Bok Tower is the ideal place to unplug, reconnect with nature

LAKE WALES, Fla. - In the heart of Polk County, a historic tower stands 205 feet tall.

It's worth the drive, however, for what you will see when you get there. Once you reach Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, whatever may have clouded your mind during the drive, somehow goes away.

When he built this place in 1929, that is what Edward Bok wanted. Even back then, he saw the need for a place where people could unplug.  According to Bok Tower Gardens' Erica Smith, Edward Bok was concerned that Americans were losing their connections to nature.  So, he built "The Singing Tower."  

Smith said it's the world's largest musical instrument.

"The bells are located behind the tile work at the very top," she explained. "There are sixty tons of bells that are hanging." 

While the tower stays the same, the gardens do not. They are ever-changing.  A recent addition is Hammock Hollow. It's a place where kids can play, get dirty and have a little fun with nature.

Bok Tower Gardens is celebrating its 90th birthday this year, and lots of events have been planned for the place that Edward Bok built.

For more information,  head over to the Bok Tower Gardens' website.