Citrus park has morphed over the past 100 years, from a sleepy set of citrus groves and cypress mills, intersected by a private railroad that hauled Florida’s precious exports North. The industrial heart of Florida that seems to have faded away as land was cleared.
Citrus Park Real Estate
As bitter freezes devastated the citrus industry and the lumber industry waned, developers and private landowners quickly turned Citrus Park into an idyllic suburb of the hard-working residents of Tampa.
The area was originally considered remote to residents of downtown Tampa, but with urban sprawl, Citrus Park is now considered centrally located. With easy access to the Veterans Expressway, residents of Citrus park neighborhoods have access to Tampa International Airport within minutes by hopping on the quick and easy toll road.
Citrus Park has also become known as a shopping destination for those looking to explore high end fashion and apparel with the development of one of Hillsborough County’s largest building projects that involved the reconfiguration of roads, public transportation and new housing.
Westfield Citrus Park, formerly Citrus Park Town Center has notable retail fashion outlets like Dillard’s and Macy’s; Dicks Sporting Goods to meet the outdoor needs, and is capped by a 20 theater Regal Cinema Multiplex Theater. Residents have access to premium retail store Best Buy and Petco, and countless great places to eat.
Citrus Park homeowners have easy access to one of the best trail systems in all of the country. The Upper Tampa Bay Trail is located in Northwest Hillsborough County and spans 7.25 miles which begins at the Old Memorial Trailhead and meanders its way all the way up through Odessa and continues through the extension of the Suncoast Memorial Expressway.
The original Section winds through suburban Citrus Park along an old unused railroad corridor that extends along the west bank of Channel A waterway and drainage canal. You can hop on the trail at many different points, and is referred to in different sections
From the Wilsky trailhead the trail continues onto the Rocky Creek Trails Nature Preserve section at the Gunn Highway and Citrus Park Overpass. This is the busiest section is 4.5 miles and leads to Keystone Park and the Austin Davis Library. For biking enthusiasts, this is the spot. Two premium bike shops, Citrus Park Bikes and Citrus Park Cyclery, have grown with the birth of the trail to meet the needs of the users of the trail.
From there, the paved trail follows Lutz Lake Fern Road to a connection with the 42-mile Suncoast Trail. There are three or four good access points to the Upper Tampa Bay Trail throughout the Odessa area, but you can hop on anywhere along trail, with main trailheads at Ehrlich Road and Lutz Lake Fern that have plenty of available parking.
Tucked away quietly in the heart of Citrus Park is one of Florida’s most unique popular attractions, the Big Cat Rescue. No rides or games are offered, but it is definitely a park worth taking out-of-towners and kids are sure to love it.
Big Cat Rescue is an animal sanctuary with a twist. They are devoted to rescuing and housing exotic felines and to end the ownership and trade in the exotic felines; it’s a park with a purpose. Big Cat Rescue describes its mission as rehabilitating injured or orphaned native wild cats, and ending the private trade and ownership of exotic cats via education outreach and legislation is their goal and focus.
Citrus park has an incredible school system and is a major factor in many people’s decision to moving there. School zoning can change from time to time so if there’s a specific school that you have in mind be sure to discuss those options specifically.
The newest multimillion-dollar revitalization project in Citrus Park is the Citrus Park Extension Improvement Plan and includes the land acquisition adjacent to the existing Citrus Park Sports Complex and future improvements to the park, as funds allow.