Lake City City Hall

Columbia County Courthouse in Lake City

Lake City is a small city in North Central Florida.

Get in

Lake City's location at the intersection of Highways 90, 441, Interstate 75 and just off Interstate 10 have long made it a convenient stopping place on long highway drives.

By bus

• Greyhound Bus Lines, 251 S Marion Ave, ☏ +1 386-752-3232. 7:30AM-8:15PM. 

See

Lake Desoto

The old part of town is on either side of Highway 90 around the intersections of Main and Marion Streets. It has a pleasant appearance with old houses and shops and Lake DeSoto and is worth a look if you're not too much of a rush.

Do

Check out the downtown by day. Pretty much everything downtown closes up at 5PM. Places near the Interstate remain active at night.

From the end of November through December, the Festival of Lights is a spectacular Christmas display downtown.

• 1 Big Shoals State Park (on County Road 135, approximately a mile east of White Springs, off US 41). This Florida state park features the largest whitewater rapids in Florida. Limestone bluffs, towering 80 feet above the banks of the Suwannee River, afford outstanding vistas not found anywhere else in Florida. When the water level on the Suwannee River is between 59 and 61 feet above mean sea level, the Big Shoals rapids earn a Class III Whitewater classification, attracting thrill-seeking canoe and kayak enthusiasts. A smaller set of rapids downstream is called Little Shoals. Over 28 miles of wooded trails provide opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. The Woodpecker Trail, a 3.4 mile long multipurpose paved trail, connects the Little Shoals and Big Shoals entrances to the park. The river offers excellent opportunities for freshwater fishing. A picnic pavilion that seats up to 40 people is available at the Little Shoals entrance. 
• 2 Ichetucknee Springs State Park, 12087 S.W. US Hwy 27 (Exit from I-75 at exit 399. Take US 441 north to High Springs. Take US 27 north to Ft. White the south entrance to the park is 4 miles on the right), ☏ +1 386-497-4690. 8am-sundown, 365 days a year. Ichetucknee Springs is a popular destination for tubing, kayaking and canoeing.; Tube rental costs are generally $5-$20 per tube.; Major changes were made in 2016 because the park concessionaire vendor changed. This was controversial for many reasons. Beginning in 2016 tubes can be rented in one of two ways, either Outside the park, from independent vendors, Inside the park from the park concession vendor; Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the park has vehicles which take you from the park to the river and from the exit (from the river) to the parking lot. Park Admission Fees: $6 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle. $4 Single Occupant Vehicle. $4 Motorcycle Fee (one or two people). $2 Pedestrians, bikes, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle w/ holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass. (updated Sep 2019)

Buy

Antique shops along Marion Avenue.

Eat

The standard national chains are well represented in the area by the Interstate exits. The old downtown also has several local places.

Sleep

• 1 Days Inn, 3144 W US-90, ☏ +1 386 269-6074. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 12PM. (updated Jul 2020)
• Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, 213 SW Commerce Dr (just off I-75 Highway 90 exit), ☏ +1 386 754-1411. Rooms with whorlpool tubs available. 
• Ramada, 3340 West US Highway, ☏ +1 904 752-6262. 

Go next

• Osceola National Forest

Routes through Lake City

Pensacola ← Tallahassee ← Jct N S ←	W  E	→ Osceola Nat'l Forest → Jacksonville
Macon ← Lake Park ←	N  S	→ Gainesville → Tampa
Macon ← Lake Park ←	N  S	→ Brooksville → Tampa
Pensacola ← Tallahassee ←	W  E	→ Osceola Nat'l Forest → Jacksonville