Get Acquainted with Okeechobee County

Okeechobee County is located in South Central Florida along the north shore of the second largest freshwater lake in the United States, Lake Okeechobee. The historic Kissimmee River flows south into Lake Okeechobee, forming the western boundary of Okeechobee County. You'll find Kissimmee Prairie State Park, with its 110 miles of dirt roads, encompassing the northwestern corner of the county, and Okeechobee County shares its eastern borders with the coastal counties of St. Lucie and Martin Counties, two of the fastest growing counties in the nation.

Okeechobee County is centrally located between the Atlantic Ocean, which is about 50 miles to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico, which is approximately 60 miles to the west. Ocean-going vessels can access both bodies of water through Lake Okeechobee Waterway and the Intracoastal Waterway.

Lake Okeechobee, itself, is known nationally for its great fishing, and is home to many national tournaments during the year. On any sunny day of the year, you'll find airboats, bass boats, pontoon boats and larger saltwater boats enjoying the day on the Lake.

The county is served by excellent highways, and the best surprise is that you'll not experience Florida congestion and gridlock in Okeechobee County. Yet Okeechobee' s central location puts the hot Florida destinations within an easy drive. Okeechobee' s 105 miles from Orlando, 135 miles from Tampa, 40 miles from Sebring, 70 miles from Palm Beach and 150 from Miami and the Florida Keys. Okeechobee County has its own airport, and Amtrak stops twice a day.

Cattle ranching, citrus groves, tree farms and winter vegetable farms still dominate the landscape and the economy in Okeechobee County, with tourism a close second in economic impact. The 2000 U.S. census estimates the county population to be 36,000, however this figure does not include the many winter residents that come to work and play in our area.

Okeechobee County benefits from a mild winter climate with average winter temperatures running from the mid-60' s to the mid-80' s. The South Central Florida weather allows residents to participate in great fishing, golfing, camping and boating all year `round. Our climate allows us to grow a great variety of tropical and sub-tropical horticulture throughout the year as well. The Lake Okeechobee surrounding areas provide 90% of the winter vegetables for the United States. In Okeechobee you'll see the tropical citrus and mango trees as well as cypress, live oaks and maples, due to our unique location in the State of Florida, combining the best of both South Florida and North Florida.

The Okeechobee County Chamber of Commerce sponsors an annual Speckled Perch Festival every March. The Okeechobee County Cattlemen' s Association sponsors two PRCA rodeos each year. Homecoming, The Fourth of July and Christmas are celebrated with parades down the main streets of Okeechobee City. Fairs and festivals are held in the city parks throughout the year.

Okeechobee County is a friendly, civic-minded community, with room to roam. If you're looking for a warm place filled with warm people, you'll find you're at home in sunny Okeechobee County, Florida.