but it moved so quickly, and enjoyed every minute of it!

[@ChinaDollTravels]

That giant pineapple 🍍 that is awesome

[@TampaJay]

With a giant birds nest on top, I failed to mention it :)

[@ItzMakaiden]

Eagles nest on pineapple sign? HUGE!!

[@maryf7709]

My family moved to Lake Placid in 1970. I grew up here. A wonderful small town. I remember going to the Pineapple Plantation. They had pineapple slushy drinks in red cup, delicious! There used to be many many more orange groves. Love this town! That college was the High School. When I went there it was the Middle School. Mr. Dewy also invented the Dewy Decimal System.

[@dawgslife131]

The Caladium Festival will be held from July 23 - 25. You can take a bus tour out to the Caladium fields. Art and craft booths, food booths, plant sales, car & bike show too. Come on back for it!

[@TampaJay]

Thanks for sharing

[@trainlover123trainsrock]

@@TampaJay Have you been to Fort Pierce yet? There's alot of old stuff to see there. I believe there is the old St Anastasia Catholic schoolhouse on 10th ave Orange Ave. I have a video of it just uploaded today if you wanna see it

[@sherladixon2842]

I grew up in Lake Placid. The pineapple place is where we used to get pineapple slushes ,he had everything I imaginable in pineapple flavor or shaped like a pineapple. He even had pineapple wine and toothpaste. We always loved going up in the tower. You could see for miles. That park is where they have the caladium festival at every year and there are bears in Higjlands county.I went to school at that school before they built the new school.

[@harryp1665]

I really enjoy these videos of roadside Florida. Thank you

[@chrisholiday775]

i love this old school stuff

[@sarahsouza1]

I was born and I’m still currently living in lake placid Florida

[@nicholaslutz5910]

Dude I’ve wanted to go back and check out that juice place forever! So glad you made this video!

[@coreysballs]

Your raw and local content is the best in my opinion brother!

[@boogneckne8068]

Another fine video sir.

[@TampaJay]

Thank you

[@susankenney7536]

That tower is leaning. Those flowers here in MD where I live we call them elephant ears. I was raised in Gainesville FL. Miss it

[@debbieparker5377]

My grandparents used to live in Lake Placid in the 70s grandpa died in 79 grandma died in 1981, they took us to that tower. They lived not to far in the Paradise mobile home park.

[@JEU4328]

Lake Placid was a wonderful place to live. Thank you for sharing this fun walk down memory lane. I haven't been to Lake Placid in over a decade, and it did my homesick heart good to see it again. I loved seeing the old high school again. Lots of happy memories made there. The frozen pineapple drinks were the best, and the view from the Placid Tower was breathtaking.

[@KibaTheBarbarian]

yes Lake Placid is my home town

[@KLEARSKITHEKREEPER]

Mango! 😂that's so funny it was just laying there..

[@sheilascott9894]

Superb informative video. TFP . GREETINGS from England!

[@TampaJay]

Thank you Sheila! Greetings

[@BuraBax]

Very interesting video, good shoot, nice walking tour. Thanks for sharing 🙂👍

[@TampaJay]

Thank you

[@StonayBalogna]

Great video! The tower reminds me of the Citrus Tower in my hometown Clermont, Fl on the same Hwy 27. Sad to see it’s closed and abandoned.

[@johnnycopus211]

Love old Florida 👍

[@robkeysnj]

Used to love going up to the top of the Lake Placid tower. Used to be a great place to get orange sherbet at the base of the tower. I remember making a phone call from top of the tower in the 80's.

[@TampaFanatic1]

Highlands County is a wonderful place to visit! I am sure you will probably do a video Sebring and Highlands Hammock State Park as well. This was really interesting, I remember going up the tower with my parents back in the '70s. The museum looks like a fun place to go as well. Lake Placid is a cool little town. Awesome video!

