Valrico, Florida
If you ask Tampa-area locals to tell you about Valrico in just a few words, the answer is usually the same: lots of big, beautiful trees, great golf courses and excellent schools. Valrico, Florida is an evolving community 13 miles east of Tampa. Just under 10,000 people call Valrico home, although the wider area itself sports upwards of 70,000. A contender for CNN Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live 2007, Valrico manages to retain its small town appeal while being right “next door” to its sprawling neighbor to the east Brandon. And ‘small town’ it is: it is said that you can drive from one end of Valrico to another at its widest point in less than 10 minutes.
Valrico first appeared on the map in the 1890s with the opening of its railroad depot and post office. Its name is Spanish for “valley of gold,” fitting since Valrico began as a region of cotton plantations and citrus groves, many of which have now been converted into residential communities. Two groves remain standing today as a reminder of Valrico’s history. Another remnant of Valrico past is the James McCabe Theatre on Fifth Street. Once home to the community’s civic center, this 2-story structure built with local clay now serves as headquarters for the Village Players Theatrical Company, which offers new shows every four to six weeks.
Living in Valrico
A variety of neighborhoods dot this peaceful, family-friendly, and mostly upper-middle-class community, including large acreage next to densely packed subdivisions. Available for sale are single-family homes, condominiums and town-homes, and lots for building a custom castle of your very own. While the median home price is $260,000, you will also find two-bedroom condominiums starting at $100,000. Units in upscale communities like Oak Valley and Savannah Landings run upwards of $300,000. Also available are well-weathered single-family homes in the $100,000-neighborhood, common in older communities like Camden Oaks and Mulrennan Groves.
Lakefront homes are another option; residents living along the shores of the 124-acre Valrico Lake enjoy fishing, water-skiing and air-boating, as well as an abundance of wildlife from raccoons and foxes to geese, ducks and alligators. New, larger estate homes with pools and lavish landscaping are also available for those with larger budgets and tastes, up to the $700,000 range, in communities like Country Gates and River Hills. River Hills, a member of the Audubon Society, has within its borders several areas designated as wildlife preserves.
Valrico Schools
Valrico schools are reputed to be schools of excellence—for good reason. Its five elementary schools—Alafia, Buckhorn, Cimino, Lithia Springs and Valrico—are all “A” schools, as is its sole middle school, Mulrennan Middle. Bloomingdale High, the community’s high school, is not far behind with a “B.” The area is also served by two private schools: Trinity Christian Academy on Loma Vista Road for pre-k to grade 12, and Foundation Christian Academy on Lithia Pinecrest Road for pre-k to grade eight.
Shopping and Dining in Valrico
What taste tickles your fancy? Valrico, being just next to Brandon, has no shortage of restaurants to choose from: CNNMoney.com reports 1,383 restaurants within 15 miles of Valrico proper. In or near town you’ll find lots of chains: Cracker Barrel, Applebee’s, Ruby Tuesday, China Star, Jordan’s Porterhouse and many others. But you’ll also find lots of local favorites as well. Try Willie’s Seafood Restaurant on Main Street or Fat Willie’s Fish Camp, right next door. On Lithia Pinecrest Road, sample Cold Stone Creamery, La Cubanita Café or Racoons Restaurant and Lounge, which offers Happy Hour seven days a week. On Brandon Boulevard, also known as State Road 60, try the Latin Flavor Café or Zaxbys.
Shopping is equally expansive, with the Westfield Brandon on State Road 60 just east of I-75 being right at Valrico’s doorstep; this mega-mall with anchors Dillard’s and Macy’s recently completed a 150,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor expansion designed to appeal to an affluent customer base. Thanks to the Westfield Brandon’s expansion, Valrico and other area residents may now explore trendy specialty shops like Anchor Blue, Cache, Sephora, Fossil and Quicksilver. And if that’s not enough, just head west toward Tampa for shopping pleasure at outlets such as International Plaza, Bay Street and Hyde Park Village.
Leisure and Play in Valrico
Tampa-area locals have a saying: shop in Brandon, boat on the Alafia and golf in Valrico. With 65 golf courses within 30 miles of the city, chances are good you’ll find one to your liking. The semi-private championship course at River Hills, nestled within more than 200 acres of countryside, offers plenty of challenge for the serious golfer and plenty of fun for weekenders. The Bloomingdale Golfers’ Club, also semi-private, is ranked one of Florida’s top 10 courses, with a championship layout in a setting of towering pines, oaks and natural marsh land; half of the Club’s 219 acres is considered a wildlife preserve. Other area golf treasures include the Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club, Diamond Hill in Dover and Walden Lake in Plant City.
But golf is not the only thing to do—not by far! Take a day trip along the Alafia river in a canoe. Head west for the beautiful white-sand Gulf beaches. Head east for the hustle, bustle and magic of Disney. Or, stay right within the Valrico area and explore local treasures like Edward Medard Park on Turkey Creek Road. Medard offers equestrian trails, camping, natural sand dunes, marshlands and towering pines; it also boasts a reclaimed 770-acre phosphate mine that now sees a half-a-million visitors for freshwater fishing each year. For less of a crowd, try nearby Turkey Creek Park, with its quiet horseback trails. Or Buckhorn Park on Green Valley Street, known for its hoops, hiking trails and playground.
Also nearby is the popular Alafia River State Park. As most of the land is reclaimed mines, the park offers some of the most radical elevation changes in Florida. With 20 miles of trails, opportunities for canoeing and fishing, as well as a full-service campground and equestrian-friendly campsites, the Alafia River State Park makes for relaxing family fun time and time again. |