Florida is known as the mecca of wakeboarding and water skiing. While there are multiple positives about Florida as a whole,
its year-round summer climate and abundance of lakes are what make the state shine.
With so many beautiful lakes to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down which are the best, so 3RK has put together a list of our top five lakes for skiing and wakeboarding in the sunshine state.
Pack up your gear and let’s get to it!
Lake Pickett: Orlando
Lake Pickett is tucked away inside marshes and mangroves on the eastern edge of Orlando and is likely the best place to wakeboard and waterski in the Orlando area. Its depth, size, and wind protection cannot be beaten! At Lake Pickett, you are less likely to wipe out, and if you do, you can usually pop back up with no problem due to the deep water in the lake.
The best part? The lake has few residents due to the acres of wildlife preserve and commercial orange groves around it. While it is still relatively unknown, Lake Pickett is slowly developing and picking up in popularity, so get out there soon before there are too many skiers or wakeboarders out on the water to enjoy it!
Clear Lake: Orlando
Clear Lake, also known as The Hood, is home to several pro wakeboarders. In fact, more pro wakeboarders have called the Clear Lake area home than anywhere else in Florida, or even the entire country.
Clear Lake is a water ski and wakeboarding paradise, with tranquil waters, limited wind, and great weather year-round. The Hood is one of the only wakeboarding spots where you can still get away with building a ramp on the water, which makes it the perfect palace to try out your next trick!
However, Clear Lake is difficult to wakeboard if you are not a local as it only has a private boat launch. Make friends with the people who live near Clear Lake and head out with them when you get the chance!
Lake Conway: Orlando
Lake Conway is massive. If you come out to wakeboard or water ski during the week, you may be the only boat in sight. Its shorelines allow for some of the best wakeboarding around, protecting you from the wind as you board.
Lake Conway is a well-known party spot on the weekends, and hundreds of people flock here to barbecue and hit the water, so be careful to not hit anyone while you water ski or wake.
Hollywood Lakes: Fort Lauderdale/Miami Area
Hollywood Lakes, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami has developed a reputation for watersports in the south Florida area. This area tends to have quite a bit of boat traffic in the main channel, but the lake areas are where the real action is!
The surface of the water is perfect for wakeboarding, but it tends to get choppy if the wind picks up, so choose a day with ideal conditions before you make the trip.
Keep in mind: Hollywood Lakes is completely open to the public, so get there early to catch an undisturbed ride!
Lake Osborne: Palm Beach County
If you want to switch between straightaway and circular wakeboarding, Lake Osborne is the place to be! This narrow lake is deceptively large, with two distinct parts to choose from. You probably will not be the only one on the water, but there is enough variety to make the trip to Lake Osborne worth it.
Those of you who love a good long ride on a wakeboard or water ski will love the southern side of Lake Osborne. Here, the water is peaceful enough to wakeboard or ski for hundreds of feet at a time. The northern side is perfect for circular wakeboarding and tricks.
Tip: launch for the John Prince Park Public Boat Ramp in Lake Worth as early as you can in the morning to get a good day’s worth of boarding or skiing before the crowds show up!
Gear Up with 3RK
Soak up some sun and enjoy a day out on the water wakeboarding or waterskiing with 3RK! With our easy lease-to-own program, you can get the best wakeboarding or water skiing gear at a price that you can afford. Apply today and get out there on the water!
image courtesy of thunderhula.com