[@jdmarr2259]

Jay, when you showed the elevator of the tower, it reminded me of how the "lobby" that was straight ahead used to be the gift shop & it was like the size of a closet. There was only a wall to the left. We rode up to the top on that elevator every time we visited. That was in the mid 1960s. Back then, the plaza was an "L" shape with just a few small buildings & everything was shiny & new. Thanks for this video & the nostalgia attached.

[@CristheGirl]

there's a caladium capitol of the world?!?! I want to go to there! This is an awesome video babe, great job!!

[@TampaJay]

Much ahead!! Oh yes!!! ❤️

[@elisabethgarcia9946]

The Tower Restaurant had THE BEST chicken salad plate. The sweet corn muffin was perfection.

[@TampaJay]

Wish I could’ve tried that thank you

[@planetmirror2090]

What an awesome adventure Jay! I love this series. Thank you for sharing the history while capturing the present so beautifully!

[@TampaJay]

Thank you!

[@willowmoonmystical396]

The design of the fruit stand / souvenir shop with the big pineapple, is from the '50s and '60s, you can tell because it has that futuristic space theme to it.

[@bobmichals7651]

I just came across this video and it sparked a plethora of memories. Back in the '50s, the YMCA owned property on the shore of Lake Grassy and built a summer camp. From ages 9 thru 13, my parents would ship me off to the Y's summer camp for two months of blissful countrified fun. I was born and raised in Miami, so going away to a rural area like Highlands County was my version of Disneyworld. We had overnight tent camping trips, rifle practice, archery practice, fishing, canoeing and just plain wandering through the woods exploring -- catching snakes ... trying to sneak up on deer ... telling stories around the campfires at night. The counselors were all high school seniors or college freshmen and each cabin held 8-10 campers in bunkbeds. There was a communal toilet/shower building centrally located among the cabins called the "KYBO." I never understood why at the time, but thanks to the Internet I've learned it's a term the Scouting Movement of America called their outhouses. It's also said KYBO is an acronym for "Keep Your Bowels Open." For me the highlight of every summer was the twice a month overnight camping trips in nearby Highlands Hammock State Park. For a city-raised kid, sleeping in a smelly WWII vintage army jungle hammock is beyond fun. I could go on and on with fond memories, but just a shout-out to Tampa Jay for visiting this area and bringing back so many nice memories.

[@sherladixon2842]

I remember that camp on lake grassy. My dad fished that lake a lot

[@bernardofitzpatrick5403]

Roadside attractions and abandoned places rocks! Murals are awesome. Loved this vid, awesome area ! Classic car 🔥. 👍👍👍

[@TampaJay]

Thanks buddy

[@gailkirchman5623]

I went to school at the old school you found. Graduated in 1974 from the white building to the left of the brick building. It was the school gym. I loved the lakes and orange groves! Thanks for the memories Tampa Jay!!

[@Jeannified]

Such a fantastic video! Love that you showcased this beautiful quaint area!

[@birdnest5814]

Those murals were great!👍😊💕

[@buckeyeguy82]

Really awesome video Jay! I enjoy checking out museums, murals & landmarks, so this is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing and safe travels!

[@marissaclaire1991]

That building with the angled glass was amazing. What an awesome town. We have a similar train depot museum in my town with a train car outside that you can walk into. I love stuff like that! I enjoyed this one so much. I'm super excited for haunt season. You're a class act, my friend!

[@dianapearson1771]

Super nice of you to leave some money!!! Nice guy!! ❤ Love you and Chris the girl!!!! Another great video!! Cool place. The flowers ( spelling) are beautiful!!

[@vincentappleby9521]

Great murals. Loved the video Jay. 🙂👍

[@beewalsh4133]

Woo hoo, another old Florida type video ! I just love these ! .Great video Jay.

[@TampaJay]

Thank you Bee

[@karisheets2323]

Go north on 27 to Clermont Fl to visit the Citrus Tower! Still open to the public!

[@dennistyler9852]

The hills are a little taller too.

