WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Winter Haven has 50 lakes, and more than 20 are connected, which is known as the Chain of Lakes.
Residents and tourists have the opportunity to explore the Chain of Lakes on a wildlife boat tour with Living Water Boat Cruises.
WATCH Learn the history of Winter Haven while touring with Living Water Boat Cruises
Captain Rue Denton grew up in Winter Haven along these lakes and is the owner of Living Water Boat Cruises.
When you step aboard his boat, you aren’t just getting familiar with wildlife. Captain Rue is giving you a crash course in Winter Haven History.
“There's a lot of rich history with Cypress Gardens and Legoland. And the canals, how they were built, and the railroads and everything. So, it's a really informative tour,” said Captain Rue.
ABC Action News took an hour-long tour and saw blue herons, osprey, river otters, Legoland, million-dollar homes, and even a pool shaped like Florida that was used in a movie.
“I love finding wildlife, including bald eagles, and we have so much out here. The river otters and the birds are really abundant and active. Like we're out here at 8 o'clock in the morning and we've seen a lot already,” explained Captain Rue.
He also added that this tour is very unique to the Winter Haven area.
“It's just it's such a hidden gem for people that don't really know. Like, there's a lot of locals that come on board that have been in Winter Haven for 30 years, but they didn't know there were so many lakes. They didn't know how beautiful it was. They didn't really know the history of the canals and the citrus industry and all that. So we bring all that to life.”
Living Waters Boat Cruises offers several options, including one and two-hour tours. They also have a sunset cruise.
You can learn more about Living Water Boat Cruises by clicking here.
