Lutz (pronounced loots), rated one of the 100 best places to live by Money magazine in 2004, and being a contender or finalist for that place since then, has a small but growing population of 25,000. It is a land dotted with more than 100 unspoiled lakes, making Lutz a paradise for those who enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and waterskiing. Just 12 miles north of its large metropolitan neighbor of Tampa, Lutz considers itself a bedroom community, with many residents working in the city and returning to their piece of country paradise at the end of the day. Commuting in and out of Tampa is a bit easier than most in the area, which is well known for its difficult traffic situation: the intersection of I-4 and 275, with a commanding close-up view of the Downtown Tampa skyscraper is well-known to locals as a malfunctioning crossover. North of Lutz and sharing many of its borders and services is the town of Land O’Lakes in Pasco County. While most of Lutz is within Hillsborough County, a small portion is considered Pasco. However, the line is blurry, many people are sometimes unsure whether their favorite place is Pasco and Land O’Lakes, or Hillsborough and Lutz.
Shopping and dining in Lutz
The shopping and dining options in Lutz, while there’s nothing to sneeze at right now, are about to get a lot bigger. Construction began in June 2007 on the highly contested Cypress Creek Town Center, which is supposed to be the largest shopping center in the Tampa Bay area and the second largest shopping center in Florida with more than 1.3 million square feet of floor space. fresh air. shopping style. Residents have put up a good fight to stop the mall over the years, but, as is often the case, progress wins in the end. Also opening in the very near future will be The Grove and Shops at Wiregrass, two large malls with Best Buy, Ross, Bed-Bath-and-Beyond, 16-screen theater, bookstore and more.
Lutz residents already enjoy easy access to Wal-Mart, K-Mart, a new Super-Target, and a host of shopping centers in the Tampa area, as well as all the popular chain restaurants: Moe’s, Chili’s , Applebee’s. But Lutz residents also enjoy some local favorites like Salvato’s, Benedetto’s, and Hot Rod’s Barbeque. Salvato’s, in the Willow Bend Mall on State Road 54, is a local gathering spot for casual dining with a sports bar and live entertainment. To satisfy that Italian craving, Lutz residents turn to Benedetto’s at the Village Shopping Center, also on SR 54. And for a true local Lutz experience, don’t miss Hot Rod’s Barbeque and Grill – open four days a week and serving specialties like Grilled Swamp Bat, Redneck Prime Rib, aka SPAM, and $ 39.99 BIG BURGER, a 15-pound USDA 100% American beef burger on a 16-inch bun that takes two hours to make and includes ingredients like Gator Guts Hot Sauce, Fo-Play Rub and enough minced onion to make you cry.
Leisure and games in Lutz
There is a lot of play in and around Lutz. With its many freshwater lakes and ponds, many of which are connected by canals, the area is a paradise for fishermen, boaters and water ski enthusiasts. Lake Keene, a 30-acre lake at the intersection of Hanna Road and Sunset Lane, is well stocked with bass, catfish, spotted perch, and wing. Lake Commiston, half the size of Lake Keene and with a very underdeveloped shoreline, is home to ospreys, egrets, blue herons, storks, and the occasional bald eagle. Home to the most prestigious golf courses in the Tampa Bay area: Avila, Stillwater, Cheval, and with 166 courses within 30 miles of the city proper, Lutz is also a haven for golfers.
Lutz is also home to several popular clothing optional resorts, including Paradise Lakes, a 72-acre paradise with more than 400 residents, and Lake Como, a 200-acre rustic nudist community and 35-acre lake resort. Neighboring Land O’Lakes offers a few more of these resorts, if that sort of thing is your thing.
At Nye Park (clothing is NOT optional), which borders the undeveloped shores of Lake Commiston, residents enjoy baseball, tennis and picnic facilities as well as a recreation center for indoor fun. The Lutz Nature Park has a pond surrounded by promenades and pavilions; It is at the western end of the Oscar Cooler Park and Youth Complex, which hosts football and minor league games. Lutz is also home to two dog parks, the newest of which is on US 41, south of Lutz-Lake Fern Road. Lutz residents are also within walking distance of everything the Tampa area has to offer, including sunny Pinellas County beaches and Tampa’s Busch Gardens, the popular Museum of Science and Industry, Lowry Park Zoo, and the Aquarium. from Florida.