[@Bob-jg3vq]

This is a wonderful vlog. I live in Chicago so it is great to see small towns in other States. Excellent job 👏

[@TampaJay]

Thank you Bob

[@abbykilroy9065]

Your travel and abandoned places videos are always my favorite. Thanks again for making fun content!

[@TampaJay]

Thank you Abby

[@colleen4062]

Just found you loved this video thank you so much. 😁😎

[@johannkolodzey]

11:41 - The mural was painted by Keith Goodson. I went to school with him in Avon Park and he was always a great artist... its great to see his artwork again!

[@bricktothehead]

Great Video!...I'm from Florida. Thanks for the tour and reminder of how luxurious and old world our beautiful state is.

[@jackhowe6607]

St. Cloud another fine city. Came through one night and saw all the rolling hills with the street lights on. Real nice. Better than the Panama City area I live in now.

[@NatureRecycleFlorida]

Florida is the best state cool seeing it

[@joep4235]

love the murals, thanks TJ!

[@TampaJay]

Thanks buddy

[@stevenbryant9648]

Hey Tampa Jay, glad you all had a wonderful time! We hope to be there in about a month. Steven

[@FLStelth]

Nice guided tour, Jay. More than 10 years ago, my parents gave me some caladium bulbs that they bought at the festival. I planted them then and even to this day, they pop up every spring.

[@dennisud]

We vacationed there a year before we moved to Central Florida in 2020! Now I have to do a day trip back due to your Video! The funny part is I visited the Fantasy of Flight Museum Which was inspired by your video as I mentioned it to my friend who took me there! Thanks!

[@Neverland-Official]

Murals so beautiful jay :)

[@lastFLnative]

Fantastic video! I've been driving through lake placid all my life to visit family in lake Wales. I've always wanted to explore more and find all the murals, So thanks for all the info and tips!!!

[@TampaJay]

It’s a beautiful little town thanks Dara

[@crush41gb]

Loved this and the museum but, Ziggy .. my sentimental favorite! 👏🥳🤘

[@TampaJay]

Oh boy!

[@crush41gb]

@@TampaJay Theme song music just went through my head!😃👏

[@DavesTV72]

This is my hometown! Thanks for filming it!

[@coled5090]

I remember going up in the tower when I was a kid. Also we ate at the restaurant for my birthday back in 2006. Sad how it's all basically abandoned there now. :(

[@marypettyfer4640]

Really really enjoyed this such a peaceful feel good video 😆❤🙏😊

[@TampaJay]

Thanks Mary the town was very peaceful

[@ashleybryant533]

I loved those places as a kid I miss them

[@SkunkMonkey991]

Went up the tower back in the 80s. Used to be a restaurant where you paid to go up. You can see so many lakes from up there. I live south of there and love riding the motorcycle up Old SR 8 to there.

[@Deezabolicol]

Hahaha I can't stop hearing Weird Al singing "Murals Murals Murals" to Motley cru's classic thanks to you now Tampa Jay!!! :)

[@TampaJay]

Hahaha thank you

[@joellefisher2276]

Great video TJ! Love it. Thank you for filming this.

[@TampaJay]

Thanks Joelle

[@michaelwilliams6292]

Just found your channel today while surfing KZbin. This is a great video. It brings back so many memories of many trips south to visit my retired parents in Bradenton. Lake Placid looks like paradise to this Northeastern Ohio boy! Someone sure looks after those murals. They all were fresh as new. We visited this area several times during our springtime (school-age kids) vacations. Ever hear of TomGaskins’ Cypress Kneeland? It was a hoot! Thanks for a look at the “Genuine” Florida too often passed up by the theme park crowd.

[@MoviemaniaNick]

Cool vlog Jay. Thanks for the tour of the town. So many awesome murals to look at. Interesting train museum.

[@TampaJay]

Thanks buddy

[@elyseraval8273]

That place looks awesome. Our town has murals as well. They definitely make a difference in the vibe of the town.

[@TampaJay]

Love a town with murals thanks so much

[@FrugalFarmerChannel]

I love off the beaten path tourist traps. Thanks for sharing Jay.

[@TampaJay]

Thanks buddy

[@rickfrederickson8005]

😊 love your back roads travel sdam the woo use to do back road things

[@OffRampAdventures]

These are the kind of stops that make a great video!

[@TampaJay]

Thank you so much love spending my weekends i places like this

[@dianeadams353]

I LOVE these vlogs! Small town America, nothing better!❤️

[@dianeadams353]

Those murals are 😻 beautiful!

[@TampaJay]

I agree thanks Diane

[@nicolaxoxo1]

@@TampaJay 🤘 Metallica! Love the small towns and abandoned “old Florida”. I’m in Pinellas County and it’s WAY too crowded here (actually the most densely populated county in Florida)….looking to relocate somewhere mid to north FL and get some land. I am from Virginia so I appreciate the rare hills. So far Brooksville is the hilliest place in Florida that I have visited

[@gilbertgranby9339]

The..Last..Mango 🦤 😎✌️

[@talesfromanoldmanpatoneal6372]

Tampa Jay great video my friend. I really enjoyed this. I'm a Floridian myself being from Daytona Beach now transplanted to Canton Georgia. I've been to lake placid several times when I made trips down to Sebring for the races. Anyway buddy thanks for taking us on the adventure it brought back memories.

[@morrisnewsnetwork5086]

Good Job Tampa Jay

[@Bloodrocutioner]

It's too bad you couldn't get inside those abandoned places. I would of loved to do that. Loved this video man!

[@relichuntressofcentralflor7759]

We used to get the best pineapple milkshakes there!

[@conniecrawford5231]

Tell Adam the caladiums are NOT petunias! LOL! Great series, buddy- love it! The “ block” tower is next to a “ H & R Block” sign. ! Pat Bella for me.

[@carlwickings5259]

Cool video thanks for all the information Jay.

[@TampaJay]

Glad you enjoyed it Carl thank you

[@kylepokeyporter8375]

Nice shout out to Kreeper !! Lol really nice video

[@abelardorodriguez8853]

The place with the pineapple was called "Plantation Paradise" and the specialized in pineapple products including delicious pineapple juice slushes that they served in red plastic souvenir glasses. It was an obligatory stop for my family whenever we headed up this way from our home in Miami, I still remember those red souvenir glasses and the refreshing pineapple juice. Not exactly sure but I'd say they were operating until the late 1980s or early 1990s .... definitely wish they were still open!

[@FloridaandBeyond]

Looked like an interesting place to visit and get juice. There are so many abandoned places in Florida. They should rebuild the tower. There is a tower located in Clermont called Florida Citrus tower that looks fun to visit.

[@nicolaxoxo1]

The sad thing is the climate in Florida can very quickly destroy an abandoned or poorly maintained building. If water gets in, it’s mold city! Mold is the state flower of Florida

[@cr4224ry]

I really like this type of video. It is nice to see small Florida towns since I can't visit for a while. Maybe you can do more videos like Sebring, Arcadia, Englewood, Sebastian, and other small towns. Thanks for sharing Tampa Jay !

[@KoryGilesYT]

Are you familiar with Wauchula?

[@cr4224ry]

@@KoryGilesYT I have only passed through once several years ago.

[@laurakilmer8652]

I am from Muncie Indiana I moved to Fl. in 1964. Lived here ever since

[@minutemark]

I kept wondering if you were going to mention the horror movie by the same name--and you finally did. With it, you explained that the movie was supposed to portray the lake this one was named after. I didn't realize that. No wonder you didn't mention the movie except briefly. There are some beautiful murals in that town. Thanks for covering so many of them. I enjoyed the video, Tampa Jay!

[@TampaJay]

Hah yep thought of the movie the whole time and finally brought it up thanks buddy

[@markdraskovics5274]

HEY, TAMPA JAY WHAT'S UP.. Well that Tower is pretty dang Cool Looking and yeah seen the elevator shaft Inside too bad it's only being used for anything seems like a waste Yes I like theses abandoned place videos.. yep same name as the lake placid in New York where they had the Winter Olympics so many years ago now we'll cool vlog and hopefully Will see more OK Take care stay safe and see you on the next adventure

[@dannyrighi]

Imagine to do a urban expedition inside that tower millions of views

[@TheBarret50bmg]

I was shocked that someone came to Lake Placid to do a video. I lived there in the 90s but I live up in Sebring now. You should do a video on all the historic buildings in Sebring that are just sitting and rotting. It's shameful.

[@AndieZ4U2]

Born in Lauderdale. Raised on the Ridge.

[@kayeward2047]

This reminds me of the citrus towering Clermont FL.

[@carsonw7229]

Great video man. Love this series

[@TampaJay]

Thank you Carson

[@carsonw7229]

@@TampaJay Are you going to do another haunted series this Halloween season? 🎃

[@user-df4vw3il7t]

Oh wow a very old fruit stand😮nothing like roadtrips if you like history...😢very nice vintage Coca Cola sign!

[@stephaniemetts4788]

Good morning Jay absolutely love your videos your my favorite

[@TampaJay]

Thank you Stephanie

[@stephaniemetts4788]

@@TampaJay your very welcome Jay

[@noellewilliams6886]

Thanks for the murals map.

[@TampaJay]

Thanks for watching

[@MikeRuh01]

With everything being bought up down here. I'm surprised no one has bought that abounded old orange juice stand and made it their home.

[@gnarpsilly]

I pass by there quite alot thanks to living near there, and i saw some people over there one time and a construction machine thingy and I didnt see the advantage realty sign so idk if someone did buy it out or what but yeah

[@annielaplante8012]

the top of the tower has an outstanding view there is a way to get up but that is our old lake placid teenager secret

[@marypettyfer4640]

Enjoy which ever meal you decide ❤👍🙏

[@TampaJay]

Thanks Mary :)

[@lindacassell1979]

I’m gonna subscribe to you because I’m new to living in Florida and I’d like to see more than what you showed and I’m sure there’s plenty of it

[@TampaJay]

That’s awesome thank you so much and welcome to Florida! Much ahead my friend!

[@ItzMakaiden]

TJ! Kool vid today! Love all the local history! HOWEVER! The bank robbing mural, did the Marshall have "Benjamin Buttons Disease"? I only ask (poking harmless fun at u) because u said that the Marshall was active in that town from 1929-1926🤪😜😆😁😝! Luv ya Bud! Stay safe! Keep up the content!! P.s. 1 more try to invite u to Orlando this week to have dinner with the Fam & I! ✌️🙏😊

[@TampaJay]

Ohhh haha i misspoke didn’t even realize it haha thanks buddy I think I meant 1926 - 1949

[@golddustwoman4993]

Jay you should check out the spearhunting museum in Summerdale Alabama. Make sure to check the hours or call ahead to see if they're open but it's the most unintentionally hilarious museum I've ever been to. You gotta check it out!!

[@joesmith4072]

I use to eat their pineapples. Ummm that mango looked amazing.

[@donaldlenardson6291]

To the Lake Placid Police Department & its Cheif : Thank-you for keeping us safe , especially at Sunday Church Srevice @ The Genesis Center .

[@PrimeTimeTravelers]

Jay! Love these type of vlogs. Lake Placid is a beautiful small town that always gets overlooked. If you even find the time, check out our Lake Placid Trash Can Tour vlog that we did last year where we found them all over the city! Very unique for sure. Keep up the good work my friend!!

[@TampaJay]

That’s awesome i wish I would have tracks down some more trash cans ha ha thanks so much

[@nicolaxoxo1]

@@TampaJay I think the one mural was coyotes not wolves. My area is totally overrun by coyotes and they are no longer scared of humans. Small dogs and cats can get snatched off porches. They are even at the beaches!

[@stephenduling5024]

Excellent tour